Today’s Guest: “Marvel’s Agent Carter” and “Resurrection” co-showrunner Tara Butters
Watch this exclusive Mr. Media interview with “Marvel’s Agent Carter” and “Resurrection” co-showrunner Tara Butters by clicking on the video player above!
Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of men from the Marvel Universe who are rapidly developing a lot more respect for 1940s American women – and their right hooks… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida!
Here’s what we knew about Peggy Carter before the launch of “Marvel’s Agent Carter” TV series on ABC in January 2015:
• She first arrived on the scene in the movie Captain America: The First Avenger fully formed. She was more than the equally of any man, including Steve Rogers, with whom she eventually fell in love.
• She was devastated at the end of said movie when the only man who ever tamed her was lost in an icy airplane crash. (Emphasis on icy.)
• She died of old age – and a broken heart – at the beginning of the sequel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Yup. That’s about it.
TARA BUTTERS podcast excerpt: “Hayley Atwell is a dream to work with… She is funny! She is constantly keeping the set light and fun; you couldn’t ask for a better No. 1 on the call sheet… And there is an amazing scene between her and Dominic Cooper (as Howard Stark) in episode 4 that will blow you away.”
So when ABC and Marvel Studios announced plans for a limited run “Marvel’s Agent Carter” series to give “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” a winter break in the midst of its brilliant second season, it led to a lot of head-scratching.
With all the great, untapped heroes in the Marvel Comics Universe, they’re giving a network series to, um, a nobody? And it takes place in the 1940s, apart from modern Avengers continuity?
TARA BUTTERS podcast excerpt: “There is a build in the first four episodes that goes like gangbusters through the last four. It’s nonstop from episode 4 on; everything is so different in every episode. Every character has an arc and there is a completion at the end of the eight, but you can absolutely see this has legs to go into other seasons. If you watch all eight episodes, you will have a better understanding of the broader picture of the Marvel Universe.”
Even when the kickass teases started appearing, my wife repeatedly asked me: “Who is she again?”
So expectations were pretty low. A world of doubters all mentally went to Missouri and said, “Show me.”
That’s exactly what Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas, co-creators and showrunners of “Marvel’s Agent Carter,” did.
TARA BUTTERS podcast excerpt: “We have a producer on our show, Eric Carroll. He works for Marvel Studios. He sits in the writers room and in editing with us and he is very good at suggesting characters to us. We also have Megan Bragner, who comes from Marvel TV. She keeps us in the loop on what other Marvel shows are doing. If there is a way to connect to ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ or set something up for one of the other shows, she is a huge asset for that.”
Hayley Atwell burst onto the scene in the premier and, for my time and money, makes for positively awesome comic book-style TV. There are too few women on the tube who do what she does. Butters and Fazekas have continued her movie persona as smart, wise-cracking and physically gifted in the ass kicking department. And Atwell is the best kind of eye candy—beautiful, but the camera doesn’t have to slobber over her in long leggy or scoop neck shots. She is stunning from every angle, all the time.
As I welcome Tara Butters to the show, I have to offer a “Thank you!” to Tara’s husband, Marc Guggenheim. The executive producer of “Arrow” was my guest last spring and was kind enough to extend my invitation to Tara to be here today.
Marvel’s Agent Carter Website • Marvel • Wikia • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube • Order Marvel’s Agent Carter: Season One Declassified (Hardcover) from Amazon.com
Tara Butters Facebook • Twitter • IMDB
Michele Fazekas Facebook • Twitter • IMDB
WATCH! “Arrow” executive producer Marc Guggenheim (husband of Tara Butters) on Mr. Media (2014)
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