Murder_Shrimp

Let me say first and foremost, the acting in this series is phenomenal. I don't think they chose a single actor that didn't do their job supremely well. That said, I found this series to be a bit exhausting, with a convoluted plot that moves at lightning speed. I eventually started to call this show Luther Ex Machina, because he is the answer to EVERY problem. It's impressive just how much he can accomplish. I also found it strange how quickly the characters could heal from various wounds. One minute they've been shot in the leg, or they have been in a situation that should land them in the hospital for quite a while, the next they are loping along as if nothing ever happened. Furthermore, I'm still trying to figure out how the plot twist in the first episode was possible.

In summation: this show can be enjoyable to watch, but the events are highly unlikely. The cast ultimately makes the show. I would watch again just for them.

Being a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), I put off "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" for ridiculously long time before checking it out. The show was already several episodes into Season 2 when I started watching on Blu-Ray. That said, I had reservations when I began watching. Luckily, I found myself enjoying the show, and finished the entire first season in one sitting.

The think that they did a good job casting, and the characters themselves are likable (at least the ones that are *meant* to be likable, that is). The plot is decent, though the twists are rarely surprising, and the tone fits the rest of the MCU. I was able to connect with show and became emotionally involved, which is one of the main things I look for in a series.

I do have two complaints with the series up to this point:

1. Plot holes. Tons of them. I won't list them, as I like to be spoiler-free, but there are a *lot* of them.

2. Nearly every single plot converges. You would think that Coulson's team would occasionally deal with something that doesn't directly feed into the overarching storyline... but, no.

As with most individual MCU pieces, there are always times where you can't help but wonder "Why didn't they call Iron Man / Bruce Banner / Black Widow?" I know that the actors are expensive, but it's hard not to notice.

Otherwise, "Agents" fits into the MCU fairly well and is fun to watch. I will admit that I enjoyed Season 1 more than I'm liking Season 2, but that is likely due to personal preference and not a reflection on the overall quality.

Definitely check the show out if you like Marvels' other productions. It really helps to flesh things out, and introduces concepts and ideas that I believe will be important to upcoming films (Civil War, for example). I think that the show should be accessible to people who aren't as familiar with the MCU, but that enjoy shows about people interacting with the paranormal such as "Torchwood," "Fringe," and "Warehouse 13."

I actually enjoyed the pilot, and I had high hopes that it would avoid predictable plot "twists"and remain watchable. In short? It didn't. Instead, it did exactly what you would expect it to do in the first five episodes. In fact, the show continually follows the most obvious path. The humor relies on the characters being as annoying, crazy, or pathetic as possible. This makes the show physically uncomfortable to watch. Of course, I guess I shouldn't have expected much from characters that decide to settle in Tucson when they can choose LITERALLY anywhere in all of North America.

The protagonist, Phill Miller (Will Forte), isn't evenly vaguely likable following the first episode, and almost everything he does or says is cringe-worthy that I'm embarrassed just watching him. Carol Pilbasian (Kristen Schaal) acts in a completely nonsensical manner that I kept trying to write off as "Well, she's been all alone for two years now..." Eventually I stopped making excuses for her. Melissa Shart (January Jones) is your standard pretty / nice girl, but there doesn't seem to be much more to her than that. And Todd (Mel Rodriguez) is "fat guy who was picked on as a kid."

With all of the actually good (or even decent) shows that Fox has cancelled, I really hope that 'The Last Man Alive' doesn't make it to a season two.