Showrunner Tara Butters reveals that Madame Masque will take a trip to the past in Agent Carter season 2 – and hints at what’s to come for Peggy and company.
Speaking with co-executive producer Chris Dingess, Butters admits that it was difficult to find a villain who originated in Peggy’s time period. Therefore, Dingess says, the incarnation of Madame Masque who menaces the 10-episode second season will be “a ’40s version of that villain.”
“We’ve co-opted her,” says Butters, who acts as showrunner along with Michelle Fazekas. In addition to changing the character’s look, Fazekas and Butters have given Masque an identity that dovetails with the new setting of Los Angeles.
“We’ve made her an actress, which is very Hedy Lamar,” Butters reveals. “She was a ‘40s siren actress who was also a scientific genius, so that’s part of what we’re mining with this character.”
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Both producers look forward to seeing the female villain – who will be known in her non-villain incarnation as Whitney Frost – face off against Peggy.
“As much as there are not enough female heroes just on television, I feel like having a female villain is just as equally powerful,” Butters says. Dingess agrees.
“I also think because she’s a female villain, her story informs Peggy’s story in a unique way and vice versa,” he says.
Butters also hints that much of the storyline of Agent Carter season 2 will be composed of new material.
“Obviously we are drawing from the Marvel universe, and they’ve been really generous to us in terms of the characters and getting to play with some iconic [things],” she says. But fans can expect Peggy’s work to lay groundwork for future events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“We get to set things up,” Butters hints. “There’s a lot of fun to that.”
Butters and Dingess also offered a few more hints about characters returning to Agent Carter season 2. Jarvis (James D’Arcy) will attempt to maintain his stiff British persona as he helps Howard Stark launch a movie studio in Los Angeles.
“He’s hot,” Butters jokes. Dingess adds, “He’s still wearing wool.”
Enver Gjokaj’s Agent Sousa will also be breaking new ground in Los Angeles. Sousa will be heading up the S.S.R. office on the West Coast, and the producers hope to involve him to collaborate more directly with Agent Carter.
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“Peggy’s not having to go around behind his back,” Dingess says. “So the SSR agents… know she proved herself last year. They’re working a little more together in the action.”
As for fan-favorite Angie Martinelli (Lindsey Fonseca), Butters and Dingess reiterate the previously reported news that no contract has been signed just yet.
“My hope is that we will see her in this season,” Butters says. “We’re just right now figuring out that season, so it will be based on actor availability. But she is absolutely part of our universe and we hope that she’ll be in it.”
Agent Carter season 2 will air in January 2015.