AGENT CARTER: “Better Angels” {Roundtable}

We’re back again with a new set of questions and new adventures for Peggy and the SSR.

1. Wilkes. Discuss your feelings, be it on his reputation or anything else.

MARVEL’S AGENT CARTER – “Better Angels” – Peggy’s search for the truth about Zero Matter puts her on a collision course with her superiors as Howard Stark barnstorms in, on “Marvel’s Agent Carter,” TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)
HAYLEY ATWELL, REGGIE AUSTIN

Roz: Well, you know, I’m happy of one side, but the idea of him being thought as a spy makes me squirm. So I guess that’s normal. But, getting him back is good, if not great.

Rueben:  I’m glad he’s back too even if it is more on a corporeal level than anything else.  He and Peggy obviously have great chemistry; and I’d love to see them get vindication for him being falsely accused of being a Russian spy.

Karen: I love him so far. I’m hoping he’s not a spy, but since they made him likeable, he’ll probably end up a bad guy just so I’ll get mad, right? *grumble*stupidWard*grumble*

2. So the lapel pin is for the Arena Club: a very old boys club in Los Angeles. Does this show need more old boys networks to get in Peggy’s way? Or is this par for the 1940s course?

Roz: I think it has to happen because Peggy needs many an obstacle in her way. Only this time these men need to just learn that we ladies do have a lot to do with the success of the country.

Rueben:  Sadly, I think it’s just par for the course given the time period, but I agree with Roz that the men need to learn that women have much more to contribute than they expect.  Although that being said, we can’t change how men behaved in that time period, can we?

Karen: Definitely nothing new for the time period, but I was hoping we left the sexism behind (at least for the most part) in Season One. They touched on racism very tastefully in last week’s episodes – I love that they deal with time-sensitive issues in a modern-day way without hitting us over the head with them. Carter is so forward-thinking that the issues don’t even apply to her, but they would definitely go on around her, so they should show up on the show… for realism’s sake.

3. Thompson is back and being his usual self. Do we want to see a point at which Peggy isn’t fighting a battle against him and the whole system? If so, is it today or has Thompson not done something too horrible yet.

Roz: I want Thompson to stop being such a bull in a china shop with Peggy, and I think he’s well on his way to being horrible, though not quite at the point of no return.

Rueben:  Now that he has seen the headline in the Arena Club – the one that Peggy told him about – I’m hoping that will make him second guess his decision and perhaps, just perhaps, he’ll work from within to dismantle them/get to the bottom of what they are doing – probably without telling Peggy, Souza or anyone else for that matter, but maybe he can redeem himself that way even if he doesn’t seem to be the type who would realize he needs to be redeemed.

Karen: Ugh. Well, we knew he’d be all up in her grill since he’s still on the show, but in the second week? Damn. Go back to NYC already! He’s not made for California. On the other hand, Peggy does need someone to be sandpapery with, and he fits the bill. It’s kinda nice that it’s not a romantic interest. Her life is complicated enough in that area.

4. Peggy Carter vs Whitney Frost. Your thoughts: go!

Roz: I want Peggy to win this long battle, but I think Frost has something on everyone, including Howard and Wilkes.

Rueben:  Another female adversary for Peggy!  I think this time around, though, that Whitney will have the upper-hand on Peggy simply because of the power the Zero Matter gave her.  I don’t think Peggy can fight her way out of whatever Whitney can do with that kind of super-human power.  It will be quite a battle.

Karen: Well, coming from my Comic-Book reading background, she’s definitely going to be formidable with a capital EFF. Human vs. Meta/Inhuman is always a recipe for tension creating situations. She’s going to be a very complicated character on the show, especially as they’ve set up her backstory as the aging Femme Fatale. Double Whammy that one. Nice husband manipulation in this week’s episode as well.

5. Masked men and an alarm system. What else do you expect to come from Peggy digging into the Isodyne lab incident?

Roz: More threats, larger numbers of masked men to kill our team, and probably a few scars for Peggy to sport.

Rueben:  I think this is just the beginning of the battle and I’m a little concerned what will be thrown in Peggy’s way.
Sidenote:  How cool was it to hear Jarvis’s voice on the alarm system and his saying that he doesn’t like the idea of being a disembodied voice.  Foretelling, right?

Karen: Well, she can’t help herself, can she. It’s a mystery to be solved, and that’s her thing. She’ll be in danger all season, but what else is new. 
@Rueben: Jarvis’ voice was an adorable Easter Egg. They have unlimited possibilities to poke fun at themselves with all the storylines that are happening in their “future”.

6. Rate the episode from one to five red hats, five hats being the best thing since coffee.

Roz: I give it a solid four hats, for some cool science and a good battle in a pool.

Rueben:  Agreed, four red hats, for the pool fight scene alone but also the clever way Peggy got in and out of the library and that secret meeting room.

Karen: Thirded – four red hats from me as well. Season two is off to a great start with the action scenes and drama. They set up Jarvis’ fighting skills so well last week that his poolside rescue felt 100% true. I love how they’re seemingly tying the show into the rest of the Marvel properties (AoS, Civil War, etc.) and I’m excited to see where they’re taking it.
Sidenote: LOVED seeing Barney from Parks & Rec as “Torrance”. They’ve been putting some great guests in tiny roles and I. AM. DIGGING. IT. So far we’ve seen Matt Braunger, Randy Sklar (RIP Creepy Director), and John Balma (Torrance). In a very small role, we even see next weeks Bizarrogirl (Supergirl), Hope Lauren.