September 15, 2015 beccadearie

“I’m Engineering”

Only two more weeks until Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is back on my TV screen. There is still time to catch up or refresh your mind on what happened during the last two seasons. It is amazing to see this group of characters and how much they have evolved since the pilot. Leo Fitz is probably the one who has had the greatest character development.

In the first season, Fitz was still the baby of the group towards the end of the season. Fitz was a newbie who joined the team because Jemma Simmons dragged him into it. Fitz didn’t really have his own identity. He was FitzSimmons who trusted easily. Season two was a game changer for him.

At the beginning of season two, Fitz was relying on a Simmons who wasn’t there. However, Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie soon befriended him, and helped him overcome his disabilities. By the time Simmons came back to the team they were no longer FitzSimmons. For the first time he was Leo Fitz. While he was not able to handle everything he did as his last year, he was no longer the baby of the group.

Last year, Fitz proved he has chemistry with everyone. His friendship with Mack became one of the greatest relationships on the show. The show also introduced Phil Coulson, Lance Hunter, and Fitz as a trio towards the end of the season, and the trio quickly became one of my favorite things with those episodes. The three of them do not appear to have anything in common, but they were able to give pure entertainment when together.

The best relationship highlighted last season for Fitz was him and Skye. Fitz was in Skye’s corner throughout her whole process of learning she was Inhuman. One reason was because he had already went through the change of no longer being who he once was in season one. He recognized she was having a difficult time with the transition, and he was with her. He was Skye’s number one cheerleader. He didn’t care she had changed because he knew while she may have physically changed she was still the Skye he was friends with.

Fitz grew up during season two. He was able to develop his own voice, and actually saw more action. Fitz got better as time went on and season two, and one of the best episodes that showed his character growth was the finale. He partnered up with Coulson and Mack to take down the Inhumans and Gordon. While it was fun to see Fitz get into some of the action this past season, I believe someone needs to give him some field training.

As for the FitzSimmons aspect this past season it was more of a relief to have seen them separated. Jemma was more of her own person and season one, but Fitz wasn’t. While it hurt to see them apart it was the best thing to happened to Fitz. He was able to fully become his own person who didn’t rely on Jemma.

He was able to make his own decisions, and be more daring. It was good to see them become friends again towards the end of the season, but it was also good to see them having their own perceptions.

Fitz was able to evolve so much, and is quickly becoming one of the strongest characters of the show.

June 24, 2015 beccadearie

What to Binge: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

It surprised me when they announced season two of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to be out on Netflix earlier this month. Usually I have to wait until the fall before I can start to binge watch a show that just aired. However, I feel it was a smart move because now it gives people a chance to start watching the show before season three airs. There is no longer an excuse of not having time to watch it all.

Summer is the time for binge watching. Where fanatics of shows yell at friends to watch something they love because they care. This is me yelling at you to watch this show. It may start off slow, but IT GETS BETTER! WATCH IT!

The show had a slow start. In some ways it reminds me of Arrow’s first season. Both shows got better as their first season went on. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was finally able to go full speed after Captain America: Winter Soldier. The show was leading up to the film, and the ramifications from the film impacted the show greatly. For me this show is like a roller coaster it took a while for the build up, but the pace finally increased.

This show has been enjoyable for many reasons, and it is why I’m giving you 10 reasons why it needs to be binge watched this summer.

1. Phil Coulson

Clark Gregg gives Phil Coulson life. The man passionately believes in S.H.I.E.L.D. and his team. One of Gregg’s greatest moments was the scene up above. There was despair in what the group had lost. Hydra had been with them this whole time. However, Coulson carried on. He kept his beliefs, and it made you want to stand with him (In Coulson We Trust). Gregg’s performance made you want to hug the man, and tell him you would follow him anywhere.

But then there is also more playful side of Coulson. The one you want to keep in your pocket because he is adorable.

2. Captain America: Winter Soldier

Season one was tightly connected to this movie. The season was leading up to the revelation Hydra had been implanted in S.H.I.E.L.D. It was the catalyst for how the organization dealt with the after effects of Hydra being revealed. Steve Rogers may have said no more S.H.I.E.L.D., but the organization was huge. Someone had to make sure the agents were taken care of. Someone has to find and fight Hydra. Yes, S.H.I.E.L.D. fell down, but the belief for what it stood for never died. They were able to keep it alive.

3. Guest Appearances

The show never lacks in good guests. For instance, the show finally introduced Phil’s cellist played by Amy Acker. Other actors from both the Whedon Universe and Marvel Cinematic Universe have popped up from time to time. The second time Samuel L. Jackson appeared as Nick Fury was everything I wanted and more. Then there are other actors who don’t belong to the universes like Lucy Lawless, Patton Oswalt, and Edward James Olmos.

4. Villains

Agent Dale Cooper played a excellent, unhinged villain in season two. He knew how to balance the craziness and violence. Then there are the Team Hydra players. They know how to comply on being the bad guys. One of my favorites is Raina. She joins any team that will give her what she wants at the time. She will forever be in the morally grey area, and enticing to watch.

5. Fight Sequences

The combat is fun to watch especially with season two. Melinda May has been kicking butt since season one, but season two showed more of the team in action. A beautiful thing to see is Bobbie Morse and Lance Hunter fighting each other, but then being in sync while fighting the bad guys.

6. The Characters Added On The show started off with only six members of the team, but the team has evolved over the past two seasons. It has added new characters. Antoine Triplett was the who brought the funk to the group, and he will forever have a piece of my heart. Then there were more additions is season two. My favorite being Bobbi Morse a.k.a. Mockingbird. As soon as she and Jemma Simmons bonded, I knew I was hooked.

7. The Number of Women One thing that sets this show apart from other shows is the number of women. Generally I find a show to be lacking with women. The men always outnumber them. This group usually has the same amount of men and women. We also get women who have questionable morals. The women on this show are not there to help a man’s story line along. They have their own stories. They will also protect the others, if you even try to mess with one of them.

8. The Characters Before the first season is over there will be at least one character to fall completely in love with. You will find yourself worrying about the character, and wanting to protect them at all costs (my favorite is Jemma). It is more than probable to fall in love with more than one of these characters. They all have differences, but they work brilliantly as a team. They also grow over the series. The character growth and evolving of this series is a beautiful thing. The best example would probably be Leo Fitz who was the child of the group in season one. Fitz has grown up, but is still this caring man you want to hold and protect.

9. The Friendships Friendships are a key factor for me watching a television show. I love seeing camaraderie between two people who will be there for the other person. This show has multiple friendships. All the members of the team are friends, but the bonds between certain people on the team are different. They each bring their own value and interest. I cheered when Mack and Leo became friends. I encourage a friendship between Bobbie and Jemma while I still love the Jemma and Skye dynamic.

10. The Family The core group became a family during the first season. They will protect each other at all costs, and consider wherever the team is home. It isn’t S.H.I.E.L.D. that is home for them, it is the people they love.

Bonus: It is all connected. I had a better understanding of the films with how they connected parts the show and films like Avengers: Age of Ultron together. It has also already started what will probably be the basis for Captain America: Civil War.

March 22, 2015 beccadearie

Jemma vs Jemma

There are two Jemma Simmons out there in the Marvel universe: the TV show, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Jemma and the comic book, S.H.I.E.L.D., Jemma.

The comic book was inspired by the TV show, but there are differences between the two of them. The first being Skye is not part of the team, and while I greatly miss Skye I found the first issues enjoyable. One of the main reasons why I found them enjoyable is the way Jemma has been portrayed in the comics.

In the first issue Jemma is going on her first field mission as an operative. She still has her mad science skills, but Melinda May has also been training her in combat. As soon as I saw these pages, I greedily ate them up. This is what I have been wanting from the show. I don’t necessarily need May to be the one who trains her, but I firmly believe Jemma already needs to start training as an operative. She has already gone undercover with Hydra, and has handled a gun a few times on the show.

The problem is no one has been teaching her. While the show has been taking the time to train Skye, they have not taken the same time to train Jemma or Fitz in the basics. The pilot made a point to mention both Jemma and Fitz were not ready to go into the field, but nothing has been changed about this situation. I do not think Jemma and Fitz should always be in the field, but the two of them cannot always stay in the lab. They need basic training to defend themselves. Someone needs to teach Jemma how to properly aim a gun. If she is going to be carrying one to protect herself, someone needs to train her. May approved of Jemma shooting Raina, but the fact remains Jemma missed keeping Raina down. May did not mention anything about Jemma needing to practice. Jemma does not need to be with guns blazing, but she does need to be properly trained.

One of my hopes is Bobbi Morse will teach her. Of course with the two different S.H.I.E.L.D.s it may be a pipe dream, but Bobbi has already befriended Jemma. I welcome scenes between the two of them because Jemma doesn’t have a mentor on the show.

Another wish fulfilled I got by reading the comics is getting a glimpse of comic Jemma’s background. They reveal who her father is and part of her personal life. This Jemma has a family. She has a father, mother, sister, and brother. We learn how hard it is for her to keep her S.H.I.E.L.D. life a secret, but she has a sense of who she is.

Season one gave us a Jemma like this, and we did find out early in the series she does have parents. However, Jemma changed when Hydra came out of hiding. After the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., we have seen a lost Jemma, one who is not sure of what her real purpose is anymore. It is one of the reasons why she went undercover with Hydra because it did give her a purpose. Protecting the ones she loves gave her a purpose, but the mid season finale has again highlighted a lost Jemma. Trip was her responsibility after the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D., and she wasn’t there to protect him. Jemma has always had this instinct to protect the ones around her first with jumping out of the bus, and then by jumping on the supposed grenade on the train in season one.

Now she is at a loss, she doesn’t know how to protect the team. When she does, she goes about it the wrong way leading Fitz and Skye keeping secrets from her. The impact the mid-season finale has caused a fracture which needs to be mended. The whole team is suffering, Jemma included.

The rest of the season will probably remain with the dark tone it has taken especially when Avengers: Age of Ultron comes out. However, it should not be an excuse not to build on Jemma’s character. For the most part we have mainly seen Jemma’s reactions to what is happening to those around her. The stories have been great where the rest of the characters have been concerned, but it feels like Jemma is suffering where the rest have been strengthening.

While I may be in love with what the first two issues of S.H.I.E.L.D. has done with Jemma, I know the reason why I love it so much is because of my love for Agent Jemma Simmons on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Without Elizabeth Henstridge’s portrayal of Jemma Simmons, I would not be so deeply invested in the comic character.

December 25, 2014 beccadearie

The Hopes and Dreams for 2015

Merry Christmas! I hope whoever reads this list is having a Holly Jolly Christmas because I do believe it is one of the best times of the year. Here is my wish list for TV next year. Yes, I know some will not come true, but a girl can dream can’t she?

Arrow – We get a hint or find out who Felicity’s father is. We know Felicity’s father left them when she was a young girl, but there is so much story potential with her character with adding who the missing father is. Basically I need more of Felicity’s story or more storyline for her that doesn’t involve Palmer.

More crossovers between The Flash and Arrow. The crossover made a great two hour event with characters from both shows intermingling. Felicity Smoak and Caitlin Snow are great when in scenes together. I want more female friendships on this show because they are both sorely lacking when it comes to highlighting that aspect. Also, it would be great for Quentin Lance and Joe West to finally meet and tell each other their woes with dealing with Arrow and The Flash.

My final Arrow wish is they bring back Tommy Merlyn and Sara Lance. If they can bring back Malcolm (and they are definitely bringing back Oliver), they should bring back these two. Especially Sara who only was killed for a plot device. How many characters who have so much potential will still be killed as plot devices?

No more deaths in mid-season finales or season finales. Yes, I know deaths are necessary on shows, but it is starting to get a little predictable with who will die and when they will die on the show. Kill a person on a random episode. Let it be less predictable. (Yes, I know I’m delusional for wishing this, and it will never happen.)

For Selfie to be resurrected. The world is better with Henry and Eliza. I am better with Henry and Eliza.

Both Galavant and Agent Carter are successes. Once Upon a Time is a royal mess, it might have been better if it made fun of itself a little more. This is why I hope Galavant is what Once Upon a Time is not.

As for Agent Carter I want this show to be amazingly successful because they are focusing on a female as the main lead. If this is successful, it can branch out for more females in the Marvel universe to be highlighted. I still desperately need a Black Widow movie.

Community has a great season six. It is sad to see only four members remain of the Greendale Seven. However, I am interested in seeing how Paget Brewster and Keith David will interact with the group. I am especially interested in seeing the episode with Britta’s parents. I have my fingers crossed for at least one Clue reference.

Someone gets Emily Kinney back onto the small screen or big screen soon. She is a delight, and it was sad to see her character become a plot device on The Walking Dead.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz start getting some field training. I really wish Bobbi will train Jemma because I think that could be a beautiful friendship. I also think Jemma is very likely an unsuspecting deadly force to be reckoned with.

Finally, The 100 gets renewed. This wish is for my friends who love the show.

November 2, 2014 beccadearie

“I’m Still Trying to Figure Out Where I Fit In”

Warning: This post contains spoilers from ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Episode 2.06, A Fractured House.

You can generally rely on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to be both heartbreaking and entertaining.

The biggest heartbreaking part of the episode dealt with Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz. It seemed like Fitz was getting closer to saying good-bye to imaginary Jemma when the real one turned up. Fitz is finally finding his place in the group, and has made a new friend with Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie. However, it hurts not to see the two brainiacs together. Previous episodes gave hints a reunion between the duo would not be filled with hugs. This episode proved the hints to be true, and the pain in both their faces was devastating enough.

Fitz made it clear to Jemma he hated the fact she left him, and then lied to him about where she was going. He rightfully should be hurt, but I can also see why Jemma lied to him. She lied to everyone about where she was going with the exception of Phil Coulson and Melinda May because the less people who knew about her infiltrating Hydra the better. Jemma went because she felt like she could make a difference. She did not believe that staying by Fitz’s side would be for the best; Mack confirms this at the end of the episode.

The scene hits you right in the gut. I blame it on Elizabeth Henstridge’s tears. I don’t believe anyone is immune to them. While it hurts to see the favorite duo not on good terms, I do believe it is good for both of them. As I have said before, Fitz is like the child of the group. He always had Jemma with him. In quite a few ways Jemma was his crutch. However, Fitz has been growing up this season. Yes, his brain might have been damaged, but he is beginning to shine. Mack is helping him by being his friend and being by his side.

It is also good to see how Jemma is progressing this season, and how her role is also expanding. Her interactions with Skye were wonderful, but the best part was when she steps in between Skye and Grant Ward as he is passing them, and she tells him she will kill him if she sees him again. It is important that it was Jemma who stood in between them. It wasn’t Coulson or May, who know how to take him out. It was Jemma, and the look on her face made me believe she can and will do it. Ward has hurt them all, and Jemma is protecting Skye (and Fitz) from being hurt by Ward again.

This scene also shows how much her character has progressed since season one. Season one Jemma would not kill someone much less threaten them. The one time she did hurt someone was when she shot Agent Sitwell with the Night Night gun (too bad it didn’t kill him then). I always believed Jemma could be the girl who looks innocent, but could be deadly force to be reckoned with. She has grown into this role. Earlier this season, we have seen her steadily handling a gun in her apartment when Coulson visited her. Yes, she still needs training, and it is my deepest wish that Bobbi Morse trains her as well as them becoming bosom buddies.

I applaud the show for not making this episode a beginning of a redemption arc for Ward. Ward is a bad guy who has done bad things. Yet, he still believed he was a part of the team. After killing members of S.H.I.E.L.D. like Victoria Hand, he still referred to himself as a member of Coulson’s team. Clark Gregg, as always, was amazing. He firmly told Ward he was not and will never be part of his team.

To Coulson, his team is family, and Ward hurt his family. I also believe Coulson doesn’t fully trust Ward’s brother, but it was the best move to protect S.H.I.E.L.D.

I don’t trust Ward’s brother, but I still don’t trust Ward either. Ward is the type who latches on to another person. He doesn’t have the ability to be single minded. He will find someone who he thinks is also destroyed and try to connect with them. For Ward he thinks Skye is also damaged, and believes she is like him. However, Skye is strong.

Finally, Melinda May went with two of the newer members of the group, Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter on a mission. It was entertaining to see May having to listen to the divorced couple complain about the other. To see Bobbi and Hunter argue while still being able to fight in sync with each other was enjoyable.

However, the best scene between the two of them was Bobbi voicing the same thing we have heard from others already with them not being sure where they belong now. Both Bobbi and Hunter are a bit lost. Bobbi doesn’t have the S.H.I.E.L.D. she used to know anymore, and Hunter his best best mate at the beginning of this season. Maybe these two will not be able to give the marriage another go, but I deeply desire them to become comrades.

January 10, 2014 beccadearie

Tahiti: A Not So Magical Place

Warning: this post contains spoilers from episode 1.11 of ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “The Magical Place”

This week’s episode marked the half-way point of season one. It was a great episode and Clark Gregg was at his best. It is interesting to see how far this show has come since the pilot.

Agent Grant Ward has definitely improved since the pilot. As I have mentioned before, Ward finally gained my interest in “F.Z.Z.T.” Since then he has become a character I enjoy to watch on the show, and I no longer fully cringe when he shares a scene with Skye. I’m glad their relationship has turned more into an older brother/younger sister type of relationship instead of the possible will they or won’t they type of romance it was suggesting at the beginning of this show.

Another change with his character is he has slowly become a team player. The pilot established him as a person who doesn’t play well with others. He preferred working alone. However, over the past few episodes it has become clear the people on The Bus with him have become very important to him. I smiled this week when he said his team was going to find Coulson.

My favorite scenes with him have generally been when he is with Fitz or Jemma, and I’m glad I got more of them in this episode. It is good to see Jemma reprimanding him about tearing his stitches, and him teaming up with Jemma and Fitz to interrogate Vanchat.

I loved how this episode was about the team working together to find Coulson, and reminding Agent Victoria Hand how important he is. She doesn’t get why he is so important, but everyone else including the audience knows he is special. S.H.I.E.L.D. would not be the same without him.

This leads into Coulson’s story line for the episode. Clairvoyant is the baddie for season one. We still have no idea who Clairvoyant is, but Raina is enough for this episode. She trusts the Clairvoyant even though she herself doesn’t know who it is. Raina knows how to get things done, and she appears a little bit psychotic with her attitude. She is able to get things done without using force (I think it is the flower dresses). She is able to get Coulson to use the machine willingly, and he is able to find out more about what happened to him. All I’m going to say on that subject is his flashbacks freaked me out.

Clark Gregg does an amazing performance as Coulson with him not knowing what happened to him finding out more pieces of the puzzle. We also learn he is alone in the world with the exception of S.H.I.E.L.D. For him, S.H.I.E.L.D. is his family. The way Skye comes to him while he is finding out what happened to him was a great scene. It showed how important these two have become to each other. In some ways, they have a father/daughter bond happening, which makes sense. They are both alone in the world, and only have the team as their family.

I’m also glad they brought back Ron Glass for this episode. The confrontation Coulson has with the doctor in the vehicle was truly great. We see a broken Coulson. He hardly ever shows this side of himself to anyone. The only other person we have seen like this is with May. I still wonder what Fury’s reasoning was to bring back Coulson. Was it only because Fury didn’t want to lose his friend? That he felt guilty for Loki killing him?

This show has improved since the first episodes, and I can’t wait to see the second half.

Side note: I still want to see more May and Skye. I have a feeling this could be one of Skye’s possible strongest relationships on the show, and I wish May had become Skye’s S.O. over Ward.

December 26, 2013 Kerry

Favorites of 2013: TV Ships and Friendships

This is the big one–the one with our favorite TV ships and friendships/partnerships/bromances/what-have-you of 2013.

Ships

Oliver Queen / Felicity Smoak

{Arrow}

Felicity: You killed again, and I am the one who put you into the position where you had to make that kind of choice.
Oliver: He had you, and he was going to hurt you. There was no choice to make.

All three of us are big fans of Oliver and Felicity. They complement each other really well, they have great chemistry, and they deeply care for each other. And they’re just so pretty together. —Kerry

Danny Castellano / Mindy Lahiri

{The Mindy Project}

Mindy: “You should get the Philadelphia roll. Danny says it’s amazing, it’s his favorite.”
…
Mindy: “Haven’t you ever had to do something because of work?”
Jason: “Yeah, sure, I just went to my boss’s kid’s graduation, but that doesn’t mean I’ve memorized her favorite sushi order.”

These two snuck up on me. I love their bickering, their friendship, and the way that they seem to be in love with each other without even realizing it. —Kerry

Monroe / Rosalee Calvert

{Grimm}

Monroe and Rosalee’s romance could have seemed shoe-horned into the main narrative, and the differences in their upbringings could be overlooked, but the evolution of their relationship was natural, and they are confronting their contradictory natures in a way that’s both realistic and believable. —Moff

April Ludgate / Andy Dwyer

{Parks and Recreation}

“I’m going to tell you a secret about everyone else’s job: No one knows what they’re doing. Deep down, everyone is just faking it until they figure it out. And you will, too, because you are awesome and everyone else sucks.”

This is probably the relationship most would have believed would fail, but it hasn’t. The love and support they show each other is unique and genuine. —Becca

Barney Stinson / Robin Scherbatsky

{How I Met Your Mother}

Barney: “Our wedding is gonna be legendary.”
Robin: “No ‘wait for it?'”
Barney: “I’ve got you, I don’t have to wait for it anymore.”

Who knew they’d make it all the way to the neverending wedding weekend? The writing isn’t doing them any favors (they keep having to spin their wheels as the writers try to fill the entire season with pointless shenanigans) but they’re still growing into a supportive, if unconventional, couple. —Kerry

Jemma Simmons / Grant Ward

{Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.}

F.Z.Z.T. is the episode I started shipping these two together. It is also the episode I finally started to like Ward. The scene where Ward mocks himself and Jemma corrects him sealed it for me. Plus: height difference. —Becca

Kensi Blye / Marty Deeks

{NCIS: LA}

Deeks: “I’ve never had a girl give me her knife before. Does that mean we’re official?”
Kensi: “You know sometimes a knife is just a knife.”

Ah, one of the great ‘will they, won’t they’ partnerships of the police procedural world. As much as I continue to hold out hope Eric Christian Olsen will one day return to Greendale, I can’t put into words how pleased I am Kensi and Deeks have finally taken the logical next step. —Moff

Joan Watson / Marcus Bell

{Elementary}

Bell [to Sherlock]: “Where’s your better half?”

Bell and Joan have always had a unique chemistry; Bell initially liked Joan better than he liked Sherlock, and Joan always had a deep respect for Bell’s talents as an investigator. This season, there was a one-off line where Bell complimented Joan in her bulletproof vest, and suddenly, it felt like there was something there. It’s never overt: even when Joan brings him meals after his injury, it’s played as Joan just being a nice person. I won’t be mad if they never date, but I think they’d be great together. —Kerry

Ryan King / Carrie

{Go On}

Ryan: “I know we work together, and that’s weird. I don’t know what I want. I just- I just want it to still be a possibility between us.”
Carrie: “You’re right, it’s complicated. We work together… I quit. Ball’s in your court.”

The show got canceled, but before it ended Carrie kissed Ryan and told him the ball was in his court. I would like to believe this May/December romance actually worked out. —Becca

Ben Wyatt / Leslie Knope

{Parks and Recreation}

“Your heart is in the right place. Your heart and your butt.”

They’re married! They’re still amazing together! And sometimes I go back and watch the early seasons, where Mark Brendanowicz calls Leslie a dork and treats her enthusiasm like it’s an annoying little quirk, and I get really, really, insanely happy that Leslie found someone who loves that about her. —Kerry

Rumplestiltskin / Belle

{Once Upon a Time}

“You were the only one who could ever see past it… past the mask of the monster.”

While the Charmings have already had their somewhat happy ending, it feels like Rumplestiltskin and Belle will never get theirs. The pairing is beautiful, but it is hard for them to catch a break (especially after the winter finale). —Becca

Harvey Specter / Donna Paulsen

{Suits}

Harvey: “You and Stephen, it bothers me. I know it’s not fair, but it does.”
Donna: “Good.”

I just want them to be together and happy. Is that too much to ask? —Kerry

Friendships

Shawn Spencer & Burton Guster

{Psych}

Shawn: “I think we should call the police and let the chips fall where they may.”
Gus: “You’re talking like a real white guy right now, Shawn. Brothers don’t get the benefit of the doubt. I will not rot in a cell. You said we were in this together!”
Shawn: “C’mon, man. You know I’m gonna bake you a cake with a gun in it.”

Their friendship has only gotten better over this past year. Gus supported Shawn during his breakup with Jules, and Shawn learned to share Gus when Gus started a serious relationship with a woman. —Kerry

Sherlock Holmes & Joan Watson {Elementary}

Joan: “You named a bee after me?”

Best partnership on TV. But, you know… besides all the other partnerships we have listed here. —Kerry

Team Arrow (Oliver Queen, John Diggle, Felicity Smoak)

{Arrow}

Felicity: “What are you doing?”
Diggle: “Calling 911.”
Felicity: “Digg, wait!”
Diggle: “We can’t wait!”
Felicity: “How are we supposed to explain this? Everyone’s gonna find out Oliver is the vigilante!”
Diggle: “It won’t matter if he’s dead! Felicity, we can’t save him!”
Felicity: “I know! You’re right. We can’t.”

They all have their own special friendships with each other, and they work well as a team. It will be interesting to see how dynamics might change when/if someone else fully joins the team. —Becca

Ichabod Crane & Abbie Mills

{Sleepy Hollow}

The friendship has grown so quickly in just a few episodes. It is a strong friendship, and their camaraderie is enjoyable. —Becca

Sarah Manning & Felix Dawkins

{Orphan Black}

Felix: Sarah.
Sarah: What?
Felix: Um, just don’t die… ’cause your first funeral was just agonizing enough.

Felix has endured a lot (Sarah’s threatening ex-boyfriend, obstruction of justice, countless police interrogations, and oh yeah, all of that clone stuff) and he’s still deeply loyal to Sarah. That’s what family is for, right? —Kerry

Samantha Shaw & Root

{Person of Interest}

While former government agent Shaw hesitates to give anarchist hacker Root too much free reign, the morally dubious Root’s willingness to take immediate action appeals to the trigger-happy Shaw. —Moff

George Altman & Noah Werner

{Suburgatory}

The news of Alan Tudyk no longer being a regular on Suburgatory depressed me. I found George’s and Noah’s friendship was one of my main highlights for the show. In some ways, they don’t appear to have a lot in common, but the time they spent on screen together were some of the best moments of the show. —Becca

Ron Swanson & Leslie Knope

{Parks and Recreation}

Ron: “You are a wonderful person. Your friendship means a lot to me. And you look very beautiful.”
Leslie: “Okay, weirdo. Let’s go.”

He walked her down the aisle. Twice. He also punched out a jackass at her wedding. Leslie, in turn, organized a beautiful wedding present for Ron: an intricate trip up to the Lagavulin distillery in Scotland. It moved Ron to tears. —Kerry

Lance Sweets & Seeley Booth

{Bones}

Dr. Lance Sweets and Agent Seeley Booth have grown from bickering antagonists to friends and coworkers who trust each other’s instincts. —Moff

Ryan King & Steven

{Go On}

Ryan had his support group, but he also has his best friend, Steven. Steven was still the one who understood who Ryan was, and wanted to be there for him. In my head, they are still the best of friends and double date together (Ryan with Carrie and Steven with Lauren). —Becca

Quentin Lance & Felicity Smoak

{Arrow}

Oliver: “Felicity…”
Felicity: “Already on it.”
Lance [amazed]: “How the hell can she do that?”

Felicity and (former) Det. Lance have had only a few instances where they’ve worked together, but I think future episodes will reveal their values are more in line than they currently realize. —Moff

December 25, 2013 Kerry

Favorites of 2013: TV Characters

Merry Christmas (or as Penny from Miranda would say, “Happy What I Call Christmas”) to all of our dear readers who celebrate the holiday. Today is all about characters, so here are our favorite TV Characters of 2013!

Abbie Mills and Jenny Mills

{Sleepy Hollow}

Jenny: Corbin said, that one day, you’d be back. When you were ready. Asked me to find a way to forgive you. I said I didn’t think I could.
Abbie: I’m sorry that it took me so long to find you.

The Mills sisters, despite being estranged for years, manage to make working through their past issues while saving the world look manageable. That they’re quicker witted than their male counterparts is simply a bonus. —Moff

Alice Morgan

{Luther}

Yes, she may be a murderer, but her loyalty to Luther is wonderful. She is an intelligent woman, and she always makes an episode of Luther even better. —Becca

April Ludgate

{Parks and Recreation}

“Leslie said it was a ‘come as you were in the nineties’ party, I assumed it was the 1690s.”

April has slowly grown up over the past few years, and it has become more obvious over this last season. She still has her Keep Away demeanor, but the loyalty she has for her friends is genuine. —Becca

Carlton Lassiter

{Psych}

“I have one speed, and it is full throttle.”

Lassiter is finally a happy and well-adjusted adult, thanks in large part to Juliet and in small parts to Shawn and Gus. He’s more relaxed, open-minded, and willing to compromise than he was when we first met him, and he’s become an even better cop thanks to Shawn forcing him to stay sharp. —Kerry

Diane Buckley

{Trophy Wife}

“Oh, relax, it’s just some light catfishing.”

The wives of Trophy Wife are sort of like the Hogwarts houses: who you relate to says a lot about your personality. Most people seem to favor Jackie, the second ex-wife of leading man Bradley Whitford, but me, I’m a Diane girl through and through. (I’m also a Hufflepuff, if you were wondering.) She clearly loves her kids, but she also wants the best for them. She is passionate but calculating, strong but practical, and above all, she gets stuff done. —Kerry

Donna Paulsen

{Suits}

“If you were ever lucky enough to have me, you wouldn’t want to share.”

This season of Suits did some not-so-great stuff with Donna, but she still came out of it looking classier and stronger than any other character on television. —Kerry

Felicity Smoak

{Arrow}

“Never meet your heroes, right?”

It says something about an actor when a one-time appearance turns into a recurring role. It’s even more remarkable when that actor goes from recurring to series regular. The quirky, bright IT girl has won several hearts, saved countless lives, and helps humanize Oliver Queen. —Becca

Jemma Simmons

{Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.}

“I can’t be a part of your bad-girl shenanigans. I like following the rules and doing what’s expected of me. It makes me feel nice.”

When the show started off, the focus was on Fitz-Simmons, but the show gradually began to separate them. Now they are Fitz and Simmons, and Simmons has my heart. The episode “F.Z.Z.T” made me cry (which I hardly do) because of the way Elizabeth Henstridge plays her role. —Becca

Joan Watson

{Elementary}

“I think it’s sad that you’ve given up. I think you have a lot to share, if you cared to. I shouldn’t be the only one who knows you.”

Joan Watson set herself apart from traditional representations of the World’s Greatest Sidekick in season one, but she’s quickly becoming the fulcrum around which the show revolves without being anyone’s girlfriend, wife, mother or mistress. That’s nice to see both for Dr. Watson and for a woman in a mostly male ensemble. —Moff

John Diggle

{Arrow}

“I’ve been meaning to tell you, it really weirds me out to no end the way you refer to yourself in third person like that.”

Any scene with Diggle in it is a good scene. —Becca

Leslie Knope

{Parks and Recreation}

“No one achieves anything alone.”

It’s difficult to picture a scenario in which Leslie Knope doesn’t top my list of favorite characters. —Kerry

Marcus Bell

{Elementary}

Sherlock: “Have you always been this observant? I’m asking that quite sincerely. I was wondering if exposure to my methods had helped you in any way.”
Bell: “Actually, before you came along, I had never closed a case before, neither had the rest of the department. Most of us were thinking of packing up, leaving, letting the city fend for itself.”

Bell is such a great detective that Sherlock has taken to referring to all other detectives as “Not Bell.” Two of my favorite episodes of Elementary are Bell-centric ones (“Details” and “Tremors”) and I always look forward to his one liners to Sherlock. —Kerry

Oliver Queen

{Arrow}

“The world doesn’t work anymore. It broke a long time ago, but it was like you were the only one who noticed. That makes you angry, and you’re afraid that that anger is going to burn you up inside if you have to live in the world one second longer knowing that you could do something to fix it.”

Oliver’s really come into his own since Tommy’s death, choosing now to save the city through non-murderous means. He still lives two (sometimes three) lives but now that he’s more removed from Laurel, he’s more three-dimensional and sympathetic. He’s still struggling to trust people, and thanks to the flashbacks to the island, we’re starting to realize why. —Kerry

Robin Scherbatsky

{How I Met Your Mother}

“I’m Sparkles, bitch!”

I love Robin, and I relate to her so much this season. I just wish we didn’t have to see every excruciating hour of her wedding weekend, but hey, that’s not her fault. —Kerry

Rosalee Calvert

{Grimm}

Rosalee Calvert may have started as a one-off, but the decision to make her a series regular was inspired: She’s a source of wisdom, knowledge and reason on a show that routinely asks its audience to suspend disbelief. —Moff

Sara Lance

{Arrow}

“No woman should ever suffer at the hands of men.”

Sara Lance managed, in a handful of episodes, to make a memorable impression as a variation on a classic comic book character normally inhabited by her sister, Laurel. But Sara made the role of Black Canary her own, and I can’t wait to see her return to Starling City. —Moff

Sarah Manning

{Orphan Black}

“Art, if you’re hearing this, you found a body. It’s not Beth. It’s me. My name is Sarah Manning and you’re about the only person I trust to figure the whole thing out.”

Sarah is the most practical and level-headed of the clones, focused solely on keeping her daughter, Kira, safe. I think she’s my favorite because her main instinct is survival. She’ll do anything to protect the ones she loves. —Kerry

Slade Wilson

{Arrow}

“I’m sorry… for not telling you how I really feel.”

Former A.S.I.S. agent, island survivor, unlucky in love, and that accent? What’s not to love?! —Kerry

The Cannon

{Back in the Game}

“No, Gannons, we inflict pain, and then we laugh!”

Rude, brash, drunk, and definitely not in touch with his feelings, The Cannon was an oddity on TV this season. There was no one quite like him, because while he said and did all these terrible things, he knows it’s his fault that he’s unhappy. He clearly loves his daughter and grandson, so I’m sad we won’t get to see what happens with them. —Kerry

Tinker Bell

{Once Upon a Time}

“I may have lost my wings, but I haven’t lost my dignity.”

There hasn’t been a whole lot for me to love on this season of Once; I was never a fan of Peter Pan in any of its various forms, so the idea of a whole arc set in Neverland made me wary. I especially dreaded the introduction of Tinker Bell, because I was sure this show would ruin that sort of complex female character. While this Tink has a backstory firmly entrenched in the Enchanted Forest, she still manages to be the best side character to join the show this season. The actress who plays her, Rose McIver, deserves most of the credit. —Kerry

Later today… Our favorite supporting characters from movies!

November 21, 2013 beccadearie

An Enormous Mess to Clean Up

Warning: this post contains spoilers from episode 1.08 of ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “The Well”

Over the past couple of episodes, I have slowly started to like the character, Agent Grant Ward. I knew in the pilot, Ward could be an interesting character when they hinted about his past being tragic, but then the show started to show a no-nonsense agent. They finally addressed his personality a couple of episodes ago in “FZZT” with both Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons impersonating him. The beauty is when Ward impersonates himself to Simmons later in the episode. This was the episode where I finally started to gain interest in his character, and my interest grew even more when he was paired up with Fitz in the next episode, “The Hub.” This latest episode, “The Well,” finally started to address Grant’s past, and helped explain why he has appeared to be this stoic, I-work-alone agent most of the season.

This episode dealt with many of the characters facing fears and darker parts of their lives. For Simmons, she hasn’t been able to talk to her parents after she fell ill, and almost died from falling out of the plane. She also has to deal with the fear of falling when she has to walk up fifteen feet of a cut down tree. Ward is on site with her, and tries to deflect her thoughts. She knows what he is doing, but I think she finds comfort in him helping her deal with her fear of falling.

He assures her he will catch her again. In some ways, Ward is the person who helps her overcome some of her fears in this episode. She then finally gets the courage to talk to her parents, after both Ward and Melinda May fight the bad guys, and Coulson helps her save Professor Elliot Randolph’s life.

Then there is Ward facing some of his darkest memories. Thanks to the Ward coming into contact with Asgardian artifact, one of his darkest memories resurfaced. We learn Ward has buried his past in order to be able to do his job, but the artifact brings it back up in order to fill him with rage to give him super fighting strength. Fortunately he has May who understands the situation he is in to help him through it. May’s past is still a big mystery, but we have learned she has a dark past. It is one of the reasons why I believe Coulson constantly finds consolation with May because of all she has lived through. Later in the episode, Grant asks May how she was able to hold the entire scepter when it meant her darkest memories were hitting her stronger than his hit him. She replied she sees it every day. May doesn’t block it out like Ward, but keeps it as a constant reminder.

She has learned to live with it. It still hurts, and it is probably one of the reasons why May and Ward get drunk together at the end of the show.

Finally, there is Coulson. Coulson doesn’t remember what happened to him after he died, and it is slowly starting to bug him even more of not knowing what happened. He is tempted to touch the scepter and Randolph knows this. Randolph questions him on why he wants to know this because Coulson is alive and appears to be living a good, healthy life. It is still bugging Coulson, and will probably continue to bug him until he finally gets some answers. He knows something is wrong. I mean you shouldn’t think dreaming about Tahiti getting a massage would be a nightmare, but it is to him at the end of this episode. I’m with Coulson on this. If this show is doing a Dollhouse callback then something is wrong with Tahiti being this magical place.

The other thing I loved about this episode was the procedural part of the story. The thing with Marvel having so many movies and now this show is they now all exist in the same timeline. It is one of the things that ticked me off with Thor: The Dark World. There was only the slightest mention of S.H.I.E.L.D and nothing else. This episode made up for my frustration in some ways. It began with Simmon’s narration about other worlds and Asgard leading to the scene where the team is cleaning up after Thor and the Dark Elves. The show really didn’t spoil the movie unless someone would be ticked off to know part of Greenwich got destroyed in one of the battles.

The other part I enjoyed about this story is another Asgardian (Randolph) being involved. It was enjoyable to see someone else from Asgard not involved with Thor who has lived on Earth for quite a long time because he fell in love with our world. Who can blame him from falling in love with the planet and becoming a Pacifist, after being a mason all his life on Asgard? I also believe this explains Larry Fleinhardt so much better on Numb3rs.

Finally, I want to give this show kudos for showing different partnerships with this episode. I love that this show is exploring the members of the team partnering up with different people.

November 13, 2013 beccadearie

Now You Just Destroyed the World’s Most Dangerous Sandwich.

Warning: this post contains spoilers from episode 1.07 of ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “The Hub”

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is definitely showing growing pains as the season progresses, and it has lost viewers because of it. However, I have seen improvement with the last couple of episodes, and fell in love with last week’s. This week’s episode upheld my belief that the show is getting better.

Parts that worked:

Phil Coulson: Clark Gregg is always a highlight on this show as Agent Phil Coulson. He is able to a great depth to Coulson that didn’t appear as much in the Marvel movies, and it makes the show better. I’m not sure this show would survive without him. We get to see him be the leader, and still face issues about how S.H.I.E.L.D. had no extraction point for his Agents, while still not knowing the full details about his “Tahiti” recovery.

Melinda May: Although her role was the smallest in this episode, May still shines. Her best delivery was in her scene with Coulson, when he is talking about the team and trusting the system. She continues with her meditation, not saying a word, but Coulson continues to talk and uses her glances at him as her responses. Her eye roll after he walked away was priceless. This is the beauty of May, she doesn’t have to say much, but she is still able to get so much across to the audience. She is also able to be Coulson’s sounding board because she is the one who best understands him. It is the reason why he comes to her with his problems and is more open about himself to her.

May can’t get a minute’s rest.

Fitz and Ward: I loved this pairing. They are forced together on the mission with both of them not being big fans of the other. Last week’s episode was a great stepping stone into this partnership because of Simmons’ story. Fitz feels animosity towards Ward for being the one who jumped out of the plane and catch Simmons and give her the anti-serum when Fitz was struggling with putting on his own parachute to save Simmons. Ward believes Fitz is the biggest rookie on the team when it comes to field work.

Still they are paired off, and Fitz is able to save them from a group of Russians because he knows how to fix their electricity. He is then able to confront Ward about how he goes about trying to always be the alpha male by throwing the last punch and sweeping in to the save the girl (Simmons). Fitz tells Ward that he is every bit of an agent like Ward and he is right. In the end, the partnership works. One of the main reasons why it works is because Coulson had asked each of them to take care of the other because that is what a team does, even if they are not each other’s favorites. Another is Ward addressing the Simmons issue and acknowledging that both he and Simmons know that Fitz would have jumped after her to save her. Both of them have their expertise, and they are both able to help save the other by working together. While they still are not the best of friends, I hope I get to see more interaction between these two characters.

Simmons: Simmons is slowly becoming my favorite character on the show, which is saying A LOT due to my love for Coulson. Simmons can work with any character on this show and still shine. She tells Skye she can’t be part of Skye’s bad girl shenanigans because she enjoys following the rules. However, when it comes to saving Fitz and Ward, she makes an exception. Simmons can’t bear the idea of Fitz being tortured because they are partners and the best of friends. They have each other’s backs, and they’re both aware that their expertise is in the labs and not actual field work, which is why they worry about each other. One of my favorite scenes is Agent Sitwell finding Simmons trying to get access to a computer she is not allowed on. It leads to horrible flirting on Simmons part, and then her shooting Sitwell with the Night-Night gun and saying sorry afterwards.

It was interesting to see her opt for the Night-Night gun instead of giving herself up, and I now want to see both her and Fitz learn more about training for the field. At the end of the episode, they are together again, gleefully telling the other how kick-butt they each were. I need an episode where either May or Ward takes them training (preferably Ward).

Victoria Hand: The episode also introduced, Victoria Hand, a character from the Marvel universe not seen in the movies. It is nice to see the show include characters from the comics, and I hope they continue doing so in the future.

What didn’t work:

There felt like there was too much of Skye’s presence in this episode. Last week worked because we got a breather from seeing her in almost half the scenes. This week her presence seemed constant. Yes, there is the story of her mysterious past, but she doesn’t need more air time than the rest of the group constantly. While it feels like they are doing Coulson’s “Tahiti” trip the right way with only giving it one or two short scenes a week, it feels like we are drowning in Skye’s story. What about the other members’ pasts? We still have only seen glimpses of May and Ward’s pasts. We know a little more about Fitz and Simmons because of last week, but we know all about Skye’s lack of history due to it being redacted by S.H.I.E.LD. The character is not meshing well for me, and I wish they would try something new; possibly less screen time, or even have her team up with May.

I hope this show continues to play around with the pairings, and see what comes from it. Coulson’s and May’s and Fitz’s and Simmons’ relationship are established, and play great back ups, but since this is a team it needs more pairing than them. The last two shows have proved that Ward has had some of his best scenes yet with both Fitz and Simmons, so here’s to looking forward to more of these pairings.