The kids and I have been watching Agents of Shield each Wednesday night (we DVR it while I'm at work on Tuesday). When I first heard of an Avengers television show which featured absolutely no super-heroes, I had my doubts. To my surprise, the series has much in common with the best Marvel movies, specifically dynamic characters. Agents of Shield reminds me of the television I watched when I was a kid, when writers weren't above including positive messages and inspirational characters on the little screen. I appreciate shows like Sherlock and Breaking Bad that have broken the barriers between television and film. Typically I prefer television that reflects effort on the part of its creators instead of the in-between-commercials-filler which makes up 98% of TV today. While Agents of Shield is definitely a marketing ploy, it is also refreshingly fun. Shows from the 80s like G.I. Joe and Knight Rider had to be entertaining first and foremost, but because they were so intrinsically goofy, the writers attempted to redeem themselves by incorporating virtuous characters and uplifting storylines. Perhaps I'm being naïve; it is very likely that the positive elements were included to evade FCC regulation of shows which were basically toy commercials for kids. Regardless, I have fond memories of those shows, and Agents of Shield stirs up those good feelings.
Captain America 2 follows the same playbook that inspires its small screen cousin Agents of Shield. The cynical worldview which enshrouds The Dark Knight series has no place in Captain America's universe. Sure there's evil, and corruption, but Captain America's commitment to justice is not swayed by such annoyances. I like how Cap's boy scout attitude is revered; the filmmakers don't shy away from portraying him as a true American hero. It is a fine line to establish that allows supporting characters to point-out, and sometimes mock Cap's values, yet through his composure and integrity he retains the audience's admiration. Fittingly those who derided Captain America either came full circle and were inspired by him, or they were revealed as villains. Throw into the mix a healthy dose of criticism against the current President's reliance on drones and sweeping surveillance, and Captain America 2 is a thoroughly entertaining film. Were there super heroes and special effects and explosions? I think so, but I like Captain America because he was a hero before he got any super powers.
I thought it fitting to review Agents of Shield along with Captain America 2 because their plots intertwine. Developments in the film directly impacted the very next episode of the television show (which was mid-season). I don't think there's been such a tie-in before, and it's been fascinating to watch.
*Fascinating may have been too strong a word -- but it's more catchy than the word interesting.
