Hello DC & Marvel fans! We are Amanda and Mandy C., and we are here to give you a rundown of all of the VERY IMPORTANT going's on in your favorite Comics on the Small Screen! We'll add other shows as they premiere, and we promise to bring you ALL of the ab-related GIFs your hearts desire.
Speedy Synopses:
Gotham
I feel like we've been hearing about this show for ages, and it definitely had me worried for a bit with all of the villains that were being announced as having a role. And villians there were.
The show's premiere showed us a Gotham that hasn't yet found themselves the hero the city needs. In fact, Bruce Wayne is a young boy, who—SPOILER ALERT—loses his parents in the first few minutes. He's swooped from the scene by a much spryer Alfred Pennyworth than we're used to, but not before he makes a connection with an equally younger Comissioner Det. Jim Gordon. Gordon and his partner, the super shady Det. Harvey Bullock, go (somewhat reluctantly) on the hunt for the killers, and quickly find themselves up against the mob. This particular arm of the Gotham underground is led by Fish Mooney and her goons, one of which has a familar name (Oswald Cobblepot), and a very beaked nose. After a bit of detective work, Gordon and Bullock think they've found the killer, but it turns out to be an attempt at a frame job. Going against Mooney leads to the cops being strung up in a butcher's warehouse, but they're saved by the real head of the Gotham mob, who didn't appreciate Mooney taking initative. Gordon, who is apparently the only good guy in Gotham, is forced to show allegiance to the "way things are" by killing the snitch (Cobblepot), but insead, he helps him fake his death. Something tells me we haven't seen the end of him.
To be honest, I'm not totally on board with this show yet, but I do love the idea of an origin story that deals more with secondary characters—Gordon, Cobblepot, teenage cat-burglar Selina Kyle, misunderstood scientist Edward Nygma, plant-loving Ivy Pepper—than the main hero. (Been there, done that, amirite?) We shall see ...
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Finally..! This show actually feels like a Marvel show rather than a show about the Secret Service. Last season’s finale left us with S.H.I.E.L.D. disbanded after Captain America’s discovery of a very thorough infiltration by HYDRA. We discovered that Agent Cardboard was actually a double-agent, as well as Agent Garrett (aka Ward’s Daddy Issues Made Manifest) and it suddenly got VERY interesting.
The season two premiere felt sharper, more focused and headed in a new direction entirely. Skye is now a full-fledged agent, completely capable and a solid part of the team. Coulson is the new director, Nick Fury having faked his own death and we were given a real Marvel villain with Carl Creel, aka Absorbing Man. (Cue the SpongeBob jokes.) The U.S. Armed Forces want nothing to do with S.H.I.E.L.D. so Coulson and his Merry Band of Agents are forced underground with limited resources, some new-ish recruits (LUCY LAWLESS) and a seemingly unlimited supply of Patton Oswalt clones…? Sure! Our heroes are tasked with finding a Super Magical Object (an Infinity Stone, perhaps?) being held in a U.S. Military hanger. It was placed there in the 40’s after Agent Peggy Carter took it from HYDRA. It was all very cool and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Unfortunately present-day HYDRA wants it back and hires Creel to do their dirty work for them.
YOU GUYS. I am super excited about the potential for this season! I stopped watching last season until Captain America - The Winter Soldier had me running back. Now that S.H.I.E.L.D. has to function “in the dark” and we no longer have to care about What Happened to Coulson, it has a chance at integrating more fully into the larger Marvel Universe, ESPECIALLY The Avengers 2: The Age of Ultron. BRING IT.
Hero of the Week: Agent Peggy MUTHAEFFIN’ Carter, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
I loved seeing Peggy and the Howling Commandoes blow down the doors of that HYDRA compound. She kicks major ass AND always has perfect hair and lipstick. That’s right you shady Nazis, Peggy Carter is here for NONE of your nefarious mustache-twirling! This was a great little tease to get fans stoked for the mid-season premiere of Agent Carter. Her comment on Howard Stark (Iron-Man’s dad) as someone to keep this alien technology AWAY from just adds to that excitement.
Villain of the Week: Grant Ward, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Sorry Absorbing Man, but Disgraced Former Agent Ward Of The Glorious Beard wins it this week. What is Ward’s endgame? What’s his deal with Skye? Is he on a path to redemption or is he as crazy as a box of frogs? My Spidey-senses tell me that he’s still very dangerous but at least this season he is also now INTERESTING.
Honorable Mention: Fish Mooney, Gotham
Jada Pinkett is KILLING it as this character. She is smart, deadly, and will not hesitate to bribe the police into killing you and dumping your disloyal ass into the river.
Costume Count: 0
I imagine this number will skyrocket once The Flash and Arrow start up again but for now we have our Agents wearing their uniforms and our villains in Gotham not quite fully-formed, although I do want to give a shoutout to Fish Mooney’s WIG, which you do NOT want to get wet.
I can’t wait to see Ollie and Roy’s uniforms on their mutual hero-mannequins in the Arrow Lair. I mean, is there a catalog? A Sharper Image for the vigilante/hero set? INQUIRING MINDS.
Clark Kent Moment of "Duh":
We don’t have any heroes that are undercover quite yet but I do look forward to counting the number of times that Detective Lance looks Oliver/The Arrow in the face and FEIGNS ignorance.
Ab-tastic: Carl Creel, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The only abs we were treated to this week were those of Brian Patrick Wade, aka Carl Creel. He seems to quite enjoy watching his body transform into different substances and is therefore shirtless OFTEN.
Right in the Kisser:
The only smooching we saw this week was between James Gordon and his fiancee, Barbara. I have a feeling that there was some past smooching between Barbara and Detective Montoya that Jim doesn’t know about - SCANDALOUS!
I do want to make mention of Fitz and Simmons. I always felt that they were the heart of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in what was mostly a very weak and uneven season. The reveal with Fitz at the end was truly heartbreaking. WHERE is Simmons? Why would she think that leaving him would somehow be what’s BEST?
Biff! Bam! Pow!
FIERCE. And those guns!
So what did y'all think? Were you impressed with the Gotham pilot? Do you think Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. got any better? Are you excited for Arrow, The Flash, and/or Constantine? Let us know below!