Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

If they keep this up (and with the Whedons at the helm, how can they not?) I'm looking forward to a long run from this show.

They're already weaving commentary into the fabric of the stories without it seeming plodding or intrusive. Characters have believable motivations for what they're doing, even if they seem controlled by outside forces. The writing is great, both in content and timing, which the characters are making excellent use of.

*Spoilers*

The tech is believable, albeit within the 'superheroes and aliens are
among us' world of SHIELD. There are cool gadgets and vehicles, but
they serve to bolster and support the characters, never taking center
stage themselves.

The characters are a good mix of the usual archetypes we can identify
with, plus a few like Agents Coulson and May who are used to walking
on a slightly grander stage and are sort of the parents to the rest of
the team. I'm looking forward to seeing the interplay between the team
that Agent Coulson sums up so well when he says, "We're not exactly a
team.". There are also plenty of opportunities for guest spots and
back door introductions of characters that will appear in later
movies.

They are (typical of Whedon productions) already laying the groundwork
for future reveals for most of the major characters. We have dangling
threads about Agent Coulson that are going to want to be unraveled in
due course. Also typical of Whedon productions are appearances by
actors from other Whedon works. Given Mutant Enemy's tendency of
working with top-shelf talent, I'm looking forward to seeing who else
pops up in future episodes.

So there's a first blush impression -

Writing - check
Characters - check
Cool toys - check
Intrigue - check
Humour - check

I know what I'll be watching (and reviewing) next week.