Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC TV Show)

[chadizzy1]

Originally Posted by KevinTH5

Bought the blu-ray of Arrow last week and been catching up on the last half of Season 1. I'm absolutely hooked on that right now and just couldn't bring myself to jump ship and move back to the Marvel universe last night. I'll probably catch this online once I'm caught up with Arrow. Arrow also has some cheese to it (it IS on the CW), but it really is an awesome show. Anyone else watch it? When you say S.H.I.E.L.D. can be cheesy is it comparable to the cheesiness in Arrow? Worse? Better?

I think I'm the only one watching Arrow:
http://www.antsmarching.org/forum/sh...d.php?t=317511

[DMBzilla]

Originally Posted by Hilly

Oh, hipsters....

Oh, Hilly....

The Sopranos
The Wire
Breaking Bad
Mad Men
The Walking Dead
Homeland
Game of Thrones
Boardwalk Empire
Bates Motel

The only current network shows that even approach the greatness of those listed above are Hannibal (which doesn't feel like a network show in the least) and Modern Family, and it's really not close.

That said, I plan to give The Blacklist, Agents of SHIELD and Sleepy Hollow a shot this fall.

[thebridge15]

I'm pretty sure the last network show that I watched week to week was Lost.

[DMBzilla]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

I'm pretty sure the last network show that I watched week to week was Lost.

Mine was/is Hannibal. Absolutely fantastic first season, and they were very smart to go the 12 episode route instead of 27. I think moving forward you'll see more networks follow suit.

[Rebecca De Mornay]

Originally Posted by Hilly

Oh, hipsters....

probably couldn't be any less of a hipster.

[Balor3012]

Parks and Rec and Community totally suck.

[Balor3012]

Also zilla you just named some of the best shows ever, and some that aren't even on anymore. It's not like non network shows are always awesome.

[MOWJO8185]

I mean, I don't watch network shows to be wowed and really watch the envelope be pushed in the TV medium, but there are plenty of network shows that are good solid fun and entertainment. Network dramas that are actually done really well include The Good Wife and Parenthood. And on the comedy side, I love New Girl, and have been enjoyed Community and Parks and Rec, among others. My all-time favorite shows all reside on cable, but when my wife and I have to take work home, we turn on a network show while we work and we really enjoy them. It's just good solid fun, not really meant to provoke or make you think.

[chadizzy1]

Originally Posted by DMBzilla

Mine was/is Hannibal. Absolutely fantastic first season, and they were very smart to go the 12 episode route instead of 27. I think moving forward you'll see more networks follow suit.

Hannibal is genius, it is so well done.

[DMBzilla]

Originally Posted by luccic12

Also zilla you just named some of the best shows ever, and some that aren't even on anymore. It's not like non network shows are always awesome.

You're right, but in the pantheon of great television the overwhelming majority of the best all-time series didn't come from network.

I will say that the one big exception to this are comedies. The best network comedies go toe-to-toe with the best cable/premium offerings.

[MOWJO8185]

Originally Posted by DMBzilla

You're right, but in the pantheon of great television the overwhelming majority of the best all-time series didn't come from network.

I will say that the one big exception to this are comedies. The best network comedies go toe-to-toe with the best cable/premium offerings.

In the last 15 years, yes. I'd say there are more network shows on a "best all-time series" list than cable all in all, although to be fair, cable TV original scripted programming has a much shorter history than network.

[junior94]

Just watched the pilot. The main chick Sky, holy crap she looks eerily like she could be Michelle Branch's long lost sister, only she's even a hotter version of her. And I'll freely admit this even though it'll probably make me look stupid I couldn't figure out until almost at the end whether she'd actually been working with Shield all along, or she was someone they were trying to recruit new. It's just that, once Coulson had drugged Ward instead and let her question him, when Coulson had his first little scene with her afterward, there suddenly seemed to be such an ease and comfort in their conversation, like the whole thing was sort of a con from the start so Coulson could in fact learn more about Ward (who he obviously had doubts about at the start). But of course by the end it was blatantly obvious she was a new recruit.

But overall I did really like it, and nice touches so far to the overall universe. Now, has Whedon or any of the other writers already ruled out the "secret" to Coulson living is that he's actually a clone (only HE doesn't know it)? Because that was the first and most obvious guess that occurred to me. So I thought maybe the writers would do something like that similar to what Lindelof did with LOST right back at the start, state clearly that it wasn't all just purgatory since that was an obvious first guess there.

[MOWJO8185]

Also, this show rocked it in the ratings last night. 4.6 in the 18-49 demo. Biggest debut for a drama in 4 years.

[DMBzilla]

Originally Posted by MOWJO8185

In the last 15 years, yes. I'd say there are more network shows on a "best all-time series" list than cable all in all, although to be fair, cable TV original scripted programming has a much shorter history than network.

What shows, and how long a list are we talking?

[MOWJO8185]

Originally Posted by DMBzilla

What shows, and how long a list are we talking?

Well, I will admit to having skimmed over your exception to comedies, and I think my argument for more network greats than cable probably depends on having comedies on my list. But still, here's a list of dramas I thought of in like 5 minutes that I think would belong. They may not hold up to modern audiences that are used to the things they see on cable, but they were all revolutionary for their time.

The West Wing
Hill Street Blues
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Friday Night Lights
Twin Peaks
Homicide
Northern Exposure
ER
The Rockford Files
L.A. Law
NYPD Blue
Lost

[junior94]

ahh, I remember the old days when the majority of the discussion in the thread was about the actual Shield show...

[DMBzilla]

Originally Posted by MOWJO8185

Well, I will admit to having skimmed over your exception to comedies, and I think my argument for more network greats than cable probably depends on having comedies on my list. But still, here's a list of dramas I thought of in like 5 minutes that I think would belong. They may not hold up to modern audiences that are used to the things they see on cable, but they were all revolutionary for their time.

The West Wing
Hill Street Blues
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Friday Night Lights
Twin Peaks
Homicide
Northern Exposure
ER
The Rockford Files
L.A. Law
NYPD Blue
Lost

The two that I immediately thought of were Twin Peaks and Lost, and I'd also include Freaks and Geeks on that list as well.

However, excluding miniseries like Planet Earth, IMDB's ten highest rated TV shows are:

1. Breaking Bad
2. Game of Thrones
3. The Wire
4. Sherlock (British)
5. The Sopranos
6. Arrested Development
7. Firefly
8. Dexter
9. Avatar: The Last Airbender
10. Twin Peaks

You can see the full list here -- http://www.imdb.com/search/title?num...type=tv_series

[DMBzilla]

Originally Posted by junior94

ahh, I remember the old days when the majority of the discussion in the thread was about the actual Shield show...

Maybe you should ramble incoherently for three paragraphs to get us back on track.

[MOWJO8185]

Originally Posted by DMBzilla

The two that I immediately thought of were Twin Peaks and Lost, and I'd also include Freaks and Geeks on that list as well.

However, excluding miniseries like Planet Earth, IMDB's ten highest rated TV shows are:

1. Breaking Bad
2. Game of Thrones
3. The Wire
4. Sherlock (British)
5. The Sopranos
6. Arrested Development
7. Firefly
8. Dexter
9. Avatar: The Last Airbender
10. Twin Peaks

You can see the full list here -- http://www.imdb.com/search/title?num...type=tv_series

Yeah, the list isn't shocking, as it skews toward more recent shows in general. I feel like the history of television has largely been a process of building upon itself, and while shows like The Wire and Breaking Bad are largely considered the best shows ever, it took a show like Hill Street Blues to really introduce that gritty style (alcoholic cops and generally very flawed heroes). I think someone who watched Hill Street Blues today after watching The Wire would probably find it very dated and tame, but it sort of paved the way for shows to push the envelope even more. And for that reason I think they are incredibly important to TV history and belong on any all-time best list.

But like I said, I didn't read your comedy comment initially, so not sure there's any need to talk about it anymore, as I don't think I even disagree with you.

[junior94]

Originally Posted by DMBzilla

Maybe you should ramble incoherently for three paragraphs to get us back on track.

hey c'mon, it's no more than 2.

[Roose13]

Just started watching this. Interesting so far.

[clayj41]

Originally Posted by MOWJO8185

I mean, I don't watch network shows to be wowed and really watch the envelope be pushed in the TV medium, but there are plenty of network shows that are good solid fun and entertainment. Network dramas that are actually done really well include The Good Wife and Parenthood. And on the comedy side, I love New Girl, and have been enjoyed Community and Parks and Rec, among others. My all-time favorite shows all reside on cable, but when my wife and I have to take work home, we turn on a network show while we work and we really enjoy them. It's just good solid fun, not really meant to provoke or make you think.

Best comedy on television right now.

[Roose13]

I like it a lot. It's definitely interesting, entertaining and has a Marvel movie feel to it.

[Tomriddle]

The writing was generally solid, particularly for a pilot...


Only thing that bugs me, all of the actors besides Gregg and Chloe Bennet are just the most boring, generic people. Particularly the guy who's supposed to be the moody 'tough guy', Jesus Christ.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by clayj41

Best comedy on television right now.

Hate that show.

[uro55]

Originally Posted by Rebecca De Mornay

If you're watching network television you're doing it wrong.

Solid pilot I think, not always looking for groundbreaking art, sometimes just want to be entertained for an hour and it did that great.

Although the main "tough guy" cant act his way out of a wet paper bag.

[thebestauntie]

Originally Posted by uro55

Solid pilot I think, not always looking for groundbreaking art, sometimes just want to be entertained for an hour and it did that great.

Although the main "tough guy" cant act his way out of a wet paper bag.

I don't think he was hired to act anyway.

[whodat]

Anyone watch Eps. 2 last night? Caught bits and pieces, and I missed the previews for next week, but my son was going nuts.

Nick Fury was in the preview

Click the "Show Spoiler" Button to reveal hidden text.

[Drwbllz]

Eh, it was OK. I'm starting to lose interest. Aside from Gregg, I feel most of the actors are terrible and borderline painful to watch. Also, the action scenes last night were dreadful.

[WidespreadMule3]

^agreed. I'm gonna go ahead and stop watching it until someone recommends it to me as amazing. It was too cheesy, too neat and clean action wise. The show has fallen into so many other network cliches. It had potential but would have been way cooler if FX had done it instead.