Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

So, I have been watching the first season of the show on Netflix. I think it is pretty good all things considered.

I not a reader or a huge fan of Marvel comics in general, ao the Marvel Cinematic Universe is probably where my fandom is based if at all. When I heard a series would be attempted, I was dubious they could pull off a good show on a limited budget.

Yet, I must admit I had geek-bumps at the ending of season one. The show turned out really well, probably 10x better than I thought possible. They even took some story choices I didn't think they would take with characters turning them into heels. The last episode even had a cameo appearance by a movie character...and that was nice too.

The strongest character in my opinion is Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), well aside from Phil Coulson of course. Nevertheless, I must admit I like everyone on the show and most of the storylines the attempted in season one.

So what were other people's impressions?

I really dig it. Season Two has been even better. I think the show really took off once the Winter Soldier stuff happened.

I started watching it right when it aired but gave up on it right when it got good. Went back to it this week and it's pretty damn good. Not quite Arrow/Flash but still worth watching if you have any affinity for the Marvel movies.

Episodes 1-9, maybe 10, are total crap. But after that the show finally figures out what it wants to be and it's pretty great. Except the Thor: The Dark World tie in... that was pretty lame.

Excited to hear Season 2 is doing some cool stuff but I haven't seen any of that yet.

The show itself is decent if you don't going in expecting comic and Marvel lore around every corner. The most recent season definitely ended on a very strong note, especially in terms of connections with the comics. It can be a slow show at times, but stick with it if you enjoy the Marvel universe.

As for Melinda May, she has become my least favorite character solely because her "unemotional badass" personality they try to give her feels so forced and overused. The few times I've enjoyed her character is when she has to show honest reactions and emotions, rather than walking off with a silent stare.

Yeah, I watched the first season when it showed up on Netflix a while back, and I thought it was pretty solid. I'd put it in the same league as Arrow and Flash - nothing truly spectacular but they manage to deliver very watchable popcorn flicks on a weekly basis.

I'll admit that I really didn't see the swerve in season one coming, and I really enjoyed seeing the way that played out (probably due in large part to Bill Paxton). Definitely agree with Melinda May being one of the strongest characters on the show. Coulson and FitzSimmons are good too, but I never really completely bought into Skye - she's by no means bad but I'm just not a fan of the way they've set her up as the scrappy misguided orphan who's destined to save the world.

I've seen all of Season 1 and 2 and quite enjoyed it. Some low points, but in general I think the slow reveals of each season's respective mystery has been done well. Ming-Na Wen as Melinda has been great, Phil Coulson has been pretty good but I'm ready for that character to return to the films.

It was generally pretty good for most of season 1, but it really kicked it up a several notches once the Winter Soldier happened. Season 2 has been amazing so far, the show has definitely hit its stride. Easily one of my favourite shows now.

You should watch season 2. I will say no more.

I was pretty doubtful on the series during the middle of its first season, but at the end it blew past my best expectations. The show has also more or less kept up the pace during season 2.it's a pretty great show, and that's saying something for network tv.

I don't think Season was very good. Or is very good. Its hard to tell when a season actually ends now days with all the long breaks.

I honestly enjoyed Season One even when it was "bad", but it certainly got much better when Winter Soldier hit. I've been loving Season 2, kind of bummed that it doesn't return until March, but Agent Carter has been excellent so far.

Season 1, up until the Winter Soldier crossover episode, was good but not great. I enjoyed Clark Gregg a lot but that was mostly it. After that event is where the show finally found it's identity and became a great ride to watch. I feel Season 2 continues to deliver on that identity and I can't wait to see what happens next.

P.S: The way Bill Paxton's character goes out in the Season 1 finale had me laughing my ass off.

P.P.S: You guys should watch Agent Carter, if you aren't doing so now. That show is also really good.

It just improved so, so much.

The Winter Soldier timing stuff was so cool, and season two just had so much momentum. It's a great show now, and basically the only other one on basic TV that I'll stay home to watch (Hannibal being the one I'll never miss).

The beginning of the show was really hamstrung by the waiting on Cap 2 to come out, but once that happened the show drastically increased in quality. Season 2 started off a little slow, but picked up pretty quickly and has been solid since. If we didn't have Agent Carter (which is also an awesome show) to fill in the mid-season break, I would be kinda pissed that they were breaking for this long.

EDIT: And for those of you who aren't familiar with the comics, I have one word for you on why you should be excited for where SHIELD is going from here:

Inhumans.

Yeah, the first season is kinda rough, due to the network obviously stringing storylines along in hopes of tying them to the current films. This season has been MUCH better, with some fantastic new characters and great moments from some of my favorite season 1 characters. The only thing that really annoys me is the return of the Ward character, one I wish had just been killed off or buried somewhere to never resurface. I'm a bit skeptical of where it just left off, as it's pursuing a storyline I don't overly like, but the show is still quite strong.

And I'll add my voice to everyone saying that you should watch Agent Carter. Hayley Atwell is fantastic in the lead role and there's a great cast of supporting characters to go along with. It's moving at a much brisker pace as well, being a "miniseries" of sorts. I'm in love with the set design, which feels impeccably honest to the era. Best of all, you don't have to have watched anything else to understand it, since it's technically a prequel series.

Really? That character has been one of my favourite elements of Season 2.

I tried watching it when it was first airing on abc, I could not get into it all and stopped maybe before episode 8. I've been hearing alot lately that the show is pretty good so I picked it up again from the beginning and so far I'm enjoying the series the second time around. While we're on the subject of marvel TV shows just wanna say Agent Carter is a home run for me. I really like the character and actress in the series.

Yup.

I guess I should watch season two.

Also, I'll chime in and agree with everyone saying Agent Carter is great. I'm a sucker for that sort of period piece thing, the acting is all on point, and it's really not wasting any time spinning up like season one of SHIELD.

It's usually pretty dull. But it's improving.

Kyle MacLachlan is the fucking bomb! I love this show but I'm the biggest Marvel fanboy. I was thrilled when they were setting up Graviton to have him never show up again. With all the stuff that has happened in season 2 I'm really worried about whether or not Chloe Bennet has what it takes to pull off her role, but I'll keep watching and loving it stiff acting or not.

"Did I fall asleep?"

"For a little while."

*nerdgasm*

I liked it at first, but got a bit tired of the weekly adventure format they had in most of season 1 and stopped a few episodes shy of when The Winter Soldier came out and flipped the show on it's head. I was admittedly wondering about what they'd do with the show while I was watching Cap 2, but my curiosity wasn't enough to get me to catch up. Then season 2 started and the mid-season finale happened. I read about what happened and immediately started getting myself caught up.

Knowing what was ahead (and perhaps more importantly marathoning it) actually made the rest of season 1 a lot more enjoyable. Season 2 felt like a completely fresh start. Characters were different, the stakes were higher, S.H.I.E.L.D MO felt a lot more like a spy agency, and by the time the mid-season finale rolls around it became clear that it was firmly at the forefront of the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe stuff.

Agent Carter is also fantastic. Hopefully those Netflix shows don't waste any time to get good. The shots of Owen from Boardwalk Empire as Daredevil look pretty good.

Yeah season 1 was a little slow but it was still okay.... however like all said it got real good real fast and season 2 has been great. If you are at all interested in the marvel universe you should watch it, even if you are only about the movies. Well especially if you are about the movies :P. I can wait to see what happens despite some crazy crap happening at the end of the season 2 mid season whatever finale that sucked for them seriously episode.

I liked season 1, but the first half was really weak. I can say that many shows, not all, are in the same situations in their season 1. Agents suffered from not having a definitive villain or threat but once HYDRA was reintroduced it gave them a steady threat to deal with, even if not every week. I'd like to see AIM get reintroduced in the MCU as well since they were merely a footnote in Iron Man 3.

I've really enjoyed Agents in season 2 and Peggy Carter has been fun as well. Both are great entries in the MCU. I cannot wait for Daredevil. I think it will be fantastic.

I was kind of amazed how two of the first season's least interesting characters, Ward and Skye, became some of the best. I am so glad they are not trying to go for an obvious redemption arc for Ward. I also loved Skye's Nazi comparison.

I had the exact same reaction when they dropped that little bit of Joss Whedon fan service.

I m a huge Marvel fan and avid comic book reader.

Agents of SHIELD started slow, but it became evident they were waiting for the big game changer that was Winter Soldier. Cause after that happened, the show got really good and stayed good throughout season 2, so far. I'm so excited for it to return. This show has become better than Arrow, for me. Arrow has been in a bit of a slump and I never did get into Flash in the same I got into either SHIELD or Arrow, though I still watch it...but I think I really only watch it because of how closely its tied to Arrow, at this point.

FitzSimmons have been my favorite from the beginning, I powered through everyone else's hatred of them. Mostly Simmons, I like. But Fitz is amusing, as well.

I thought it started off as shit but got better and better as it went. I really liked where it left off at the 2nd season mid-season finale.

Well thanks guys, I've been thinking about starting to watch the show on Netflix and finally did. It is now 6:30 in the morning. Just wanted to say that before I go off and watch some more instead of do something as useless as sleep.

I've been a fan of the show even from it's rocky start, I'm not a big comics guy so I don't get 100% of the references but when they refer to stuff from the movies I have get what's going on. So the recent stuff with the Inhumans doesn't really do much for me. Everyone was all excited because they learned the Doctor's name and suddenly knew exactly who he was, but I glazed over that 'reveal' and had no idea that it even signified anything.

I'm sure the serious comic fans are loving the last couple episodes but I've enjoyed the tangential connection to the rest of the universe so far and I hope they don't go too far down the rabbit hole

I thought Season 1 was poor until the latter sections. The first 9 or 10 episodes made me wonder why I kept returning.

Season 2 was a huge step up in quality and i'm actually looking forward to whats next.

I too enjoyed the first season of Agents of SHIELD. It's true the first half of the first season was a bit hit or miss and only when Bill Paxton showed up did it start to get really interesting. I haven't seen any of Season 2 yet, but plan on taking a look soon. I have some early episodes DVR'd and Hulu for the most recent. I'm not really sure how I feel about the Agent Carter mini-series, so far. I've seen the first three episodes and while one and two were good, three was a bit boring. I am hoping four will pick up the pace again.

As far as the current crop of comic book TV dramas go, I like Arrow and Constantine best, followed by Agents and Gotham with Flash trailing the pack. I like what Gotham is trying to do even if it is often a bit hit and miss. The show is improving just as Agents did during season one. Flash is, well.. whiny. The Flash, as a character always felt a bit more irreverent than most of the other DC core heroes. This one is too mopey. There is a scene in Pixar's The Incredibles where Dash discovers he can run on water and he is joyous. That's what I want from a speedster. Anyway, Constantine is probably done after the shows already filmed air as I doubt NBC will be ordering any more. Too bad as John Constantine is the most multifaceted of any of the heroes currently airing.

I've been meaning to get into this show, but I've heard there are tie-ins to other Marvel things. So what are they and are they necessary to enjoy the show?

The series begins following the 1st Avengers movie. I think it's kind of important to have seen that movie, since much of the season arc deals with what happened to one of the characters. Over the course of the 1st season, the Thor (2) The Dark World and Captain America (2): The Winter Soldier movies were released and the series explores the aftermath of those films. I don't think it's critical to have seen those two movies, but it might pique your curiosity.

@negativecero: Some movie stuff. Just watch Winter Soldier as you near the end of season 1. If you don't know who someone they name drop is, just look them up on Comic Vine.

Also, on a side note, the music at the end of the season 2 midseason finale was so god damn good.

I got bored in season one, but sounds like the second is worth going back for. I love the concept, but just don't feel it's very interesting or exciting.

Man, that first season was hard to get through. As soon as the Winter Soldier stuff happened and Bill Baxton turned up being awesome it was finally hitting how it was supposed to. Season 2 continued with the momentum and I look forward new episodes. Really glad they turned it around. Even Skye is less annoying now... and she was the worst.

I must be the only one that doesn't like season 2. I wouldn't say its terrible. But its pretty bad.

I got about 2-3 episodes into the first season and thought it was cheesy, hyperactive poop, so I gave up on it.

Agent Carter, on the other hand, has been pretty decent so far. I hope it turns into more than just a mini-series.

That's because the Flash in the TV show is Barry Allen, while the "irreverant" and more well known one is Wally West.

I just watched the first episode of Agent Carter...damn it...that was even better than Agents of Shield. Its a crazy upside down world we live in where TV shows are good.

If you are not watching either or both of these shows you are missing out.

I love this show, have agent carter taped but haven't watched an episode yet.

Objectively speaking, not that good. If you like the lore though its decent. The first season was cheesy and boring but the second one kind of improved. I think if we see the same improvement on the next one then I would be able to not be ashamed of watching it.

Holy shit that Skye shootout. I'm totally okay with anything and everything cribbing from John Wick going forward, because that scene was fucking awesome. Cool to see her consciously using her powers too.

The connections to Age of Ultron are cute. It's a nice little hype-up moment, and the Coulson stuff makes it so Age of Ultron picks up directly from that thread.

The first ten episodes were a real slog to get through, so much so I basically quit watching the series when it came out. But then I found out about all the twists and my friend asked me to skip until The Winter Soldier tie in but I never went back until a few days ago. The first season definitely got better when they ditched the 'police procedural' format from the earlier episodes and focused exclusively on finding the Clairvoyant. Also I got sick of the references to 'The Battle of New York' or the many speeches from Coulson about him dying. They felt either too forced or were just repeated way too much but at least they toned it down in the second half. I'm glad I went back though, so now I'm looking forward to what they're coming up with in season two.