Forces continue to align against the seriously injured Agent Carter with Dottie captured, and Whitney Frost now in charge and on the rampage. Meet me after the jump for my thoughts on “Monsters!”
Kiss and Tell
We open on an Anvil Studios press conference where actress Whitney Frost, veiled of course, announces the death of her husband and several associates at sea. She’s quite the actress, almost channeling Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford with her deceit. Frost looks directly at Peggy during the proceedings, as if to assure her she knows she’s marked.
Meanwhile elsewhere, Vernon Masters prepares to interrogate Dottie. It’s almost a flirtation, this pre-torture chat, bringing out the best in both actors. Bridget Regan and Kurtwood Smith are wonderful here, verbally parrying at their villainous best. I almost wanted to see them kiss more than Peggy and Sousa last episode.
Sticky Wicket
In keeping with the soap and joke theme of late, much time is given to Peggy’s romantic interests. Between Sousa, Wilkes, and yes, even Jarvis, it’s beginning to feel like a soap opera. I swear, if it wasn’t for the humorous tone one might think they were watching “Arrow.” This could be a great period espionage series if it didn’t seem like it was being constantly sabotaged.
We have finally Wilkes becoming himself again, and a steamy (at least in theory) kiss with Peggy. There’s also poor broken engagement Sousa who missed his kiss and is being squeezed by Masters. Then we have poor loyal Jarvis, who we know will be getting hurt as soon as he promises his wife he won’t. Married or not, the writers keep using him as a romantic partner. The situation is far more frustrating for viewers than for Peggy.
The Trap
While Peggy and Jarvis make a far too easy and fairly ridiculous attempt to rescue Dottie, they don’t realize Whitney Frost’s real target is Wilkes. When Frost and Wilkes meet however, it’s a battle for the zero matter. He wants hers and she wants his. When her Darth Vader join me speech doesn’t work, she and Manfredi take Wilkes by force.
Before they go, as Peggy and Jarvis arrive, Frost shoots Ana, ironically after stating that she’s not a monster. But it does stop them and allow the baddies to escape. As we close, things are at their darkest. Sousa has been beaten and removed as chief of the SSR, Dottie has also escaped, and Peggy and Jarvis wait while Ana is in surgery.
As The Bride often asks at points like this, “Is it time for the good guys to win yet?” I wish this season would decide what kind of show it wants to be and get to the point. I’m not digging it right now.
Next: The Edge of Mystery, and A Little Song and Dance!
I agree. Not digging the melodramatics this season. But fear not, at least Dottie is back on the loose. Hopefully that will heighten that good old “spy vs spy” vibe.
I don’t see Jarvis and a replacement ‘romantic partner’. He’s more of the traditional ‘sidekick’. Innocent, a bit clutzy, but always there when the ‘hero’ needs backup. I like that the writers are brave enough to show how close they are without having to use the ‘sexual tension between colleagues’ trope. And he’s truly/madly/deeply in love with Ana.
However, given that it’s canon that Peggy marries someone who Cap saved in Europe, and Jarvis served in Europe, who knows where they will indeed end up! 🙂