Agents of Shield

I've heard great things about Orphan Black. My friend is always saying if Orphan Black's lead had been on Dollhouse, the latter show would have been a lot more successful.

Kim? I think you mean May.

Yes. Brain...durh.

Kthulhu wrote:

Kim? I think you mean May.

Yes. Brain...durh.

Yeah, where did "Kim" come from? It is either Melinda May or Ming-Na Wen.

Wet Chloe, approved. :-)

I liked the GRaviton entry. I'm hoping for the 7th episode twist.

Edit: And Ming Na looks good in the standard shield suit. :-)

Wet Chloe, approved. :-)

I liked the GRaviton entry. I'm hoping for the 7th episode twist.
** spoiler omitted **

Edit: And Ming Na looks good in the standard shield suit. :-)

I was shocked to find out Ming Na turns 50 next month. Those are some good genes.

Damn... (I thought she was closer to 40)

Off topic on aging well.

Kelly Hu is another woman that recently turned 50... and doesn't even remotely look it.

Kelly Hu is another woman that recently turned 50... and doesn't even remotely look it.

She's 45, but damn hot!

I first saw her in Scorpion King, and she was 34 then, but could've been 20.

This is a comic book show. It's set in a universe with the Hulk in it. You're surprised at "gamma rays don't kill you, they turn you into a raging beast"?

When Peter David took over the Hulk and resurrected Betty Ross-Banner, who had died from 'gamma radiation poisoning,' he said something like, "This is the Marvel universe. Nobody has *ever* died from gamma radiation poisoning. Entire *towns* have been turned into Hulks, but gamma radiation flat out doesn't kill people. So, as far as I'm concerned, Betty isn't dead."

I like that, if you own enough mines all over the world, you can apparently dig gravitonium out of the ground. Still, it's a billion times more plausible than Avatar's unobtainium, which magically never gathers in a high enough concentration to float off the planet (and when it does, is covered with *exactly* the right amount of normal earth and stone and plant life and wild animals and moisture accumulation to *precisely* counterbalance it's anti-gravity effect and keep it floating stably in mid-air for, apparently, entire Navi generations to go by...).

Eh. Rule of cool trumps all. As the Bots sing, 'If you wonder how he eats and breathes, and other science facts, remember that it's just a show, I should really just relax.' :)

This is 'science' from the guy who brought us Firefly and Dollhouse, after all.

Kthulhu wrote:

Kelly Hu is another woman that recently turned 50... and doesn't even remotely look it.

She's 45, but damn hot!

I first saw her in Scorpion King, and she was 34 then, but could've been 20.

Hmm...coulda sworn she was 50. I thought I had looked it up when she was first added to Warehouse 13.

45 or 50 or whatever, she can pretty easily pass for late 20s or early 30s.

thejeff wrote:

This is a comic book show. It's set in a universe with the Hulk in it. You're surprised at "gamma rays don't kill you, they turn you into a raging beast"?

When Peter David took over the Hulk and resurrected Betty Ross-Banner, who had died from 'gamma radiation poisoning,' he said something like, "This is the Marvel universe. Nobody has *ever* died from gamma radiation poisoning. Entire *towns* have been turned into Hulks, but gamma radiation flat out doesn't kill people. So, as far as I'm concerned, Betty isn't dead."

I like that, if you own enough mines all over the world, you can apparently dig gravitonium out of the ground. Still, it's a billion times more plausible than Avatar's unobtainium, which magically never gathers in a high enough concentration to float off the planet (and when it does, is covered with *exactly* the right amount of normal earth and stone and plant life and wild animals and moisture accumulation to *precisely* counterbalance it's anti-gravity effect and keep it floating stably in mid-air for, apparently, entire Navi generations to go by...).

Eh. Rule of cool trumps all. As the Bots sing, 'If you wonder how he eats and breathes, and other science facts, remember that it's just a show, I should really just relax.' :)

This is 'science' from the guy who brought us Firefly and Dollhouse, after all.

Um, unobtanium wasn't flying.

Set wrote:

thejeff wrote:

This is a comic book show. It's set in a universe with the Hulk in it. You're surprised at "gamma rays don't kill you, they turn you into a raging beast"?

When Peter David took over the Hulk and resurrected Betty Ross-Banner, who had died from 'gamma radiation poisoning,' he said something like, "This is the Marvel universe. Nobody has *ever* died from gamma radiation poisoning. Entire *towns* have been turned into Hulks, but gamma radiation flat out doesn't kill people. So, as far as I'm concerned, Betty isn't dead."

I like that, if you own enough mines all over the world, you can apparently dig gravitonium out of the ground. Still, it's a billion times more plausible than Avatar's unobtainium, which magically never gathers in a high enough concentration to float off the planet (and when it does, is covered with *exactly* the right amount of normal earth and stone and plant life and wild animals and moisture accumulation to *precisely* counterbalance it's anti-gravity effect and keep it floating stably in mid-air for, apparently, entire Navi generations to go by...).

Eh. Rule of cool trumps all. As the Bots sing, 'If you wonder how he eats and breathes, and other science facts, remember that it's just a show, I should really just relax.' :)

This is 'science' from the guy who brought us Firefly and Dollhouse, after all.

Um, unobtanium wasn't flying.

And, it kind of makes sense that if it was flying, there'd be big chunks in the air at equilibrium.

The stuff that isn't perfectly counterbalanced is either locked up in the ground, overburdened, or it already fell up out of orbit. Either way, the only stuff visibly floating will be the stuff at equilibrium.

The stuff that isn't perfectly counterbalanced is either locked up in the ground, overburdened, or it already fell up out of orbit. Either way, the only stuff visibly floating will be the stuff at equilibrium.

The problem is equilibrium cannot be maintained. Add in people living on it (who get on and off on a regular basis) and the erosion effects of rain and wind (plus the temporary added mass from rainstorms - water is HEAVY stuff) every last one should have either floated off or fallen down long ago.

Rule of Cool trumps science in almost any fictional medium, even those that are 'hard science' shows still do it a little.

Benchak the Nightstalker wrote:

The stuff that isn't perfectly counterbalanced is either locked up in the ground, overburdened, or it already fell up out of orbit. Either way, the only stuff visibly floating will be the stuff at equilibrium.

The problem is equilibrium cannot be maintained. Add in people living on it (who get on and off on a regular basis) and the erosion effects of rain and wind (plus the temporary added mass from rainstorms - water is HEAVY stuff) every last one should have either floated off or fallen down long ago.

Rule of Cool trumps science in almost any fictional medium, even those that are 'hard science' shows still do it a little.

Unless that's what the Navi did, spent their time trying to "maintain the balance". Crafting the world to try and maintain the floating islands.

Of course you are right about the rule.

TheLoneCleric wrote:

Kthulhu wrote:

Kim? I think you mean May.

Yes. Brain...durh.

Yeah, where did "Kim" come from? It is either Melinda May or Ming-Na Wen.

Loooong story about me and jumbling names up. My brain goes on random sort.

Um, unobtanium wasn't flying.

Was.

Rather a lot. Whole *mountains* flew, and they were fairly prominently portrayed in the movie.

Topic? Ming-Na Wen. Hawt.

Um, unobtanium wasn't flying.

It's not unobtanium. It's Upsidaisium.

Hah!

But about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D...

Hah!

But about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D...

I'll let you know when I've watched tonight's episode.

Hmm the Hawt couple (Faith & Angel 2.0)aren't doing it for me... The Team mum & dad Coulson & May (Giles & Buffy's mum 2.0) are far more interesting, and the Willow and Xander analogue are annoying as hell.

Hmm the Hawt couple (Faith & Angel 2.0)aren't doing it for me... The Team mum & dad Coulson & May (Giles & Buffy's mum 2.0) are far more interesting, and the Willow and Xander analogue are annoying as hell.

I never got into Buffy or Angel. My work schedule at the time those shows were running didn't allow me any real television except for one or two shows (DVR's were expensive back then, and the VCR was one show only, reserved for something else). So anybody being a rehash is gonna slip right past me.

It's been more than long enough to revisit what's worked before anyway...

Glad to see they're mixing 616 characters (Franklin Hall) with 1999999 characters (Tonights special guest agent).

I'm assuming the McGuffin wasn't AIM tech. And unless there's a "Level 8" not sure what this does to the Coulson-is-an-LMD theory.

The Fitzsimmons aren't clicking for me yet, Fitz reminds me too much of Carson Beckett. I think the fobbits need their own episode to gel.

Linguistic aside:

I liked this episode, though the beginning scene, even with Coulson's after-the-fact explanation of why the delivery was done that way, just seemed a bit too overblown.

That said, the chemistry between Ward and Skye has improved, though there's still something missing on the whole as far as dialogue goes. Have to agree with the general consensus on Fitz-Simmons though. They're still way too cutesy.

Did anyone else, when they were removing Amador's camera eye, think "Oh, look, another S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who'll be wearing an eyepatch?"

That was her name (at work so hard to look up).

I was thinking Nichelle Fury myself. :-) I would like to see the character again (don't know the actor).

I thought the group at the beginning was going to flash mob and then I saw the suitcases and thought 'flash mob/gas attack' It may have been silly, but it kept me wondering.

(Aside, it's frustrating trying to guess what characters they can use. I'd love to see them meet Department H for example. Bonus if it is in Vancouver so someone could say, "It looks like a set from a movie.")

I was thinking we were looking at villains too, doing a flash mob type set-up for cover, at least until I saw the handcuffs on the cases.

The film/T.V. rights thing is all-out confusing when it comes to who controls what intellectual property. I've seen stuff online where people are crying foul over the whole "no telepathy or precognition" line from this episode. But since we have no X-men in this world... I have no idea how many other Marvel properties are currently held by other companies, but yeah, some crossovers would be fun.

Not a bad 4th episode. Not much action, some nice characterization, mostly of Coulson. Now I'm really intrigued about what they did to him. After he almost died.

So any thoughts on the mysterious organization being SWORD?

I like Fitz-Simmons myself, but their accent combined with talking speed makes me wish for subtitles...

When I saw the opening sequence, it gave me the same kind of warm fuzzies I used to get at the beginning of a Steed & Peel episode of the Avengers!

Just 'cause most people in the TV S.H.I.E.L.D. universe don't think espers are real, don't necessarily make it so (how many believed in aliens before the Avengers had to defend NYC last year?)

I'm rooting for AIM as responsible for this week's villain tech. They would be fascinated to read the writing on the wall...

Linguistic aside:

** spoiler omitted **

Urban Dictionary says it's a mildly derisive military term for shirkers or people who hang back while others do the work (or non-infantry, by infantry). Sort of the opposite of grunts or ground-pounders, when referring to those who aren't in the front lines. That seems to fit the context of the show better than the other option.

This is Joss, who confessed to a thrill about being able to get away with cussing in Chinese on Firefly or using 'quim' in Avengers, but I'm not convinced that he knew the other definition of that word.

I like Fitz-Simmons myself, but their accent combined with talking speed makes me wish for subtitles...

Closed Captioning?

So any thoughts on the mysterious organization being SWORD?

Possible, but unlikely. SWORD would definitely be interested in data of extraterrestrial origin, but stealing diamonds? Seems outside their purview.

An AIM/Hydra coalition is more likely, not to mention more in keeping with current elements introduced into the movie universe.

Aranna wrote:

So any thoughts on the mysterious organization being SWORD?

Possible, but unlikely. SWORD would definitely be interested in data of extraterrestrial origin, but stealing diamonds? Seems outside their purview.

An AIM/Hydra coalition is more likely, not to mention more in keeping with current elements introduced into the movie universe.

The diamonds were a means to an end. So maybe SWORD?

Considering SWORD is a counterpart to SHIELD, you'd think they'd have their own budget from...well, wherever the hell SHIELD's comes from. Plus, $30M in diamonds would be small potatoes, especially when you consider the cost of the device implanted in the agent to make such a heist possible.

Considering SWORD is a counterpart to SHIELD, you'd think they'd have their own budget from...well, wherever the hell SHIELD's comes from. Plus, $30M in diamonds would be small potatoes, especially when you consider the cost of the device implanted in the agent to make such a heist possible.

In other words, it was a "field test" of the technology.

The actual diamonds didn't matter.

OK, maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but I thought it was implied that the bad guys had been running her for at least a couple of years, which is well past being a "field test". And it also makes installing the eye device more financially sound, since she could have been doing similar heists for a full two years.

AIM wouldn't work with Hydra.
And all of these organizations make the diamond heist look like small change... but there must be a reason.
Still remember SWORD was made by Joss Whedon, so this may be his subtle way to add SWORD to the earth 199999 universe.

Except we're pretty certain something similar shows up in GotG next year, though I can't remember where that little titbit comes from.

The diamonds were aquired to get the accesss card from the guy who was willing to sell it, but yeah really odd to go about it that way when you've got some of the other resources they had to have (there were two of those eye cams though we don't know how tricked out the other one was.)

Except we're pretty certain something similar shows up in GotG next year, though I can't remember where that little titbit comes from.

The diamonds were aquired to get the accesss card from the guy who was willing to sell it, but yeah really odd to go about it that way when you've got some of the other resources they had to have (there were two of those eye cams though we don't know how tricked out the other one was.)

Except after the events of Iron Man 3, A.I.M might be a little short of cash.

Doubt it's Sword. While they'll sacrifce agents and play Shield and heroes for chumps they are not so obviously evil. (Mean spirited yes. But that's most due to the way Agent Brand comes off.)

Now I expect SWORD to show up though, especially if AoS lasts up closer to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

I don't think it's SWORD (who has the rights to Abigale Brand anyway?) I'm wondering if we're seeing the actions of The Intelligencia.

I'm still holding out for A.I.M. or Hydra.

Doubt it's Sword. While they'll sacrifce agents and play Shield and heroes for chumps they are not so obviously evil. (Mean spirited yes. But that's most due to the way Agent Brand comes off.)

Now I expect SWORD to show up though, especially if AoS lasts up closer to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

So obviously evil?

I don't think it's SWORD (who has the rights to Abigale Brand anyway?) I'm wondering if we're seeing the actions of The Intelligencia.

This rights issue on that one could be tricky. While it's obviously not a mutant-themed organization, it DID first appear in Astonishing X-Men.

TheLoneCleric wrote:

Doubt it's Sword. While they'll sacrifce agents and play Shield and heroes for chumps they are not so obviously evil. (Mean spirited yes. But that's most due to the way Agent Brand comes off.)

Now I expect SWORD to show up though, especially if AoS lasts up closer to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

So obviously evil?

Yes they killed a courier, stole Russian intelligence on aliens, and sacrificed their own agents. But they deliberately left the SHIELD team alive when she could easily have been told to kill them.

On top of that, the operative with his finger on the killswitch could have terminated her had his handler decided that she hadn't performed her duty to their satisfactions. They apparently also have a bit of leeway on how to go about their missions - the killswitch was not thrown when Ward didn't go along with the handler's orders, and had to rely on his skills to get out of the facility when his cover was broken. Heck, the fact that a non-lethal option presented itself first lends credence that this organization won't kill when it isn't necessary.

Matthew Morris wrote:

I don't think it's SWORD (who has the rights to Abigale Brand anyway?) I'm wondering if we're seeing the actions of The Intelligencia.

This rights issue on that one could be tricky. While it's obviously not a mutant-themed organization, it DID first appear in Astonishing X-Men.

*Nods* Which is why I doubt we'll see Alpha Flight in any form. Also since the handler was MI-6 and not MI-13 I assume that we won't see them anytime soon.

Shame, since a TV show might have been a good way to gin up interest in some of the international teams.

Yay! The last two episodes weren't terrible! This week's episode, in particular, showed a lot of promise that bugs are being worked out, and that's why I've kept watching despite my disappointment with the first two episodes. I'm still not sold on the team, but they aren't talking so much anymore so that's a plus.

I'm kind of confused by Chloe Bennet. Is she someone I should know? I've never heard of her, but people are talking about her like she's some kind of genre hero like Nathan Fillion or that other Whedon alum who keeps appearing in shows that get cancelled. I get that she's kind of generically attractive, and I'm sure she's a lot less abrasive in real life than her character on the show, but what am I missing?

AIM wouldn't work with Hydra.

Maybe not now but, when A.I.M. got it's start, they were the scientific subdivision of Hydra. Baron Strucker and the Red Skull even tried to mend the fences a few times, but A.I.M.'s politics are too different so M.O.D.O.K. and Rappaccini always end up packing up their toys and going home. Of course, that history seems to have been altered for the MCU so, yeah, it's unlikely the bad guys are a Hydra/A.I.M. combo plate. They haven't used The Secret Empire in any of the movies yet, and they seem like TV-level baddies, but I'm hoping it turns out to be H.A.T.E. and The Beyond Corporation.

They have drop bears.

Chloe Bennet is just gorgeous. And new, so everyone talks about her.

I wasn't a Nextwave fan but I'd love to see Monica Rambeau. Always had a soft spot for her since the old MSH basic game. I think her powers are a bit beyond TV budgets though.

Chloe Bennet is just gorgeous. And new, so everyone talks about her.

She's a cutie, to be sure. Still, I'll take Ming Na Wen. :-)