Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiered on Tuesday (Sept. 24) on U.S. network ABC. As a sequel to "The Avengers," the pilot makes a strong positive first impression. With Agent Phil (Clark Gregg) at the front and centre of story developments, viewers are hooked from the moment he shows up. Joss Whedon's involvement may not be as strong in the succeeding episodes, but it looks like the characters are all off to a great run. Here are the best bits and the villains to watch out for in the new superhero series.

Spoiler Alert: This review contains spoilers for those who haven't seen Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1, Episode 1. Read at your own risk.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Show the Best from the Avengers' Allies

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are nothing like Iron Man, Captain America, or Hulk. They're not a "god" like Thor. (Listen to Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill: "You haven't been near his arms.") But the best about these allies to the Avengers is that they've got superskills, mad wits, and the human desire for "world peace."

Here are the best parts of the 'Agents' pilot episode:

- Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton) realises that Agent Phil is alive. And apparently, Ward's espionage skills are at par with Agent Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson).

- Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) says Agent Phil can never know about Tahiti. This may be related to Joss Whedon's statement in an interview. How Agent Phil survived the New York invasion will not be revealed until the end of the season.

- Scenes with Skye (Chloe Bennet), Ward, and Coulson.

- Fight scene featuring Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen).

- Lola's car superpower showcase.

- "With great power comes a ton of weird crap you are not prepared to deal with," says Spiderman's Uncle Ben, no, no. This one's from the Whedons. In Skye's voice.

The highlights of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1 surround a doctor villain (Shannon Lucio) receiving orders from a supervillain. Humans are being experimented on with Extremis, the same unstable serum that created "super soldiers" in the 40s, says Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge).

Viewers who follow procedural dramas would see Simmons and Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) as the detectives and forensics combined. For those who like geek toys, Fitz is the guy to watch.

Clark Gregg, Chloe Bennet, Brett Dalton, Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain De Caestecker, and Ming-Na Wen are the six core cast of SHIELD, for now. Cobie Smulders is expected to come on board full time after her CBS series, "How I Met Your Mother" wraps up in 2014. They are next big names in the land of TV heroes.

Joss Whedon collaborated with his brother Jed Whedon and sis-in-law Maurissa Tancharoen in writing the script of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot episode. (When things get busier in the production of "The Avengers 2," Jed will be in charge.) The lines are snappy, amusing, intriguing and engaging. Things are never boring with Agent Phil and Skye around. Interesting stuff has been revealed about the core characters in about 40 minutes. Things are also smoothly linked to the New York alien invasion in "The Avengers" film, thanks to Joss' masterful direction. Production fits a mini movie, and HD TV viewers are likely to enjoy what they'd see. Fans will smile, chuckle, and note the pop references throughout the show.

And now a quote from Agent Phil: "I've seen giants up close, and that privilege cost me nearly everything. But the good ones, the real deal, they're not heroes because of what they have that we don't-it's what they do with it."

Check out the slideshow to see some Tumblr fandom posts (screen captures) on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1, Episode 1.

More 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' and TV Guide Features:

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Premieres Sept. 24: 'It was really clear that I was dead (but)' - Phil Coulson; Watch Season 1 Trailer [PHOTOS, VIDEO]
Castle Season 6 Premiere Review: Cas-kett Fans Worried; Rick and Kate Facing Serious Problem So Soon? [SPOILERS, PHOTOS]
How I Met Your Mother Season 9, Episode 1 Review: 'Here I Am,' Cristin Milioti Tells 'Lady Tedwina Slowsby' [SPOILERS, PHOTOS]

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