Let us give thanks to this golden age of superhero television by remembering ten shows of the past and present whose impact cannot be understated
7. Marvel’s AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
Similarly, it’s hard to remember the days when Marvel’s AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. was considered “alright” as a superhero show. Anyone who stuck around during Season 1 will tell you the same thing: it got better after the WINTER SOLDIER tie-in episode. Suddenly the “clean-up team” of the week broke free of its movie constraints and embarked on its own colorful exploration of MCU lore.
From the Inhumans to Ghost Rider to the Kree in space (and the far future), AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. really has it all. Much like ARROW, it turned unknown or in-universe characters into fan-favorites and provided them with engaging character moments to keep us invested. Hell, the show even features a romance so genuine you WANT to see the characters come out on top (#Fitzsimmons forever!) No member of Agent Phil Coulson’s team feels expendable- they’re a well-oiled crew whose moral center is constantly tested by larger than life threats.
S.H.I.E.L.D.’s characters are underdogs, even if their roster includes two Inhumans, two genius scientists, and a soldier with a shotgun axe. The storylines are compact yet well-written enough to fit within the 22-episode line-up, usually a detriment to most shows in the subgenre. This is easily the show’s greatest strength-it feels like it’s going somewhere and makes you excited to figure it out. Somehow, this makes its narrative a lot tighter than most of the dramatic Netflix storylines.
