So, the end of series 1 is approaching with no real explosion in the media. Perhaps that alone is something to Marvel at. However, for such a lucrative franchise I have been blown away by the series' inadequacy from episode 1. The only thing keeping me going is the hope that it may somehow find a way to claw back towards mediocrity.
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| marvel.com |
The first episode introduced us to Skye (Chloe Bennet), our lead female, the loveable rogue from hack group
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| screenfad.com |
'The Rising Tide' whose eyelashes seem to flutter their way into every situation. As refreshing as it was for her to be thrown into a group of SHIELD misfits who don't truly trust one another, it leaves the dialogue between our characters a little dry to say the least. We are presented with three characters in Coulson (Clark Gregg), May (Ming-Na wen) and Ward (Brett Dalton) who are - or seem to be - incapable of emotion or at opening up when that is what characters onscreen need. We (the audience) need to hear their intrinsic thoughts through conversations with other characters and the entire series lacks this. Skye is the only character that allows us in. And for this, we are slowly drawn back towards the plot, just as we are about to nod off in the armchair. Thank God for Skye.
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| Marvel.com |
The comedy duo of Fitz (Iain De Caestacker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) gives us a slight satisfaction as we wonder at their genius when they fail to understand basic social norms, sarcasm or the working of doors. The one-sided - or at least accepted - affection of Simmons towards Fitz is comical, if not sometimes a little cringey. However, seeing as their relationship is about the only relationship we are allowed an insight into, it's electrifying to watch their flitting eye contact and gentle smugness at getting one over on the other with the next big idea. It's child's play but done brilliantly. It was brought out especially in episode 6, when Simmons contracts the alien virus from which others have died from. Their relationship as friends here, truly flourished as we watched them lean their heads against one another, through the glass with a hopeless lingering gaze into nothing. I await to see where their relationship may lead although I fear that the uninspiring nature of the script thus far, suggests that they will most likely stay as friends.
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| Screen-grab from episode 10: Rights Reserved by Marvel |
The worst thing about the entire series for me, was the lack of any of that VFX brilliance we see in Marvel films. Instead, it seems we were thrust into a classroom of teenagers exploring Kar2ouche and into a world where the team had merely photoshopped images on backgrounds that do not fit. The best example of this is pictured left. I'm not sure what is worse, the car tumbling through the background that is nearly invisible or the clearly artificial existence of the car in the foreground. It's almost as though they have cut it from a magazine and stuck it on. It's HORRIBLE! Even more horrible, is the fact that this is not the only example. They couldn't even green-screen Coulson properly! It's almost as bad as going back to the years of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
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Another thing the series lacked, is story. There was no arc to keep us going from episode to episode, no story that we had to wait to see finish in another episode. Until around episode 8, we know nothing more of Skye's parents than we did in episode 1. Even by the finale, all we know is that she was found by a SHIELD agent and dropped to someone else. As disengaging as this story is (due to no real risks being taken to find her parents), I do want to call that it was May who dropped Skye off and that Skye was the civilian girl May saved from the day that she lost herself. Aside from the reveal that May lost herself in a single battle there was no real exploration of May's past, nor of Skye's hunger to find her parents. No drip feed, no trail of breadcrumbs... meaning that we weren't hooked by it. The only thing, as I said, that kept me going is the hope that it would get better.
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| Marvel.com |
I'll hand it to the team that episode 10 has been the best episode of the series but it didn't have much to compete with. We still have no idea who Coulson is, who May or Ward really are, which doesn't make us excited about their return in a future series. We don't know them enough to care. The only thing we have been given the opportunity to love is the hardened and unchanging expression on their faces. Even the sex didn't liven things up!
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Ahhaaaa I ruin everything
Photo: marvel-movies.wikia.com |
Coulson's character is one that disappoints me greatly. As the leader of the team you want him to be stern, to be smart...instead he uses an array of badly executed jokes and sarcasm. The script-writing left us cringing rather than laughing. For example, when on a mission the team hear of some underground activity. Coulson of all people, has only one thing to say, 'let's see what we can dig up. See what I did there?'. GROAN. It's just not necessary. In the 90min arc of a film, the jokes are less frequent and therefore more successful for Coulson's character. In a 40min episode, it is simply annoying, that every time we are drawn into the tension and action, we are thrown back by the reminder from Coulson that it's all a joke.
With two more episodes left to come in January, are we all waiting on the edge of our seats for the moment our misfits return to the screen? Not really. Although, for the sake of my excitement for the next Marvel release of 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' I truly hope I am surprised and that the budget has been saved for an awe-inspiring finale.
We shall see.
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