Ah, yes, that’s right. I forgot. Tahiti is a magical place.
The ABC Studios series premier of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”, based on Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, hasn’t lost any of its humor, charm and overall fun. I think I’m in love again.
How did this happen? Where did the time go? I didn’t even realize we were in this particular year. Today (which is also when I found out) marks the 10th anniversary of this series debuting on broadcast TV! WOW! I don’t mean it feels like yesterday, but it certainly didn’t dawn on me we were that far removed. I had to look into when the series itself went off the air, and while it wasn’t that long ago, I’m more amazed that it’s already been three years. Seriously, how did this happen? Thank you pandemic?? Probably not, but clearly I was busy enough. Here’s hoping I can now set aside some time to give this rewatch plenty of focus. Easier said than done, even without a normal fall TV season.
Ordinary Heroes
What’s not to love about this show, now or then? Even if you weren’t some diehard Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fan at this time, the idea of seeing a Marvel based series was hard to resist. I’m sure it’s how I found it and stayed with it till the very end. I’m amazed I haven’t revisited this series before. Now I have a really good reason to, and after a fantastic reintroduction, I’m ready for more!
It’s easy to get into. Mostly on mystery, but mystery fuels a lot of shows and provides a pretty easy hook. I’ve seen countless shows fail at that part and wonder why and how, but never get a true answer. Here, I don’t have to wonder about anything. Okay, maybe one thing. Why did the big MCU films, at a time when there were considerably less film characters, not end up influenced by this show, even a little bit? Was that going to be too much work or something? This series directly was, and if memory serves, people were somewhat led to believe the reverse would be true for the films. Guess not. Oh well, the series would eventually go on to prove itself many times over, especially on the mystery front. Did I mention that Tahiti is a magical place?
The return to S.H.I.E.L.D. felt natural. Like I’d missed no time at all. Seconds is all it took to draw me back in. Some exciting action sequences didn’t hurt either. Perhaps it’s also because there was something still fresh to it. While this series was influenced by the events on the big screen later on, it doesn’t feel it now, or with the second episode I’ve since watched. It feels exciting and completely new. I guess the light hearted nature of this episode greatly helps there too.
If not for the light banter and humorous moments, which are peppered throughout, then this series wouldn’t have the quirky feel it needed. It began with this and carried it quite often, which is what helps set it apart. It’s part of what keeps you interested with this episode. The dynamics and personalities of these characters are so new, anything could happen and make for an entertaining something. Seeing as Clark Gregg and Ming-Na Wen were the only two well known actors in this episode at the time, it’s a good time to show what newcomers (regardless of how new they really are) can do.
Maybe it’s the Marvel brand and some of the actors (all of them now) who made this easy to watch and be curious about. Enough was already built in, including that mysterious T.A.H.I.T.I. bit, and then the open-ended ending cried out for viewers to return. Why not come back? There were some other things still up in the air too and perhaps they’d be addressed at some point. If nothing else, it’s clearly a relatively light and fluffy show that’s easy to watch and requires virtually nothing from its audience. Sometimes that’s all you need to be a good use of down time. If the films can be glorified popcorn fluff, why not a TV show?
Exciting Trailer!:
Originally Aired: Sept. 24, 2013 – Aug. 12, 2020 on ABC
Creators: Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen
Starring: Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge
...Everything in Between 