UPDATE: Titus Welliver wanted to clarify his comments regarding Transformers: Age of Extinction not being suitable for children. Here is his newly updated statement: “I misspoke in my last interview when I said that Transformers 4 was not a kids movie…what I meant was that this film, will in fact expand their target audience and bring in a bigger fan base. Following the huge success of Transformers and their toy line,  it is certainly a kids movie and with the addition of Mark Wahlberg, Transformers 4 will be the coolest in the franchise.â€Â
In addition to cleaning up the streets of Los Angeles in the Amazon pilot Bosch, Titus Welliver is all over the action scene. In a conversation with Nerdist (see part one here), Welliver described it as simply “bouncing around on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Last Ship,” the upcoming TNT drama produced by Michael Bay, a director with whom he also worked with in this summer’s Transformers: Age of Extinction.
How was it for the actor, best known for his roles on The Good Wife and Argo, stepping into the huge Transformers summer movie franchise? “I’ve now won the hard earned respect of my children because I’m in a Transformers film, and I’ve always wanted to work with Michael Bay and certainly Mark Wahlberg and Kelsey Grammer.” And what can fans look forward to in this installment? “It’s a bit more of a darker vision of the Transformers world… It’s not a kids movie, I’ll tell you that much.â€
Recently Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg caused some controversy when he was quoted as saying of fans who have given up on the show, “Those aren’t geeks. Those are losers,” and then clarified, “I guess I don’t mean to say that people who have been frustrated by that discovery period are necessarily losers. I just think they should be, perhaps, a little more patient.” Noting that Gregg is one of his “oldest and dearest friends,” Welliver said, “Ive not only known Clark for a long time and he’s not only a fabulous actor, he’s a staggeringly bright guy, and so, I kind of agree. What’s not to like about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Even if you’re not a fan of the whole Marvel Universe, it’s a very smartly written show. The characters really are fun… For me it’s a dream realized to play on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; I was Nick Fury for Halloween for three years in a row when I was a kid. I watch the show not just out of my loyalty to Clark and to Marvel, but even if I had no connective tissue to them whatsoever, it’s a show that I would watch, because I think it’s cool. It’s super cool. We need more shows like that, that are smart but are also kind of fun. So you know, I back Clark’s rant. He’s my boy!”
Welliver’s Amazon pilot Bosch is streaming free now, and Transformers: Age of Extinction opens in theaters on June 27, 2014.
Hey, it’s cool, Clark. I am a loser. I’m a total loser. For instance, I lost Agents of Shield from my viewing schedule after continually falling asleep during the episodes. I even tried playing spades on my phone during the third one, but that didn’t help. I came back for the last three, but all I got were more zzzzzzzzz’s.
I must be the losingest loser in the town of Loserville. However, I only aspire to be like AOS, because you guys are losing viewers like Justin Beiber is losing brain cells. So you and I are just peas in a pod, Clark.
Also, you are the only good thing on the show. If it was just you by yourself ranting about Tahiti every week, I might have been able to stay awake.
I wanted to like shield. Really did… But aside from Coulson no one is likable and the writing is mostly awful.
I will give Agents of SHIELD another try because I want to like it and because of Greg. But concerning Transformers, I’m sorry. I’ve run out of fucks to give for that franchise.
Titus Welliver has a bunch of memorable roles for me. Have to throw in “Gone, Baby, Gone” among many others. Good for him for standing up for his guy.
What is missing from the show for me is the writing. It doesn’t have the snap and character development for me that other “Whedon” shows do. And then put on top of that the actors. I like Gregg, I like Ming-Na Wen. Bennett is lovely and generally likeable. But none of them or any of the rest really have (or at least have demonstrated) that personality that draws you in.
Definitely agree with Urkel’s point on Amy Acker. There are precious few shows I don’t think she would improve at this point. Her work on PoI has been stellar and she deserves a shot at being the center of a show. So her chops would definitely help. So would Sarah Shahi’s stoic badassery for that matter. But I’m not sure either of them or anyone else could truly elevate what I find to be lackluster writing.
I agree with Urkel on most points. I do see, however; that the show is becoming more of an ensemble as the season progresses. Hopefully Skye will become an integral part of that ensemble without being the entire focus. And I’m excited at the prospect of established Marvel characters and institutions being featured (Deathlok!!)
I wholeheartedly agree with everything Urkel posted. It’s a good show, but man it really needs to be better.
I’m all for defending your friends, and I really didn’t care about Greg’s comment. But still… what a load of crap.
“What’s not to like about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? ”
– The show is centered on Skye rather than SHIELD. And Skye is the most unlikeable of Whedon’s female protagonists
– Chloe Bennet is beautiful, but simply doesnt carry the acting chops required for what should be a multi-dimensional character. (Amy Acker would’ve been a perfect Skye. She’s old enough to be believable as a hacker who has tried and failed against the system before reluctantly joining shield. Plus, on PoI she’s both terrifying and intelligent. Something Bennet seems to have trouble emoting)
– Gregg is a fantastic actor but his humor comes from playing the straight man against a more “comedic” actor. Thats why Coulson is so beloved in the Marvel Universe. But in SHIELD he has nobody to bounce off of since the cast is so … questionable. And instead of adding humorous actors they write in May and Ward who are intentionally dry.
– The show is called “Agents of SHIELD” but its about this small team that works more like Scooby Doo than a gigantic agency. It should have been more like Mission:Impossible where the cast revolves to accomodate the mission rather than constantly putting inexperienced techs into dangerous field work.
– A slow build is 4 episodes in a new season, SHIELD took well over a dozen and still is pretty spotty.
I watch shield every week, but it would be silly to say that this is not a disappointing show.
Preach it Brother Clark!
“best known for his roles on The Good Wife and Argo…”
I’d think many remember him the most for playing The Man in Black on “Lost.”
Clark Gregg has written forewards for marvel books he is the real deal. I love when people speak their mind and are true to themselves.
Agents of Shield had that awkward first few episodes thing that most new shows have. It takes time to get to know the characters. I want to be shown why these characters act the way they do, not just be told- and that takes time. Once the show started to grow it’s characters, it got a lot better. It’s a pretty fun watch now.