Agent Carter Episode 8 Review: Its So Swell To See You. Isnt This Fun? (Season Finale)

It's hard to believe we're already at the end of season one of "Agent Carter". I guess that's what happens when there are only eight episodes. I must say I was a little disappointed in the finale. But before we get to the "why's", here's the basic happenings:

In "Valediction" what's left of the SSR team (remember Dooley was "hot vested" last week) visits a movie theater. Everyone is dead thanks to a gas released by Dottie. Sousa accidentally gets a whiff and tries to kill Thompson. He is finally subdued.

Stark arrives at the station. He of course is the creator of "Midnight Oil". It was originally designed for the government to keep soldiers awake for long period of times. It was stolen from Stark's lab and dropped on the Russians at the Battle of Finow (and we all know what happened there).

It turns out Ivchenko's real name is Johann Fennhoff (ie Dr Faustus in the comics). The SSR plans to use Stark as bait to capture the baddies. Meanwhile Dottie and Ivchenko head to the airport--I assume to steal a plane. Ivchenko hears on the radio that Stark is back in town. Slight change of plans.

Howard Stark Is A Hero & He's Brilliant & He's Handsome &He's A Stud In Bed...Blah, Blah, Blah.

During the press conference to honor Stark as a hero, shots are fired. Jarvis whisks him away but the driver of the car is working for the Russians. Remember he's the cop that pulled over Dottie earlier. Stark tries to bribe him-- first with a Cadillac and next with Rosalind Russell's phone number-- but to no avail.

Peggy figures out they're going to release the gas over Times Square during V.E. Day. We finally find out why Ivchenko hates Stark. His brother was killed in the battle of Finow. Ivchenko was only saved because he had a gas mask. Ivchenko hypnotizes Stark. Stark thinks of his greatest regret. It is in not being able to save Captain America. Off he flies to... somewhere. Of course Howard is unknowingly flying the plane that will drop gas on the inhabitants of Manhattan. Jarvis takes a plane and vows to shoot Howard if necessary.

I'll Just Quietly Sit Back Here And Watch

Peggy finds Dottie and Ivchenko's hideout. There is a great fight between Peg and Dottie. Mental note: scarves can fend off knife attacks. I must purchase a scarf... Anyway Dottie gets the upper hand. She says "I thought you'd be better". But Peg makes a comeback and throws Dottie out the window. She plummets to her death... or so we think. When Peg goes to check, all she sees is a puddle of blood. Dottie cant be killed that easily.
Peg tries to talk Howard down via radio. The tension mounts. They both miss Captain America but he's gone. Jarvis is very close to killing him when Peg finally gets him to snap out of it. The residents of New York are saved.

Ivchenko is about to make his escape when Thompson and Sousa show up. We think Sousa is about to kill Thompson due to being hypnotized but it's a fake out. Sousa is a smart guy and has earplugs in. Carter arrives back at SSR to the applause of everyone. Thompson takes all the credit for the mission though when a Senator visits. Yep that guy is still a jerk.

Peg & Jarvis Are One Of The Best Parts Of This Show

Sousa asks Peg out for coffee but she says she has to meet a friend. Jarvis and Peg bring Angie over to Stark's house. She and Peg can live there as long as they want. Angie is very excited. Jarvis gives Peg the Captain's blood. Stark thinks it was lost during the attach but Jarvis really took it. Peg tearfully pours out the blood while standing on the Brooklyn bridge.

A Touching Scene

And in the last scene we see Ivchenko in a prison cell with a face mask on so he cant hypnotize anyone. Didnt he remind you of Hannibal Lecter in "Silence of the Lambs"? There is another person in the cell. He hands Iv a pen/paper to learn all his secrets. The cell mate is none other than Dr Zola (who is a baddie in the MCU). Yep American is the land of opportunities.

We Hope To See You In Season 2 Zola

Favorite Quotes:

"Oh my gosh! I am just the silliest goose."- Dottie feigning innocence after being stopped by the police for running a red light. She can really turn it on.
Stark: "How does that (his mustache) look?" Jarvis: "Like a nest of spiders with very short legs."
"Your genius knows no bounds sir."- Jarvis to Stark.
Dottie: "You dont remember me do you? Stark: "You and I spent a nice weekend together not too long ago." Stark: "Is it Alice?" Dottie bunches him in the face. Too funny.
Stark: "Im not a bad person." Ivchenko: "Yes, yes you are."
"All I've done my whole life is create destruction"- Stark.
"It's so swell to see you. Isnt this fun?" Dottie to Peg right before she tries to bash her in the head with a baseball bat.
"Howard, you are the one person on ths Earth who believes in me. I cannot lose you."- Peg.
"Is it true you were hiding at the residence of Barbara Stanwyck?"- reports to Stark.
Stark: "I owe you another one pal." Peggy: "To be honest Ive stopped counting Howard."
"I know my value. Anyone else's opinion doesnt really matter."- Peg to Sousa.
"I appreciate the finer things. I just dont want to know what's happened in and on the finer things."- Peg to Jarvis at Stark's house.
"I used to be jealous of girls like you. I would have done anything to walk like you, to talk like you. But now I can be anybody I want. Maybe I will be an SSR agent next." Uh oh, we know we'll be seeing Dottie again.
"Goodbye my darling"- Peggy as she pours Steve's blood into the river.

BFFs Who Will Be In Danger If Dottie Has Her Way

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). As I mentioned previously, I was a little disappointed in the finale and here's why:

Peggy wasnt in much of the episode. It instead focused a great deal on Stark. This is not the "Howard Stark Show" writers! I believe the name of the show is "Agent Carter" hint, hint.
For a finale, the plot was lamo. After building up Ivchenko and Dottie, it turns out they're going to release gas over Manhattan because Iv hate Stark. His brother was killed by Stark's invention after it was stolen. Seems petty to me. There are plenty of other lofty reasons to create mayhem.
The fight between Dottie and Peggy was good (probably the best of the season). But I was hoping for something EPOCH. I am glad they didnt kill off Dottie though.

Oh well. All things considered I still love "Agent Carter". The sets and costumes are beautiful. It's great to see a girl kicking ass (and it's a girl that doesnt have any super powers). She has to live by her wits alone. I cant say enough good things about Hayley Atwell. She is electric on screen. I would watch her read the phone book (if we still had those). And the character of Dottie was perfection. I want to see MUCH more of her.

Do you think there will be a season 2? The ratings apparently havent been great. I hope so. There are plenty more stories that could be told. And since Ang now knows Peg's secret, she could join Peg and Jarvis on their next adventures. We still need to learn more about: Leviathan, the Black Widow program, Zola, the Red Skull, the origins of Hydra, and how the SSR became SHIELD (just to name a few).

If they have to pick between "Agent Carter" and "Agents of SHIELD" (which I hope they dont) my vote would be for "Agent Carter". Sorry, dont hate me. AoS has some great moments but I just enjoy "Agent Carter" and the 1940s better.