(Marvel Studios 2016)

Summary: It’s 1947, one year has passed since Peggy took on the remnants of the Nazis and came out victorious. But not all wars are won after just one battle, and Peggy’s journey to build a life for herself after the war continues. This time in L.A. after a mysterious new substance called Zero Matter has cropped up and begun wreaking havoc. Agent Peggy Carter has been dispatched to find the answers behind this new threat, and along the way she is joined by old friends and new enemies. Season 2 is finally here, and what tale it shall be…

Episode 8 – “The Edge of Mystery”

Directed by Metin Hüseyin; Written by Brant Englestein

Episode 9 - “A Little Song and Dance”

Directed by Jennifer Getzinger; Written by Michele Fazekas & Tara Butters (Teleplay by Chris Dingess)

[SPOILERS!!]

Review: Okay, okay. So it must just be me at this point but no matter what transpires this season I don’t ever find myself getting truly excited for anything. Instead this season, overall just feels empty and devoid of real, true heart. Yeah, characters are staring to act like themselves now and I am really happy to see Whitney taking on the true villain role finally.

But at the end of the day by the time these episodes come to an end all I feel is nothing. Is it that the earlier episodes have just dissuaded me of this season altogether? Or perhaps I’m still bitter about the overall handling of the zero matter subplot which still makes very little sense even with me knowing that they’re building to something and should reveal all in the season finale.

It’s all just so boring. Even the opening of the rift failed to impress me. The best parts of these episodes involve Jarvis who is at the moral center of this entire show. I’m truly happy Anna is okay, but I do feel bad for her and Jarvis. Neither of them deserve what bad things have happened to them however I was impressed with how calmly Peggy broke the news to Jarvis that yes, it sucks Anna got shot. But it isn’t her fault, nor is it truly anyone’s fault but Whitney’s in the end. Though Jarvis did willingly choose to keep going on these adventures after his initial duties were over with and now that he’s feeling the effects he’s blaming everyone else but himself.

It’s a powerful scene that’s set-up when Jarvis actually has the courage to shoot Whitney point blank without hesitation which is another great moment. Sure she comes back because Zero Matter also makes you immortal it would seem but I am truly happy with the way the writer’s are handling Jarvis’ character this season. He’s showing real growth and I love that.

I also enjoyed the addition of a gamma cannon, especially since it gives a good pretext for how the Hulk will one day come to be. Not with this gamma cannon, but you get the reference none-the-less.

Jack continues to be a sour character and I truly think unless there is some big redemption moment in the finale that they’ve completely ruined his character  from the growth we saw him display at the end of season 1. True at the end of the day he’s just trying to do what he thinks is right to protect U.S. soil but his overall attitude feels like season 1 first-half Jack. Not respectable Jack who is still kind of a douche but fully understands how hard his fellow agents work to save the world.

At the end of the day I think my girlfriend Megan said it pretty perfectly when we finished up these episodes, she said: “There’s so much going on and it just feels like it’s all being dragged out. I really just want them to get to the point already.” And  I couldn’t agree more. This whole season has felt a bit needless in the grand scheme of things and in many of the goings-on of the events that have led up to this point.

If you wanna get back on a nicer subject however I really like Whitney’s old consort Joseph Manfredi, he’s funny and delightful to watch on screen. He really embodies a bit of the cliches attached to Italian mobsters right down to the inclusion of his high strung and equally as hilarious Italian mother.

I also really thought the musical number at the beginning was a great addition however I’m not sure what the message really was supposed to be about. Other than perhaps Peggy singing about whom she should choose: Wilkes or Sousa, but in the end whom she chooses here has absolutely zero hold on the story as a whole. Say unless her feelings lets Wilkes get away now that he’s turning into a monster, or attempts to foolishly keep Sousa from getting killed because of her feelings.

In the end though I have zero interest in Peggy’s post-Captain America romantic life. She isn’t the type of woman to really get hindered by all that stuff, at least that’s she shouldn’t be this far in the story and her character.

One episode to go guys. I’m really trying to like this season but overall I just haven’t been impressed yet. Let’s do this!

Final Score: 2 Atomic Blasts out of 5

Derrick is a born and raised otaku with a love for comics, anime, manga and movies. The full list is pretty long, but that’s just the basics. Stories set in space are his bread and butter.

You can find more of his writing at IndieComix.net

@KazekunForever