Agent Carter, “The Atomic Job,” was written by Lindsey Allen and directed by Craig Zisk, whose other credits include
The Good Wife,
Parks and Recreation,
Weeds, and
Alias – among many others. This episode really showcased the people who are often overlooked who are more than what they seem. The episode is nicely bookended by beginning and ending in Peggy’s (Haley Atwell) bedroom…
As the episode opens, Wilkes (Reggie Austin) is in Peggy’s bedroom and wakes her up to come to the lab. I loved her waking up totally on alert and her pulling her gun through him! It turns out that he can pull the zero matter into himself, and it makes him solid for a moment. Is this how they’ll be able to cure him? Or will it only then affect him as it is Whitney (Wynn Everett)? Because the zero matter is calling to him, he knows where Jane’s body is.
Meanwhile, Violet (Sarah Bolger) comes home from a late shift to find her door ajar. She picks up a bat beside the door and advances into the house to find dinner on the table and Sousa (Enver Gjokaj) asleep on the couch. We find out that they met when she was doing his physical therapy. We see Sousa panic as he sits up and realizes he’s lost something in the couch. That something turns out to be the ring, and he finally pops the question to which Violet gives an enthusiastic yes!
At the Chadwick’s, Calvin (Currie Graham) isn’t sleeping. He gets up and suddenly, Whitney, who’s been talking in her sleep, is right behind him. He’s clearly nervous of her. She tells him that she needs his help. Clearly, the zero matter is calling to her too.
Jarvis (James D’Arcy) isn’t happy about it but goes with Peggy to steal Jane’s body. They crawl through the vent, with Jarvis worrying about spiders, only to have to watch while Whitney and Calvin show up. Whitney absorbs all of the zero matter from the body. She tells Calvin that now she needs an atomic bomb.
Wilkes acknowledges that while he is a genius, Whitney is in a class by herself as a scientist. He realizes that she’s totally replicating the Isodyne test. Luckily Stark Industries participates in corporate espionage, so Jarvis knows where the equipment for the Isodyne test is stored. They will need a special key in order to get in, however, so Peggy will have to go undercover to get the key from Hugh Jones (Ray Wise).
Peggy walks into the office celebration over Sousa’s engagement. She puts a brave face on but it’s also clear that he’s uncomfortable about her finding out. The two concentrate on the mission ahead, however, and go to Dr Samberly (Matt Braunger) to borrow his memory gadget. They bribe him with pie, but he’s not happy about them treating his inventions like toys.
Peggy poses as an employee from the accounting department with a wig and an American accent. Jones is such a creepy letch that he doesn’t recognize her right off as he’s too busy flirting with her until he leaves the office. Suddenly he remembers her – “Agent!” It’s hilarious to watch the penny drop over and over only for Peggy to zap him again to erase him memory. Lucky thing to as he ends up having the key on him in his belt buckle. Wise is hysterically funny.
Jones emerges from his office as his secretary (Alexandra Vino) returns. He’s very rumpled and semi-undressed. His secretary asks him if he had a nice lunch. He looks vaguely at himself, smiles and decides he must have!
Meanwhile, the Chadwick’s are desperate enough to visit Whitney’s old mob contacts. Manfedi (Ken Marino) is clearly still in love with her and is also obviously crazy and violent. He beats on of his own men for looking at Whitney in a way that Manfredi didn’t find respectful. Whitney forces Calvin to offer Manfredi valuable freeway construction contracts in exchange for his help.
Wilkes walks Sousa through a practice session to defuse and steal the atomic bombs. We learn that this isn’t Sousa’s first bomb. He was in reconnaissance in the war and always had the steadiest hands.
Peggy is determined that they add Rose (Leslie Boone) to their team. Sousa is opposed because she doesn’t have any field experience. I loved her knocking the guy out as Sousa and Peggy talk outside the Agency. They are also going to need more of Samberly’s gadgets, which he’s not willing to lend until Rose sweet talks him – but he insists he’s going too!
It turns out that Samberly was in much demand after the war and took the job with the SSR because Sousa promised him he could do field work. Sousa looks chagrined and guilty. When Peggy asks how Sousa can be sure that Samberly isn’t working for the Council, Sousa says because everyone hates him! I loved their misfit hero walk.
Samberly and Rose pose as a lost husband and wife to distract the guards and then use one of his gadgets as a taser using the electricity from the security fence! When they find an unconscious guard inside, they know Whitney is already also there.
Samberly works on opening the doors while Rose really, really enjoys taking out Whitney’s men! I adored the glee with which she dispatched them! This show is one of the best – if not the best – on television at creating and writing strong, wonderful, and competent women. Jarvis ends up having to defuse and steal the bombs after he’s locked in the room with them. Sousa talks him through it, leaving Peggy to fight the other thugs.
Peggy hears Whitney over the radio and goes after her, telling Sousa to take the others and get away with the bombs. Calvin is freaking out and wants to go home. Whitney is impressed to see Peggy. Peggy tells her that the SSR can fix her, but Whitney tells her she doesn’t want to be fixed. She’s never felt so powerful in her whole life!
The two fight and Whitney manages to grab Peggy and absorb her, but Peggy head butts her and gets away, but ends up hanging over the edge of the floor. Rather than be touched again, she falls – and we see Sousa’s horror at seeing her fall. She lands on a rebar that goes right through her. Honestly falling from that height and landing flat on her back ought to have killed her outright rebar or no rebar, but we’ll had wave at that…
Calvin drags Whitney away, and Sousa gets Peggy out, taking her to Violet. At first Violet insist they need to take Peggy to a hospital, but once she accepts that it’s too dangerous for Peggy to go to the hospital, she jumps into action. Sousa calls Rose, who is securing the bomb with Samberly, to tell her that Peggy is going to be ok.
Violet walks in on Sousa and Peggy while they are sharing a moment and immediately understands. Jarvis comes for Peggy even though Violet insists it would be better for Peggy not to be moved. After Peggy is gone, Violet tells Sousa that he didn’t tell her that he didn’t come to California just for a new position but because he was running away from Peggy. Sousa tells her that it’s not what she thinks, but she asks him flat out if he can actually say that he isn’t still in love with Peggy. And he can’t deny it.
Calvin tells Whitney that he’s not helping any further. He tells her that she’s out of control and needs to stop. He’s already at the Council’s mercy and his life is in danger. She grabs his face and the threat is clear. She tells him he needs to calm down. Calvin waits until he’s alone and then calls an emergency meeting of the Council; he has something to tell them that they are going to want to hear.
Jarvis and Wilkes tuck Peggy in back at Stark’s. Jarvis fondly tells her that these adventures would be far less enjoyable if she didn’t return from them. Wilkes suggests that they listen to music to help her relax, and “I Want to Be Loved” comes on. Peggy recognizes it as his song. And then he suddenly disappears! Is he gone for good? Can they bring him back again?
Another fast paced episode. Will Whitney be able to solidify her power or will the Council manage to use her for their own purposes? I’m betting we haven’t seen the last of Manfredi. Will Violet walk away? What did you think of the episode? Favorite scene or line? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
