Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents of SHIELD TV series for ABC - General Discussion - Part 6

[Spider-Fan]

I highly doubt Loki is the Clairvoyant. He is now King of Asgard. Having him beaten by the Scoobies of the MCU takes away his credibility as a potential threat in Thor 3. Terrible idea. It is more likely going to be someone associated with HYDRA or AIM. Someone like MODOK, Baron Strucker, etc. Someone that will fit into what Marvel has in store for Cap 2/AoU. Not someone as distant from the current story as Loki.

 

[The Question]

The evidence was Thor 1 and 2. Both were better written. AoS writing is a level below anything in the MCU.

Both Thor movies were really weakly and sloppily written. The tone of those movies are all over the place, they do a pretty bad job of developing a lot of their ideas, Jane Foster and her relationship with Thor especially are very underdeveloped, and a lot of the attempts at comic relief are really awkward and bad. The entirety of Maliketh and the Dark Elves' storyline in Thor 2 was some of the weakest **** I've seen in a movie in a while, they had zero motivation and really no traits beyond being generically evil, and not even in a fun way. Those films are carried almost entirely by Hiddleston and Hemsworth's chemistry.

For the most part, the biggest crime SHIELD's worst episodes have committed is being pretty boring and unfocused.

 

[Crimson King]

Both Thor movies were really weakly and sloppily written. The tone of those movies are all over the place, they do a pretty bad job of developing a lot of their ideas, Jane Foster and her relationship with Thor especially are very underdeveloped, and a lot of the attempts at comic relief are really awkward and bad. The entirety of Maliketh and the Dark Elves' storyline in Thor 2 was some of the weakest **** I've seen in a movie in a while, they had zero motivation and really no traits beyond being generically evil, and not even in a fun way. Those films are carried almost entirely by Hiddleston and Hemsworth's chemistry.

For the most part, the biggest crime SHIELD's worst episodes have committed is being pretty boring.

A lot of people thought the comedy in Thor 2 was good. I'm indifferent toward it. Some was good. The rest didn't bother me. In this case, I'll defer to the majority.

I can't remember laughing at AoS once.

AoS is the worst--THE WORST--when it comes to telling instead of showing. As a writer, it pains me to watch. And if you're looking for horribly campy and shallow villains, AoS has/had plenty of those, including Po and the rich Stark knockoff. You might also want to re-watch the Peruvian episode. I thought I was watching the A-Team.

 

[The Question]

A lot of people thought the comedy in Thor 2 was good. I'm indifferent toward it. Some was good. The rest didn't bother me. In this case, I'll defer to the majority.

I'm not sure that's how having an opinion is supposed to work.

I can't remember laughing at AoS once.

Well, I can. About as often as I laughed during the Thor movies.

AoS is the worst--THE WORST--when it comes to telling instead of showing. As a writer, it pains me to watch.

Well, that's clearly a hyperbolic statement. I have complete confidence that, if we put in a little research, we could find a long list of movies and TV shows worse than Agents of SHIELD when it comes to telling instead of showing. Honestly, Agents of SHIELD doesn't strike me as that bad in that regard.

The most egregious example I can think of from the show is the way the bad guys in The Well were characterized, and that honestly struck me as being a result of some kind of executive censorship. Maybe it's just me, but with the way everything was framed and the fact that it was a gang of bad guys made up of blond haired blue eyed Norwegian neo-fascists, it really felt that in the original draft of the script the gang in The Well were pretty plainly stated to be white supremacists, and then they got a note from up top telling them to cut it out because it was "too dark" or something and we were left with a gang who the characters were morally disgusted by for "reasons."

And, really, I don't see how the Thor movies are any better about this than the show. They're pretty bad transgressors themselves. "Loki always had a penchant for mischief" and whatnot.

And if you're looking for horribly campy and shallow villains, AoS has/had plenty of those, including Po and the rich Stark knockoff.

I never cited campy as being a problem with the Thor movie villains. I'd love campy in the Thor movie villains, at least campy is fun. Po and Quinn may not be burdened with enormous character depth, but they have good lines and they're entertaining and they they have identifiable personalities and motivations, which is all much more than I can say for Maliketh.

You might also want to re-watch the Peruvian episode. I thought I was watching the A-Team.

Again, the Peruvian episode's biggest crime was being pretty dull. It was burdened with the kind of problems the Thor movies have.

 

[Crimson King]

*stuff*

I'm not going to get into a line-by-line reply war with you. No one wants to read that. Yes, I know how opinions work, but since a single person's opinion=/=fact, the best thing to do is look at the overall opinion. Hence my comment about the general reaction to Thor 2.

On a technical level, I don't think AoS's writing measures up to anything in the MCU, including Thor. They have far too much exposition in dialog (yes, more than Thor) and they are guilty of telling vs. showing (see Coulson's conversation with May in the last episode for a prime example).

 

[747]

This particular comparison of AoS and the Thor movie doesn't feel very natural or logical.

I enjoy both this show and the two Thor movies (especially The Dark World) for what they are – in their respective mediums. Far from great, with plenty of flaws, but ultimately more enjoyable than not. And the connections to the larger MCU also helps with the fun of following it all.

 

[Human Torch]

The fact that they've seemed to add more ties to the Thor franchise than any other Marvel property makes me think Loki's involvement isn't that implausible.

Tom loves the character (he's done live appearances and commercials in character) and even a brief appearance on the show would be a ratings juggernaut from Tom's fangirls alone,to say nothing of a potential face to face between he and Coulson.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I think that is a product of Thor having a movie recently. Nothing else. Closer to Cap, I am sure this will shift.

 

[greenlantern248]

That would make sense. Just didn't know when that was airing.

It's not because of the Olympics. The Olympics is after the Super Bowl.
Feb 2 - Superbowl.
Feb 6 - The start of the Olympics.

So I have no idea why AoS is on another break.
That rumor about the 2 episodes a month is crappy but also kinda makes sense. They do only have now 10 episodes left and the season finale will be when? April or May right?
So if it's April thats 12 episodes in 17 weeks (end of April). If it's May your looking at 19 - 21 weeks (end of May)
I'm counting the weeks from the week episode 11 aired.

 

[ares834]

For the most part, the biggest crime SHIELD's worst episodes have committed is being pretty boring and unfocused.

To me at least, that is one of the the biggest crimes a show that is supposed to entertain me can commit.

 

[Dr. Evil]

The episodes are spread out because Marvel probably wants closer connection to Cap 2.

 

[charl_huntress]

I want to enjoy this show more and I've watched every episode, but I just can't really get into it. I wish there were more super-powered heroes and less involving the plot with Skye's parents. I'm already bored with the whole Coulson resurrection and find pretty much every character, except Fitz and Simmons, to be very boring.

I won't give up on this, but I hope it improves.

 

[Xeno]

Like I said, Tom loves the character and wouldn't sully Loki by dragging him through the mud of AOS.

Until the show gets better writers and scripts, I don't see him going for the kind of scripts we've seen so far. Let alone something as inane as secretly playing with a group of puny mortals like Centipede.

This is sort of my dilemma in wanting Loki to appear on AOS. As the show stands now, the quality of the writing is so low that unless Joss Whedon came back to pen that particular script it's hard to see the episode doing Loki justice. Even the prospect of Sif appearing fills me with trepidation, Paul Lee's boosterism notwithstanding. It's impossible to trust the writing staff to come up with a script worthy of the characters (Loki, Sif, Coulson even).


Having said that, I'm sure that Hiddleston would be game to appear if Marvel asked him. He loves the character, loves the fans and has a real sense of loyalty to Marvel. With even the network president admitting that AOS hasn't been up to par, the writers should be on notice to up their game. Given the opportunity to feature Loki on the show, if they blow that with bad writing there might be some bloodletting behind the scenes.

 

[Loki882]

Tom Hiddleston appeared as Loki on a thirty second Comedy Central spot with a bunch of first graders. I seriously doubt that he would turn down appearing on AOS for fear that it would "sully" the character.

 

[Mysteryman]

I think that is a product of Thor having a movie recently. Nothing else. Closer to Cap, I am sure this will shift.

Plus , Sifs upcoming guest appearance coincides with the DVD release of TDW.

 

[Sawyer]

Tom Hiddleston appeared as Loki on a thirty second Comedy Central spot with a bunch of first graders. I seriously doubt that he would turn down appearing on AOS for fear that it would "sully" the character.

 

[Xeno]

Tom Hiddleston appeared as Loki on a thirty second Comedy Central spot with a bunch of first graders. I seriously doubt that he would turn down appearing on AOS for fear that it would "sully" the character.

That skit was a spoof and definitely was not an in-universe appearance of the character. No one would mistake that for something meant to be a serious portrayal of the Asgardian prince. An appearance by Loki on AOS would be canon for the entire MCU so the bar would be set much higher.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

That skit was a spoof and definitely was not an in-universe appearance of the character.

...or was it?

Spoiler

 

[mkilban2]

I'm calling it canon.


...and funny!

 

[iambranded]

side question...does anyone even mention The Abomination and where he's locked up?

 

[Whiskey Tango]

side question...does anyone even mention The Abomination and where he's locked up?

No mentions yet, I hope they plan on using him though. I hope he mutates further and gets fins and whatnot, hated his look in IH but whatever.

 

[Spider-Fan]

He was mentioned in The Consultant. But not AoS to this point.

 

[Just_Human]

In "Seeds", why did they use the old SHIELD logo in that school, and not the modern one?

 

[Just_Human]

I bet that SIF coming to Earth has something to do with Elliott Randolph and/or the Berserker

Or maybe because of that Jutenheim monster who was going after birds at the end of TDW t:

 

[Xeno]

...or was it?

Spoiler

I'm calling it canon.


...and funny!

Yeah, Loki hangs out with human preschoolers and shoves them around. Odin let him out of the dungeon on work-release so that he could travel to Midgard, sit around on beanbag chairs and sip juice boxes with the under-5 set.