Written by Eric Pearson, Stephen McFeely, Christopher Markus, Jack Kirby, and Stan Lee
Directed by Joe Russo
Following the end of World War II, things changed and didn’t at the same time. Women and minorities contributed greatly to the victory, and weren’t content with going back to “their place.” This eventually led to the Civil Rights movement and the sexual revolution. Peggy Carter is suffering through those changes as she tries to solve a mystery while not being marginalized to much.
Bridge and Tunnel opens with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) listening to a Captain America radio broadcast while at the Automat. She’s perusing ads looking for an apartment now that she lost her roommate. Angie (Lyndsy Fonseca) suggests she move into her place, but Peggy demurs. Instead, she turns to Jarvis (James D’Arcy), who hooks her up with one of Howard Stark’s apartments for the time being.
She’s treading a dangerous line, working outside of the SSR while at the same time investigating the explosion at the refinery like they are. When she does go into work, she learns they are looking for something that could tie them into the disaster at the refinery.
When the SSR is brought in to test Red Hook Refinery employees to see if it’s an inside job, Peggy is drafted to be there to scan the female employees. She’s worried about testing positive herself. When one of the men she saw that night comes to be scanned and passes, Peggy figures out that they won’t catch anyone this way and suggests a new tactic, which prompts Mr. Van Ert (James Urbaniak)to bolt.
While her SSR buddies are interrogating Mr. Van Ert, Peggy and Jarvis are hot on the trail of the milk truck driver. Unfortunately, the SSR confirms his identity as well and they are soon on their way to Cedar Grove while Peggy is attempting to learn more about what’s going on.
Once again she meets Leet Brannis (James Frain). He, too, knows about Leviathan and wants to stop it. Unfortunately, he succumbs.
The mystery deepens a lot in this episode, all while Peggy is getting away with working right under the noses of the men who are underestimating her. This is against the backdrop of a Captain America radio play that has “nurse” Peggy Carter as the typical damsel in distress. There’s a great sequence where Peggy is fighting with the milk truck driver while the radio play is having its own battle in the background.
There are a lot of good action sequences in this episode, without feeling like it’s being overdone. Peggy uses her wits, but there’s a physical ability she has as well. She holds her own as well as any man would in the same situation, but must almost play a different character when in front of her co-workers.
There’s a great moment when Jarvis has a heart-to-heart with Peggy as he’s stitching her up, coaching her that she has to let people care for her. She decides to take the apartment where Angie lives. This is a good bit of development for Peggy as well as for her relationship with Jarvis. She has to move on a bit from the losses she’s suffered and learn how to live again.
This episode keeps the action level up while at the same time giving viewers a bit more character development. Peggy’s co-workers are a bit more fleshed out. The friendship between Peggy and Jarvis deepens quite a bit. The acting is great. Hayley Atwell and James D’Arcy really seem to have non-romantic chemistry on the screen that makes them fun to watch.
The series is a good compliment to the events of the Captain America film. The shows really don’t work independently, but are more of an ongoing story arc, so not watching them in order will leave viewers lost.





Previous episode in the series (link): Agent Carter: Now Is Not the End
Next episode in the series (link): Agent Carter: Time and Tide
Categories: Agent Carter, Marvel Universe, Television Reviews
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