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.

GIF credit: rebloggy.com

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.

Image credit: denofgeek.us

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.

Next Stop Knowledge! (Girl Rising, I Know That Voice, Superheroes, and Inequality for All)

I am a gigantic lover of documentary films and my passion for them has only grown with the aid of Netflix. Netflix has a documentary category filled with films from every perspective about every detail about life - history, science, economics, daily life, sexuality, gender...EVERYTHING. Here are some of my recent favorites currently available on Netflix.

Girl Rising (2013):

Video Credit: Girl Rising, YouTube

Girl Rising follows the stories of nine girls growing up in different parts of the world. If you aren't passionate about increasing access to education and literacy around the world, I strongly encourage you to watch this film. It could open your mind to statistics you didn't even realize and show you just what education can do to better the world. Rating: 5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.


I Know That Voice (2013):

Image Credit: www.imdb.com

This film follows the many voice actors that play the many iconic characters from the cartoon world that are so dear to you and me. The actors describe how they got into the business and will even give you some pointers on how to make yourself versatile in the voice industry. Rating: 4/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.


Superheroes (2011):

Image Credit: www.hbo.com

Have you ever read the graphic novel or seen the film Kick Ass? Did you know that there actually is a community of real life superheroes living in the United States? These real life superheroes have a somewhat strenuous relationship with the police departments. Some worry that because they don't have formal training in the law and law enforcement, they are putting themselves in a very dangerous position with real criminals. These superheroes have a genuine passion for helping people. But the documentary raises a question of deviance. It takes a certain amount of deviance to be a superhero, but where is the line between vigilante and lawbreaker? Rating: 3.5/5 pints of Ben & Jerry's.


Inequality for All (2013):

Video Credit: RADiUS-TWC, YouTube

Robert Reich is a hero. I saw Inequality for All for the first time just after I finished economics my senior year of high school. The film blew my mind wide open at the real injustice of the U.S. economy. Reich very clearly explains the the problems in the current economic state and how we got here. He also describes how to solve the crisis of inequality...and why the government isn't doing it. Even those with barley any background in business and economics can understand this documentary easily and enjoy it for Robert Reich's humor and sass. Rating 5/5 pints of Ben and Jerry's.