The first episode of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D premiered September 24 on ABC amid much fanfare and anticipation. However, the season's opening gathered mixed reviews from fans and critics alike.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D ( where S.H.I.E.L.D stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) will air every Tuesday on ABC at 8 pm EST. Based on the 2012 ensemble blockbuster superhero flick "The Avengers", the brand new series ensures a lot of action, sans the superheroes (big disappointment for Iron Man fans).
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D may be a little confusing for those who don't follow Marvel's comics or movies, given the vast expanse of its characters and stories. The plot of the serial revolves around a group of highly skilled people (without super powers), handpicked by Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) - the man who played a crucial role alongside Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) in bringing the Avengers together and perhaps the only character from the movie.
For those who have seen Avengers, Coulson's return may come as a sweet surprise because in the end of the movie, Coulson was killed by Loki, Thor's evil half-brother. Hints on Colson's survival were dropped off in the end of the movie (see video).Marvel is famous for bringing back dead characters (for example: Magneto in X-Men). The mystery of Coulson's return shall slowly unravel in the rest of the 21 episodes.
This group of people is investigating the rising world of villains and superheroes.
The first episode of the series introduces Coulson's agents: veteran S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), two young scientists Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) and suave computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet), who isn't exactly a fan of the S.H.I.E.L.D.
The new S.H.I.E.L.D agents are looking for a man (J. August Richards) who had saved a woman from a fire using his superhuman abilities. Coulson warns that they are not the only ones hunting for the man and many evil groups are also seeking the person.
The Synopsis of the first episode, according to Hypable reads:
"In the premiere episode, "Pilot," it's just after the battle of New York, and now that the existence of super heroes and aliens has become public knowledge, the world is trying to come to grips with this new reality. Agent Phil Coulson is back in action and has his eye on a mysterious group called The Rising Tide. In order to track this unseen, unknown enemy, he has assembled a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division). The group's first assignment together as a team finds them trying to track down an ordinary man who has gained extraordinary powers. Powers that could have devastating consequences."
Check out the promo of the first episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D below:
The New York Times reflects on the series' first episode, which pretty much sums up all the reviews written about the series:
"The first episode is polished, fast-moving and at least moderately entertaining, which is no surprise, given that it was directed by the gifted storyteller Joss Whedon, who created the show along with Jed Whedon (his brother) and Maurissa Tancharoen (who is married to Jed). But there's still an inevitable residue of disappointment."
Slate.com has called the episode "just like Bones without romance, CSI without alien artifacts"
Have you watched the premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D? Are you disappointed that your favorite heroes aren't on the show? You never know. Captain America and Mr. Stark might just end up lending a hand to the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
ABC has also released the synopsis for the second episode. Apparently Coulson runs into Comandante Camilla Reyes and 'more than sparks fly at 30,000 feet' in the next episode of the series.
