Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is back from its week-long hiatus. Has it improved during the break? Blair Marnell from CraveOnline's TV Channel stops by to help the team discuss the relationship between Fitz and Simmons, Coulson's monologue about dying, and a lot more. How does the show seem like it's going to tie into the films? Is there a relationship square going on between Fitz, Simmons, Ward and Skye? How does this episode's structure improve on what we've seen before? And is Melinda May completely asexual? Tune in to find out.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro, honorary members

6:31 - General thoughts on the episode

10:22 - The cold open and possibility of Graviton

14:25 - The alien helmet

16:50 - Fitz, Simmons, and sloppy relationships

24:20 - Ward can't punch a disease

25:32 - Coulson talks about dying

32:07 - Agent Blake's small role

37:10 - Coulson and May, Fitz and Simmons

44:57 - Tying it into the movies, keeping the budget down

50:44 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

There was no Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode this week, but that didn't stop us from recording a show! Special guest Kriss from The Insanity Report podcast stopped by to take a look back at the first five episodes of the season and discuss where the show might be going from here. How will the Marvel One-Shots be intersecting with the show? Could Titus Welliver's Agent Blake be a recurring character? How can the show improve its characters and structure? Plus, answers to listener questions.

NOTE: This episode does contain potential spoilers for Captain America: The Winter Soldier based on the trailer.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro, honorary members

7:48 - General thoughts on the show so far

17:55 - Characterization and structure

26:50 - "Item 47" and Agent Blake

39:00 - Coulson, the potential to take risks

46:07 - Rod keeps shipping Ward and Skye

50:40 - Listener questions

58:50 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

It turns out giving yourself a superhero name is a bad idea. In this episode, the S.H.I.E.L.D.C.A.S.T. is joined by Russell Hainline from Movie Mezzanine and The Long and Late Movie Show. They discuss everything from tv tropes to politics to whether the show needs to be more like Cop Rock. Is Scorch a good villain of the week? Are shows like this inherently conservative? Is Skye's big secret a satisfying reveal? Tune in to find out. Plus, the team inducts a new honorary member, and Bibbs explains how the Marvel universe is often depicted... in the Marvel universe.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro, honorary members and synopsis

6:25 - General thoughts on the episode

12:04 - Scorch: he has a NAME

21:33 - Manning, Snowden and the show's conservative politics

27:50 - Is Miles really a bad dude?

32:25 - Skye's big secret

44:38 - How close to our universe is this? Is The Avengers a movie in this universe?

46:58 - So, there are mutants, right?

48:04 - Graphic violence and casual killing

50:20 - The titular girl in the flower dress

55:40 - Problems with the "monster-of-the-week" format

1:00:38 - Cop Rock, the bracelets, and other miscellaneous thoughts

1:05:34 - Listener questions

1:14:20 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

The S.H.I.E.L.D.C.A.S.T. is joined by Oliver Sava from the AV Club to discuss the fourth episode of the first season, "Eye Spy." Pascale Armand guest stars as a rogue agent trying to steal secrets, but there's more to her than first meets the eye--literally. How is this episode aesthetically different from the previous three? Are we likely to see mutants in the near future? And is developing more Marvel shows for television really the best idea in the long run? Tune in for discussions on all this, and more. Plus, Oliver and Bibbs educate non-comic enthusiasts on SHIELD's potential enemies, and the gang welcomes an honorary member of the team.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro, honorary members and synopsis

6:20 - General thoughts on the episode

11:07 - Pascale Armand as Akela

16:03 - Coulson is acting differently, unclear character motivations

21:14 - Surveillance, funniest bits

26:51 - More graphic than previous episodes

32:56 - The opening sequence

35:54 - No ESP or mutant powers

40:16 - Is Coulson being monitored?

43:16 - The lighting and "look" of the episode

45:25 - Oliver eductes us on AIM

51:31 - Do we really want more Marvel shows?

1:01:34 - Comparisons with Arrow, other miscellaneous stuff

1:07:25 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

In the third episode of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., "The Asset, " the team encounters a mysterious element that can alter gravity. Have we just witnessed the creation of this season's Big Bad? Who is this character in the comics, and what makes him such a compelling villain? Is it fair to criticize the show for its depiction of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Big Brother? And is the show a visual disappointment? Tune in for discussions on all this and a lot more! Plus, things go a little off the rails when the S.H.I.E.L.D.C.A.S.T. starts discussing the sexual tension between Skye and Ward...

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro and synopsis

4:09 - General thoughts on the episode

6:25 - The opening action sequence

8:47 - Ward and Skye character development

16:37 - Dr. Franklin Hall as a potential Big Bad, whether SHIELD is good or evil

29:03 - Who is Graviton?

37:00 - Bibbs' general thoughts on the episode; the visual style and direction

44:30 - The benefits of using lesser-known Marvel characters

50:57 - Alyssa Rosenberg's article, the theme of surveillance

57:37 - So much sexual tension!

1:05:31 - Listener questions

1:18:48 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, the S.H.I.E.L.D.C.A.S.T. analyzes "0-8-4," the second episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Is this an improvement over the pilot? Does Clark Gregg have range as an actor? Are there so many Marvel references that the show is incomprehensible to casual fans? Is Skye a weaker character than everyone else, or do people single her out just because she’s a girl? And could romantic relationships ruin the show or make the characters more interesting? Tune in for discussions on all this and a lot more!

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro and synopsis

5:21 - General thoughts on the episode

9:36 - A team, not individuals

12:56 - Agent Coulson and Clark Gregg's acting ability

20:45 - Too many callbacks and references? Will casual fans understand everything?

30:22 - Episode structure, campy plane stuff

37:17 - On-the-nose dialogue

39:47 - What type of "magic" could the show explore, exactly?

46:39 - Examining the direction

50:42 - Skye, sexism and characterization

57:07 - Romance and other stuff

1:05:00 - Politics in the Marvel Universe

1:10:49 - Closing thoughts

1:12:43 - Listener questions

1:15:14 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

It's been hyped-up for years, and now it's finally here! Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has premiered, and in this episode the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.C.A.S.T. take an in-depth look at the pilot episode. Are the characters compelling? What does the show seem to be saying about institutions and the working class? How is it already being tied into the Marvel films? And a whole lot more, including listener questions.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro and info on live shows

3:10 - General thoughts on the pilot

8:40 - The characters

16:56 - Ensemble cast; who is the protagonist?

20:47 - The thematic subtext; whether institutions are good or evil

23:22 - S.H.I.E.L.D. as NSA-like invader of privacy

25:40 - Racial subtext, S.H.I.E.L.D. as The (White) Man

33:31 - Is Marvel now The Man?

37:43 - Meshing with the films; when is this taking place?

46:57 - Truth serum, Lola, the score

57:41 - Listener questions

1:02:36 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

If you're a fan of Marvel superheroes and Joss Whedon, you'll love Film Geek Radio's latest weekly podcast! Tune in every week to hear in-depth analysis of the new ABC television series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. from a panel of professional critics and comics enthusiasts. In this pilot episode, Andrew Johnson is joined by William Bibbiani, Gwen Reyes and Rod Morrow to discuss what they're hoping to see in the series and the potential for Marvel to bring some of their lesser-known characters to the small screen.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro and info on live shows

4:32 - The hosts' experience with comics, Joss Whedon, etc.

11:31 - What we're hoping to get out of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

15:23 - Episodic structure vs. serialization

20:17 - Potential to explore the Marvel universe

25:00 - Ways to tie it in to the film series

31:40 - The limitations of television

35:37 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening!