Time and Tide - 'Marvel's Agent Carter" Recap

For the third episode of the new Marvel 8-episode limited series sedt in 1946, there really wasn't much different from the first two episodes. SSR agent Peggy Carter still has to deal with chauvanistic male agents while working undercover to help Howard Stark recover stolen weapon technology and clear the industrialist's name. Helping her is Edwin Jarvis, Howard's butler.

This time around she tracks down the ship that has some of the weapons, finds it conveniently parked near a sewer tunnel, and gets into a fight with a circus strongman/bad guy. The show is refreshingly free of the uber-complex subplots of modern-day-setting shows. Peggy has to deal with moving into a new apartment, and worrying about endangering her friends. And there's a big worldwide conspiracy, and Howard isn't being entirely honest with her. But other than that, it's pretty straight-forward action/adventure espionage.

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A man in a suit stands outside of the Griffith Hotel, looking up at Peggy's room. Inside, Peggy looks at a sketch of the broken-heart drawing that Brannis made before he died. She looks it up in a book of symbols, and then hears a noise from outside and draws a gun on the climber... and discovers that it's a soldier, Jimmy. He says that his girlfriend Molly Bowen lives there, and Peggy directs him to the next window over.

Jack and Ray go to Brannis' hotel room in a rundown part of town and search the room. They find a number of fake IDs and the typewriter with a transmitter attached.

The next day at the Griffith, Peggy is having breakfast with the other women when Molly comes down and admits that she had a late night. Peggy says that she's too busy with work right now. Angie asks her about Edwin, and Peggy insists that the man is just a colleague. As she gets up to go, Miriam tells her to wait and reminds everyone that men are not allowed above the first floor. She then evicts Molly, who begs for a second chance. Miriam refuses and assures the others that the building is impenetrable. Once she leaves, Peggy tells Angie that she doesn't believe it and goes off.

At SSR, Ray and Jack tell Roger what they have on Brannis, including the fact that his voice box was cut out. He was Russian, but died two years ago in the Battle of Finow in Germany. The lab technicians have identified the typewriter as a long-range transmitter. As Jack goes to run Brannis' photo past his contacts in the embassy, Daniel comes in and says that they've identified the license plate from the factory wreckage to Howard. Roger tells him to find out who the driver was.

Edwin slips out of his house to join Peggy when she shows up at his doorstep. She says that she wants to see how someone penetrated Howard's impenetrable vault. They go to the main house and Edwin explains that a thunderstorm knocked out the alarms on the night of the robbery. They're interrupted when Daniel and Jack knock at the door. Edwin answers it while Peggy hides, and they tell the butler that they found the bumper o the car. Edwin points out that he reported the car stolen several days ago, but Jack says that they have more questions and Edwin has no choice but to go with them.

At SSR HQ, Peggy arrives as Ray tries to get someone to cover for him that night. She then goes into the observation room with Roger and Daniel, as Jack interrogates Edwin. Roger figures that Edwin was driving the getaway car. Meanwhile, Jack questions Edwin about the dead man who were selling Howard's weapon technology. Edwin insists that Howard is innocent, and Jack glances back at the two-way mirror. He then points out that Edwin was charged with treason, and suggests the charges were dropped because Howard paid a pride. Edwin received a dishonorable discharge and Jack threatens to release the information to Immigration. When the agent threatens to tell Anna, Edwin warns him to keep his wife out of it.

Peggy goes back to her desk and Ray asks her to take his shift. She ignores him, gets a file, and goes back to the observation room and says that she needs Roger's signature. Once Roger signs it, Peggy takes the stolen-car file on Edwin and leaves. Jack leaves and meets with Roger outside, and Peggy listens as the director tells Jack to focus on Anna. As they go in, Peggy interrupts and apologizes for taking the report. Taking advantage of the interruption, Edwin says that he's leaving and tells them to contact Howard's lawyers if they want anything else from him. Roger chews out Peggy for messing up the interrogation. She has no choice but to apologize for ruining Jack's work, and Roger orders her out.

Back at the hotel, Peggy dresses for a mission. Angie arrives at her door and she quickly puts on a robe and hides her equipment. The waitress sits down and tries to talk, and suggests that they have a drink and share notes about their crappy days. Peggy begs off and Angie takes offense, figuring that she's getting a brush off. As she leaves, Miriam introduces them to their new resident, Dottie Underwood. Angie goes to her room and Peggy wishes Dottie luck.

Later, Peggy goes to Howard's mansion and asks Edwin if he has anything else to tell her. He says that he doesn't and they go to the vault. They climb down the hole into the sewers and Peggy realizes that Edwin has climbing equipment. As they drop down, Peggy says that she doesn't need to know the details of his past. She figures all Brannis needed to do was use a raft and float the stolen items down the flooded sewer tunnel.

At SSR HQ, Jack leaves Ray and Daniel on night shift. Ray figures that Daniel is sweet on Peggy, and says that no girl is going to settle for a one-legged man after having Captain America.

In the sewer tunnels, Peggy finally tells Edwin that she needs to know his past if they're going to work together. He finally explains that he traveled with a general and met Anna in Budapest before the war. She was Jewish, and the general refused to grant her a letter of transit so Edwin stole one and forged his name. They arrested Edwin and Howard used his influence to get him cleared and Anna out of Budapest. They hear the river ahead, and Edwin says that Anna doesn't know about his current activities for Howard. They come to the rivers and spot a nearby boat, and Peggy spots the broken heart symbol on the smokestack.

Emerging from the sewers, Peggy and Edwin drive to the docks. They realize that someone is still aboard and Edwin borrows a gun from Peggy. As they approach the ship, a man watches from the shadows. The duo goes up the gangplank and down into the hold, and find a pile of crates. Peggy opens one and finds a device that Edwin explains is a muscular contractor. As she goes to call it in, Edwin points out that she can't report the stolen equipment without blowing her cover. All she can do is place herself under suspicion, and Edwin warns her that they'll only tear her down. He tells Peggy that she has to clear Howard' name from the shadows. After a moment, Peggy tells Edwin to call it in from across the street and let Daniel get the credit.

At SSR HQ, Daniel takes the call and Edwin, faking an American accent, gives the agent directions to the ship. When Daniel starts to ask question, Edwin quickly hangs up. Meanwhile, Daniel and Ray head for the ship.

A huge man, Jerome Zandow, enters the hold and charges at Peggy. He knocks her to the floor and she loses her gun, and he tells her that it won't make a difference that she's a woman. They fight and after a vicious struggle, Zandow pins Peggy to a crate and chokes her. Edwin attacks him from behind, distracting him long enough for Peggy to use the contractor on him. Zandow's muscles contract, snapping his arm bones, and Peggy knocks him out with a pipe. Sirens sound and Edwin says that they have to go and leave Zandow behind.

Daniel and Ray arrive and find the unconscious man and the stolen weaponry. Ray figures that they're set for promotions, but Daniel points out that someone is setting them up. They call in their colleagues and haul out Zandow. Roger wonders why Zandow was just waiting there with the stolen weapons, and tells the agents to get it back to SSR HQ ASAP. As Ray drives Zandow back in the lead car, the strongman asks if the "English broad" was working with SSR. They come to a train crossing and Ray is forced to stop. A car bumps into them and Ray goes back to complain, and the driver shoots him dead. He then kills Zandow and drives away.

The next day, Peggy arrives at work and finds the operators crying. Rose tells her that Ray was killed. The agents are all stricken silent as well, and have left a wreath at Ray's desk. Daniel tells her that it reminds him of the war, and Jack explains that a professional killed Ray and Zandow. As Daniel vows to find the killer, Roger comes out and tells everyone not to forget that Howard is ultimately responsible for Ray's death. He tells them to get him action plans within the hour and goes to call Ray's wife with the news.

That night, Peggy goes to the automat and sits down at the counter. When Angie comes over, Peggy asks if she could tell her friend about her day. Angie agrees and Peggy explains that one of her co-workers died suddenly. She admits that they weren't close and the man was a jerk, but he was good at his job. Angie asks what she can do, and Peggy asks if she still has the bottle. The waitress agrees and says that she'll clock out and they can go back to the hotel.