Originally published January 7, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
Amy Richau reviews the first episode of Agent Carter…
ABC decided to give viewers a double dose of Agent Carter to premiere the new Marvel show about a woman juggling multiple identities post-WWII. However, I’m going to break the two episodes up and review them individually. The woman in question of course is Agent Peggy Carter who made appearances in Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: Winter Soldier, the video short Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter, and two episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
Peggy’s roommate thinks that she works as a telephone operator, but Agent Carter is really an officer at the SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve). To mix things up further Carter is soon recruited by Howard Stark, AKA Iron Man’s dad, to help clear his name of treason after thieves stole a variety of his inventions.
Stark’s inventions not surprisingly can be used as weapons when in the wrong hands and Agent Carter appears to be everyone’s best hope to keep them out of the hands of the bad guys.
The pilot of Agent Carter makes it clear from the get go that Peggy isn’t just part of an ensemble, she’s the heart and soul of the show. And luckily for viewers actress Hayley Atwell is up for the challenge. Atwell is a delight in Agent Carter, believable as the girl next door who befriends the local waitress, and as a talented spy who can work undercover anywhere and outsmart anyone who gets in her way.
The 1940’s setting for Agent Carter also works in the shows favor giving it a retro-cool feel and a unique point of view. Carter’s co-workers at SSR don’t appreciate her, but she refuses to waste her time trying to correct their arrogant assumptions about her abilities. She’s too busy kicking ass and taking down criminals.
And while there are several mentions of Carter’s previous relationship with Captain America, Agent Carter does a good job of talking about it and it then putting it aside to focus on the action at hand.
While there isn’t much of Stark (Dominic Cooper) in the first installment of Agent Carter there is a healthy dose of Stark’s assistant Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy) who delights as the reluctant helper to Agent Carter. As the episode develops Carter attempts to retrieve one of Stark’s inventions (which has been weaponized) and learns about a larger mysterious threat “Leviation.”
Agent Carter has some fun small moments for Marvel fans but is entirely approachable to viewers who have never seen either of the Captain America movies. It remains to be seen if the supporting characters in Agent Carter will be much to write home about, but Atwell’s Agent Carter is such an appealing character right out of the gate that I’m willing to tune in to find out.
Amy Richau is a freelance entertainment and sports writer. Follow her on Twitter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z2vq4CudKRk&list=PL18yMRIfoszFJHnpNzqHh6gswQ0Srpi5E
