I live in a world filled with amazing Marvel TV shows and movies yet somehow Agent Carter still only lasted two seasons. I live in a world where Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was given a chance to grow and become riveting, but had a shaky start and an uneven though riveting sophomore year. I live in a world where DC Legends of Tomorrow exists. Whoever said that merit matters obviously never saw Agent Carter, a stunning show that only lasted two seasons! I finally got a strong female action hero with an amazing story and lush period visuals only to have it ripped away from my screen with much of the story left untold! (I haven’t seen Jessica Jones yet so don’t write me. I’m not trying to slight that show’s hero. I just haven’t gotten to her yet.)
Agent Carter had a perfect first season. The second season of Agent Carter was not perfect, but in comparison to most shows, it was. The second season transferred Agent Carter from NYC to LA to help the recently promoted Daniel Sousa. The villain was a superb foil for Agent Carter and a historical shout out to Hedy Lamarr. Whitney Frost showed viewers how easily the world can pervert excellence into evil because of gender norms that stifled her gifts. Given different circumstances, Agent Carter and Frost could have exchanged roles of hero and villain. Agent Carter also revealed a tantalizing story of a secret, corrupt world of male power that foreshadowed a possible alliance with Dottie Underwood and Agent Carter. Agent Carter also finally made Chief Thompson interesting as he struggled with the idea of satisfying his ambition by joining this secret cabal or doing the right thing and facing his inadequacies. I applaud the introduction of Ken Marino as Joseph Manfredi, a gangster who unconditionally loves the villain, but is equally disturbed by her transformation. I also adored Rose, another overlooked agent.
The second season’s main weakness was divorcing Carter from her cover world of female friendship (miss you, Lyndsy Fonseca) and gendered restrictions that complicated her secret professional life. Agent Carter substituted friendship for romance. The romantic story lines were frustrating. She had a black male love interest who literally became untouchable because of his encounter with Dark Matter and became briefly corrupted by it thus keeping him out of the running. It was such an inadvertent shout out to the King & I. See we’re progressive and want an interracial relationship, but darn it, it just can’t be. Ralph Ellison called. He wants his Invisible Man back. I would rather that they just introduced the character and kept the romance out of it than the awkward and obvious contrivances of the storyline. A show can always use a blerd. Then Chief Sousa and Carter had to struggle with their feelings for each other that ultimately led to a cheesy culmination in the final episode. Also maybe don’t do a musical episode so early in the show’s life.
Side note: I am frustrated that we never got an explanation as to why Rufus Hunt, a hitman, was so unusally strong. We will never find out more about Agent Carter’s family or Jarvis’ story with Tony Stark! I love Hayley Atwell, but I will not be mollified and watch Conviction. I want Agent Carter back! Kickass chicks get the shaft if they’re not giggling, insecure schoolgirls. ABC has failed me!