Agent Carter: “Monsters” Review

Dark (Force) times begin.

The second of the two Agent Carter episodes this week was even better than the first. Dottie’s dialogue about how little torture would affect her was great – “I’ve pulled out my own teeth, my own nails, my own hair… I’ve burned my own flesh with a blowtorch” – especially because we knew she was telling the truth… at least about being that tough. Plus, having her tied to a chair like that, facing down Vernon and letting him know how little she was worried by him, was a nice echo of how we first see Natasha in the first Avengers movie.

All of which made it all the more notable when she gave up all the information she had immediately once Whitney used her powers on her. This was a very effective way to show yeah, what Whitney does is that horrific. So much so that it can break a Black Widow.

We got a nice bit off differing viewpoints here as well regarding what to do about Dottie, as Wilkes didn’t just suggest leaving her with Whitney, but actually using the necklace they made her wear to kill her. Peggy insisting that Dottie be rescued because she was now her responsibility may not be what some would agree with, but it sure felt like something a woman Captain America could love would do.

The love triangle aspect with Peggy getting kissed by Wilkes right after she almost kissed Sousa is a bit silly – but at least there was some funny lines about it later, as Jarvis noted, “You have gone from famine to feast with two quality suitors.” And Wilkes being able to figure out how to return to his normal self, albeit only within that machine, was at least a big enough moment to warrant him doing something so impulsive.

The scene where Ana and Jarvis spoke about her newfound concerns about his adventures was terrific and made Ana all the more endearing, as she did not go the frustrating route (so often used in TV) of insisting he stop doing the cool thing we love watching the show for — a position that only serves to turn an audience against a character — but instead let him know she supported him still, but only asked, “Allow me to wring my hands from time to time.”

…Of course, once that happened, Ana immediately was put in horrible danger herself. And it sure worked dramatically. Even as it felt pretty inevitable things would happen as they did, seeing her try and stop Wilkes’ abduction and then get shot herself was an awful, impactful moment to watch unfold… Though given she survived the initial shooting, TV history indicates she’s probably going to live.

The fact that Jarvis so quickly turned so dark when he heard what happened was very powerful, especially on the heels of how much Jarvis has been used pretty much entirely for comic relief this season. James D’Arcy proved again what a great actor he is showing how Jarvis was affected by Ana’s shooting and Peggy sitting by his side in the hospital as he waited was a sweet/sad moment showing the close bond these two have.