Review of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. - episodes 1-5

2013

PHIL COULSON runs a S.H.I.E.L.D. unit--(Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division)--in the MARVEL universe. Phil is a strange guy. He has a red 1962 Corvette that can fly, a good sense of humor, and he wears a suit and tie everywhere, even into active combat. Though the Marvel Universe has all sorts of supernatural creatures (like Thor), there's nothing supernatural about Phil, except maybe that he's died and been resurrected under strange circumstances that even he is not aware of.

Other agents in the group include MELINDA MAY, who pilots the 'bus,' a Boeing C-17 used by the agents to resolve crises all over the world. She's a kick-ass woman who can demolish five musclemen without breaking a sweat, At the limits of credulity, yes, but not impossible. Then there is FITZ-SIMMONS--actually two people. Fitz is an adorable male computer nerd, and Simmons is an adorable female computer nerd. Or is it the opposite? Doesn't matter because you never see one without the other, though the relationship apparently is not romantic. And GRANT WARD, is the stony faced mercenary whose main complaint is having to work with the others instead of saving the world by himself.

In the pilot episode (which starts just after IRON MAN 3), the agents investigate reports of a man, MIKE PETERSON, with superhuman powers. Peterson has been injected with EXTREMIS, a serum that makes him inhumanly strong, but also a little nuts and, if he isn't treated, will make his head explode. Literally, not figurative. SKYE, a hactivist with the group RISING TIDE goes to Peterson and offers to protect him from Shield. Rising Tide' mission is to expose all secrets to the public. The Agents of Shield are good guys, but they do have secrets that they don't want revealed. Can the agents catch Peterson before he and everyone around him blows up? And what should the agents do about Skye? With her computer talents, she could be a tremendous asset to the team if she's willing to join, but can she be trusted?

The characters don't take themselves too seriously. Coulson, for example, admits his red Corvette indicates a midlife crises. In general, there's a lot of humor and irony in the series, and the mixture with the action and violent scenes works well. The series has no deep messages or social commentary, but it's fun and it can get your pulse up to a run. I give it ++++.