It’s the fall season again and that can only mean one thing: new shows, including Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
By now, many people have probably seen the movie “The Avengers,” which featured many Marvel movie superheroes fighting to save the world from Loki, Thor’s evil younger brother, and a band of evil aliens called the Chitauri. Following the success of the movie, Marvel Studios decided to create “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” a fantastically written and directed spinoff show, which premiered Sept. 24 on ABC. The show follows the agents of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, also known as S.H.I.E.L.D., after the final battle in “The Avengers,” which they refer to as “the battle of New York.”
Following that battle, the world changed drastically. Not only do civilians know about the existence of superheroes and aliens but, at any moment, there can now be a threat to the world that may end up destroying it. To deal with the ensuing chaos, Clark Gregg, who plays Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D., has created a team to face the arising threats.
Each episode revolves around a new danger the team must face but leaves certain mysteries to keep the audience in suspense. For example, in “The Avengers,” Coulson seemingly died at the hands of Loki, but Coulson is back on TV. I consider this to be one of the most captivating plotlines in the show.
The show also stars Ming-Na Wen as the stoic expert fighter Melinda May, Brett Dalton as the serious by-the-book agent Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as the mysterious Skye, Iain De Caestecker as techy not-fit-for-combat Fitz Simmons, and Elizabeth Henstridge as Fitz’s close partner Jemma.
Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” was created by Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon and Joss Whedon and is executive produced by comic book writer and former Marvel president Stan Lee. The show is also written and directed by Joss Whedon, the director of “The Avengers.”
When the show first premiered, it received 11.9 million viewers and a 4.6 rating with adults 18 to 49 years old, making it one of the highest-rated TV drama premieres in four years. The second episode had a viewership of about 8.4 million viewers and a 3.1 rating among adults 18 to 49.
If you liked “The Avengers,” “Buffy,” or anything else Joss Whedon has directed, chances are, you’ll like this show. You can watch it every Tuesday night at 8 p.m., but if you need to catch up on episodes, ABC posts them online.
All in all, the show is fascinating and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The clever twists leave you wanting to watch more. I find the show to be intriguing and recommend it to everyone. It’s a fantastic show.
