Agent Carter Agent Carter General Discussion Thread

[Suzanne78]

That's a really good point & one I had not considered.

I AM SO SMRT!

 

[Heretic]

I'm not picking on you, necessarily, but I do think you're looking at this wrong...

I think the problem with this line of thinking is that this is going to be the central driving force of the show, By virtue of Peggy's era, when and where she's working, politics of her chosen profession and her very identity will be wrapped up in the idea that women should be treated equal, that Peggy should be used and treated because she is just as skilled as any man, yet the tension of her story will be that she is constantly overlooked and overshadowed every step of the way until Stark needs her help to form SHIELD.

You might not think that there is a whole lot of narrative drive to that using a feminist angle, but there are ways to tell Peggy's story with this struggle as the key feature, without coming across as preachy or cloying.

But the "feminist stuff" should be there, as it is central to Peggy's journey.

And Peggy is indeed awesome, powerful, and strong... She is a well-rounded character portayed expertly by a great actress... The key problem is that the rest of world cannot and refuses to see that

But the advertising for this is closer to the stuff that women end up not watching. It doesn't look interesting with a well developed female lead, it looks like yet another "sexy chick using her girl power" that women have been rejecting lately. The top rated shows with female viewers are The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and American Horror Story...not Devious Maids or Witches of East End.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Hayley Atwell:

Since it’s set in 1946 in the first season, there’s a long way that we can go with it. We can explore the ’50s, maybe the ’60s, and right up to the present day where she’s in old age. So it’s really up to Marvel, ABC and the fans to decide if that’s the story that they want to continue telling. I certainly would jump at the chance to keep doing it for the rest of my career.

One thing I like about this suggestion is jumping ahead a little more in time. Reports about the current plans are to do a season a year. I think it would be better to go with skipping a few years each time so they can progress through history a bit quicker. You can really see how society changed over time. Plus, I tend to think the 50s and 60s are more interesting than the late 40s.

 

[Suzanne78]

But the advertising for this is closer to the stuff that women end up not watching. It doesn't look interesting with a well developed female lead, it looks like yet another "sexy chick using her girl power" that women have been rejecting lately. The top rated shows with female viewers are The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and American Horror Story...not Devious Maids or Witches of East End.

Um... Okay? For me, it's been working really well. Though I guess we'll see when ratings come out and the breakdowns are given if it does well with women.

Positioning it among ABC's buzzy female led shows is a smart move. It's also being advertised as a genre show, which both AHS and TWD are too. And both of those shows have strong female characters; AHS COVEN in particular, right? Not to mention that we should be getting more reviews, and hopefully they are as positive as the FORBES review.

 

[Heretic]

Um... Okay? For me, it's been working really well. Though I guess we'll see when ratings come out and the breakdowns are given if it does well with women.

Positioning it among ABC's buzzy female led shows is a smart move. It's also being advertised as a genre show, which both AHS and TWD are too. And both of those shows have strong female characters; AHS COVEN in particular, right? Not to mention that we should be getting more reviews, and hopefully they are as positive as the FORBES review.

Are those other shows about sexy women who can be tough and hot and wear great clothes? I was unaware that How To Get Away With Murder was like that.

You're on a superhero message board. You don't represent the general female audience. American Horror Story didnt advertise Coven with shots of a woman's legs and her outfit and being sexy, but this sexy woman is also a witch! The general female audience is no longer responding to that kind of nonsense...and whats hilarious is that the "point" of the show is supposed to be that women are as talented etc as men...while using an outdated form of advertising to try to get that across. You want a female character that is seen to be as competent as a man? Great...give us a strong female character without the leg shots and fashion talk.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

I didn't care for the ads but I also don't feel like I'm the one ABC was advertising towards anyway. They know fanboys will tune in regardless.

 

[Brownbear]

t:t:

excited!!

 

[vondre1919]

Are those other shows about sexy women who can be tough and hot and wear great clothes? I was unaware that How To Get Away With Murder was like that.

You're on a superhero message board. You don't represent the general female audience. American Horror Story didnt advertise Coven with shots of a woman's legs and her outfit and being sexy, but this sexy woman is also a witch! The general female audience is no longer responding to that kind of nonsense...and whats hilarious is that the "point" of the show is supposed to be that women are as talented etc as men...while using an outdated form of advertising to try to get that across. You want a female character that is seen to be as competent as a man? Great...give us a strong female character without the leg shots and fashion talk.

I don't really think you understand the whole point of feminism.

It's that a woman can express herself however she want, yet still be a 3-dimensional person in her own right. If a woman wants to put on lipstick, wear heels, and put on a dress she can. And she can still kick ass while doing it. You can be a kickass character and still have a sense of sexuality. For example, Olivia Pope from Scandal. A brilliant, well crafted character. She has flaws. Woman eat her up. Yet, she still wears heels and wear tight dresses and fancy business suits. She doesn't do all this for men watching and the men in her universe, she does it because she wants to. Just like Peggy Carter. And they both kick ass while looking beautiful.

 

[Suzanne78]

Are those other shows about sexy women who can be tough and hot and wear great clothes? I was unaware that How To Get Away With Murder was like that.

You're on a superhero message board. You don't represent the general female audience. American Horror Story didnt advertise Coven with shots of a woman's legs and her outfit and being sexy, but this sexy woman is also a witch! The general female audience is no longer responding to that kind of nonsense...and whats hilarious is that the "point" of the show is supposed to be that women are as talented etc as men...while using an outdated form of advertising to try to get that across. You want a female character that is seen to be as competent as a man? Great...give us a strong female character without the leg shots and fashion talk.

Except... That's also what the ads are also saying. She's a beautiful woman who can kick ass and be awesome and all of that. Peggy is a complex character, especially given that she originated in a comic book and is set in the 1940's. Also, SCANDAL? There are articles upon articles and websites devoted to Olivia's fashion. But she is also an interesting, complex character in her own right. They use her fashion style to promote the show too. MURDER: the commentary about Davis' fashion and style aren't as ubiquitous as it is with Washington on SCANDAL, but the main character has a fierce wardrobe for a law school professor, and much publicity was made when she choose to take off her wig one episode. Fashion/style/beauty are big parts of these shows as well, make no mistake. A big selling point for AGENT CARTER is the 40's setting, fashion and style plays a huge part in that, so ABC should use it.

I've seen far more ads and clips featuring Peggy kicking a ton of butt than anything else. A lot of people are commenting on how the show resembles ALIAS more than anything, which is pretty cool, and ifthey an maintain the level of quality of the first couple of seasons of ALIAS, I'll be a happy camper.

The tones of all the shows you mentioned, AHS:COVEN, TWD and AGENT CARTER, are all different as well. So maybe some of the "old-fashionedness" comes from the overall tone of the show. Don't know.

I just think you're underselling/underestimating the effect that the promos are maybe having on the potential female audience for CARTER.

Kind of off-topic: I just bought myself a super awesome motorcycle jacket that looks like something Peggy would've worn in the 40's. Thinking about wearing it with my red lipstick when I watch the premiere next week. The ads are DEFINITELY working on me

 

[Heretic]

All I know is, women are tuning out of the "girl power" shows that advertise sex appeal, and tuning in to the shows that feature strong women as part of their cast (including as main stars).

And I dont see anything feminist about advertising a show about how sexy and fashionable a woman is...but THIS woman is also a buttkicker, isnt that awesome how she can do that while still showing off her hot body! That sounds patronizing as all get out. It CAN be successful...but its kind of odd that Marvel is using its first female led franchise to promote to viewers of Devious Maids and Witches of East End rather than fans of shows that might be a little more in their wheelhouse.

 

[Suzanne78]

All I know is, women are tuning out of the "girl power" shows that advertise sex appeal, and tuning in to the shows that feature strong women as part of their cast (including as main stars).

And I dont see anything feminist about advertising a show about how sexy and fashionable a woman is...but THIS woman is also a buttkicker, isnt that awesome how she can do that while still showing off her hot body! That sounds patronizing as all get out. It CAN be successful...but its kind of odd that Marvel is using its first female led franchise to promote to viewers of Devious Maids and Witches of East End rather than fans of shows that might be a little more in their wheelhouse.

Disagree with this thoroughly. They're using ABC's other hit female-led TV shows to promote it. And I've seen the ads and clips focus on Peggy's character overall, her vulnerability, her beauty, her butt-kicking, her intelligence. In fact, for me, she comes across as a well-rounded character. Solely my opinion though, and I've already stated several times where I disagree with you.

So... Whatever. Happy viewing, I guess.

 

[Heretic]

They are linking this to other female led shows? Why? Again...the highest rated shows with women are The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and American Horror Story...only one of which has a mostly female cast. Is the assumption that women watch women so give them a woman in a 1950's hat and the women who watch a serious drama about a murder mystery will also watch it? Why is that? Because women just watch whatever has a woman in it, even though the ratings results proves that statement false? And somehow that is a feminist statement? Thats my point...this show's (or at least the advertising) idea of feminism is kind of outdated.

We'll find out when the ratings come in...but NOT the ratings for week 1. There will obviously be a boost as the people who turned off Agents of SHIELD and potential new fans give the first episode a try. It'll be in the weeks following that we find out if this show was a miscalculation or not. If the ratings are worse than AoS by the time it's run its course, then it was a misfire. If the ratings are better, then they did good. Either way...if the only thing it accomplishes is showing us Peggy Carter's girl power...when Agents of SHIELD...heck, Thor, has been mostly used to support the overall universe...then I'd question the intelligence of doing a show based on her as opposed to any number of other characters.

 

[Dark Raven]

If Agent Carter doesn't do well, maybe they'll simply cancel it and pull it from the network after 7 episodes.

 

[Vartha]

not sure you all saw this or not...Jan 6th Ant-Man on Agent Carter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQjhJf1R4k4&feature=em-uploademail

Got a lot to do before I have to leave here quick lol

 

[Suzanne78]

They are linking this to other female led shows? Why? Again...the highest rated shows with women are The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and American Horror Story...only one of which has a mostly female cast. Is the assumption that women watch women so give them a woman in a 1950's hat and the women who watch a serious drama about a murder mystery will also watch it? Why is that? Because women just watch whatever has a woman in it, even though the ratings results proves that statement false? And somehow that is a feminist statement? Thats my point...this show's (or at least the advertising) idea of feminism is kind of outdated.

Only point I'm going to reply to your post, because this conversation's gone circular, and we're just beating our heads over the same points.

ABC, the network running AGENT CARTER, is advertising AGENT CARTER along with ABC's shows that are popular and buzzy with women viewers. ABC doesn't give a flying crap about promoting AGENT CARTER with other shows on different networks even if they rank higher with women viewers. And yeah, it's about appealing to the same demographic that watches ABC's popular female-led shows. It's not just about costumes and appearances, though thats a fun part of following some of these shows (in particular, SCANDAL, OUAT, REVENGE!) but all these shows (ALIAS, REVENGE, SCANDAL, MURDER) feature complex, beautiful, vulnerable, well-developed female characters dealing with all sorts of different stories. That, to me, IS feminist advertising.

And I do kind of feel like my posts are getting twisted around here, so I'll try to leave this discussion at this point.

I'm just really excited about Jan. 6th. They'd better have this air on HULU+ the next day. Even if I'm not a Nielsen viewer, I'm glad that my watching will count somehow in the Live+ numbers.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

Only point I'm going to reply to your post, because this conversation's gone circular, and we're just beating our heads over the same points.

ABC, the network running AGENT CARTER, is advertising AGENT CARTER along with ABC's shows that are popular and buzzy with women viewers. ABC doesn't give a flying crap about promoting AGENT CARTER with other shows on different networks even if they rank higher with women viewers. And yeah, it's about appealing to the same demographic that watches ABC's popular female-led shows. It's not just about costumes and appearances, though thats a fun part of following some of these shows (in particular, SCANDAL, OUAT, REVENGE!) but all these shows (ALIAS, REVENGE, SCANDAL, MURDER) feature complex, beautiful, vulnerable, well-developed female characters dealing with all sorts of different stories. That, to me, IS feminist advertising.

And I do kind of feel like my posts are getting twisted around here, so I'll try to leave this discussion at this point.

I'm just really excited about Jan. 6th. They'd better have this air on HULU+ the next day. Even if I'm not a Nielsen viewer, I'm glad that my watching will count somehow in the Live+ numbers.

Agree with everything you've been saying here. By continually bringing up shows on other networks, Heretic has been exposed as someone who doesn't get marketing or what exactly makes Peggy Carter a good character to base a show around. I don't watch those other shows that ABC has been attaching to Agent Carter since they don't interest me as a young male, but I will watch Agent Carter because of Atwell making the role memorable in TFA and TWS and it being part of the MCU.

 

[Heretic]

Only point I'm going to reply to your post, because this conversation's gone circular, and we're just beating our heads over the same points.

ABC, the network running AGENT CARTER, is advertising AGENT CARTER along with ABC's shows that are popular and buzzy with women viewers. ABC doesn't give a flying crap about promoting AGENT CARTER with other shows on different networks even if they rank higher with women viewers. And yeah, it's about appealing to the same demographic that watches ABC's popular female-led shows. It's not just about costumes and appearances, though thats a fun part of following some of these shows (in particular, SCANDAL, OUAT, REVENGE!) but all these shows (ALIAS, REVENGE, SCANDAL, MURDER) feature complex, beautiful, vulnerable, well-developed female characters dealing with all sorts of different stories. That, to me, IS feminist advertising.

And I do kind of feel like my posts are getting twisted around here, so I'll try to leave this discussion at this point.

I'm just really excited about Jan. 6th. They'd better have this air on HULU+ the next day. Even if I'm not a Nielsen viewer, I'm glad that my watching will count somehow in the Live+ numbers.

So...Bates Motel is about a guy...and the sitcom Last Man Standing is about a man...so you'd promote those shows to the same audience because all men like the same thing??

You're basically saying that women watch shows because of female stars...REGARDLESS of the content of the show. A murder mystery...a Horror show...a sitcom...hardly matters...you show women another woman, and they'll watch because they can't possibly be interested in a genre or the content of the shows...they make decisions based on the gender of the star. How insulting!

However...looking over ABC's line-up...what a crappy network! Agents of SHIELD is the only thing I even remotely have any interest in. However, given these commercials, Agent Carter seems to be closer to the Bachelor (a show where women act sexy and think that is somehow empowering their gender) than a serious drama about murder....but you know...it stars a WOMAN...and all shows starring women are the same! I'm sure the actual show will not be that way, I'm criticizing the promos.

 

[Six]

I understand why they're doing it, it's just that they are doing it with the subtlety of a lawnmower. I know I am most likely going to really like the show, I just think the marketing has been particularly poorly done.

 

[Suzanne78]

So...Bates Motel is about a guy...and the sitcom Last Man Standing is about a man...so you'd promote those shows to the same audience because all men like the same thing??

You're basically saying that women watch shows because of female stars...REGARDLESS of the content of the show. A murder mystery...a Horror show...a sitcom...hardly matters...you show women another woman, and they'll watch because they can't possibly be interested in a genre or the content of the shows...they make decisions based on the gender of the star. How insulting!

That? Is really twisting my words around to try to fit your point. Not chill at all.

I'm done with this argument.

Agree with everything you've been saying here. By continually bringing up shows on other networks, Heretic has been exposed as someone who doesn't get marketing or what exactly makes Peggy Carter a good character to base a show around. I don't watch those other shows that ABC has been attaching to Agent Carter since they don't interest me as a young male, but I will watch Agent Carter because of Atwell making the role memorable in TFA and TWS and it being part of the MCU.

Anyways… AGENT CARTER! WHOOT!

 

[TalismanRing]

http://www.movieweb.com/marvel-agent-carter-tv-show-captain-america

'Agent Carter' Will Address the Loss of 'Captain America'

Actress Hayley Atwell teases that ABC's 'Marvel's Agent Carter' goes to 'a much deeper and darker place' when the show premieres January 6.

Jan 2, 2015 by Brian Gallagher

With the holiday season now behind us, fans can look forward to their favorite TV shows returning in the new year, along with a few new programs debuting such as Marvel's Agent Carter, which kicks off its seven-week run with the two-hour premiere, "Now Is Not The End" and "Bridge and Tunnel" on Tuesday, January 6 at 8 PM ET on ABC.

Actress Hayley Atwell reprises her role as Peggy Carter from Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter in the series. During an interview with TV Line, Hayley Atwell reveals that a large part of who she is now revolves around her relationship with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in Captain America: The First Avenger, as she mourns the loss of the love of her life.

"(Much of who she is now) stems from her relationship with and her love of Steve Rogers. I think she found in him the love of her life, the greatest man that she's ever known in terms of his character and his values. And in that grief we see her own personal struggles and her own kind of exhaustion, but also the determination to carry on his work. You're seeing someone who has her own demons and her own character flaws, and she's having to struggle with that while keeping up this facade of a put-together, perfect agent who can cope with everything. But there's a cost to that. Everyone on the planet is only strong until a certain point, everyone has a trigger, and this season really shows that. [In Peggy] we don't have someone who is superhuman in her abilities. We see her cry, we see her private moments, we see her loneliness. We see the emotional and psychological costs of the position that she's in and the loss that she's had of Steve."

In the two hour premiere, Peggy is tasked with finding the "bad baby" inventions of Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) before they get into the wrong hands, but, Hayley Atwell revealed that the show will not have a "case of the week" format, teasing that it will get much darker than fans may expect.

"It's not like, 'Let's find this 'bad baby,' now let's find that 'bad baby.' It goes to a much deeper, darker place. I was absolutely shocked and delighted when I started to read the later episodes and see the direction we're going in. That's one of the advantages of having only eight episodes, is that it's not diluted over 22. This has a very strong story and is essentially four films."

 

[Heretic]

Agree with everything you've been saying here. By continually bringing up shows on other networks, Heretic has been exposed as someone who doesn't get marketing or what exactly makes Peggy Carter a good character to base a show around. I don't watch those other shows that ABC has been attaching to Agent Carter since they don't interest me as a young male, but I will watch Agent Carter because of Atwell making the role memorable in TFA and TWS and it being part of the MCU.

It has nothing to do with my knowledge of marketing. It has more to do with my lack of knowledge about ABC's line-up.

Besides...I DO get marketing...I just think it's insulting. The assumption that people who watch a serious drama about murder like How to Get Away With Murder would actually like a funny, sexy action adventure show set in the 40's because of the gender of the star is either very insulting or very telling about the ABC audience.

I plan to watch Agent Carter because I am a fan of Marvel Comics and their cinematic Universe. I would also be interested if I was into light-hearted adventure shows. I would NOT be interested in Agent Carter if I watched a serious drama about murder. The fact that both shows have a female star would not even remotely play into my decision-making process.

 

[TalismanRing]

http://tvline.com/2015/01/02/marvels-agent-carter-preview-hayley-atwell-captain-america/


Hayley Atwell Teases Agent Carter's Surprising Dark Direction, Details Peggy's Grieving of Captain America

By Matt Webb Mitovich

January 2 2015, 9:11 AM PST

Excerpt [later half repeats most of previous article]

Captain America lives on in Marvel’s Agent Carter, which is set some time after his (presumably) fatal arctic plunge — and all Peggy Carter can do is shrug.

In the second half of the ABC series’ two-hour premiere (airing Tuesday at 8/7c), SSR Agent Carter (played by Hayley Atwell) catches a listen of “The Captain America Adventure Program,” a live radio play populated by breathy heroines and a Hitler-pummeling hero. But the artifice, as patriotic as it is, leaves her unimpressed and visibly missing the real man she and the Howling Commandos once fought alongside.

Now, with the men home from World War II, Peggy’s biggest fight is with those who marginalize her potential and contributions at the SSR. (Spoiler alert: It’s a battle she is sure to win.)

With a pair of movies, a Marvel One-Shot DVD featurette, some Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cameos and Agent Carter‘s eight-hour run now under her belt, Atwell tells TVLine that what most delights her about Peggy “is that she doesn’t sacrifice her integrity, her morals or her femininity when she’s up against tremendous personal and external obstacles.” As seen in Captain America: The First Avenger, “She is a fighter and a survivor, but she doesn’t have any superpowers,” her portrayer notes. “She has to rely on her wits and intelligence and determination to navigate what comes her way.”

And sometimes, yes — as witnessed in this sneak peek — that means playing into her male colleagues’ assumptions (or donning a blonde wig) to gain the upper hand, as she stealthily angles to retrieve a stolen cache of Howard Stark’s (Captain America‘s Dominic Cooper) “bad baby” inventions before the SSR can. “She’s highly skilled in being a chameleon and using what she can in any given situation to get what she wants,” Atwell observes. “And sometimes that means using her sexuality, sometimes that means outwitting the men.”

As supplement to gal pal Angie (Nikita‘s Lyndsy Fonseca) — a waitress who believes Peggy to be a mild-mannered telephone company secretary — Carter has precisely two fellas in her corner: SSR Agent Daniel Sousa (Dollhouse‘s Enver Gjokaj), who’s oblivious to her private agenda, and Stark’s manservant Jarvis (Secret Diary of a Call Girl‘s James D’Arcy). Due to a crippling war injury, Sousa walks with a leg brace and thus, amid chest-puffing peers such as Agent Jack Thompson (One Tree Hill‘s Chad Michael Murray), “experiences prejudice, which makes him instantly relate to Peggy,” Atwell says. “Not that being a woman is seen as a ‘disability,’ but back then to an extent it was.”

[continue reading at link]

 

[TalismanRing]

http://comicbook.com/2015/01/02/review-agent-carter-is-the-hero-youve-been-waiting-for/

Review Excerpt

The 1940s setting of the series helps to give it up a pulp vibe, with many transactions and events happening in seedy but glamorous clubs and dimly lit rooms. Christopher Lennertz score adds a heroic element, which helps remind audiences that, despite being a period piece and lacking characters with actual superpowers, the series is still firmly rooted in the MCU, creating a similar feel to Captain America: The First Avenger.

Agent Carter brings a new and welcome female perspective to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, and the creative people behind the series have done well to hone in on it as an identifying theme. The top-tier talent of writers and directors provides strong characters, which are played well by their actors, and fun, sometimes quite memorable, action sequences. There’s no need to wait for Captain Marvel, Agent Carter is the hero you’ve been waiting for

 

[TalismanRing]

Six reasons to watch – and love – ‘Agent Carter’

Michal Schick11:00 am, January 2, 2015

We’ve seen the series premiere of Agent Carter, and trust us, it’s a hit. Here are six reasons to travel back in time with the Marvel-ous new miniseries!

http://www.hypable.com/2015/01/02/six-reasons-to-watch-and-love-agent-carter/

 

[Venom'sDad]

I'm very skeptical of this show, so I am please to hear it's getting good reviews.