Episode #19: Season 1, Ep. 16 -- End of the Beginning

Andrew has an update on what's going on at Film Geek Radio this summer.

Just when you thought the SHIELDCAST was over... we're back with a special bonus episode! Special guest Simon Abrams from RogerEbert.com joins the team to take a look back on Season 1 as a whole. Was it everything we hoped? What could it have done better? What were the best and worst episodes? And is it really possible for anybody to like "The Well"? Tune in to find out. Plus, listener questions.

SHOW NOTES:

2:26 - Intro
5:27 - General thoughts on Season 1
23:06 - The racial politics of the Marvel universe
28:05 - The best and worst episodes of the season
39:00 - The characters and how the show ties into the movies
55:20 - Season 2 and the nerd compulsion to stay involved
1:02:37 - Listener questions
1:08:12 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

It's the end of Season 1 of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.! Is "Beginning of the End" a satisfying conclusion to what by most critics' accounts has been a rocky season? Join Andrew, Rod and Bibbs as they give their thoughts on how the finale played out. Was the FitzSimmons predicament solved too easily? Was the action well-constructed or just confusing? Was Andrew ultimately won over by Paxton's performance? How does everyone feel about the characters overall? Tune in to find out. Plus, listener questions.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
4:40 - General thoughts on the season finale
9:50 - A refusal to commit to a direction
18:10 - Fitz and Simmons under the sea
27:10 - Action scenes, editing in the climactic confrontation
35:20 - The weird bleeding guy, character backstories
41:10 - The season as a whole
46:20 - Crazy Paxton, Graviton and more
50:27 - Listener emails and questions
1:01:46 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, the gang discusses Ward's backstory and how "Ragtag" sets the pieces in place for the season finale. What's going on with Rayna, and how is she suddenly a super scientist? Is Garrett transforming into a supervillain from the comics? Was any of Ward's backstory effective this time around, or was it just a repeat of "The Well"? Tune in to find out. Plus, the SHIELDCAST gives their predictions for the finale and says how they'd like to see the season end. And of course, they answer listener questions.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
6:40 - General thoughts
10:53 - Rayna's secret science knowledge, Garrett as Deathlok
15:06 - Ward's backstory
24:15 - Predictions for the finale
27:40 - Heist scene
37:00 - Listener emails and questions
46:20 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

Maria Hill returns to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in "Nothing Personal," while May searches for the man behind Project T.A.H.I.T.I. and Skye tries to outsmart Ward. Is Fitz's breakdown appropriate? Is Deathlok's return a welcome one? What's up with General Talbot? Is the reveal about Coulson's brainwashing all that surprising or game-changing? And just what is the deal with that Man-Thing reference, anyway? Tune in to find out. Plus, Andrew, Rod and Bibbs go over some listener emails and questions.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
4:03 - General thoughts on the episode and Man-Thing
15:25 - Fitz has a breakdown
21:31 - General Talbot and Andrew's thoughts
25:20 - Deathlok is back; Ward and Skye's relationship
34:20 - Coulson brainwashed Coulson
40:46 - Other random stuff
48:26 - Listener emails and questions
1:04:00 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

Quick, break out the restraining orders! Things get stalker-y again in "The Only Light In The Darkness," this time as a supervillain hunts down Coulson's favorite musician. What do Bibbs and Rod think of this depiction of Blackout? Does "The Cellist" live up to the hype? Just how evil is Ward deep down? And who will win in the battle for Simmons' affections? Tune in to find out. Plus, the team addresses listener emails and questions.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
7:18 - General thoughts on the episode
15:55 - Ward is super evil
24:12 - Blackout
28:57 - Fitz gets friend-zoned
31:03 - Evil Ward
34:34 - Listener emails and questions
49:00 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

Oh no! HYDRA has infiltrated the SHIELDCAST! In this episode, Rod reveals that he's been working for HYDRA the entire time, and he brings on a new team of co-hosts to discuss "Providence." Kriss from Movie Trailer Reviews, Sterling from Gaming And Then Some, and Karen from The Black Guy Who Tips stop by to talk about Ward's betrayal, Fitz's anger issues, Coulson's falling out with May, and Patton Oswalt as Agent Koenig. Plus, is it really fair to reviews shows episodically on a week-to-week basis? Tune in for all that a lot more on... the HYDRACAST!

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
6:53 - General thoughts on the episode
16:53 - Ward's fake romances
24:45 - Special effects and tech
31:17 - S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what it used to be
36:30 - Fitz is mad about life, May's concerns about Coulson
43:38 - Patton Oswalt as Agent Koenig
51:59 - Villains on the loose; is Garrett the Grim Reaper?
58:47 - Judging shows too early
1:04:14 - Other stuff, listener questions
1:10:45 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

Nobody can be trusted in "Turn, Turn, Turn," so can the writers be trusted to deliver a quality episode? This is the second tie-in episode to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and there are some major events going down. Are there too many twists? What is the future of S.H.I.E.L.D. and our team of agents? Is it possible Ward is still working for Coulson? How should Season 2 be structured around future films? Plus, Andrew and Rod go over listener questions and email.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
6:53 - General thoughts on the episode
11:40 - Too many switched loyalties
17:33 - How it relates to Captain America: The Winter Soldier
20:00 - What is S.H.I.E.L.D. now? Does it even exist?
28:08 - The Clairvoyant's identity is revealed
34:42 - Ward turns traitor
39:42 - Other stuff
48:40 - Listener questions
1:04:53 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

Finally! The last mid-season break is (supposedly) over! "The End of the Beginning" represents a major turning point for the show, as it directly ties into the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Is this a satisfying twist for the MCU? Who is The Clairvoyant? Has all the relationship drama run its course? Is being forced to follow events in the movies hurting or helping the series? Tune in to find out. Plus, the team discusses listener questions and email.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
5:12 - Bibbs gives brief thoughts on Captain America: The Winter Soldier
9:00 - General thoughts
16:44 - Deathlok gets a rocket launcher
20:21 - Berserker Ward, Melinda May's "betrayal"
25:40 - Following film canon
35:13 - Comic references and the Clairvoyant
37:33 - Relationship stuff
48:00 - Feedback: Brad Dourif and the misogyny of "Yes Men"
1:04:07 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!

This week on the SHIELDCAST, Andrew has a few technical difficulties, but Rod and Gwen are here to keep the show going smoothly. Both Lorelai and Lady Sif make an appearance in "Yes Men" -- is the execution of this comic and movie tie-in better than what has come before? Now that the dynamic between May and Ward is getting messy, what does that foreshadow for the future? When will Skye start to question what S.H.I.E.L.D. is doing? How much does Thor: The Dark World impact what happens in this episode? And just what is up with all these breaks, anyway? Tune in to find out. Plus, we go over listener emails.

SHOW NOTES:

0:50 - Intro
4:55 - General thoughts
14:07 - How do the Clairvoyant's powers work?
19:01 - Paxton power
22:50 - What is the "uprising," exactly?
25:50 - Weird blue people
33:27 - Killing random guards, blowing up mountains
39:40 - Lorelai and the closing scene
43:50 - Listener questions
1:01:48 - Show close

DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing shieldcast@filmgeekradio.com or by leaving a voicemail at 336-793-2509. Thanks for listening!