“Pilot” – Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Yeah, okay, full disclosure – we’re Whedon devotees. Dyed in the wool Whedonites. We’re browncoats and Scoobies and residents of the Dollhouse. We’re Cabin in the Woods fanatics, and we know that if anyone else had tackled The Avengers it would have sucked (comparatively). So what we say next shouldn’t surprise you, but you also shouldn’t take it with a pinch of salt. Yeah, we love Joss, but we don’t have those rose-tinted glasses on. Our vision is clear. And Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Well that rocked.

We won’t get too far into the nitty gritty of things here – this was the origin story episode, thoroughly packed from end to end with plot points and important information. So much info in a single episode is fantastic. It was a sparse plot (relatively speaking), but was still packed to the rafters. It was simple, yet complex. And that’s something Joss has always done well – offered the complexities of life (and of the supernatural) without overwhelming viewers.

Suffice it to say that, in a post-Avengers world, when there is no longer any hope of keeping secret the existence of mutants and superheroes, S.H.I.E.L.D. has

“The Walking Dead” – Vampire Diaries

It seems as though the closer VD gets to its season finale, the more it successfully atones for its sins and the more it makes up for those less than fantastic elements of Season 4 (we wouldn’t even know where to start with a list of them). “The Walking Dead” was exceptionally well written and the major plot twists, for the most part, steered well clear of VD’s almost patented over-complication of plots. It was relatively stripped back and focused on relationships as much as on plot development. It swept Delena/Stelena mostly under the rug, and delved into friendships and blossoming feelings rather than that old well-worn ground.

What it most reminded us of was the stellar Buffy episode,  “Conversations with Dead People”. An aberration from the usual teen drama and handwringing in favor of a more grown-up and serious conversation. It lacked some of what made that Buffy episode great – Joss Whedon’s sharp writing, for one – but we can’t help but feel that it was a deliberate nod to it nonetheless. And its timing was impeccable. Coming a week before the finale, it gave the show a human element that can sometimes be lost amid all of the supernatural stakes. It reminded us of the emotions behind what each of the characters does, with a subtly that has been lacking. We were shown the emotions rather than told that they exist, and that was a refreshing change.

Aside from the (presumably temporary) shift in tone, the episode did give us a couple of monumental leaps in plot. (Spoilers!) Chief among these has to be

“Pac-Man Fever” – Supernatural

We really enjoyed this episode. We enjoy every episode that Felicia Day is in. She’s a rare burst of sunshine in the otherwise gloomy show. She never fails to make us laugh, and every moment in which she’s not reenacting that horrendous British accent she cracked out for Buffy makes us glad to be alive. In this episode, she excelled more than usual. We got to see a new side to the character of Charlie – fewer quips and a lot more heart. We learned something about her past and her family, and saw her vulnerable and scared. It was refreshing to see her doing more than just the comedy role. Now, more than ever, we’re anxious to see her picked up as a regular on the show.

The rest of the episode was more lackluster, as it focused on Sam’s ever worsening health. We’re not worried about him. We feel like we’re supposed to be, but we’re not. The show is about the Winchester brothers, not the sole Winchester survivor. And, with Supernatural picked up for another season, we can rest assured that Sam will survive the trials. Charlie said it best as she left the boys: “You know you’re going to be okay, right? Those books portray you as, like, one tough customer. If anyone can get through the trials, Sam, it’s you.” Also, y’know, continuity and ratings. He’s here to stay.

So, with just three episodes remaining in Season 8, what can we expect?

“LARP and the Real Girl” – Supernatural

We loved this episode! There’s just something about Felicia Day – she brings much needed light-hearted comedy to the occasionally grim show and, this week, it was just what we all needed. After the previous episode’s heavier-than-usual offering, after Dean breaking up with Benny and Sam sacrificing his happiness with Amelia, Felicia Day and the LARPing community was just the ticket for bucking up our fragile and vaguely depressed hearts. The laughs were frequent and even the evil (fairy magic) was relatively joyous. If we have one criticism, it’s the same one that we so frequently apply to shows like The Mentalist and Castle – the villain was just too recognizable. We had Boltar the Furious (Gerry) pegged as the devious magic wielder right from the start. And yet that didn’t detract in any way from our enjoyment of the episode. We’re even given an extra little treat in the final moments, as Felicia’s character, Charlie, tells the boys that, if they ever need anything, she’ll be happy to help. With the prospect of more appearances by the nerd queen (we mean it in the best way imaginable), we eagerly await the rest of this season. – B+K

Quoteworthy: “The Queen needs some ‘royal we’ time.” – Charlie (Felicia Day)

PS A special shout out and an extra ‘Quoteworthy’ for our very new favorite member of local law enforcement, Sheriff Jake Miller: “These kids today, with their texting and murder.”

“The Five” – Vampire Diaries

     

This episode was pretty standard fare for The Vampire Diaries – betrayal, tension, twists and turns, Jeremy’s ring.

Damon, in an effort to teach her how to feed, brings Elena to college. They’re crashing Bonnie’s trip to visit Professor Shane (David Alpay, The Borgias) – the guy who’s taken over her Grams’ classes. Then they go to a frat party. Elena enjoys herself and that’s bad because fun is bad. *sarcasm* To be fair, she doesn’t want to be a person/vampire who can enjoy hurting other people. But grow up, Elena. That’s what being a vampire is. You have to feed. You might as well enjoy it. We’re with Damon on this one.

Back in Mystic Falls, the focus is on the Five. We get flashbacks to Klaus and the other originals’ first encounter with them – Italy, the 12^th century. Rebekah fell in love with one of them. The tattoos are a map that leads to a weapon that can kill all vampires. Sort of. It’s a map to… the cure. Dramatic music. Of course, Stefan is desperate to find it so he can fix Elena. Jeremy draws the tattoo for them, but it’s not complete. Every time Connor (hunter) kills a vampire, the tattoo grows. They’re gonna have to let him kill a few more if they ever want that cure. But then Connor escapes, so uh-oh.

There’s a sword that’s the key to the map. Rebekah buried the sword with the hunter she loved, in the church where they were going to be married.

It all went a little Buffy in this episode, too, with talk of ‘potentials’ and an homage to the slayer lore – when one hunter dies, another ‘potential’ is activated. Jeremy is a hunter. Will he be activated at some point this season? Apparently activation comes with an overwhelming urge to kill vampires. Will he be able to ignore that and keep his friends (and his sister) alive/undead? Dramatic music.

TWIST! Professor Shane is the one who sent Connor to Mystic Falls in the first place. Is he the one who brought the Five back? Is he one of the Five? He’s offering to teach Bonnie alternative ways to practice magic and is a potential love interest. What’s he going to do to her? Will she turn against our favorite Mystic Falls vampires too?

Whatever happens, we see a dual purpose for this season – taking down the Five and finding the cure. Will season’s end see Elena as a human again? We’ll have to tune in to find out. Dramatic music. – B+K

 

Quoteworthy: “Let me just name the million other people I would rather be having dinner with right now.” – Stefan, to Klaus and Rebekah