Instead of a normal review or recap of hot new shows premiering this fall, I’ve created a new column called the Six Qs. Essentially, I will break down each new episode of the series I have been assigned to watch into six questions that I will answer based on my viewing and my thoughts. Hopefully, this will give you–our readers–insight to the episode without spoiling plot points or secrets, especially in hard, fanboy-loved genre driven shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Arrow. As always, this new style will be fluid and after a few weeks, it may change–or adapt–but for now, let’s get started.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
1. What is it?
A new ABC television series from Buffy and Firefly creator, Joss Whedon, that follows the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, or S.H.I.E.L.D., the government agency created to keep us all safe–now from alien invasions and folks with super powers and intelligent suits of armor and gods. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. works as a side story to the Marvel Studios films such as The Avengers, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man. This episode is titled ‘Pilot,’ E01, S01.
2. Who’s in it?
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. stars Clark Gregg, reprising his popular Agent Coulson role from the other Marvel Studios Films. Yes, we know he died in The Avengers, and it is addressed in the pilot, if only slightly. There is much more to the story that will be revealed as the series goes on. Joining Gregg is Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, a hot-headed superspy who doesn’t like being re-assigned to a new–seemingly action-less group at Level 7. Ming-na Wen stars as Melinda May, a S.H.I.E.L.D. desk jockey who fears field work for some reason, and is another story to be told later. Chloe Bennet is Skye, an Internet whistle blower who tries to expose S.H.I.E.L.D. at every turn. So of course she get recruited to the team. Iain De Caestecker plays Fitz, a tech genius and partner to Elizabeth Henstridge’s Simmons. Together, these two serve as the brains behind the group. Lastly, the pilot features J. August Richards as Mike Peterson, a mysterious man with powers of super strength and invulnerability that S.H.I.E.L.D. is desperately trying to find. Cobie Smulders has a brief cameo as Agent Maria Hill, Nick Fury’s right hand ma–er–woman, further solidifying the series to The Avengers film.
3. Who created it?
The pilot is Executive Produced and directed by Joss Whedon. It was written by Joss, Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tarcharoen.
4. What is it about?
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. opens with an explosion and a random act of heroism. This leads into Agent Coulson, now alive, recruiting a team for Level 7, a unit designed to seek out and find superpowered and extraordinary individuals as so the government can keep tabs on them. Tripping up the new unit is Rising Tide, a secretive Internet watchdog group that exposes S.H.I.E.L.D. at every turn. When the head of Rising Tide finds the identity of the new hero, she and S.H.I.E.L.D. converge, stumbling onto a much larger plot that could be devastating to us all. So, naturally they join forces and the show has its foundation to move forward.
5. Any secrets, easter eggs, major revelations or tie ins?
A line of dialogue calls back to the original comic book series that launched Thor as a character. A Chitauri artifact (the alien invaders from The Avengers film) is found and retrieved. Extremis (Iron Man 3) is mentioned. A popular line written by Stan Lee is paraphrased.
6. Will we watch next week?
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. works as a perfect pilot. It brings together the group, gives them a goal and a purpose, explains their necessity, and even alludes to many developments to be explored in later episodes. While this episode may have been a little underwhelming when compared to, say, The Avengers film, the foundation is laid to build something very cool as we move forward. We will definitely keep watching.
