Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Return Date Announced
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[h=1]Saffron Burrows Cast as Victoria Hand in ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’?[/h]
It may have received a full season order, but ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.keeps losing viewers. The show has had an uneven run so far, with a third episode which felt like a strong step forward, only to double back into something more routine in its fifth week. One thing everyone agrees on, though, is that the show is still finding its way.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. still has plenty of potential as a conduit for Marvel to introduce some of the lower-tier characters from Marvel’s comic book universe, something it has already been exploring – even if the overall story hasn’t moved much beyond the pilot. There’s still room for new characters, though, and not just as villains.
According to one of Latino Review‘s “trusted sources,” British actress Saffron Burrows will be joining the show as Agent Victoria Hand in an upcoming episode. Burrows is a veteran of such TV series as Boston Legal and Law and Order: Criminal Intent and had a role in the Jason Statham vehicle The Bank Job. As for her supposed character, the Marvel Wikiaprovides this overview of Victoria Hand’s history with S.H.I.E.L.D.:
There is no official confirmation from Burrows or her representatives, but we should expect an announcement soon. Marvel and Disney’s attempt to launch their multi-platform universe has yet to find its footing, but finding strong actors to fill supporting roles has not been a problem.
In fact, Ian Hart’s performance as Dr. Franklin Hall – who, it was strongly teased, will become the super-villain Graviton – overshadowed many of the regular players. The inclusion of Victoria Hand would be a fine way to introduce rogue elements of S.H.I.E.L.D. into the show’s continuity, and would mirror the darker parts of the agency shown in the full trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
We will supposedly learn just where the continuity for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fits in relative to the timeline of The Winter Soldier soon. Agent Hand’s ambiguous loyalty – if the show sticks to this aspect of the character – could help bridge the worlds of the show and the film.
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Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays @8pm on ABC.
Source: Latino Review
It may have received a full season order, but ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.keeps losing viewers. The show has had an uneven run so far, with a third episode which felt like a strong step forward, only to double back into something more routine in its fifth week. One thing everyone agrees on, though, is that the show is still finding its way.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. still has plenty of potential as a conduit for Marvel to introduce some of the lower-tier characters from Marvel’s comic book universe, something it has already been exploring – even if the overall story hasn’t moved much beyond the pilot. There’s still room for new characters, though, and not just as villains.
According to one of Latino Review‘s “trusted sources,” British actress Saffron Burrows will be joining the show as Agent Victoria Hand in an upcoming episode. Burrows is a veteran of such TV series as Boston Legal and Law and Order: Criminal Intent and had a role in the Jason Statham vehicle The Bank Job. As for her supposed character, the Marvel Wikiaprovides this overview of Victoria Hand’s history with S.H.I.E.L.D.:
Three years before the Skrull Invasion, Victoria was an accountant for S.H.I.E.L.D., who was in a relationship with another agent named Isabelle. Victoria was determined to send a letter informing Director Nick Fury how he was mishandling the War on Terror. Isabelle implored Victoria not to send the letter but Victoria did anyways and was transferred immediately to Portland, Oregon. As a result, Isabelle, furious that she did not listen to her, ended their relationship.
The character has also had dealings with H.A.M.M.E.R., which is what S.H.I.E.L.D. became following Norman Osborn’s takeover after the Secret Invasion. Victoria Hand could be a counterpoint to the generally (and perhaps blandly) morally-righteous S.H.I.E.L.D. agents the show focuses on.
There is no official confirmation from Burrows or her representatives, but we should expect an announcement soon. Marvel and Disney’s attempt to launch their multi-platform universe has yet to find its footing, but finding strong actors to fill supporting roles has not been a problem.
In fact, Ian Hart’s performance as Dr. Franklin Hall – who, it was strongly teased, will become the super-villain Graviton – overshadowed many of the regular players. The inclusion of Victoria Hand would be a fine way to introduce rogue elements of S.H.I.E.L.D. into the show’s continuity, and would mirror the darker parts of the agency shown in the full trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
We will supposedly learn just where the continuity for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fits in relative to the timeline of The Winter Soldier soon. Agent Hand’s ambiguous loyalty – if the show sticks to this aspect of the character – could help bridge the worlds of the show and the film.
_____
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays @8pm on ABC.
Source: Latino Review
[h=1]Agents of SHIELD Episode to Follow Events of Thor: The Dark World[/h] [h=2]What happens after The Dark World?[/h]
While we may not see any of the main Avengers on Marvel Agents of SHIELD, we will indeed see how their actions continue to impact the world they exist in. As EW has noted, the description for the November 19th episode of SHIELD makes it clear that it will be directly following what occurs in Thor: The Dark World.
The network description reads, "In the aftermath of the events chronicled in the feature film Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, Coulson and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pick up the pieces–one of which threatens to destroy a member of the team.”
The episode, called "The Well," is written by Monica Owusu-Breen (Lost, Fringe) and directed by Star Trek: The Next Generations's Jonathan Frakes. "The Well" will be airing less than two weeks after the November 8th opening of Thor: The Dark World in the US, but clearly, Marvel and ABC assume the core Marvel fans will have seen the movie by then.
Marvel have maintained their secrecy with Agents of SHIELD and been vague on how much we'd see the series tie directly into the Marvel films. It's hard not to presume that if an Agents of SHIELD episode is going to tie into Thor: The Dark World, we'll almost certainly see the show delve into what happens in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, whose story is already so SHIELD-centric.
While we may not see any of the main Avengers on Marvel Agents of SHIELD, we will indeed see how their actions continue to impact the world they exist in. As EW has noted, the description for the November 19th episode of SHIELD makes it clear that it will be directly following what occurs in Thor: The Dark World.
The network description reads, "In the aftermath of the events chronicled in the feature film Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, Coulson and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pick up the pieces–one of which threatens to destroy a member of the team.”
The episode, called "The Well," is written by Monica Owusu-Breen (Lost, Fringe) and directed by Star Trek: The Next Generations's Jonathan Frakes. "The Well" will be airing less than two weeks after the November 8th opening of Thor: The Dark World in the US, but clearly, Marvel and ABC assume the core Marvel fans will have seen the movie by then.
Marvel have maintained their secrecy with Agents of SHIELD and been vague on how much we'd see the series tie directly into the Marvel films. It's hard not to presume that if an Agents of SHIELD episode is going to tie into Thor: The Dark World, we'll almost certainly see the show delve into what happens in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, whose story is already so SHIELD-centric.
Go to cinema?
jk I am in the same boat as you as well.. I don't watch anything below a 720p BluRay.. but I don't think they will do something big enough that we (those who haven't watched thor) won't understand!I am hoping Thor himself makes an appearance I love that dude!
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Cobie Smulders On CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER And AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
Despite not appearing in the first trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Maria Hill actress Cobie Smulders assures that the Deputy Director is "very much involved." And despite her cameo in the pilot, Smulders says there's no plans for Hill to show up again on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCrD5Hce_-g
Despite not appearing in the first trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Maria Hill actress Cobie Smulders assures that the Deputy Director is "very much involved." And despite her cameo in the pilot, Smulders says there's no plans for Hill to show up again on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCrD5Hce_-g
MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Suffers Fifth Ratings Drop In A Row
Rating continue to drop for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the ABC series hit an all-time low this week. While the network has already committed to a full season order, could these declining figured be a sign that we won't see Agent Coulson and his team return for a second year?
It's perfectly normal for a new show's ratings to drop over the course of the first few episodes, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. still hasn't levelled off, hitting an all-time low for its fifth instalment yesterday. After taking a one week break, it returned to 7.2 million (2.5), dipping two tenths in the demo, or as TV Line puts it, "its fifth consecutive decline." We're only six episodes in, so it's perfectly possible that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will eventually find its footing and maintain the sort of numbers which will mean it returns for a second season. If it continues to decline like this though, Marvel's first live-action TV venture could also be its first major failure...
Source: TV Line
Rating continue to drop for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the ABC series hit an all-time low this week. While the network has already committed to a full season order, could these declining figured be a sign that we won't see Agent Coulson and his team return for a second year?
It's perfectly normal for a new show's ratings to drop over the course of the first few episodes, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. still hasn't levelled off, hitting an all-time low for its fifth instalment yesterday. After taking a one week break, it returned to 7.2 million (2.5), dipping two tenths in the demo, or as TV Line puts it, "its fifth consecutive decline." We're only six episodes in, so it's perfectly possible that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will eventually find its footing and maintain the sort of numbers which will mean it returns for a second season. If it continues to decline like this though, Marvel's first live-action TV venture could also be its first major failure...
Source: TV Line
I don't get all the hate. The show isn't among the top ones, granted, but it's still pretty decent.
Besides, all three girls are cute :ninja:
Besides, all three girls are cute :ninja:
Another great episode. Two in a row.
Also, I would like to point out the fact that Simmons seems much, much cuter than Skye :ninja:
Also, I would like to point out the fact that Simmons seems much, much cuter than Skye :ninja:
[h=1]‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Reveals the Pilot That Should Have Been[/h]
When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. made its highly-anticipated debut, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were more than a bit surprised by the over-the-top, cookie cutter series that stood before them. Now 7 episodes in – and on a bit of an upswing – Agent Coulson and his elite S.H.I.E.L.D. team finally receive the pilot that they, as well as all the fans, deserve. But don’t call it a comeback – not just yet, at least!
In this week’s episode, “The Hub”, Chuck writing duo Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFrance makes use of all the good will that Day Break creator Paul Zbyszewski instilled with last week’s episode, tapping into their previous spy/comedy experience to provide Marvel’s TV series with a foundation it so desperately needed. Judkins and LeFrance elevated the series – as well as everyone and everything in it – to a level where fans can begin to slowly phase out the qualifiers needed to justify its existence. Most importantly, though, not a single outside element from Marvel’s vast catalog was required for this success, proving that, yes, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can stand alone, with all its “silliness”, if it so chooses.
No supervillains or Iron Man 3 Extremis leftovers here; instead, it’s a (relativity) simple separatists group with an “Overkill device” which, once activated, has the power to set off any weapon within rage – essentially turning the world’s forces against themselves. The reason for what’s occurring is not as important as the conflicts it creates and their results – which in this case is the result of uprighting the entire series.
With a simple separatists group, Grant Ward is thrust into an actual case and becomes a real agent; Fitz and Simmons prove that they can earnestly be funny and useful; Skye allows the internal struggle of her past to surface, revealing the heart behind the hacker; and Coulson, well, he finally stepped up and became the leader he once was, disobeying orders and all.
In this week’s episode it was all about purpose, and each and every person on the team finally has one. The resource-wasting, globe-trotting episodes are gone and are now, instead, being replaced with tales that serve the series’ own grown – and not just that of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tales of super heroics and fantastical technologies have proven that they can only take the series so far – and if audiences’ reactions to what has been aired proves anything, it’s that the superhero influence is not what they’re looking for here. But now that Coulson has been shown to be part of a system that he, himself, finds fault in, the much-required seeds for conflict have been planted, giving Coulson a much more impactful storyline for him to drive into the future – and without any coaxing from Melinda May.
That said, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. still has many obstacles ahead of it, and next week’s Thor: The Dark World tie-in episode will reveal more about the future of the series. Though the show, itself, has now began to take the steps needed to earn its early season pickup, it’s still inherently tied to a much more impressive world which it can never compare to. So as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. works its way through its own growing pains, there’s still a constant connection to the theatrical releases that must be maintained. Will Marvel’s first attempt at synergy be successful? Right now, it’s anyone’s guess – but for the sake of this television franchise, let’s hope so.
_____
When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. made its highly-anticipated debut, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were more than a bit surprised by the over-the-top, cookie cutter series that stood before them. Now 7 episodes in – and on a bit of an upswing – Agent Coulson and his elite S.H.I.E.L.D. team finally receive the pilot that they, as well as all the fans, deserve. But don’t call it a comeback – not just yet, at least!
No supervillains or Iron Man 3 Extremis leftovers here; instead, it’s a (relativity) simple separatists group with an “Overkill device” which, once activated, has the power to set off any weapon within rage – essentially turning the world’s forces against themselves. The reason for what’s occurring is not as important as the conflicts it creates and their results – which in this case is the result of uprighting the entire series.
With a simple separatists group, Grant Ward is thrust into an actual case and becomes a real agent; Fitz and Simmons prove that they can earnestly be funny and useful; Skye allows the internal struggle of her past to surface, revealing the heart behind the hacker; and Coulson, well, he finally stepped up and became the leader he once was, disobeying orders and all.
That said, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. still has many obstacles ahead of it, and next week’s Thor: The Dark World tie-in episode will reveal more about the future of the series. Though the show, itself, has now began to take the steps needed to earn its early season pickup, it’s still inherently tied to a much more impressive world which it can never compare to. So as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. works its way through its own growing pains, there’s still a constant connection to the theatrical releases that must be maintained. Will Marvel’s first attempt at synergy be successful? Right now, it’s anyone’s guess – but for the sake of this television franchise, let’s hope so.
_____
[h=1]Is ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Getting Better as Ratings Fall?[/h]
When it was first announced that Marvel intended to extend their shared cinematic universe beyond feature films (and companion one-shot shorts) to a network TV series centered on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., expectations were understandably high. Coming off enormous success of The Avengers (to the tune of $1.5 billion in global ticket revenue), fans were eager to see the studio leave behind origin stories and shared universe world-building to play in the much-hyped Phase 2 sandbox.
However, despite $1.2 billion in box office sales, Iron Man 3 became one of the most divisive superhero movies in recent memory – only to be followed months later by lackluster responses to the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot. A problematic feature film can be yesterday’s news but a network TV series has the opportunity to evolve overtime, learning from mistakes, and adjusting to the interests of its audience. To that point, is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. getting better with each episode – even as ratings continue to drop?
This week’s chapter “The Hub” (Season 1, Episode 7) marked the lowest viewership (6.63 million) and ratings (2.2 in the 18-49 demographic) in the series’ admittedly brief history – meaning that while many TV watchers are still happily tuning in for the show (which has managed to cull 22 million pilot views), an ever-increasing number are choosing to opt-out. Interestingly, the ratings drop-off has continued in spite of recent improvements to the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. format – as the writers made it past the initial introduction and began executing on story lines with actual emotional impact.
Last week’s episode in particular, ”F.Z.Z.T.” (read our review), pulled triple-duty by telling an engaging character story, tying in shared universe material, and evolving the core dynamics at the heart of this particular S.H.I.E.L.D. team. Many viewers saw the episode as a potential turning point for the show – or, at the very least, a moment of redemption for their continued commitment to the series. Furthermore, the Coulson character has begun to lock back into a more stern, yet charming, profile – ditching some of the more over-the-top and cheeky comedy moments in favor of a more agreeable (as well as subtle) balance between humorous and badass moments.
Yet, despite the episode’s overall quality, and growing interest in the team of characters, the series lost another 400,000 viewers (7.03 to 6.63 million) before airing “The Hub.” To put those numbers in perspective, ABC’s prior (and cancelled after one season) superhero ensemble show, No Ordinary Family had 6.9 million viewers in its seventh episode (300,000 more than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). If the best episode of the series not only fails to retain, much less improve viewership, it’s hard to know what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can do to win-back skeptical TV watchers. So where is the disconnect?
[h=2]Too Much Hype[/h]Given that the series debuted to exceptionally high ratings, and is still one of Tuesday night’s most-viewed series, the problem could be (at least in part) a matter of perspective – and a few unrealistic expectations. ABC and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. show runners are certainly culpable for a number of problems that have prevented Marvel enthusiasts (and casual TV lovers) from embracing the series – especially the campy take on fan-favorite Agent Coulson as well as the clumsy (and downright goofy) demeanor of this “hand-picked” operative team – but few television shows have ever faced this type of hype directly out the gate.
Unlike films, most TV pilots are built around entirely unknown characters (using genre archetypes) with no connection to anything outside of isolated week to week drama. Consequently, viewers will either respond to characters and the central premise – or not. If enough people choose to tune in, the show will go on. Although, in the case of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., viewers already had an idea of what they wanted to see from the series – and how it should, subjectively, tie-into the larger shared universe.
Admittedly, this is the challenge of Marvel’s attempt at binding all these characters together across a variety of mediums – so they’re not off the hook. Yet, just because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t (and still isn’t) succeeding at executing on all of the mind-blowing possibilities and connections that fans might have been hoping to see, doesn’t mean that the series isn’t a worthwhile or entertaining TV product. Ever since the original announcement, Joss Whedon and ABC executives attempted to temper expectations – stating that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was about a ragtag band of people (not superheroes) in The Avengers universe that would face threats both human and superhuman. There were no promises of Avengers cameos or claims that the visual effects and action set pieces would be on-par with Marvel’s feature-film offerings – so it’s hard to blame the show itself for falling short of the scale that movie fans had dreamed-up.
For example, in our own Thor: The Dark World podcast, we discussed the recent news that episode 8 of the TV series (titled “The Well”) would deal with the aftermath of Thor’s battle with Malekith in London. Several entertaining ideas were spitballed, but very few of them – given the budget and limitations of a weekly TV series – were at all realistic; and when the latest TV spot aired, it wasn’t at all surprising to find out that the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. team would NOT be hunting down a giant CGI Frost Beast. Could our expectations for the series be too high, and subsequently are we missing out on a fun (and admittedly cheesy) new drama series simply because it won’t be able to compete with all of the cool shared universe tie-ins that fans had presented in the comment sections of our articles?
After all, regular network TV shows come with plenty of challenges: short development schedules, budgeted visual effects, limited locations to shoot. Just because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a Marvel TV show, doesn’t mean that ABC can burn through their budget on expensive special effect shots or call Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and other Avengers in for regular cameos. Consequently, a certain amount of perspective is necessary, since instead of enjoying a fun interconnected storyline that draws parallels between the TV show and big budget Thor movie, via a piece of Asgardian weaponry, fans will (very likely) turn up their noses at the upcoming shared universe effort – simply because it could have been bigger and better than what the show will ultimately deliver.
[h=2]Needed Improvements[/h]
That said, there are still a lot of valid criticisms that the producers need to address if they hope to recoup viewers. The Captain America: Winter Soldier trailer cast a very bright spotlight on one of the biggest drawbacks of the show so far: Coulson’s hand-picked team is, so far, little more than a batch of likable but amateurish young people – who pale in comparison to the uncompromising efficiency of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives in Marvel feature films. Some viewers may be able to accept the balance between life/death scenarios and cooky character shenanigans but for a TV series like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to work, viewers must connect with the main characters and believe that they can go toe-to-toe with their colleagues in the larger shared-universe – especially since the final season one episode (allegedly) have connections to the S.H.I.E.L.D.-heavy Captain America 2 plot.
Between minor improvements to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and a full-season order at ABC, it’s unlikely that the show is going anywhere in the near future – since Whedon and his show runners will, without question, attempt to improve and shape the show. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not viewers who previously deleted the show from their DVR’s will give it another chance in the coming months. If not, it’s possible that, despite the best of intentions, a shared-universe TV story on a network budget might have been too ambitious (with too many complications) – even for Disney-owned Marvel.
At least fans won’t have to rely entirely on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for Marvel superheroes on TV – with the recent announcement of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, as well as Iron Fist TV series, and a miniseries event for The Defenders, on Netflix
When it was first announced that Marvel intended to extend their shared cinematic universe beyond feature films (and companion one-shot shorts) to a network TV series centered on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., expectations were understandably high. Coming off enormous success of The Avengers (to the tune of $1.5 billion in global ticket revenue), fans were eager to see the studio leave behind origin stories and shared universe world-building to play in the much-hyped Phase 2 sandbox.
However, despite $1.2 billion in box office sales, Iron Man 3 became one of the most divisive superhero movies in recent memory – only to be followed months later by lackluster responses to the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot. A problematic feature film can be yesterday’s news but a network TV series has the opportunity to evolve overtime, learning from mistakes, and adjusting to the interests of its audience. To that point, is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. getting better with each episode – even as ratings continue to drop?
This week’s chapter “The Hub” (Season 1, Episode 7) marked the lowest viewership (6.63 million) and ratings (2.2 in the 18-49 demographic) in the series’ admittedly brief history – meaning that while many TV watchers are still happily tuning in for the show (which has managed to cull 22 million pilot views), an ever-increasing number are choosing to opt-out. Interestingly, the ratings drop-off has continued in spite of recent improvements to the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. format – as the writers made it past the initial introduction and began executing on story lines with actual emotional impact.
Last week’s episode in particular, ”F.Z.Z.T.” (read our review), pulled triple-duty by telling an engaging character story, tying in shared universe material, and evolving the core dynamics at the heart of this particular S.H.I.E.L.D. team. Many viewers saw the episode as a potential turning point for the show – or, at the very least, a moment of redemption for their continued commitment to the series. Furthermore, the Coulson character has begun to lock back into a more stern, yet charming, profile – ditching some of the more over-the-top and cheeky comedy moments in favor of a more agreeable (as well as subtle) balance between humorous and badass moments.
Yet, despite the episode’s overall quality, and growing interest in the team of characters, the series lost another 400,000 viewers (7.03 to 6.63 million) before airing “The Hub.” To put those numbers in perspective, ABC’s prior (and cancelled after one season) superhero ensemble show, No Ordinary Family had 6.9 million viewers in its seventh episode (300,000 more than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). If the best episode of the series not only fails to retain, much less improve viewership, it’s hard to know what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can do to win-back skeptical TV watchers. So where is the disconnect?
[h=2]Too Much Hype[/h]Given that the series debuted to exceptionally high ratings, and is still one of Tuesday night’s most-viewed series, the problem could be (at least in part) a matter of perspective – and a few unrealistic expectations. ABC and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. show runners are certainly culpable for a number of problems that have prevented Marvel enthusiasts (and casual TV lovers) from embracing the series – especially the campy take on fan-favorite Agent Coulson as well as the clumsy (and downright goofy) demeanor of this “hand-picked” operative team – but few television shows have ever faced this type of hype directly out the gate.
Unlike films, most TV pilots are built around entirely unknown characters (using genre archetypes) with no connection to anything outside of isolated week to week drama. Consequently, viewers will either respond to characters and the central premise – or not. If enough people choose to tune in, the show will go on. Although, in the case of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., viewers already had an idea of what they wanted to see from the series – and how it should, subjectively, tie-into the larger shared universe.
______________________________________________
[h=2]Page 2: Why Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Might Be Losing Viewers[/h]______________________________________________
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–~~~~~~~~~~~~–
Admittedly, this is the challenge of Marvel’s attempt at binding all these characters together across a variety of mediums – so they’re not off the hook. Yet, just because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t (and still isn’t) succeeding at executing on all of the mind-blowing possibilities and connections that fans might have been hoping to see, doesn’t mean that the series isn’t a worthwhile or entertaining TV product. Ever since the original announcement, Joss Whedon and ABC executives attempted to temper expectations – stating that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was about a ragtag band of people (not superheroes) in The Avengers universe that would face threats both human and superhuman. There were no promises of Avengers cameos or claims that the visual effects and action set pieces would be on-par with Marvel’s feature-film offerings – so it’s hard to blame the show itself for falling short of the scale that movie fans had dreamed-up.
For example, in our own Thor: The Dark World podcast, we discussed the recent news that episode 8 of the TV series (titled “The Well”) would deal with the aftermath of Thor’s battle with Malekith in London. Several entertaining ideas were spitballed, but very few of them – given the budget and limitations of a weekly TV series – were at all realistic; and when the latest TV spot aired, it wasn’t at all surprising to find out that the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. team would NOT be hunting down a giant CGI Frost Beast. Could our expectations for the series be too high, and subsequently are we missing out on a fun (and admittedly cheesy) new drama series simply because it won’t be able to compete with all of the cool shared universe tie-ins that fans had presented in the comment sections of our articles?
After all, regular network TV shows come with plenty of challenges: short development schedules, budgeted visual effects, limited locations to shoot. Just because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a Marvel TV show, doesn’t mean that ABC can burn through their budget on expensive special effect shots or call Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and other Avengers in for regular cameos. Consequently, a certain amount of perspective is necessary, since instead of enjoying a fun interconnected storyline that draws parallels between the TV show and big budget Thor movie, via a piece of Asgardian weaponry, fans will (very likely) turn up their noses at the upcoming shared universe effort – simply because it could have been bigger and better than what the show will ultimately deliver.
[h=2]Needed Improvements[/h]
That said, there are still a lot of valid criticisms that the producers need to address if they hope to recoup viewers. The Captain America: Winter Soldier trailer cast a very bright spotlight on one of the biggest drawbacks of the show so far: Coulson’s hand-picked team is, so far, little more than a batch of likable but amateurish young people – who pale in comparison to the uncompromising efficiency of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives in Marvel feature films. Some viewers may be able to accept the balance between life/death scenarios and cooky character shenanigans but for a TV series like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to work, viewers must connect with the main characters and believe that they can go toe-to-toe with their colleagues in the larger shared-universe – especially since the final season one episode (allegedly) have connections to the S.H.I.E.L.D.-heavy Captain America 2 plot.
Between minor improvements to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and a full-season order at ABC, it’s unlikely that the show is going anywhere in the near future – since Whedon and his show runners will, without question, attempt to improve and shape the show. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not viewers who previously deleted the show from their DVR’s will give it another chance in the coming months. If not, it’s possible that, despite the best of intentions, a shared-universe TV story on a network budget might have been too ambitious (with too many complications) – even for Disney-owned Marvel.
At least fans won’t have to rely entirely on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for Marvel superheroes on TV – with the recent announcement of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, as well as Iron Fist TV series, and a miniseries event for The Defenders, on Netflix
Frack the ratings. I like watching it. It's good. That's all I will ever care about
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I seriously don't know what people were expecting out of it. Maybe the name MARVEL hyped it too much, but what exactly do they want with the show? Would they be happy if in each episode, Marvel superheros appeared? Yeah right
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I seriously don't know what people were expecting out of it. Maybe the name MARVEL hyped it too much, but what exactly do they want with the show? Would they be happy if in each episode, Marvel superheros appeared? Yeah right
[h=1]‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Producer Talks ‘Captain America 2′ Tie-In & Coulson’s Secret[/h]
As Marvel’s TV spinoff experiment, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.continues its uphill battle to strike ratings gold, the creative minds behind the show are in the midst of exploring and executing new ideas that will hopefully grab fan attention. This week brought us the much-hyped tie-in with the box office-topping Thor: The Dark World - read our review of that event HERE - while also spoon-feeding us yet another breadcrumb of mystery surrounding Agent Coulson’s resurrection.
As it happens, both subjects (movie tie-ins and Coulson’s resurrection) were recently discussed by executive producer Jed Whedon (as in, Joss’s brother), whose statements pretty much encompass the ends of the proverbial “good news, bad news” spectrum.
First, the bad news: Jed pretty much confirms a growing fear amongst the show’s viewership: when we finally DO get the answer about how Coulson is alive, it’s pretty much going to be one of the theories the Internet has been guessing at since before the show’s premiere.
In a statement to TV Guide:
So now, the good news.
Did you enjoy the espionage ethics explored in last week’s AoS episode, “The Hub”? Then you may just need to be patient: Jed Whedon also confirmed that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will have another tie-in episode to coincide with Captain America: The Winter Soldier- a film that has the potential to really shake up the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization:
Whatever the answer to that question, there a silver lining: The Winter Soldier trailer clearly teases some major changes to come in the way that S.H.I.E.L.D. is structured and operates; for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., this could also be a prime opportunity to really break free of some shared universe confines and start a new chapter that justifies the show’s premise and characters. If Cap 2 does expose some ugliness within the S.H.I.E.L.D. body, the seeds are already sewn for Coulson and Co. to become disillusioned with the organization and break off to do their own thing.
Stripped of organization resources – but still with a noble mission at heart – a team consisting of a snarky hacker, a couple of disillusioned vets (May and soon to be Coulson) and two techies who can cobble together gadgets out of home shopping supplies, suddenly makes more sense. Even rough-it-in-the-field Agent Ward would have new purpose, in that kind of scenario.
Finally, Whedon dropped a nice hint that Stan “The Man” Lee could cameo on the show! (“I would say there’s a strong chance.”) Who wouldn’t love that?
How do you feel about the movie tie-ins so far? Would you like to se Winter Soldier drastically alter the premise of this show?
_________________________
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.airs Tuesday nights @8pm on ABC.
Source: TV Guide
As it happens, both subjects (movie tie-ins and Coulson’s resurrection) were recently discussed by executive producer Jed Whedon (as in, Joss’s brother), whose statements pretty much encompass the ends of the proverbial “good news, bad news” spectrum.
First, the bad news: Jed pretty much confirms a growing fear amongst the show’s viewership: when we finally DO get the answer about how Coulson is alive, it’s pretty much going to be one of the theories the Internet has been guessing at since before the show’s premiere.
In a statement to TV Guide:
“We know that there’s going to be a lot of theories and there’s no chance that whatever we reveal won’t, at some point, be written on the internet,” Whedon says. “We’re just trying to come up with ways to make it surprising or make it not how they expected it to unravel. We know what it is, but we know that no one else does yet.”
While it’s admirable that the showrunners are working hard to at least make the reveal of Coulson’s return an entertaining journey for fans (even if the reveal itself isn’t all that shocking), the fact remains that this is a mystery that has been needlessly drawn out. How Coulson reacts to his new circumstances and what new doors it opens for the character are what (I believe I can say) fans want to see; delaying that evolution comes at the expense of the show and its capabilities. And when the moment of the reveal finally comes, it holds more potential to disappoint than to satisfy. Not what this show needs, at this point.
Did you enjoy the espionage ethics explored in last week’s AoS episode, “The Hub”? Then you may just need to be patient: Jed Whedon also confirmed that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will have another tie-in episode to coincide with Captain America: The Winter Soldier- a film that has the potential to really shake up the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization:
“Nick Fury [Samuel L. Jackson] is in that one, and S.H.I.E.L.D. makes an appearance, so we will definitely try to tee-up some stuff and probably play a little bit of the fallout from that film,” Whedon says. “We’re hoping to do some cool stuff.”
We’ve had a particularly keen interest in how Winter Soldier and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. correlate: S.H.I.E.L.D. has been noticeably absent during the events of both Iron Man 3 and Thor 2, yet Captain America 2 seems to center on the organization, and AoS obviously follows the exploits of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents – exploits we’ve already seen interwoven with both IM3 and TTDW - so why isn’t S.H.I.E.L.D. involved with the events of those other Phase 2 films?
Whatever the answer to that question, there a silver lining: The Winter Soldier trailer clearly teases some major changes to come in the way that S.H.I.E.L.D. is structured and operates; for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., this could also be a prime opportunity to really break free of some shared universe confines and start a new chapter that justifies the show’s premise and characters. If Cap 2 does expose some ugliness within the S.H.I.E.L.D. body, the seeds are already sewn for Coulson and Co. to become disillusioned with the organization and break off to do their own thing.
Stripped of organization resources – but still with a noble mission at heart – a team consisting of a snarky hacker, a couple of disillusioned vets (May and soon to be Coulson) and two techies who can cobble together gadgets out of home shopping supplies, suddenly makes more sense. Even rough-it-in-the-field Agent Ward would have new purpose, in that kind of scenario.
Finally, Whedon dropped a nice hint that Stan “The Man” Lee could cameo on the show! (“I would say there’s a strong chance.”) Who wouldn’t love that?
How do you feel about the movie tie-ins so far? Would you like to se Winter Soldier drastically alter the premise of this show?
_________________________
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.airs Tuesday nights @8pm on ABC.
Source: TV Guide
Stan Lee to Appear on ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’; Clark Gregg Wants Ant-Man to Guest Star
It’s make or break time for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., now that the second half of its first season is fully underway. The episodes ahead promise to fully unravel the mystery of Agent Coulson’s return from the dead, after last night’s ‘The Magical Place” (read our review) exposed at least part of that heavily (excessively?) built-up truth.
Additionally, there will be new super-powered villain conflicts, ordinary S.H.I.E.L.D. agent stories and narrative threads connected to Captain America: The Winter Soldier – which opens around the time that the show’s first season will begin wrapping up – woven during the months ahead. Indeed, as under-whelming as the first half-season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was for many viewers (not everyone, of course), there is room for some important course-correction to unfold during the next 10-11 episodes.
THR has confirmed that Stan Lee will appear on an episode tentatively scheduled to air next month on February 4th, but what’s interesting about the report is the implication that the Marvel legend (an executive producer on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will be making more than his trademark winking cameo (see: every Marvel film he’s ever appeared in).
Instead, Lee describes his future appearance on the show as a “big role,” suggesting a guest star appearance on par with Peter MacNicol’s as former Asgardian Berserker-turned Professor Elliott Randolph on the Thor: The Dark World tie-in episode, “The Well”.
The thing is, though, whereas MacNicol is, well, a full-fledged actor, Lee tends to stick to one-note character cameos and has yet to prove that he can offer something with real depth – so the cynical assumption is that Lee’s “big role” will be more of a publicity gimmick for the show than anything meaningful.
On the other hand, producer Jeffrey Bell previously teased that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will start to feel more like a Marvel product in the second half of its first season; that means “bringing the tension and suspense of the movies,” but also bringing in characters and faces that the fans of the Marvel Cinematic (and Comic Book) Universe will recognize (see: Blizzard). In his own way, Lee is so recognizable nowadays that he fits that bill.
Then again, what many fans would really like to see are key MCU characters interwoven organically into the show’s over-arching narrative (not just cheap cameos), and star Clark Gregg agrees; in fact, he indicated to Zap2it that he would like to see Paul Rudd as Ant-Man introduced on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., well before his big-screen debut in 2015.
On Rudd’s casting in The World’s End director Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man movie, Gregg said:
There’s also the obvious synergistic benefit of exposing millions of viewers who are less familiar with the Ant-Man character to Rudd’s version – though, that could be a double-edged sword, if people aren’t keen on how the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. writers handle the character. Be sure and let us know if you’re interested in either the proposed Ant-Man appearance and/or the confirmed Stan Lee guest starring news,
__________________________________________________
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns next Tuesday with “Seeds” @8pm on ABC.
Ant-Man opens in theaters on July 31st, 2015.
Source: THR, Zap2it.com [via CBM]
Additionally, there will be new super-powered villain conflicts, ordinary S.H.I.E.L.D. agent stories and narrative threads connected to Captain America: The Winter Soldier – which opens around the time that the show’s first season will begin wrapping up – woven during the months ahead. Indeed, as under-whelming as the first half-season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was for many viewers (not everyone, of course), there is room for some important course-correction to unfold during the next 10-11 episodes.
THR has confirmed that Stan Lee will appear on an episode tentatively scheduled to air next month on February 4th, but what’s interesting about the report is the implication that the Marvel legend (an executive producer on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will be making more than his trademark winking cameo (see: every Marvel film he’s ever appeared in).
Instead, Lee describes his future appearance on the show as a “big role,” suggesting a guest star appearance on par with Peter MacNicol’s as former Asgardian Berserker-turned Professor Elliott Randolph on the Thor: The Dark World tie-in episode, “The Well”.
The thing is, though, whereas MacNicol is, well, a full-fledged actor, Lee tends to stick to one-note character cameos and has yet to prove that he can offer something with real depth – so the cynical assumption is that Lee’s “big role” will be more of a publicity gimmick for the show than anything meaningful.
On the other hand, producer Jeffrey Bell previously teased that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will start to feel more like a Marvel product in the second half of its first season; that means “bringing the tension and suspense of the movies,” but also bringing in characters and faces that the fans of the Marvel Cinematic (and Comic Book) Universe will recognize (see: Blizzard). In his own way, Lee is so recognizable nowadays that he fits that bill.
Then again, what many fans would really like to see are key MCU characters interwoven organically into the show’s over-arching narrative (not just cheap cameos), and star Clark Gregg agrees; in fact, he indicated to Zap2it that he would like to see Paul Rudd as Ant-Man introduced on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., well before his big-screen debut in 2015.
On Rudd’s casting in The World’s End director Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man movie, Gregg said:
“I love that idea. I love that idea. I think he’s amazing and, for me, what’s great about Marvel is the kind of outside the box casting that they’ve done, starting with Robert [Downey Jr.] who now seems so perfect, but I think was a little bit of a tough sell at the first moment,” he says. “People who you don’t associate initially with superhero movies is what works so well for Ant-Man, who’s so smart and has an intellect.”
Honestly, Rudd showing up on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t sound like a terrible idea – the plausibility of that scenario aside, that is. Wright has hinted that his film might start not so long after Hank Pym (Rudd) acquires the Ant-Man suit, and having a non-powered Hank show up would fit with the “everyday hero” template of the series (maybe he and Fitz can become geek-bros or something).
There’s also the obvious synergistic benefit of exposing millions of viewers who are less familiar with the Ant-Man character to Rudd’s version – though, that could be a double-edged sword, if people aren’t keen on how the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. writers handle the character. Be sure and let us know if you’re interested in either the proposed Ant-Man appearance and/or the confirmed Stan Lee guest starring news,
__________________________________________________
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns next Tuesday with “Seeds” @8pm on ABC.
Ant-Man opens in theaters on July 31st, 2015.
Source: THR, Zap2it.com [via CBM]
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faraany3k:
Tears of Kingdom saal pehle shuru ki thee, ab tk pehle area se nai nikla. Life sucks donkey balls. -
Necrokiller:
Game devs praise Steam as a 'democratic platform' that 'continues to be transformative' for PC gaming today
"It's just a great constant in our industry that is [otherwise] really in f***ing panic mode."
www.pcgamer.com
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EternalBlizzard:
another woke game coming up https://store.steampowered.com/app/1477940/Unknown_9_Awakening/ -
faraany3k:
why you are paying american rates in Pakistan. Search cheaper region like Turkey. 13k for 13 months. Ms does not careShadowdragoo said: -
S Shadowdragoo:no idea how that is a steal by wasting 3500 rupees per month and for games that are removed before you can finish them off.xbox gamepass is garbage with no local prices
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faraany3k:
Just finished Diablo 4 season in hurry to play Fallout 4 but gamepass released another banger in the form of Star Wars on April 25th. Gamepass is a steal man.
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Necrokiller:
There are no such thing as "bad design" bro, its all "artistic vision" nowEternalBlizzard said:Is it just me or people lately seem to defend every bad game design decision made by the devs and try to give bullshit reasons for that? Or perhaps it's because I'm on reddit and discord
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EternalBlizzard:
Is it just me or people lately seem to defend every bad game design decision made by the devs and try to give bullshit reasons for that? Or perhaps it's because I'm on reddit and discord
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faraany3k:
Add 20 years into your age. Congrats you are in Playstation 8 era. Probably a VR streaming headset in a form of glasses.
