Well, this is a little late, I know.
There’s been a lot of hate going around for this last episode, and the show in general, so I wanted to really think this one over.
I read the Artsy Core’s response to the
Agents of SHIELD pilot. I can say that I learned a few things.
First of all, Artsy Core is a male robo-sphere. Go ahead and insert your own “ball” joke there. Good to know; I always have trouble figuring out which pronouns to use to describe robots that lack genitalia.
Second of all, we apparently disagreed on more than a few points regarding the show. AC called Fitz/Simmons annoying, thought Ward was bland, and though that Skye barely had a personality beyond being the sassy foil.
Do I see where he’s coming from?
Yes.
Do I agree?
Well, I agree that Ming-Na Wen as Melinda May was underused. As of yet, her role as Ellen Yin in the WB’s
The Batman was better developed. I will concede that some of the characterization, wit, and humor is not where it should be for the level of quality that Whedon is known for, and the episode was a little overly referential.
However, Artsy Core, yes. Scientists have to be quirky. Or evil. Or both. Dr. Hank Pym has kinky, shrunken sex with Janet Van Dyne (seriously, it’s in an issue of Avengers), Dr. Reed Richards is an absent-minded professor who uses his stretching powers in bed (noticing a pattern…), Dr. Will Magnus chews on a pipe that he doesn’t smoke and gives his robots souls, Tony Stark’s a womanizing alcoholic, Dr. Arnim Zola walks around in a robot body with his face on a chest-screen, Dr. T.O. Morrow makes death rays out of junk because he’s bored, Dr. Sivana and his half-evil-and-ugly-half-beautiful-and-good family…. Quirky scientists are as much a part of super hero universes as colorful costumes and alien invaders.
Although, I can see where Fitz/Simmons got on your nerves. I do. In fact, I would say that the weakest part of the pilot was the characterization, shockingly enough. Not that the characterization was
bad, just clumsy. The characters’ archetypes are all well and good, but they need to have
more than archetypical behavior.
But I liked the pilot.
I did.
Now, many shows are going to need some breathing room before they become what they’re remembered for.
Star Trek: TNG wasn’t good until Riker grew his beard, after all.
As of the end of the first episode, I liked the show and was ready to give it a chance. Now that we’ve reached the end of the second episode?
Well, I’ll get there.
