I must admit I'm more into the DC Universe than the Marvel one and know nothing of the "Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D." comic, assuming there is one. Worse, I've not even seen "Avengers Assemble", so I guess I'm not best qualified to review this highly publicised TV spin-off.

However, taking it at face value, this was typical fast-moving American entertainment, even if it was pretty obviously not aimed at my demographic, I'd wager. This episode sought to introduce the major characters who will appear regularly and even if, for the reasons stated above, the personnel and their back-stories lost me somewhat, the main story got through.

With flashy, high-tech graphics, fine special effects, especially when Agent Coulson's car makes out like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the end and an easy to follow story, I was well- entertained in the fairly shallow way I expected. Sure some of the dialogue should have been screened extensively by the cliché-cops and everyone's either being sarcastic or witty (they think), but there are some decent one-liners in there as you'd hope.

On the whole then, it's probably a bit too fast, flashy and loud for taste, but then again I'm not much interested in comics from before 1980, so this was always gong to be a slightly awkward fit for me, but as trashy, disposable TV it's okay and I'm confident that a major story-line will develop, as indeed I hope the rather large cast of characters do too.