Monday, June 30, 2014

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

It is time for a blog post for a sister franchise of Star Wars under Disney - Marvel. Specifically this is a synopsis of all the episodes from the first season of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. I have DVR'ed the first full season and had watched a handful of episodes. However, I was disappointed in the acting and storytelling as the first part of the season progressed and stopped watching. However, my DVR dutifully recorded every episode and I held off on clearing it out simply because I love the Marvel movies and I knew this show would be an extension of the ongoing canon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I couldn't quite give up on the show.

I am so glad I didn't!


1.01 "Pilot"
Director: Joss Whedon
Writers: Joss Whedon & Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen



1.02 "0-8-4"
David Straiton
Maurissa Tancharoen & Jed Whedon & Jeffrey Bell



1.03 "The Asset"
Milan Cheylov
Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen



1.04 "Eye Spy"
Roxann Dawson
Jeffrey Bell


1.05 "Girl in the Flower Dress"
Jesse Bochco
Brent Fletcher


1.06 "F.Z.Z.T."
Vincent Misiano
Paul Zbyszewski


1.07 "The Hub"
Bobby Roth
Rafe Judkins & Lauren LeFranc


1.08 "The Well"
Jonathan Frakes
Monica Owusu-Breen


1.09 "Repairs"
Billy Gierhart
Maurissa Tancharoen & Jed Whedon

The lowest of the low. This episode was just plain bad - the worst of the series. The storytelling was muddled to the point that although his was supposed to be the transformative episode for Agent May's character, I didn't get it - I didn't care.

1.10 "The Bridge"
Holly Dale
Shalisha Francis

This is the episode that turned the series around for me. Up to this point there were a few high points but for the most part the episodes were mediocre. Whether it was better writing, better directing, or better acting, they seemed to have fixed the problems starting here.

1.11 "The Magical Place"
Kevin Hooks 
Paul Zbyszewski & Brent Fletcher

I am so glad the creators decided not to string us along for several seasons on the mystery of Coulson's miraculous recovery. It was also nice to see Shepherd Book back on TV!

1.12 "Seeds"
Kenneth Fink
Monica Owusu-Breen & Jed Whedon

Having seen this episode weeks after Winter Soldier, I noticed some of the hints bein dropped in this episode about the future. I think this is the first time in the series that Hydra is mentioned by name. This was mostly a standalone episode but contiuned the overall story arc and spawned a new potential villain for the future.

1.13 "T.R.A.C.K.S."
Paul Edwards
Lauren LeFranc & Rafe Judkins

This reminded me a lot of the train heist in another Whedon TV series, Firefly. I love the time freezing type weapons introduced here. A heart wrenching third act.

1.14 "T.A.H.I.T.I."
Bobby Roth
Jeffrey Bell

Big revelation on the source of the medicine used to bing Coulson bak from the dead. Perhaps this will tie into Guardians of the Galaxy?


1.15 "Yes Men"
John Terlesky
Shalisha Francis

This seemed like a one shot episode and a promo for the lesser known Asgardian women. While it was that, it was still very entertaining.


1.16 "End of the Beginning"
Bobby Roth
Paul Zbyszewski
We find out Fury has returned to the Triskelion from Agent Hand, who then orders Agent Sitwell to go to Lemurian Star (set-up for Winter Soldier movie). The Clairvoyant found and eliminated - or is he?

Deathlok (Mike Peterson) - gets a rocket launcher and continues his cyborg transformation
Thomas Nash - An index reject, paralytic, supposedly the Clairvoyant? Ward kills him.
Edison Po - Clairvoyant says he is the one who came up with the name. First seen in Girl In The Flower Dress.
Agent Hand - Takes over the plane and tells team to kill everyone except Coulson.
Agent Blake - First appeared in short Item 47.
Agent Sitwell -


 1.17 "Turn, Turn, Turn"
Vincent Misiano
Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen

Phew! What an adrenaline rush. This is the episode that ties into The Winter Soldier and, man, is it a tie in! Huge revelations and truly a game changer. So much happens here it will take several days and episodes to sort this all out.

1.18 "Providence"
Milan Cheylov
Brent Fletcher



1.19 "The Only Light in the Darkness"
Vincent Misiano
Monica Owusu-Breen


1.20 "Nothing Personal"
Billy Gierhart
Paul Zbyszewski & DJ Doyle


1.21 "Ragtag"
Roxann Dawson
Jeffrey Bell


1.22 "Beginning of the End"
David Straiton
Maurissa Tancharoen & Jed Whedon








http://www.sfx.co.uk/2014/04/18/marvels-agents-of-shield-1-16-end-of-the-beginning-tv-review/

1.16 End of the Beginning
Writer: Paul Zbyszewski
Director: Bobby Roth