I've Become An Obsessive Fangirl (Marvel's Agents of SHIELD - TV-PG)

Hello lovelies! Holy cannoli, do I have a recommendation for you... Last week, I didn't blog a thing because I was too in love with this show to watch anything else. I just had to power through it and after a weekend of reflection, I'm ready to share my thoughts. This show blew my mind wide open and I have been obsessively fangirling over it for days.

Image credit: www.mtv.com

If you're expecting a Disney Channel-esque show depicting teenagers going on daring missions for the Avengers - you'll be quite surprised. No mouthy teenagers, no Disney Channel feels in this show. Agents of SHIELD is straight up adult and takes itself just as seriously as the Marvel movies do. The show, created by Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, & Firefly) and a bajillion other brilliant minds, tells SHIELD's side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe story.

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SHIELD, or the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, is the acting government agency that takes responsibility for all things alien, paranormal, and superhuman here on Earth as directed by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). The show follows a particular team of agents led by Philip Coulson (Clark Gregg) who are on a mission to track an organization that is trying to create a superhuman solider with abilities similar to Captain America. The team includes Skye the hacker, Fitz and Simmons the brilliant scientists, Melinda May the total badass extraordinaire, and Grant Ward who is basically just there to make 'smolder' faces in the background. They are all fabulous and will win your heart in an instant. I honestly can't pick a favorite character from either season... though I couldn't tell you how many times I called Coulson some variation of "you precious butterfly" throughout my crazy binge-watch of the show.

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Beware, further description gets a little spoilery. (It's super hard to avoid with this show and I am so sorry!)

Did you know that all of the recent Marvel movies are meant to correspond to the same timeline? Agents of SHIELD falls on that very same timeline and if you watch the show, you'll notice all of these crazy intersections where giant things that happen in the films are referenced in the show and expanded on. The show even sets up certain elements for future movies that I am super excited about.

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Both Seasons 1 and 2 are currently on Netflix to stream and Season 3 is set to premiere in September. Season 1 primarily focuses on Skye's introduction to the SHIELD agency, Coulson's Tahiti mystery, and the establishment of the team's dynamic. But you better hold on to your seats as you get to about episode 15, because the end of the season starts clear back there - and it is a wild wild ride. Trust will be broken. Season 2 centers around the rebuilding of SHIELD, Skye's new abilities, and a sketchy secret safe-haven for gifted people.

Seriously the show blew my freaking mind with how everything lined up perfectly. It was like reading comic books - except watching them on television! Ah, the intersection! So in terms of the shows put-together, so much love. And the characters are fascinating! They each have their own subplot and character development that occurs alongside the main plot. They are weighted and complex and it feels just as if you were connecting with one of the Avengers characters. It's beautiful, trust me.

Video credit: Marvel Entertainment, YouTube

One major critique of the show that I have is a lack of leading diversity - which I suppose is not so much a critique of the show as it is a critique of Marvel's mainstream content in general. The show does feature several fantastic POC characters that are dynamic and influential of the plot and I would love to see more of that in the coming seasons. I truly think a strength of this show is it's ability to allocate time to all of the characters' developments and subplots pretty equally, especially in Season 2.

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So that was a hefty binge! But OH MY GOSH SO WORTH IT. I adored this show so much as a Marvel fan. While those who may not be so into the superhero world will likely not have the same appreciation for it as those of us in the particular fandom, the show gets a great review from me. I even got my mother into it! Rating: 4.5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.

Everything I Know about Fashion, I Learned from Betty Suarez. (Ugly Betty - TV-PG)

Let me tell you about this little show my brother and I binged about a year and a half ago. It was the bright colors and aura of sass that caught our attention. When we found Ugly Betty on Netflix, we were hooked.

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This show was actually a big part of my decision to get involved in mass media. I find Betty super inspiring. She's honest about her fears and her insecurities. But she takes major risks on a daily basis despite them because she knows that there is the potential for great payoff. Her coworkers at the fashion magazine try to tear her down, and sometimes it gets to her. She doesn't lie about not caring what others think...she does...but she makes an effort to be herself anyway. This is who she is. Unapologetically. 

Video credit: FilmsLobby, YouTube

The show, being about a fashion magazine, also brings about some interesting social commentary. From Season 1, Betty and Daniel Meade try to take the magazine in a different direction. They're tired of working with plastic looking models and publishing editorials about eating disorders. 

We get an inside look on a cutthroat industry...these people can be downright evil to each other just to move up in rank. But Betty doesn't play their game. She tries to come by success honestly and...in the end, that pays off immensely. 

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So if you're looking for a quirky, but heart-felt comedy to binge. Ugly Betty would likely suit your fancy. Rating: 4.5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.