Superhero Media: Agent Carter - Season 1

I try to keep things pretty classy up in here, but damn does Hayley Atwell do it for me in this series. Yes, I feel pretty bad point this out before I discuss how good an actor she is in this and her other MCU appearances (and everything else I've seen her in), how she is accomplished academically and also a highly respected theatrical actor, but hey, I'm only human. Agent Carter takes place in 1945 New York and plays like a cross between Mad Men and Mission Impossible (the original television series, not the films). Our titular agent must work within and against her own agency (the SSR) to clear the name of her erstwhile friend and college, Howard Stark, of treason after his vault of superweapons has been looted. Thus begins a gorgeous, period Spy-Fi romp with cool gadgets and fun little references to the broader Marvel universe.  

Agent Carter is a damn-near perfect version of exactly what it's trying to be; a character-driven, prime time television tie-in to the MCU juggernaut. If I have one complaint about Agent Carter it's actually that it's too good. No, seriously, after watching the first season, I've just about lost all enthusiasm for The Flash, Arrow or even that X-Men show that never seems to materialise, I just want more Carter kicking arse to watch. And don't get me started on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., did they just send all the good writers over to Agent Carter? Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has it's good episodes, sure, but when contrasted with Agent Carter, well, I honestly can't think of a single bad episode of Agent Carter, or even one that didn't entertain me as much as the others. The characters are well written and interesting, the design looks great and the story is engaging, how did this not get a third season?
 

If you're the kind of person that's been holding off on biting the MCU bullet because of a lack of strong female protagonists, or a general disinterest in the hyper-masculine (bordering on homoerotic) world of superheroes, Agent Carter is a great place to start. It would be a damn interesting programme without the constant nods to Captain America - The First Avenger, but, even then, maybe it'll make you want to check out the strongest series in the MCU canon. Maybe if Agent Carter gets a big second life on DVD, we'll see it come back for Netflix or even give Peggy her own film at some stage, maybe even with some other Marvel Golden Age heroes. How good would it be to see Peggy leading a team including The Angel, The Vision, The Human Torch, Namor, Phantom Bullet, The Ferret and Blue Diamond? Hell, I'd watch the shit out of that. Do yourself a favour, get on Agent Carter.