Agent Carter – “I know my value”

“I conducted my own investigation because no one listens to me. I got away with it because no one looks at me. Because unless I have your reports, your coffee, or your lunch, I am invisible.”

Official synopsis:

Years before Agent Coulson and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team swore to protect those who cannot protect themselves from threats they cannot conceive, there was Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell, Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), who pledged the same oath but lived in a different time when women weren’t recognized as being as smart or as tough as their male counterparts.

But no one should ever underestimate Peggy.

It’s 1946 and peace has dealt Peggy a serious blow as she finds herself marginalized when the men return home from fighting abroad. Working for the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve), Peggy finds herself stuck doing administrative work when she would rather be back out in the field; putting her vast skills into play and taking down the bad guys. But she is also trying to navigate life as a single woman in America, in the wake of losing the love of her life, Steve Rogers – aka Captain America.

When old acquaintance Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, Captain America: The First Avenger) finds himself being framed for unleashing his deadliest weapons to anyone willing to pony up the cash, he contacts Peggy – the only person he can trust – to track down those responsible, dispose of the weapons and clear his name. He empowers his butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), to be at her beck and call when needed to help assist her as she investigates and tracks down those responsible for releasing these weapons of mass destruction. But Jarvis, who is a creature of habit and sticks to a rigid daily routine, is going to have to make some major life changes if he’s going to be able to keep up with Peggy.

If caught going on these secret missions for Stark, Peggy could be targeted as a traitor and spend the rest of her days in prison – or worse. And as she delves deeper into her investigation, she may find that those she works for are not who they seem, and she might even begin to question whether Stark is as innocent as he claims.

With Avengers: Age of Ultron taking by storm the box-office and with Ant-Man getting ready to close the curtain on Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two project, I just wanted to get my thoughts in order for the mini-series Agent Carter.

With the One Shot attached to the Iron Man 3 DVD/Blu-ray materials delivering an insight of the future of Peggy after the events in First Avenger, Agent Carter managed to raise eyebrows, get rave reviews for Hayley Atwell and at this point the fans wait to see if the series will receive a season two or a new show will be crafted in its stead – maybe S.H.I.E.L.D. the early years?

What we got from Agent Carter? (I really, don’t feel the need to put together a review since I truly enjoyed the series and I want to point out some useful details which might be further developed in other MCU shows/movies):

* Howard Stark – In Captain America: The First Avenger, we got to meet Tony’s dad and see the personality resemblances between the two Starks. In Agent Carter, we delved a little bit deeper – the show wasn’t named The gallivanting adventures of Howard Stark, featuring Peggy and Jarvis – and had a few extra details.

*Howard is afraid of water – mentioned by Peggy as a sordid details about how the elder Stark tried to kiss her on V-Day and ended up in the Thames. Maybe is nothing but maybe it’s a family trait. Tony Stark had been waterboard tortured in Afghanistan. Could it be a nod from the screenwriters? Could it be that Howard had experienced a similar treatment? We don’t know but no one can’t stop us from speculating.

*Howard’s family was poor. As stated by Tony’s father, the Stark grandparents come from humble origins – his mother sewing clothes and the father selling fresh fruits. Howard has clawed his way to the top and made a name for himself. He used his wits, he lied, he liked to show in public he made it big but there’s a dark secret. His genius and his ruthlessness mean he isn’t an individual who lets his emotions take over – like father, like son. The only one who managed to crack a little his armor was Captain America.

*Howard is haunted by his past. It might be another family trait passed down from generation to generation with the Starks. Howard has dabbled with some sinister creations as we’ve seen in Agent Carter, experiments and creations which further solidified his perception that he has to leave a much ‘brighter’ legacy to mankind. Being part of the Super Soldier program, Howard saw in Captain America a lighter side, a better side of his work. Instead of destroying, he helped the army and humanity. Fast-forward to Iron Man 2 and a certain speech Tony stumbles upon from his dad, Howard has pursued the path of redemption through his son. Still, we wonder if a second season of Agent Carter – set maybe in the ’50  or the ’60 might follow the Vanko story line as well.

*The Proto-Black Widows program. It made us jump from our seats when we saw Dottie attacking her opponent Black Widow style and we got a few details on her past. The proto Black Widow program was using little girls and creating a perfect assassin/weapon but what was the goal? We saw Dottie was working with Doctor Ivchenko. Was the good doctor part of the Program? Had he paid for a Black Widow to help him?

*Black Widows/Leviathan/ HYDRA. The last episode of Agent Carter put doctor Zola and Ivchenko in the same cell. We know from Captain America: The Winter Soldier that HYDRA scientist managed to become part of S.H.I.E.L.D. and corrupt the organization, Zola being one of the main ‘heads’. Will be Ivchenko recruited by Zola? Will the Black Widows program be revealed to Zola? Will Leviathan, in one shape or another, become a new enemy in further MCU movies and series.

*Ivchenko’s ring. One theory circulating among fans is that Ivchenko’s ring might one of the Ten Rings and thus announce the real Mandarin. Why not? The question remains how and when will it resurface and with the Infinity Stones being the main objects of the MCU, the ten rings could crowd the story lines. Or not.

*Peggy’s husband. We learned through Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the good agent married and had children. Brace yourselves for the myriad of theories of husbands and children, one theory even puts Phil Coulson as one of Peggy’s children. The mini series was smart in showing how Peggy dealt with the loss of Steve and didn’t throw her in the quest of finding a new love of her life. The best moments of the show came from showing how Peggy finally accepted and in a beautiful way, let go of Steve. Some say agent Sousa might be the candidate, some say that even Jarvis has a shoot – but what about Anna? – yet, we’re left to guess who ended being the man who woed Peggy.

*Edwin Jarvis. Bless be the creators and the casting agents, James D’Arcy is the perfect choice for Jarvis and we’ve learned a thing or two about the butler who raised Tony and remained a dear memory to the scientist – among so many Jarvis details, I will cling to the evidence of how much Jarvis death left an emptiness in the Stark household. Jarvis was one of the A+ elements of the series and I would love to see more – maybe in Ant-Man even if that means, D’Arcy would have to undergo some hours in the make up chair for the ageing effect. The fact remains, I want more Jarvis in MCU.

*The future of SSR. Through the One Shot from Iron Man 3, we’ve learned that Howard established S.H.I.E.L.D. and recruited Peggy as one of the leaders and that brings me to what some also hope to see…that’s right a series about the early days of S.H.I.E.L.D. and how HYDRA infiltrated. If the producers work to have a mini series to fill the break before other episodes of AoS come on screen, this is a potential show filled with MCU goodies. Or a series dealing with The Howling Commandoes.

There many elements which made this series a great one, Hayley Atwell being excellent and fleshing out Peggy. I honestly want more on this side of MCU aka the early years. These type of series could venture in the Black Widows program, maybe create a mini series with Scarlett Johansson if the producers don’t go for a standalone movie – the first years as a Black Widow; maybe more on the Winter Soldier, a mini series focused on his missions. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at how Netflix is operating, ABC doesn’t go into darker, grittier territory and is family friendly. Give Agent Carter or another past-dealing series to Netflix.

“Agent Carter” is a little series with a lot of good things but with poor ratings. The reviews were good yet the faith of the show is uncertain as we wait for the news of a potential season 2 or the ax.