Who The Cap Fits? Falcon and The Winter Soldier

Pardon my reggae reference, but I thought it fit nicely.  I'm not going to spoil the end until someone else does, but that shield, so shiny.  

I skipped all the articles I usually would read for this show, though I scanned briefly before watching.  It's off to a slow start, but I actually like the pace and the show itself.  Strong characters from the start, and hardly any background knowledge is really needed if you ask me.  They make some references to what has happened in the past, but that's not a bad thing.  This takes place in a world after 'The Snap' in the first Avengers Movie where Thanos snapped his fingers and all those people disappeared.  Pedestrians coming back (Like Falcon's sister) is a nice twist.  So there is some continuity, just like in WandaVision.  

These are some interesting themes, anyone else care to share their view or build on what I just wrote?  I'm going to pass on reading articles for now.  I will tell you that I won't spoil the ending unless somewhere else goes there.  One more comment and then I'm out - my daughter does not like him and we both think he will be gone by the end of this series (See my title and then go Ah Ha).  


It took me a while to (and Googling) follow the bread crumbs you dropped. A little obscure but nicely done.

There are some themes about soldiers returning from war. Bucky has to cope with things he did while under the control of Hydra. The dehumanizing aspects of war are highlighted here. 

Sam has to mend personal relationships which became strained while he was off fighting (and blipped). I think the scene in the Bank was all too familiar to African-Americans. Here's a man who has literally helped save the world (at least twice) and he can't get a bank loan.

It will be interesting to see how these themes play out, and how the experience of the title characters is contrasted with the character who was introduced at the end. What did he do to deserve the honor which was given to him?

I'm looking forward to the eventual introduction of Sharon Carter. She's a character who had potential but didn't seem to find a place in the movies after "Winter Soldier." I don't want her to end up as a romantic interest for either main character either ... I just want to see a strong female character in the mix.


You nailed some of the most important themes of that first episode, my friend.  Good show, old chap.  Thanks also for getting my tittle and actually googling it.  Are you hooked on that song now? It's a reggae cannon for me.

I'm going to go to that second theme, as they put a nice twist on it and tied in 'the blip' to boot.  Remember, they did that in WandaVision as well, but no one focused as much on it because.....well, it was Agatha All Along.  Where WandaVision was mostly about how Wanda manifested her grief so selfishly, this show is more about how the after effects of being gone for five years effect everyone.  I like that tie in, very smart.  It's also very COVID by the way - we have all been in this weird place for more than a year, and before that we were in the thralls of Cheeto Jesus and his disciples.  

The Bucky theme is a nice extension of PTSD from....oh, so many movies we could have a separate discussion.  They started this in Captain America The Winter Soldier, actually.  Continued it in Civil War, so that is a nice tie in for both characters.  I can't give much insight into the man wearing the Captain America suit at the end, except to say he won't be by the end of this.  Let me know if I can spoil it for you here, as it was for me yesterday.  Let's just say there is a certain action figure that is coming out soon that is a Captain America, and he is________.  See? I didn't spoil it too bad.  That could be as fake as the Charlie Brown movie, by the way.  

I think this series shows a lot of promise, even it it is also one season.  There is more here to build on stories to grow the characters.  Sharon Stone? Yes, she is coming back and no she will not be a love interest to either of those characters.  I'm sure many will speculate it, though.  When I was a big comic reader back in the 70s, she had a great run in the Captain America and the Falcon comic.  The art work was spectacular as well.  I'll try to see if I can find a picture and post here.  Story wise, Captain America has had some interesting twists and turns in the comics.  The first movie was actually one of the best Marvel movies made, in my humble opinion.  Even better than any of the Spiderman live action (Into the Spider Verse is brilliant, so it does not count).  



Sorry for the large image, by the way.  It's how the darn thing copied here.  I was looking at all these awesome comic book covers of Captain America and The Falcon, and that was not even my favorite when I posted it.  I just thought it was cool to post here being that replacing Captain America in the comics has always been part of the narrative.  They are not reinventing the wheel here, just putting a new cover on it.  Also, anyone catch little Bucky in the background?  Bucky was dead before Robin was, by the way.  I've not watched the next episode yet (is it even out?).  I will tell you they are still trying to figure out who should be the next Captain America, even in the comic book.  When I was reading in the 70s, 80s and early 90s, the shield was 'passed' at least four times that I can remember.  There has been some buz about Nomad in the movies, then there he was but no one really named him that and Steve Rogers was not wearing a mask.  Head scratcher that one, if you ask me.  Sort of like ignoring all the incarnations of Daredevil and Spiderman.  Then there was American Agent (anyone know who that is? Rumor has it you just saw him in this first episode).  


OK, so that was an interesting second episode.  I'm still processing, but I have to admit parts of it were interesting.  I'll start with the easy stuff, then move on to the strange things (hey! That would make a good name for a series....).

Replacement Cap:  While it's clear he won't last long as 'the' Captain America, it's clear they are setting him up to be in the universe in some way? Maybe not.  They did not explain it, but it's clear he and that other dude have a nefarious government agenda which may or not be tied in to SWORD?  I have no idea about that partcular story, by the way.  They are also not explaining much about him or his powers.  To say he 'tested very strong' is a cop out to the suit, if you ask me.  If he was another Super Soldier injected with the serum, then maybe I would buy into him.  Meh, give the suit up already and don't keep us hanging here fellas.  

Group Therapy:  I have to admit this was the most cringeworthy scene in the whole episode.  If I want a Dr. Malfi, we can talk about how well it worked in the Sopranos.  I think it's noteworthy to compare her to the woman therapist here, actually.  They could be in the same practice, if you ask me.  While I find the idea of it cute, it didn't progress the story for me and I actually didn't find the whole locked knees thing funny.  It was sort of a dud of a joke, and it made me wonder who was paying these knuckleheads to put that in there.  That might work in a movie, but a limited TV series? Should have left that footage on the cutting floor as they say (hey now!).  

Killer Queen in a Mask:  This was actually the most interesting part of the show, as that woman is.....who was that? What was her name? I forget and they needed a bit more of her and less of whiny super hero stuff in the episode.  

Overall score: Meh, 4/10 I just didn't care enough about the main characters in this episode, it was a disjointed continuation of the previous one and they crammed too many loose threads into it.  I feel manipulated.  


I'm six and a half minutes into episode 2 and I'm bored out of my brains. I think I'll start For All Mankind instead.



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