How to Get Your 'Agent Carter' Fix Once It Ends

I have a confession to make: I'm not often a big fan of Marvel's cinematic output. But they've definitely gotten it right with Peggy Carter. Played by Hayley Atwell, Peggy is a modern dame brimming with wit, intelligence, and a strong sense of self. While she is a minor character in the comics, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has made her much more important. That continues with the new miniseries, Agent Carter, but how many episodes of the show can we expect?

Unfortunately, the series will only be eight episodes, which just isn't enough for me to get my fix of espionage and feminism. There is always the chance that Agent Carter will be renewed for Season 2 and continue to flesh out this part of the MCU, but that hasn't been announced yet. So, how are you supposed to get your fill of lady spies in fantastic outfits after Agent Carter finishes its eight-episode run? This list of comics, films, and TV shows will help you deal with that.

Velvet

Since Peggy doesn't have any amazing storylines in the comics, this series is in the same vein that fans of Peggy and badass female spies would love. Velvet is the new comic book series by Ed Brubaker, who wrote the Winter Soldier storyline in the comics that inspired the second Captain America film. Velvet focuses on the secretary to the director of an elite British spy agency, and the titular character has a lot of secrets. While her spy days during the 1950s and 1960s seem to be behind her, events force her to come face to face with the choices of her bloody past. The main storyline takes place in the 1970s with Velvet in her 40s, when things at her agency go nuclear, causing her to rely on the skills that made her a terrifying asset to British intelligence.

Rewatch the Captain America Films

Why not do a double feature of the films that started it all? Try not to get distracted by Peggy's on-point eyebrow game. Girl definitely has style.

Alias

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Agent Carter co-showrunner Tara Butters said, "For people who aren't familiar with the Marvel universe, I will often pitch this show as Alias in the 1940s," which is a damn good elevator pitch. Alias ran for five seasons starring Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow. The series is dramatic, fun, and an adrenaline rush in television form. Even when Alias had its missteps toward the end, there were enough great character interactions and double crosses for me to stay hooked.

The Bletchley Circle

I caught this series on a whim while scrolling through Netflix Instant, where both seasons are currently streaming. And I am so happy I did. Set in the early 1950s, The Bletchley Circle follows four women who used to work as code-breakers for British intelligence during WWII. They are dissatisfied with their post-war lives, which seem to lack the purpose, intrigue, and importance that they had as code-breakers. We watch these wildly different women solve murders and wrestle with trying to find a sense of power in their personal lives.

The Americans

The Americans is undoubtedly the darkest entry on this list, but I'd argue that it has the best writing. It mixes one part messed up love story with two parts insane espionage drama to create a potent cocktail of addictive television that is one of the best shows currently on TV. Agent Carter is more like a great champagne cocktail to the fine whiskey that is The Americans.

I'm hoping Agent Carter proves to be such a success that we'll be able to enjoy much more of Peggy Carter beyond the eight episodes of this first season.

Images: Kelsey McNeal/ABC; Giphy (3)