(no subject)

[cblj_backup]

I've seen Agents Of SHIELD! It's time for Sam's Three Things!

Spoilers for Episode 1.03, I Ship Fitz And His Popcorn

1. I don't care what anyone says I like Skye and I like watching her be a combination of total mess and complete awesome. And I still don't care for Ward, but come on, does anyone? I like FitzSimmons more than Skye, and I like Melinda more than anyone else but Coulson, but Skye and Ward are clearly going to get all the airtime so I might as well proclaim it. I like Skye.

2. I figured out what this show is missing, at least for me, and that is what the comics industry calls Kitchen Table. It's what made Buffy brilliant, that it was Domestic With Vampires, and it's what I felt was in large part missing from other Whedon shows. I want to see Coulson's apartment and Skye's weird friends (you know she has weird friends) and Melinda's cool hobbies and Fitz and Simmons taking evenings off to teach science to high schoolers and Ward playing Parcheesi. Because it's super-hard to be all badass and deadpan while playing Parcheesi, did you think I didn't have a reason? Anyway, I feel like it's all either fighting or fight training, and I think a lot of complaints about the lack of depth of character would go away if we had some kitchen table business to give us some depth of character.

3. OMG GRAVITON. Coulson made his VERY OWN SUPERVILLAIN. Aren't you adorable, Phil.

3a. And why wouldn't you run an op in a business suit? Anything else just wouldn't be a challenge.

Comments

[bakaknight.livejournal.com]

Perhaps they're saving the kitchen table for when they don't think that the fans are tuning in because omg must be action etc.

(You will note, I refrain here from any kitchen sink jokes. Though perhaps if Coulson had been allowed to keep the fish tank?)

[bluebombardier.livejournal.com]

I'm warming up to Skye (oh god,I keep typing her name as Skype, does anyone else have this problem?!?!), and I'm hoping she plays Ward like a well-strung fiddle as a Rising Tide mole. You can tell they're working that angle for an emotional payoff for either mid-season or season finale. I think there was an attempt at a Kitchen Table near the end, during Skye's training, but I'd like to see more of the team just kicking back and relaxing. Fitz's giant bowl of popcorn during the op was a nice touch, though I can't imagine the state of the touchscreen monitor if it was buttered.

I DEMAND MORE TRUCKER AGENT. THAT GUY WAS COOL.

[stasia]

Yeah, I'm more invested in Trucker Agent than I am in the others (except for Coulson and May). Hmmm. Fic?

Stasia

[fiveforsilver]

I liked him too! I was really worried that he'd died, and so relieved when he hadn't. How did they - or he - manage to make his character more interesting in his 15 seconds of screen time than the other characters are after 3 episodes?

[stasia]

He was real - he had non-artful stubble, he seemed like someone I might know/flirt with/pass in traffic/see in Starbucks. I don't relate to people with Perfect-Hair (tm) and Shiny-Teeths (tm), but I do relate to people with regular jobs and a taste for giant cups of 7-11 soda.

Did he have a name? I can't remember and I've deleted the episode from my tv.

Stasia

[bluebombardier.livejournal.com]

IMDB lists him as Agent Mack. For Mack Truck, probably.

He seemed more real because he was acting more real and doing normal-people things. Singing along to the radio, checking in on his CB radio, laughing and joking with the agents in the SUVs. It's a departure in characterization from what we've seen of SHIELD agents so far. Coulson and May are brisk and all business, FitzSimmons are excitable scientists, and Ward is a disciplined blank slate. I think this goes back to Sam's point about the Kitchen Table. We're not getting any glimpses into the team when they're in off-mode. So far it's been all balls-to-the-wall action and no hint of down-time.

[fiveforsilver]

His name was Mack, although I don't know if that was his first or last name. Also his slightly-off singing with the music was endearing. I sing with the radio whenever I'm driving.

You're right, he seemed much more like a real person than anybody else. I get really tired of all the skinny pretty people - not that there's anything wrong with skinny pretty people, it's just that that's all there is.

[happi-feet.livejournal.com]

I think Agent Mack is my favorite character (besides Coulson which, OMG, goes without saying, we all love Coulson) so far in this whole show. I LOL'd when he IDed on the comm as Agent Mack--because Mack trucks, hello. We should petition for more Agent Mack.

[fiveforsilver]

Yes! More Agent Mack!

[tardis-stowaway.livejournal.com]

I am with you on being emotionally invested in Agent Mack. I want him to be a regular. Now that Agent May is going to be doing more combat, they really should have a backup pilot. I bet as a SHIELD agent Mack can drive more than just a semi, so he can be the extra pilot and logistics guy.

The others will probably get more character development just by being in his presence. They can all have a singalong!

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I was like, "What? He's a SHIELD agent?" I never saw that coming because he looked and acted like, you know, a regular person.

I think a "kitchen table" would be a very good idea. I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure that working for SHIELD has gotta be a lot like the military (again, not that I know from personal experience) in that there's a lot of "hurry up and wait" involved in the job. Like...

Everyone else sits around for hours (and hours) while Melinda flies them halfway around the world. (This would be the perfect time for some kitchen table banter/character development.)
Fitz/Simmons sit around for hours waiting for a lab project to finish "baking". (I don't care how much of a genius you are, some processes just take time.)
Ward is an on-site killing machine (so we're told). So he's got nothing to do most of the time while on the plane, right? Except train Skye, I guess, and he can't do that all the time.

Coulson...could spend most of his "kitchen table" time bantering with everyone while he...does paperwork. Don't tell me SHIELD doesn't have paperwork. It's a bureaucracy. All bureaucracies have paperwork. It's an iron law of nature.

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

At least one of them has to be into video games. That crowd and nobody's playing Assassin's Creed or Pokemon or Legend of Zelda?

[kevin-hy.livejournal.com]

Now I want you to write a "Five Pokemon Phil Coulson Caught in His Downtime and One He Didn't" series of drabbles.

Don't side-eye me, you set this up. :-P

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I stopped playing pokemon in 1997. I wouldn't know where to begin.

[kevin-hy.livejournal.com]

"Corporal Poopyhead?"

"...what?"

"That's your rival's name? Corporal Poopyhead?"

"Put down my Game Boy, Ward. That's an order."

"Phil, you've gotta be..."

"That's. An. Order."

"Okay, boss."

*half an hour later*

Coulson mashed the B button as fast as his rusty thumbs would let him. One shake. Two shakes. *poof*

"Goddamnit!"

He'd been trying to catch Zapdos for twenty minutes. It'd cost him 14 Ultra Balls and 9 Great Balls so far. He was down to old-fashioned Pokeballs. And worse, Zapdos kept wearing away his Venusaur in between bouts of pissing him off by not staying in the damned ball.

"You know, that B button thing is a myth," Ward said, leaning on the office door. Coulson shot him an exasperated look. "Just sayin'," Ward added as he walked away.

Coulson threw another Pokeball at the Zapdos. One shake. *poof*

"Oh for the love of God..."

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

GALAGA, Sam, GALALGA

(I think that's the correct name of it? The one the operative on the helicarrier was playing?)

;)

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

LOL yes. GALAGA.

[(Anonymous)]

I am torn between that final training session being Kitchen Table and being Smart Mole.

After all, she'd just be told by the baddie that they consider her lack of family a resume feature.

[terrie01.livejournal.com]

Ward would instantly be 100x more interesting if they showed him playing Parcheesi. I bet he plays super cut-throat and is all "Just because it's a game doesn't mean you shouldn't take it seriously." And everyone else is all "Dude, it's Parcheesi. Chill." And even with all his attitude, Ward still can't beat Coulson.

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

Or they all try to talk him into playing some friendly, time-killing Poker with them while they spend 14 hours flying halfway around the world. He refuses. Repeatedly. "You wouldn't enjoy the game if I played."

Eventually they wear him down. He sits on the game, and he absolutely CRUSHES them (as in, there are tears and hurt feelings). And he admits that he can't _not_ play that way. Playing To Win (tm), which is what makes him such a killer field agent (ha ha), isn't something he can turn on and off.

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

Ah, see, but what I want is something that's not the murder machine. Like Jayne getting a hat from his mum in Firefly. I want him to be a little bit of an idiot and snort when he laughs and have no poker face because he has no people skills.

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

That's a point. I was going more for a "being a super commando bad-ass has costs you might not recognize" angle.

And speaking the kitchen table...I'd really like to see Skye sitting around reading some huge, incredibly dry tome that turns out to be the specs for some high tech network/software/system. Why? Because a) she finds it fascinating and b) that's a big part of how you become a world-class hacker.

[cookiemom6067.livejournal.com]

Just curious to know your reaction to some of the kitchen table type stuff that has been shown since this episode:Skye and Ward playing Battleship, the team playing Scrabble, May playing the shaving cream joke on Fitz..?

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

I've been really glad it's there; I still am not sure it's quite enough, but they definitely have been doing more development, which makes me happy :)

[cookiemom6067.livejournal.com]

God knows they could use all the development they can get!!!! They used to be cardboard, I think they're approaching plastic. Maybe soon they'll be real characters

[sanitylapse.livejournal.com]

OMG Sorry! They would have the most cutthroat games of Sorry ever!

They get pretty ruthless in my family. Once Cousin E was old enough to not cry every time she got sent back to start, all bets were off.

[taerowyn.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one who had the "Well someone's clearly a Fred Astaire fan" thought with the lab scenes?

ETA: You know they'll eventually do a bottle show on the plane...so maybe we can hope for some kitchen table in with whatever enemy in our midst plot that entails? Though agreed, would be better to see it throughout.

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

Sadly, while I thought that for a moment, I realised the reality is that someone watched Inception one too many times.

[taerowyn.livejournal.com]

Sigh....you're probably right. I'll just tell myself that Coulson would have come at it from the Astaire side of things.....

[maidenjedi]

Ditto, ditto, and double ditto. Joss' characters always get to have "pieces of flair" as it were. Would love some of that.

And the show Needs More Melinda May, so I am super glad Coulson pushed her buttons. She needs lines, she needs to be kicking ass. Stat.

GRAVITON. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gametopwii.livejournal.com]

Though perhaps if Coulson had been allowed to keep the fish tank? http://gametopwii.livejournal.com/

[valancy-joy.livejournal.com]

S'truth! Most new shows end up annoying me as the pilot (and/or first couple of episodes) will be all PLOT PLOT SFX PLOT and I'm sitting there all the plot is only interesting as it affect the people and if I don't care about the people I can't care about the plot!!!!

Wacky popcorn bowls are great ... but how much better if Fitz in over in the corner skiencing the popcorn (gourmet bunsen burner or high tech app either) and trying to pay attention to the mission feed, but getting distracted and/or trying to see if others want the extra special science popcorn etc...

:)

[dr-schreaber.livejournal.com]

yay I'm glad you like Skye; she is definitely my favorite after that last episode. (well other than Coulson because, I mean, come on.)

Maaaan kitchen table stuff is always my favorite part of anything (Buffy, Firefly, Avenger comics..) I kind of got that feeling when they were sitting around drinking - maybe when they were watching the slingshot in that last episode? I don't remember when exactly, but it was very brief. Needs moar Doing Normal Things.

It would be cool if they were still a non-cohesive team and Coulson has to implement Family Dinner Time so everyone learns to get along :)

[kayqy.livejournal.com]

Ward's character arc is so obviously "machinelike agent -> real person" that I can be patient with him as long as they keep giving us hints of progress (I liked the truth serum bit in this ep-- of course Coulson made it even better, but that's Coulson), but it's a shame that they can't give us more of a reason to root for him in the meantime besides Hot and Competent. It reminds me of the first time I saw Thor, and how even though I knew Thor would not remain an arrogant bully for long before learning about empathy and compassion and what it means to be truly worthy, it did not make the beginning of the movie any less cringeworthy for me.

Speaking of random tangents, has Stan Lee cameo'd yet? I would've noticed, right?

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

I wonder if they are aiming for the plane scenes to be the Kitchen Table. Sort of like Criminal Minds; they always end with some sort of narration as they're flying home on the plane.

[taerowyn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but that's not kitchen table for Criminal Minds. Kitchen table on Criminal Minds is Garcia at home/dating Kevin, Reid and his mom, Aaron and Jack, Morgan house-flipping and with his dog (Colby? Clooney? something), Emily being secretly a geek (and former Goth) etc. i.e. the things that round them out as people outside of who they are on the job. Plane in Criminal Minds is almost always still on the job cause it's mission prep or mission wrap-up.

Plane scenes for SHIELD could work if they weren't mission/training related...we just haven't seen that yet. Round out the characters with friends, partners, hobbies--who they are when they aren't extra super special secret agents...

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

I guess I see it that way because it always seems to be where they close the episode, and where they allow the viewer into their heads a bit more. Not that your examples don't do that-they do! But, since I don't always get to see the episodes, I miss some of their homier stuff.

I see what you mean, though; it's like NCIS:LA's Sam Hanna's wife suddenly showing up in an episode, when I never even knew he was married! (Although I guess that's due to a LACK of Kitchen Table, actually)

[ranuel.livejournal.com]

Skye is getting better. I think Ward needs to be fridged for her character development.

I yelled at the screen over the scene where she got caught. You're at a party in a huge house and you find a young woman looking lost and frustrated in the hall. Unless you have the script to tell you otherwise your first thought isn't going to be that she's a spy. You're probably going to give her directions to the bathroom.

Then Skye who has handled everything fabulously well at that point just loses it and blows her cover? I suppose it could have been a cunning plan to get captured and taken somewhere with a computer but it looked more like the writers needed her to get captured to set up the next scene and tossed her the stupid ball.

Agent Mack was great! If they brought him on as May's transportation assistant that would be wonderful. He'd be like Tiny in Battle of the Planets the regular guy who doesn't look like a superhero who still gets to help save the world every second Tuesday and then goes for a burger and beer.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but the young woman looking lost was saying something like "well what do I do". That's not something you say when lost and looking for the toilet. (Also, young woman who hacked her way into an invitation very last minute.)

[ranuel.livejournal.com]

She'd just tried a door that turned out to be locked. I still think she looked lost and maybe she'd thought that door was heading back the way she came. I think she could have easily talked her way out of it and he would have just had security keep a closer eye on her.

[maeritrae.livejournal.com]

I'm playing catch-up today and I did have a moment of DID PHIL JUST MAKE A SUPERVILLAIN???

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

GRAVITON.

YES HE DID. :D