While most of DC’s heroes take the next couple of weeks off, Marvel’s Agent Carter comes to a conclusion for the season, and perhaps forever.
Title: “Hollywood Ending”
Director: Jennifer Getzinger
Writers: Chris Dingess, Michele Fazekas, and Tara Butters
Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter
James D’Arcy as Edwin Jarvis
Wynn Everett as Whitney Frost / Madame Masque
Reggie Austin as Jason Wilkes
Chad Michael Murray as Jack Thompson
Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark
Matt Braunger as Dr. Samberly
Lotte Verbeek as Ana Jarvis
Ken Marino as Joseph Manfredi
Enver Gjokaj as Daniel Sousa
Currie Graham as Calvin Chadwick
Damian O’Hare as Nick Driscoll
Tina D’Marco as Nonna Manfredi
Leslie Boone as Rose
Premise
Peggy and crew, Howard Stark, and Joseph Manfredi join forces to save the world and, ultimately, the entire universe. Unfortunately, they fail, as a stunned audience realizes the series takes place in an alternate Marvel Universe where it all ended in the 1940s.
Just kidding. [non-spoiler]The good guys win[/non-spoiler].
High Points
The episode handled the multiple relationship issues without feeling clumsy.
Low Point
The climax worked, but I never really felt like anyone for whom I particularly cared faced much in the way of danger. When someone finally did die, it was more of an afterthought, disconnected from the main plot.
The Scores:
Originality: 1/6 The ragtag heroes, including one villain, join together for the greater good and save the world with comic-book science (which connects nicely with other Marvel properties).
Effects: 5/6 The Crawling Zero Matter in the Dark scene worked, in a B-movie kind of way. The finale was adequate, but a little underwhelming.
Acting: 5/6
Emotional Response: 5/6 That cliffhanger will make for a bittersweet ending if we never see Season Three. I’d really like a Season Three, though I think it should take place in the 1950s.
Unfortunately, Agent Carter underperformed this year in the ratings.
Story: 5/6
Production: 5/6
Overall: 5/6 This wasn’t the season’s strongest episode, but it brought the show to a satisfactory conclusion.
In total, “Hollywood Ending” receives 31/42
I really loved this season. I liked how things referenced came back as important, that we had interesting character development, etc. It was really well written. Admittedly, the finale wasn’t exactly original in concept (as noted above), but it was interesting to see something that didn’t turn into a massive brawl with such a super-powered individual. (Seriously, how could Peggy and Co. directly take on someone like Whitney, given her capabilities at this point?! I think they learned well from their previous interactions.) It was smart. Really entertaining. :-D
And not only are we left with who killed Jack and why, we still don’t know what the Pin was for.