Although Warner Bros. and DC currently have a major chokehold on superhero television, Marvel Studios has done an incredibly admirable job of playing catch up. Between Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Agent Carter, Marvel has created programs that suit just about every taste and tone imaginable. However, there’s one Marvel show we can never forget: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. A new “honest trailer” for the ABC series has hit the web – and absolutely eviscerates it; check it out below.
Coming to us courtesy of Screen Junkies, the honest trailer points out the fact that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. represents somewhat of an Achilles heel for Marvel Studios. Populated by unknown characters, it often relies on name-dropping the generally more interesting aspects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to keep audiences entertained. Remarking on the central cast, the trailer points out that none of the titular agents are particularly noteworthy, and that the show often relies on cameos from low-level characters like Lady Sif and Jasper Sitwell.
One of the major problems Marvel has created for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the separation of TV and films at Marvel Studios. Although both mediums exist to create a cohesive cinematic universe, the higher ups at Marvel have admitted in the past that they are still separate entities that can complicate one another if they mix too often. Even Joss Whedon himself has gone so far as to assert his own belief that Coulson is still dead in the Marvel film continuity – which makes the very premise of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a bit tricky. Then there’s the fact that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pretty much had to abandon its initial premise following the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, because the Marvel films saw fit to completely destroy the shady organization.
However, it’s not all bad. The trailer makes a point to remark on the fact that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is still decidedly better than it has any right to be when one considers things like budget constraints. It’s a show that’s beholden to the events that occur in the Marvel films, but still manages to strike out on its own and create something entertaining. That's a remarkable achievement when we consider that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. connects to the greater MCU in a much more substantial way than any other Marvel TV property.
In the end the trailer really exists to poke fun at the series in a lighthearted manner rather than provide any sort of hypercritical analysis. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – despite all the melodrama – doesn’t take itself overly seriously, which often makes it incredibly ripe for parody. Whether or not you’re a fan of the ABC Marvel series, the above video is more than worth your time. You can catch the series when it returns to ABC on Tuesday, March 8 for the rest of its third season. Here's when your other favorite TV shows are returning.
