Agent Peggy Carter was a memorable leading lady in Captain America: The First Avenger, but her story seemed over at the end of the film.

Fortunately, the character -- ably played by Hayley Atwell -- got another shot in Agent Carter, a short-lived Marvel series that followed her post-war adventures. Now living in the U.S., she works for the SSR -- a precursor to S.H.I.E.L.D. -- but, given the mindset of the time, she's not taken seriously as an agent. But she's tenacious, and when Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, also reprising his Captain America role) is framed for treason, she's compelled to help. Assisting her on the secret mission is Stark's dedicated butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D'Arcy), who becomes Carter's indispensable right hand for the two-season run of the series.

Two seasons was not enough, although the second season certainly was not as strong as the first.

Besides Carter, the SSR staff includes former war hero Agent Daniel Sousa (Enver Gjokaj), who now relies on a crutch and carries a torch for Carter; Agent Jack Thompson (Chad Michael Murray), whose loyalties are sometimes uncertain; and Chief Roger Dooley (Shea Whigham), who has trouble seeing Carter as anything more than a glorified secretary. Antagonists include Russian spies, secret societies and megalomaniacal scientists, with the prize in the second season being powerful black antimatter from a parallel universe, and the first, nothing less than a vial of Steven Rogers' (Captain America's) blood. The series mostly takes place in New York (first season) and Los Angeles (second).

Although the series avoids much overlap with the mainstream Marvel Cinematic Universe (besides the obvious ties to Captain America), it provides several nice Easter eggs, including Russia's Black Widow program and a too-brief appearance by Cap's own Howling Commandos.

If the series has a weakness, it's the propensity for characters to fall in love with Carter. Her charm and beauty notwithstanding, it's a bit overdone -- and it's certainly not necessary to the plot. But Carter certainly earns their adulation, proving herself extremely capable, smart and resourceful -- as well as incredibly resilient after, for instance, being impaled on a metal spike -- no matter what dangerous situations arise. Her proper British facade, along with Jarvis's more rigid mindset, are amusingly set against more relaxed American attitudes, and the chemistry between Carter and Jarvis -- not at all romantic, mind you -- is simply wonderful to watch.