Marvel Cinematic Universe

Yay, Mike! Nice to see him again.

Really cannot believe what intransigent assholes Gonzalez and company are being. Trust is a two way street, jerks.

Jaiying being alive is to be expected, and I can't complain about more Dichen Lachmann. But I hate when super healing factors make someone completely indestructible. Sealing a cut in seconds is one thing, but complete organ replacement? Did the other parts that were cut off "heal" into separate Jaiyings?

I almost feel bad for Cal. Though it seemed to me that he was unsurprised by Jaiying's survival, which makes me wonder why he wouldn't have mentioned it to Skye.

Overall, great story they have going on now, but I could really do with Bobbi taking a better stand on Coulson's continued "good guy"ness. Especially after her "You really aren't like Fury" conversation on Puerto Rico.

Last night was full of reveals, wasn't it? Mike Peterson (love how Coulson introduced him as "Agent Peterson"), Skye's mom still being alive. I called the second one, but was totally unspoiled for the first. I also love Coulson's response to Hunter's reaction:

Hunter: Why didn't you tell me you'd called in a cyborg?
Coulson: Truthfully, I kinda wanted to see the expression on your face.
Peterson: You know I can hear you.

It's only been one episode, but I already want a buddy movie with Coulson and Hunter. Also, I know it's cool on the internets to hate on Coulson, but he's still my favorite Spy Daddy.

But the best part - the very best part - came at the end with Fitz (my favorite Spy Buddy). "Buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, and just a hint of pesto aioli." Awwww....... And I was so sure Simmons had gone to the dark side.

Holy crap, halfway through "Daredevil" and I'm loving it. But the highlights are definitely Elden Henson as Foggy and Rosario Dawson as Claire.

Vincent D'onofrio as Kingpin is making some very interesting choices. I can almost hear the complaints from fans about how soft and sad Fisk is here but Fisk has always been more human in the comics when with Vanessa. When he's not around her he is exactly as menacing and dangerous as he should be.

I've only watched the first two so far, and I'm already pegging this as the most completely realized superhero character on "television" today, and probably the best show. Sorry, The Flash, I still love you, but....

Putli wrote:Hunter: Why didn't you tell me you'd called in a cyborg?
Coulson: Truthfully, I kinda wanted to see the expression on your face.

It's exactly that kind of behavior that makes asshole Gonzales look like less of an asshole than Coulson to my jaded view. Still no prince, Gonzales, and wrong(ish) about superpowers, but otherwise isn't he kind of right about Coulson?

Which brings me a bit of disconnect about the whole setup. Gonzales' position (no metahumans, even nice ones, plz) seems unwarranted/untenable in a world with gods and hulks and Starks and captains American, even given the supervillains out there. Much as I'd love to see him debate the issue with, say, Sif, she's not human so what's he going to do? Uninvite the Asgardians?

Anyway, isn't the top asshole Fury? If you want Coulson to be in charge, you really need to tell someone beyond Coulson. Hey, Gonzales, call the Patton Oswalds. They'll set you straight.

Everyone outside of Coulson's group still thinks that Fury is dead. And honestly, I think they are suspicious of the Asgardians--they have no control over them and they consider themselves the superior race. I think they are using AOS to help set up Civil War just as they used the show to address the fall-out from Winter Soldier.

It's exactly that kind of behavior that makes asshole Gonzales look like less of an asshole than Coulson to my jaded view. Still no prince, Gonzales, and wrong(ish) about superpowers, but otherwise isn't he kind of right about Coulson?

No, I don't think he is. At least, not if he's arguing from a position of good faith. His concerns about Coulson feel like they are post-hoc rationalizations - Coulson reached out to Bobbi, Bobbi reported it to the Board, and the Board felt threatened by the notion of a SHIELD that followed the old model. But if they really felt like the old model was no longer viable and that Coulson really was off his rocker, they took way too long to handle the problem. They either should have reached out above-the-board to begin with or they should have pulled the trigger on Bobbi and Mack *before* Puerto Rico.

Between that and his referring to Coulson and Skye as "things"... nope. Fuck Gonzales. You can be "pro-reg" in the Civil War without being dehumanizing.

I'm wondering how immediate the fall-out will be from Age of Ultron. The season will be one or two episodes from conclusion at that point so there won't be as many episodes to respond to it as there were for Winter Soldier. So I can't even guess whether they'll try to respond to it or simply ignore it until next season. But yeah... the series is really going to bridge from Age of Ultron to Civil War.

I'm now 9 episodes in on Daredevil. I think episode 7 - "Stick" -

Spoiler:

So I'm about half-way through Daredevil, and I am REALLY enjoying it. I have to say, I give a lot of props to the Marvel folks for getting such a good cast, and to hiring some of my favorite people from BTVS and Angel to run the show. I know Drew Goddard is no longer involved, but I always loved Steven S. DeKnight's work.

I gotta say, as much as I do like Charlie Cox (and his abs) as Daredevil, for me the highlight of the show so far has been Vincent D'Onofrio. He just exudes quiet menace, and yet you can see why Vanessa finds herself attracted to him. Right now, I'm off to run a couple of errands, and then I plan to plunk myself down and binge watch the rest.

I'm also enjoying how it ties in with the rest of the Marvel universe, and yet you don't HAVE to be immersed in it to enjoy the show. Which is a really good thing because I don't watch Agents of SHIELD. Loved Agent Carter though. Here's hoping the rest of the shows being done in partnership with Netflix are this good.

We're three episodes into Daredevil and...how did this happen? How is it so good, so fast? Charlie Cox is excellent, and I remember giving a big shrug when he was cast. Not that I dislike him; just that I know him best from Stardust, which does not translate well to envisioning Matt Murdock. Elden Henson continues to be the Most Surprising Mighty Ducks Alumnus to have a lasting career, and he's really sweet and charming as Foggy. Rosario Dawson has only been in one of the episodes I watched, but I thought she and CC had chemistry immediately, while he was barely conscious.

That second episode

Spoiler:

So...I love this show. And we had some vague plans this weekend but now all I want to do is marathon the rest.

I'm about to start episode five and I'm completely sucked in. I love Daredevil.

It reminds me much more of Agent Carter (a darker, extremely violent version of Agent Carter) than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. The characters are just as, if not more, important as the plot, and the show's working to make everybody's motivations not exactly clear all the time.

Really loved "Nelson v Murdock". Whoever hired Elden Henson needs a raise.

I certainly agree Gonzales is not superior to Coulson, I just wish the writers were making it clearer that Coulson was superior to Gonzales, and at this point (to my uneducated eye) it's a toss up as to which of them has the more unpleasant people skills. But my real problem may be that I'm not really up on my Marvel Universe. Kinda know what the civil war story was; I only saw the last half of Winter Soldier last weekend. Never saw one with Peggy Carter in it, but that didn't stop my appreciation for the perfect Peggy Carter series. Perhaps that is a ding on the Agents of SHIELD series - needs more homework to properly appreciate.

So to that end: queuing up Daredevil on the Roku as I type this.

Speaking of Daredevil: If you're a fan of Elden Henson, find a little gem titled "Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School," 2005. The excellent Robert Carlylse stars. A lot of flashbacks, and you'll rush to IMDB because the young actors playing child versions of the adults, including Henson, is so spot on, but the adults don't look old enough to have children that age.

Agent Sculder wrote:I gotta say, as much as I do like Charlie Cox (and his abs) as Daredevil, for me the highlight of the show so far has been Vincent D'Onofrio.  He just exudes quiet menace, and yet you can see why Vanessa finds herself attracted to him.

Episode 12 is a highlight for him. Which feels like something you could say about every episode but in this case the Kingpin is even more human than at any other point and all it does is make him *scarier*. Like, he realizes just how vulnerable he really is and you just know that all the horrible stuff he's done up to this point is going to pale in comparison to what's coming.

Finished Daredevil. Feel like I watched a 13-hour Daredevil movie rather than a TV show.

WHICH IS AWESOME.

Spoiler:

End of episode 12. God. Dammit.

Carrie Ann wrote:Rosario Dawson has only been in one of the episodes I watched, but I thought she and CC had chemistry immediately, while he was barely conscious.

I'm of the opinion that Rosario Dawson pretty much has chemistry with everything in the universe. She is totally on my girlcrush list.

I'm only four episodes in, so I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but I am really enjoying it so far!

How is this the same guy as from The Theory of Everything? Because hot damn.

spidey_88 wrote:

Carrie Ann wrote:Rosario Dawson has only been in one of the episodes I watched, but I thought she and CC had chemistry immediately, while he was barely conscious.

I'm of the opinion that Rosario Dawson pretty much has chemistry with everything in the universe.  She is totally on my girlcrush list.

I'm only four episodes in, so I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but I am really enjoying it so far!

In the midst of all the bandaging and stitching him up, and I know it's a cliche, but I was screaming in my head "EITHER KISS OR STOP BEING SO DAMN GOOD TOGETHER!"

Even though I am (genuinely) under the weather, I bravely lay on the couch with Meg & Jack and binge watched the series. Hot damn, that's good! I didn't know what to expect but I really enjoyed it. Okay, it's extremely violent, some of it all the more so for being implied and what you hear (the sound effects guy must have had a field day with the squelching noises), Murdock gets the shit kicked out him ten ways from Sunday and yes, it's quite the thing to see your hero have a take a moment while his opponent is down to catch his breath and hope his ribs aren't about to snap in half with the effort.

I loved the Foggy/Murdock relationship and the college flashbacks were adorable, and when they added Karen to the mix, that was nicely done too.

So many thoughts. Must process. When's series two out?!

That's my question too. It'll be a damned shame if we have to wait until after The Defenders for more of this group.

I just finished episode 4. Man, they don't shy away from violence, do they?

That hallway scene in episode 2 reminded me of the hallway scenes in both Oldboy and The Raid, so I wasn't terribly surprised when the latter at least has been named by DeKnight as an influence. Watching a hero actually have to acknowledge and work through fatigue and pain really helps moor the show in some version of reality.

Carrie Ann wrote:That second episode

Spoiler:

Absolutely agree to this. I re-watched that a bunch of times, it was just so well done on all levels, and I especially loved what you pointed out, that you see the physical toll it takes not only on Matt but on all the fighters. There's a level of realism to that which you just don't get normally.

Watched four eps last night and was so impressed by the show. I know nothing about the character or his relation to anything to do with Marvel so I'm just taking what comes along, and so far it's been incredibly enjoyable. I haven't been this stoked about a new show in ages.

It was my day off today, and so I decided to put on the first episode of Daredevil just to have something to watch while I ate my lunch. I then binge watched four more episodes immediately after. It's so good. I was hoping it would be okay, but it's properly, seriously, actually good. If the rest of the season holds up to the quality of the first few episodes I might have a new favourite.

I've really got to chime in on the comments about the fight choreography as well. It's so well done.

Did anyone catch the Hulk v. Hulkbuster clip from the MTV Awards last night?

It was spectacular. Like, I'm super pumped for Age of Ultron now.

But I'd still put the hallway fight from Episode 2 over what was in that clip.

Also: just discovered that Claire Temple is Luke Cage's ex-girlfriend in the comics. So... Rosario Dawson could easily pop up in Power Man - or whatever they end up calling Luke's series.

One of things I'm wondering is if we're going to see any crossover of the characters BEFORE The Defenders. I hoping this will be the case, especially since no one is saying when we might get the next season of Daredevil. I'd even be happy if it was some of the supporting characters like Foggy, Karen, or especially Claire Temple.

Rosario Dawson was so wonderful in the role. So nice to see a non-powered woman on a superhero show that is totally competent and kick-ass in her own way!

Another thing I thought was great about this show was that it didn't shy away from showing the physical toll the fighting can do. I can't think of any other show that showed the hero get a collapsed lung, which is exactly the kind of thing that WOULD happen to you if you did that sort of thing, even if you WERE is crazy good shape.

I am fairly early on in the watching and adore it, but do we know how old are Matt and Foggy supposed to be? I am not saying they are "old" but they look their ages and don't seem like fresh out of law school dudes which the first four episodes have led me to believe. I mean not everyone goes to law school directly out of college but it sort of seems that is what they are going for with the two of them having no "past" in the field.