Review: Mad Men "Lady Lazarus

Non Spoiler Review:

Lady Lazarus revisits Pete's marital infidelities, but illuminates his misogynist motivations as he's presented with an opportunity with a lonely housewife. As the creative team works on a Cool Whip campaign, a secret Megan is harboring begins to infect the office (and Peggy), leading to a surprising outcome for SCDP.

Lady Lazarus refers to the suicide-themed Sylvia Plath poem. The Megan situation brought plenty of tension, and it's not what one initially thinks it could be, but there continues to be this ongoing string of death imagery that casts an unsettled tone over everything. Don and Roger again debate the generation gap, which has become the primary theme for this season. There was plenty of good drama, and a great fight between Don and Peggy, ending on yet another catchy and memorable musical montage.

Spoilers Now!

Pete shares the train with Howard, who tries to sell him life insurance but ends up talking of his affair in Manhattan. Pete's only comment is if he's worried he'll get caught.

With Don present Michael sells a pitch to Chevalier Blanc that hinges on using a song similar to the Beatles. Don asks Megan what song will fit the campaign rather than the others in creative, and he can't understand why people now want songs rather than jingles.

The next night Pete gets off the train and Howard's wife Beth meets him, explaining she locked her keys in the car and Howard wasn't on the train. He drives her home, and she says he's staying in the city given they got an apartment, though she knows what that means. She mentions Pete's awful driving, too.

He gets her home, but she laments Howard likely doesn't care if she's alive or dead. He boldly goes in with her but she protests she wants to be left alone. So Pete kisses her and they end up having sex. As much as she liked it, she says it can't happen again.

Megan gets a mysterious phone call, then later sees Don off on a client dinner. Peggy thought they were working late but Megan tells her Don has asked her to attend the dinner. Unfortunately Don calls Peggy looking for Megan so she explains she went to meet him at the restaurant. Don says he never called and is, in fact, at home. He phones Peggy again, but she doesn't answer and leaves given she doesn't want to be put in the middle of them.

Megan returns home explaining she went out for a drink with friends. The next day Peggy asks her what it was all about and doesn't want to be put in that position again. It turned out she had a callback for an audition for a Broadway show but didn't get it. Megan didn't tell Don because she doesn't want him to know she still wants to be an actress. She's finally realized she wants to quit. That makes Peggy furious given people are killing to take that job and she doesn't even want to do it.

Peggy goes on to her creative meeting for Cool Whip with Don, Ken and Stan. She's only further irritated when Megan joins them. She and Don have come up with a charming husband/wife bit for the campaign that everyone (but Peggy) thinks is adorable, and they're to present it to the Cool Whip chef at their kitchen.

However, Megan wakes Don up in the middle of the night to explain where she was and that she misses acting. Don isn't very alarmed that she lied, but tells her sometimes they don't get to choose where their talents lie. She claims she felt better failing the audition than succeeding with Heinz. She's never tried as hard at acting as she did at advertising and she no longer wants to do it. Don's upset that she wants out of the business, but says he understands and doesn't want to keep her from her dream.

In the morning, an uneasy Don speaks with Joan about Megan quitting. Joan suggests the girls take her to lunch, but she'll take care of everything. Megan announces in creative that she's leaving but has difficulty saying good-bye. She hands over her work to Peggy, who asks if she's sure about it. Joan tells Peggy she didn't see it coming, and thinks Megan will ultimately be a failing actress with a rich husband. Peggy thinks she's good at everything and feels guilty for being too hard on her. Joan reminds her Don met Betty doing a print ad and that's the kind of girl he marries.

All Harry can think is how nice it will be not having to watch what he says around Megan. Pete doesn't care and is bitter about women in general and why they get to control everything. Pete had contacted Beth and wanted her to meet him in the city but she asked him not to call again.

Don sees Megan off for lunch, then thinks about following, however the other elevator door opens and he stares down an empty shaft, which proves unnerving. He goes to have a drink in his office (rather than report it to maintenance!?). Ken marches in to tell them they found a song for Chevalier Blanc, which sounds nothing like the Beatles, and Michael is aghast that it's thirty years old.

Pete finds Howard on the train home again, so he lets him know he decided to get a new policy and already contacted his broker. Howard wants the chance to sell to him, so invites him over to discuss it at dinner. They arrive to a shocked Beth who feigns an introduction. As Howard goes upstairs Pete grabs another kiss and wants to meet her again. Pete ends up staying for dinner, though Beth claims she has a headache.

Without Megan, it falls to Peggy to fill in for her at the Cool Whip meeting, but Peggy isn't on her game as much as Megan was. The two lack the same chemistry—Peggy comes across as an angry wife while Don is just passive aggressive. Ken and the others watch the awkward pitch, and the chef is disappointed and excuses himself. Don chides her for not knowing her lines, and when she balks abruptly exclaims she felt threatened by Megan. Peggy protests that she defended her all the time and accuses him of taking out his anger at Megan on her.

Pete waits in the hotel room for Beth who never shows, and angrily leaves after smashing a glass.

Roger and Don discuss Megan's departure. Roger thinks she just wants a baby, but Megan has said Don's kids are enough. Don doesn't want her to end up like Betty, so she should do what she wants.

Don goes home, and Megan has recommended a song for the campaign before heading off to acting class—the Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows. He puts it on and it's far superior than Ken's choice. The episode ends with the song playing out over Peggy and Stan working late. Megan is enjoying her acting class. Pete sees Beth picking up Howard at the train station. She draws a heart in the condensation on her window. That just enrages him. Don doesn't like or understand the music at all and turns it off.

The Verdict:

Megan's departure wasn't entirely unexpected, though I'm pleased to see it was in this form, and not something related to the marriage. Don has certainly grown enough to realize his role in making Betty unhappy by robbing her of her own life, so he's wisely not going to make that mistake with Megan again. 

The plot was capped quite nicely with Megan providing the perfect music for Don at the end, despite Ken's horrible attempts to chose himself. Don's bickering with Peggy was a great (and funny) contrast to the initial amazing pitch. It seems Don can only be honest with Peggy, and not his wife. He certainly revealed his emotions to her, and she's come a long way that she can tell Don to shut up in front of Ken.

Pete's little fling really illuminated his character and his need to dominate women. He continues to attempt to emulate Don and fails miserably, frustrating him to no end. Beth was a bit of a kook, and it looks like she used Pete to get back at Howard as much as he was using her, but she remained in control of the situation despite all of Pete's best efforts. I get a sense that if Pete were to suffer a serious humiliation he could opt to off himself.

Don and Roger continue to struggle to understand the new generation they're selling to. After seeing Don grapple with the Beatles song (and even younger Ken not getting it), I'm wondering if SCDP can manage itself in this new era. But we got another great musical send off for Lady Lazarus, complete with archetypal brooding Don in chair with drink image.

Finally, the sense of impending doom continues to hover over the series, this time with Pete's (lack of) driving skills leading me to think he was heading for a nasty accident, as well as his discussion of life insurance. But then we get the elevator shaft scene with Don that was pretty chilling itself. Obviously it  brings a lot of stuff to mind (including the opening sequence), but very symbolic of being cut off from Megan. I'm pretty certain this means someone is going to die, and if not Pete, I now wonder if it could be Megan. It would definitely take Don's character in new directions if he were to lose her like that.

Review: Game of Thrones "The Ghost of Harrenhal"

Non Spoiler Review:

The Ghost of Harrenhal is another turning point episode that promises the remainder of the season is going to be one mass of crazy. Melisandre's plan has immediate political repercussions for Westeros, sends many on the run, and reforges alliances. In King's Landing, Tyrion turns his attention to investigating what defences the city has at its disposal and makes quite an ominous discovery. Across the sea, Daenerys finds Qarth full of surprises. North of the Wall, the Night's Watch is faced with meeting Mance Rayder's forces. At Harrenhal, Arya finds a new ally. And in Pyke, Theon and Yara prepare to set sail for their attack on the north.

This was a busy one, getting pretty much everyone involved aside from Robb. It jumps right into the action with a shocker (though not entirely unexpected). This moment provides a catalyst that reverberates across all the storylines and if things weren't already in high gear, they've certainly been kicked up a notch.

Everyone continues to get pretty fair screentime despite the enormity of the plotlines. Special note this week to the visuals—Qarth's vibrant colour palette really contrasts with Westeros' grimmer, earthy tones, and the scenes in the north were pretty spectacular, as well. Once again the series manages to convey an epic film style on a budget.

Spoilers Now!

Renly feels the Starks and Baratheons are natural allies, so offers Catelyn terms to take back to her son. He will destroy Stannis, and then together they will take King's Landing. Afterwards, he will allow Robb to call himself King of the North, as long as he swears fealty to him as Ned did to Robert. Catelyn seems to agree. However a wind blows through the camp, bringing Melisandre's dark offspring into the tent. It takes human form, stabs Renly to the horror of Brienne, and abruptly dissolves.

The kingsguard rushes in thinking it was Brienne who killed him, so she slays them. Brienne is despondent but Catelyn is frantic that they both leave, given how guilty they look. And she can't avenge Renly if she's dead. 

Baelish watches Stannis' ships approach the coast while Loras and Margaery mourn over Renly's body. He suggests Margaery and Loras return home, as Renly's bannermen will flock to Stannis. Loras doesn't believe Brienne killed Renly and thinks it was obviously Stannis. Baelish urges him to be smart. He won't be able to kill Stannis today, so he should flee and bide his time. Loras reluctantly agrees and leaves them. Baelish refers to Margaery as your grace, but she knows she's not a queen with Renly dead. Baelish asks if she still wants to be a queen. No, she replies. She wants to be the queen.

Stannis and Davos arrive at Renly's camp. Davos wants to speak about what he saw in the cave, but Stannis refuses. All of Renly's bannermen have joined him except the Tyrells. Davos suggests nothing is worth what it will cost him, and if he takes King's Landing with Melisandre at her side it will be her victory. Stannis agrees to hear him out. Davos reminds him she's a foreigner preaching a foreign religion and there are rumours that she whispers orders in his ear. He urges him not to lose those bannermen to her. Stannis decides to leave Melisandre behind and Davos will lead the attack into Blackwater Bay.

News of the murder reaches King's Landing, and Tyrion explains to his sister there are plenty of rumours—suggestions Renly's guard killed him, even that Catelyn Stark was somehow involved, but most likely Stannis. Cersei is pleased regardless, but Tyrion points out Stannis now has land and sea superiority. His sister remains unconcerned given Joffrey is taking personal charge of siege preparations and refuses to share any information with Tyrion about it.

Tyrion interogates Lancel and learns the king's alchemists are making wildfire to be launched from the city walls onto Stannis' ships and armies, given he overheard Cersei talking with the pyromancer.  Tyrion and Bronn walk through the city, as he tries to figure out what defences they have against Stannis. Tywin has been out of touch for weeks given he's busy losing to Robb. They come across a street preacher who is declaring Joffrey a rotten king. The king is a lost cause, Tyrion muses, and he's worried about the rest of them. However, he's alarmed to learn that people think Tyrion is pulling the king's strings, and the preacher refers to him as the deformed monkey.

Tyrion visits the pyromancer to see the wildfire—it melts wood, stone and steal and can't be put out. After the dragons died, wildfire was the key to Targaryen power. Bronn is skeptical given all the good soldiers are in the Riverlands, so he's doubtful people can man the catapults. They could just as easily burn down the city. They're taken to a vault where nearly 8000 jars are stored. Tyrion fears the contents could destroy King's Landing, and orders the pyromancer to make wildfire for him now, rather than his sister.

In Pyke, Theon takes over his ship, but his men offer him no respect. In fact one challenges his authority directly by suggesting he be made captain. Yara mocks him as she heads off to her 30 ships. His first mate is named Dagmer, and counsels him he'll need to prove himself to earn their respect. He offers up an idea that they attack a larger inland town called Torrhen's Square. Theon muses they would only be able to hold it for a few days until Winterfell sent soldiers, but then seems to get an idea.

At Harrenhal, Tywin gets reports that the northern lords are wanting to return home to get the harvest in before winter. He realizes he's underestimated Robb for too long and as long as he continues winning they'll believe he's king in the north. Tywin's growing impatient with his advisors and their lack of ideas. Arya continues to serve him and he asks where she's from. Maidenpool, she offers, but Tywin quizzes her on the names of her lords and she stumbles. He suggests she's a northerner. She wisely admits it, names another town and house, declares they call Robb Stark the young wolf and that he can't be killed. But she doesn't believe that—anyone can be killed. 

Arya runs into Jaqen and sees him in Lannister armor. She says she should have let him burn. He replies that all of them have since found their roles to survive in Harrenhal. He explains she saved him and the two men he was with, and so stole from the red god and that debt needs to be repaid by three lives. He tells her to speak three names and he'll kill them in payment. After a moment she offers the name of the torturer—the Tickler. 

North of the Wall the Night's Watch camp at a mountain site where the First Men stood before the Long Night. They rendezvous with another group of rangers under the command of Qhorin Halfhand, and have spotted a Wilding army in the distance. All the Wildings have joined Mance Raider, Qhorin explains, and they're nearly ready to make their move somewhere south. Mance will have them organized just like the Night's Watch, so he thinks they should do things the Wilding way—kill Mance before they get to the Wall. He chooses a small party to infiltrate their camp, but Jon wants to join in. Mormont reminds him he's not a ranger, but Jon points out he killed a White. Sam offers to take over Jon's duties while he's gone. Mormont comments he hopes Jon makes a better ranger than he did a steward. 

In Qarth, Daenerys finally gets her dragons to feed (and breathe a puff of fire). Xaro has made a dress for her, but she knows nothing about him or his motivations, so suggests Doreah find out from some of his friends. She wears the dress to a reception but finds some of her Dothraki followers are attempting to scope out valuables to steal when they leave. She forbids it. 

She's greeted by the warlocks of Qarth, who manages to appear in two place and offers an invitation to the House of the Undying. It is just a place of study for their parlor tricks, Xaro explains. Meanwhile, Jorah is greeted by a masked woman who appears to know of him. She tells him Daenerys needs a protector now more than ever given they will lust for her dragons and their fire.

Xaro remarks that Jorah is in love with Daenerys. He asks her what she ultimately wants, which is, of course, the throne of Westeros. Xaro explains he came from nothing but Daenerys points out he's a conqueror too given he's acquired so much wealth. She wants to know why he helped her. He takes her down to an impenetrable vault. He offers her half of what's inside if she marries him. That will give her the Seven Kingdoms. He reveals that Robert Baratheon is dead and Westeros is at war.

Jorah tries to discourage her, but she's been caught up on the news from Westeros and feels the time to strike is now. He counters that Xaro will own her forever and agrees she has a good claim to the Iron Throne but a gentler heart that would make her loved by the people. He advises she make her own way with allies in Westeros, not Qarth. He'll find her a ship with a good captain. She tells him to go ahead. 

Brienne and Catelyn have escaped into the forest. They should reach Robb's camp in the morning and then she will leave for Winterfell to see her sons. Brienne asks leave to go once Catelyn is safely back. Catelyn urges her not to go after Stannis. Brienne suggests she would serve Catelyn if she would have her, as she has a woman's courage and when the time comes she asks her to promise she won't hold her back from Stannis. Catelyn makes the vow, and Brienne swears her loyalty. Catelyn swears she will always have a place in her home.

Bran and Luwin continue to hear petitions, but Sir Rodrick interrupts and says Torrhen's Square is under siege, though they don't know who it is. He needs two hundred men. Bran orders him to take the men he needs as they must protect their bannermen. 

Bran wants to know what a three-eyed raven means and asks Osha to interpret it. He explains he dreamt the sea came to Winterfell and flowed over the walls. Osha dismisses it, but Bran persists for an explanation. She refuses to answer.

Gendry receives some sword instruction from Arya as she watches him make weapons, but a scream alerts them to a commotion outside. A crowd has gathered around the dead body of the Tickler, who has fallen from the walls. Arya finds Jaqen watching from a window, raising two fingers to her.

The Verdict:

Sad to see Renly taken out so abruptly, but his death has certainly shaken things up, and created an unexpected pairing between Catelyn and Brienne which looks like it could be quite interesting. His departure signals the last best hope for Westeros (unless Daenerys gets her act together and crosses the Narrow Sea). What will happen to the Tyrells now that Renly's dead? Baelish seems willing to promote Margaery (who is quite ambitious), but who would he see her married to? Does Baelish ultimately have the best interests of the kingdom in mind?

It's a wonder how Balon Greyjoy can control the Iron Islands at all, given the lack of respect everyone seems to throw around. But it looks as though Theon has decided to actually attack Winterfell. His arc is the one I have the most difficulty with, given I don't see his character doing such an about face and betraying the Starks (especially given the animosity his own father feels towards him). That's why I still hope he's got some plan to remain loyal to Robb, though that's looking increasingly slim.

Qarth presents a host of odd and curious characters, especially the masked woman who talks to Jorah. Are she and the warlocks important to the plot, or just eye-candy this week? Daenerys seems to make the correct decision to do things the hard way, and at least remain independent when she attempts to make her claim to the Iron Throne. A shout out to the little fire-breathing dragon, which was awesome. But why are we only seeing the red one and not the other two? It's beginning to become a noticeable oversight.

Arya continues to be a favorite, and her dialogue with Tywin was chilling. Surely things can't remain stable for very long, as her identity is sure to be compromised (and the Mountain could recognize her). Yet she's been handed these incredible three wishes from Jaqen (and manages to wile one away on some unimportant character). She'd best chose wisely next time.

The scenes beyond the Wall were stunning, and I especially enjoyed the casual little bit of the dire wolf wandering around in the background doing nothing in particular. I'm excited to finally see Mance Rayder and that Jon is getting into the fight.

It was satisfying to see some of the man on the street feelings of the current regime, and unfortunate for Tyrion that he's been lumped into the general hatred for the Lannisters. The wildfire weapon carries a lot of expectation (and danger). It can certainly become a major plot device when the battle reaches King's Landing. What will Tyrion ultimately do with it? It also felt odd how dismissive Cersei is about an impending attack. I thought she would be wiser than that given what we've seen of her in the past, but she's becoming positively blind to the mounting evidence of the threat facing them.

Stannis also makes an important decision and seems willing to distance himself from Melisandre, but will she allow it, and does she singularly support him, or could she switch alliances to suit her plans? I still want to know what Stannis thinks happened to Renly, and if he still believes she's carrying his heir. This is another quibble I have given his character is so morally rigid, I find it difficult to reconcile the ease with which he has let Melisandre indulge in untoward methods.

While Bran's three-eyed raven is open to interpretation, there's little doubt what the seas coming to Winterfell means. Like Renly's death, a successful attack on the north will definitely throw Robb's plans into chaos, as well.

Review: Mad Men "At the Codfish Ball"

Non Spoiler Review:

Don is receiving an award by the American Cancer Society for his infamous letter, which brings Megan's parents to town to attend with them. Peggy gets an interesting proposal from Abe, while Roger deals with the end of his marriage. In the midst of this Sally ends up staying with her father after a mishap takes Paulina out of the babysitting equation.

I really enjoyed At the Codfish Ball. There was a healthy mix of really funny moments—Roger plays caretaker for Sally and has some smart one-liners—and really unpleasant stuff. In all the storylines, joy quickly gets turned on its head as characters stumble upon unwanted information and expose the nasty goings on behind the scenes.

Sally continues to grow more interesting as a character, and I'm excited to see where her arc ends up in the series. Betty's absence is really noticeable now, and I'm kind of missing her, however we do get some old guest stars popping up.

Spoilers Now!

Sally and her brothers are left with grandma again, so she's complaining about that on the phone to Glen (who appears to be away at some boys school). Unfortunately, dear Paulina trips over the phone cord and twists her angle (with suitable drama). Sally frantically calls Don, who is entertaining a visit from Megan's parents, Neil and Marie.

Meanwhile, Roger is having dinner with his ex wife Mona, and seems to have come to a new understanding of himself and why he married Jane. Don is being honored by members of the American Cancer Society, which he feels a bit jealous about.

Megan's father, a professor with a struggling writing career, doesn't care for Don too much and he and Marie bicker constantly as she makes little effort to hide her disappointment in his lack of success. Don returns home with Sally and Bobby and makes introductions. Paulina broke her ankle, he explains, but Sally took care of her until the ambulance came (though told everyone she tripped over one of Gene's toys).

They have dinner, but Marie retires early, and Megan goes to check on her. It's apparent she's a drinker. Megan gets an idea while hosting dinner that she thinks might work for Heinz, so pitches it to Don. Don seems impressed, so calls in Stan and Michael to tell them they're changing the campaign.

Stan and Michael come in bitching to Peggy about the idea, thinking it came from Don. But she's already distracted, given Abe wants to have an urgent dinner with her. Peggy goes to seek Joan's advice, thinking he's going to end it. Joan muses it could be a proposal because men don't take the time to end things. So Peggy shows up for dinner dressed to the nines. Except Abe wants to move in together at her place and doesn't propose at all. He likes the idea of them waking up together everyday. Peggy says yes.

Peggy and Abe have her mother over for dinner. When they reveal they're moving in together, Catherine declares they're living in sin. Abe leaves them to talk. She doesn't approve of her daughter's choices and promises Abe will use her as practice until he wants to get married, leaving Peggy on a very bitter note.

Don, Ken and their wives take the Heinz executive and his wife out for dinner again. In the bathroom with his wife, Megan finds out that they're getting fired from Heinz. She whispers it into Don's ear when they sit down, prompting Don to go into salvage mode and keep them at the table. Megan suddenly urges Don to tell them about their previous night's dinner and his idea. The Heinz guy listens and is interested, but wants to think about it, however his wife loves it and sells him on it. On the drive home Don and Megan are elated, and Don compliments her for knowing exactly how to sell the pitch (given the Heinz exec would never accept anything from a woman).

In the morning Joan asks Peggy what happened. Peggy reveals they're moving in together. Joan thinks it's romantic and she's brave. The rest of the office is celebrating the coup in sealing the Heinz account, so Peggy genuinely congratulates Megan and says it's a big deal that she should really savor. Megan is feeling uncomfortable with all the attention.

When Don gets home, Megan's parents are fighting, and she explains her father didn't get his book deal and called a female grad student rather than his wife. Don has granted Sally permission to attend the awards dinner with them (sans makeup), so they, plus Roger, all go together, with Roger declaring Sally will be his date. Roger looks after Sally all evening, while Marie flirts with him. The dinner at first seems quite positive and fun for all involved, but quickly takes a dark turn.

In a moment alone, Megan's father tells her she's skipped her life's struggle and gone right to the end and she shouldn't let her love for Don stop her from doing what she wants to do. As an academic, he sees no value in her career choice, which seriously upsets Megan.

Sally goes to the bathroom but accidentally looks into a room and sees Roger getting a blowjob from Marie. Traumatized, she returns to the table in silence, while Marie and Roger later arrive separately.

One of the American Cancer Society members (a little drunk) tells Don that they'll give him awards but they'll never work with him, given they can't trust him after he wrote that letter. It means he'll always bite the hand that feeds him. And that ruins Don's evening, too. 

Later, Sally phones Glen again. He asks how the city is. Dirty, she replies.

The Verdict:
I really enjoyed this one, given part of it was from Sally's perspective, who just keeps getting more interesting. We also get a much happier Don and Megan coming off of last week's messy fight, and the two seem closer than ever, given Megan not only nails the Heinz account, but single-handedly sells it (via Don) without batting an eye. You can see the love (and shock) when he realizes just how astute she is. It also draws comparison to earlier moments in the series when Betty and Don shared dinner with clients, and she strived to be his partner in wooing them. From the look in Don's eyes, it appears he's seen that in Megan.

It was an episode of guest stars. Glen makes an appearance, leaving me wondering if he's stabilized or still serial killer material. Roger's ex looks to be doing quite nicely, as well as a toxic shot of Peggy's mother, and welcome comeuppance for Paulina.

Catherine delivers the most awful treatment of her daughter yet (and I was just waiting for her to drop the bomb about her baby in front of Abe). Did she actually think her mother would be anything but horrible to her? I'm still not sold on Abe, given he feels like filler until someone better comes along (like Michael). But at least Joan has returned as Peggy's confidante.

Despite all the good feelings—Heinz, the American Cancer Society award, Megan's parents visiting—it's all so fragile. Don's big gamble last season to change the business from Lucky Strike has seriously backfired by labelling him a traitor, even to his supporters, and manages to deflate all the joy from the evening. Megan can't seem to manage her parents or impress her father who will never find any value in what she's doing because of his own failures.

Bearing witness to Marie and Neil's constant animosity, and then marital infidelity with Roger, hammers home that the life in Manhattan Sally fantasizes about is just an illusion, and things aren't a dream there either. One of the final shots of the silent group at the table was a fitting note to exit on.

Review: The Avengers

Non Spoiler Review:
The culmination of Marvel's grand plan comes to fruition in The Avengers, under the watchful and wise management of Joss Whedon. Following the return of Captain America from 70 years on ice, and Loki's disappearance in Thor, we immediately see that the trickster god has found new alien allies and is preparing to spearhead an invasion of Earth by the Chitauri, in exchange for delivering the tesseract (or cosmic cube) to his benefactors. That means stealing the tesseract from S.H.I.E.L.D., who is analyzing its properties for unlimited energy potential. Loki's arrival sparks S.H.I.E.L.D. commander Nick Fury to attempt to initiate his already defunct Avenger's Initiative in order to meet the threat. More problematic is managing the assorted egos, issues and relationships that come with throwing six disparate heroes together who have previously worked alone.

The Avengers is, of course, directed by Joss Whedon (Buffy, Dollhouse, Cabin in the Woods), and brings back the cast from Iron Man, Thor and Captain America—Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johannson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury). Rounding out the cast is the omnipresent Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, appearances by Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and Stellan Skarsgard as Dr. Selvig. The new face this time is Mark Ruffalo, taking over from Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner.

The story has a basic premise, but is quite intricate in how it unfolds—Loki versus the Avengers. But Loki remains a very clever villain and doesn't fall into any clichés thanks to Whedon. He carries out a plot both for conquest, but also for revenge against his brother and a need to be recognized and worshipped as a conqueror. Meanwhile, Nick Fury must manage all the variables in bringing his players together, as well as meeting Loki's threat. This leads to a first hour of assembling, but remains just as interesting as the action parts.

What's even more remarkable, Whedon weaves the characters of three movies together flawlessly, with customary snappy dialogue—Tony Stark can refer to Thor as "Point Break", while at the same time Loki arrives declaring "I am burdened with a glorious purpose", and both sound just fine coming out of each actor. The byzantine continuity between films remains sacrosanct and constantly self-referenced, accented by some great appearances by secondary characters, notably Dr. Selvig, Pepper Pots, and even acknowledgement of Jane Foster. With an impressive running time, The Avengers gives everyone and everything the time needed to develop organically, without feeling rushed or too slow.

Chris Hemsworth continues to bring to life a believable, funloving god, but one who has learned his lessons from his earlier battle with Loki. Now reunited with his adopted brother thought dead, he has to deal with his responsibility in the danger facing Earth. Chris Evans juggles the characteristic do-goodery of Captain America but with new opportunity to show off his powerful leadership skills. After a very extreme Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man 2, he delivers a just as funny, but perhaps more restrained and enjoyable version, one likely tempered by his new relationship with Pepper Potts. Even Black Widow gets fleshed out to such a degree I'm looking forward to her getting some flashbacks in a future S.H.I.E.L.D. movie, along with her equally compelling comrade, Hawkeye, who is likely the one character with the least screentime.

Mark Ruffalo excels in portraying the troublesome Bruce Banner as a very understated and quiet genius. The Hulk itself feels like it's finally right...bearing hints of Ruffalo in his appearance, as well as a bit of comprehension scattered among his mindless smashings. The CGI really delivered this time around. I'm not yet sure Hulk should carry his own movie again, but he certainly could provide a strong pillar as a guest star in any of the other franchises.

Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, never the strongest supporting Marvel cast member, really shines here, and his subtle manipulation of his recruits masterfully herds the cats that are the Avengers. This is the first film I've really felt he's Nick Fury, and not just a tacked on element for continuity purposes. Cobie Smulders appears as new S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill, who is sure to be making future appearances in the franchise. And of course...the helicarrier.

Tom Hiddleston continues Loki's arc and really succeeds in bringing a great villain to screen again, building on all his issues from Thor. The Chitauri themselves provide the army (and cannon fodder), and are kind of Skrull-like, however I've read that Skrulls are tied in with the Fantastic Four franchise, and currently out of reach by Marvel Entertainment. The climatic scene in New York is one of the best orchestrated I've seen in awhile. Just one of many dazzling action sequences.

Visually, The Avengers is awash in eye-candy—the New York skyline complete with the (terribly) ugly Stark Tower, the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier with see-through computer screens, and all manner of technical gadgets, including some chilling designs for the Chitauri weaponry. But it's the heroes themselves who jump off the screen in their brilliant costumes. This is the first time we see Captain America's modern day garb, and it looks pretty stellar.

So often one can leave a film wishing a simple line of dialogue could have answered a troubling plot hole, and Whedon is aware of this. How does Thor get to Earth when the Bifrost is destroyed? What does a senator from New York think about all the damage Manhattan takes? Why wouldn't Thor go find Jane Foster? They are all simple answers and are given their bit of exposition to fill in the blanks.

One dagger's edge of super-hero movie writing is balancing humour while taking the plot seriously, and Whedon manages this quite aptly, both in the frenetic and clever dialogue between heroes, and the sudden hilarious situational moments that are laugh-out-loud funny, but never detract from the honor of the material. Let's just say that the Hulk is one of the major sources to draw from in this respect. But there's never a moment when I felt Whedon wasn't treating the material with absolute respect.

It was tough to find something to critique in this film given it hits so many right notes. For a long running time (about 140 minutes), I never once thought about the clock. I was enjoying every moment of character and action. There is always the debate about individual character's power levels—just how much damage can Loki and Thor take and inflict? How invincible is the Hulk? And just what happens when Mjolnir hits Captain America's vibranium shield? I guess my major gripe is that the Stark Tower is such a monstrous eyesore that it would never get approved in Manhattan. Of course, the helicarrier is completely preposterous, but absolutely fun, and, as expected, goes down more than Lindsay Lohan in a nightclub bathroom. And the post credits scene (while not a complete surprise as the film progressed) totally delivered, and ranks up there as one of the best revelations in the series. 

The Avengers is a success in every way—as an action movie, creating a template going forward for a super-team film, tying the threads from all the other movies, and kickstarting a sequel. It's best appreciated after a healthy dose of all five previous instalments, but would keep any action lover entertained. I loved it and will be seeing it again. It's going to make oodles of money and I'm happy for Joss Whedon that he'll likely be able to hand pick his future projects (Wonder Woman, please).

Without a doubt, Marvel gets how to portray its characters in film, in stark contrast to Warner Brothers' top down direction for DC (except if you're Chris Nolan). I look forward to the next episodes in these franchises, with what is sure to begin a build up to Avengers 2.