Agent Carter Review

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands further outwards, out to the likes of Ant-Man, Doctor Strange and the Netflix Defenders, it's interesting to see a more grounded character like Peggy Carter get the spotlight. Now, the world she inhabits in the show is far from grounded, which is a great thing, but she's certainly inhabiting a more down-to-Earth realm of espionage that makes her quite engaging as a lead character.

If you're unaware, Peggy (Hayley Atwell) was a primary reason Captain America: The First Avenger was so good, her relationship with Steve Rogers feeling less like some sort of tacked on romance and more of a fully developed relationship that benefits both people in terms of characterization. It was great to see her character return in awesome short film in 2013, and the style of that short (which has Peggy going on a super secret mission and kicking serious ass) is translated very nicely into this extremely fun two hour premiere.

Both episodes are less self-contained and more connected, a smart move that reverses a problem Agents of SHIELD had in it's first season, with the primary plot of both episodes revolving around Peggy Carter going on a mission to clear the name of World War II ally Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper). The fact that she's gotten so many close to her killed (namely Captain America) makes her distant and refusing to accept help from anyone, including Stark's butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D'Arcy).

One thing that's really exciting about the universe of Agent Carter is how much it embraces it's heightened characters and situations with aplomb. Staplers become handy weapons, while a primary antagonist needs help communicating vocally, and another baddie has a penchant for whipping out napkins after killing his foes. All of it fits right into the shows tone and makes it so much fun to watch a show that can create compelling characters while retaining a sense of unpredictable fun.

Much of that fun derives from Peggy in the action sequences, where the show truly shines. A last minute action sequence in the second episode on a milk truck had some jarring editing moments, but the rest of the premieres sequences revolving around action are top-notch, namely a fight scene in Peggy's apartment where everyday household objects become deadly weapons. That kind of resourceful on Peggy's part is reinforced in her disguises, which I found super amusing, especially her milk truck inspector persona.

The 1940's setting of the show has untold amounts of opportunities on a visual level, and the shows sets make good use on that promise. Colors are clear and good on the eyes, while costumes are similarly pleasing. It's so cool to see the show take on the potential of the show from both character and set perspectives, and I'm anxious to see how the plot develops over the next six weeks. Forget Hydra, hail Agent Carter!