In this episode, the SHIELDCAST is privileged to bring on Todd VanDerWerff, the TV Editor of The A.V. Club, as a special guest. Todd watches a lot of television, and he shares his thoughts on how Marvel's venture on to the small screen stacks up against the rest of what's out there. How come "The Hub" looks so much different from other episodes? Is S.H.I.E.L.D. itself being set up as the primary villain? Does being tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe limit what the show can do creatively? What's going on with Coulson? And where's Squirrel Girl, anyway? Tune in to find out. Plus, we answer a few listener questions.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro

4:34 - General thoughts on the episode

10:02 - Better production design

18:06 - The use of The Hub

25:45 - SHIELD as the villain, tying in to Thor: The Dark World

29:43 - Whether being bound to the MCU limits the show creatively

38:50 - Cool tech

41:12 - Is Coulson a robot?

45:47 - Skye's parents, Fitz and Ward, Simmons' seduction

54:24 - Playing with tropes, writing for actors

58:55 - Crazier superpowers

1:06:02 - Listener questions

1:12:34 - 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!