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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Missing Pieces

"We don't need to whisper, sound can't travel in a vacuum."

And yet, this episode features sound traveling in a vacuum. How about that? It's almost like the show being part of the MCU but not really. I kid, for I'm still a fan of this series.

Against all odds, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is back and, in its sixth season premiere, the show presents two different stories. A year has passed since Coulson died, and while Mack, May and Yo-Yo are on Earth, rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. and investigating "anomalies," Daisy, Simmons, Davis and Piper are in deep space searching for Fitz.

The search for Fitz does not an interesting plot make, at least not so far. Space Team arrives at a dead end and three of them decide to get back to Earth. Simmons is the voice of dissonance, as she finds a new clue and is willing to travel even farther. Her state of mind is understandable – if she gives up, she will have to admit to herself that Fitz is gone – but it's disappointing that she is unable to listen to everyone else, especially after Davis says he hasn't seen his kid in months.

After Fitz tortured Daisy and Simmons eventually decided to side with him, Fitzsimmons have become a darker pair. Their fidelity to one another used to be lovely, now it's bordering on obnoxious. It's a curious writing choice, yes, but oh man, am I waiting for Simmons to be called out on her behavior. Daisy hasn't said anything (onscreen, at least) about what an unsupportive friend she became, and now Jemma goes against the team's decision yet again, forcing Daisy, Davis and Piper on a dangerous path they didn't want to take.


On Earth, S.H.I.E.L.D. is being rebuilt under the leadership of Mack, and the writers use this scenario to introduce new characters and dynamics, shaking things up a little bit. Mack and Yo-Yo are no longer a couple, probably because Mack wasn't able to get over Yo-Yo's actions during the time loop crisis. Mack is also more isolated, trying to adjust himself to his new position as a leader. His mentor is a Coulson hologram, with which he checks regularly, and that speaks volumes of just how lonely Mack is – and chooses to be – right now. Yo-Yo has moved on and is secretly dating one of the new agents, Keller, and May, of all people, is handing out life and romance advice left and right. Now that's a twist. May got to have a few days with Coulson before he died and that gave her a new perspective. She is enjoying life more and is smiling (!) more as well. This is such wonderful character development; if someone deserves to be in a happier, more relaxed state of mind, that's May.

Of course, Alt-Coulson showing up might change that. And what an entrance, am I right? The trailers giving away that Clark Gregg would be back, and not just as a Coulson hologram, hurt this episode a bit, as we already knew where the story was headed. But it was fun watching it unfold nonetheless, mostly because the new pack of villains is cool. Where they come from and their agenda are still up in the air, but they are fun and are already bringing a different energy that a long running show such as Agents definitely needs.

Intel and Assets

- Welcome back to our regular coverage of the show, everyone.

- Out of the new characters, I liked Dr. Benson the most. Maybe Simmons will have someone to look up to once they are back on Earth, she is certainly in need of a role model.

- I miss Coulson.

- "We'll return in a moment" is now voiced by Ming-Na Wen.

- Fitz and Enoch's spaceship was cut in half by a rifty thing, and it looks like Fitz is being held (as a slave?) some place that's else.

- The visual effects were gorgeous, as usual. Some of my favorites: the museum being exploded, the birds coming out of the floor and these great ones below:



- On the other hand, some of the scenes featuring the Space Team were too dark. Why, Powers That Be, do you insist on that darkness? Then again, this episode had more scenes shot outside and during the day than all of season five. All things considered, it's a win.

- Daisy used her powers to vibrate guns and disarm her enemies. Finally not just pushing things away. YAY! Did the writers rewatch season two and remember she can do more with her powers?

- Jeff Ward has joined the main cast, but Deke was MIA in this episode.

- Piper and Davis have been upgraded from C-list to supporting characters. :) That sort of happened throughout last season, but it's official now. Happy for the actors for solidifying their roles on the show.

The MCU

So, uh, what about Infinity War and Endgame? There was not a single mention to the events of the movies. Is this a Multiverse situation? Is it all going to be addressed later in the season?

The executive producers have said that this season takes place a year before the snap, which makes no sense looking back at the final few episodes of season five. I don't care if Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is canon or not, this is all fiction for crying out loud. I won't bother discussing which fiction "matters" and which doesn't. But in the end of the day, it's kind of disappointing that the snap isn't addressed at all. It would be fascinating to explore a post-decimation world.

Oh, well. Maybe season seven?

Note: please, no spoilers for Endgame in the comments. We have a thread just for that. :)

Quotes

Yo-Yo: "I'm not afraid of Mack finding out."
Keller: "Well, I am. He is not small."

May: "Don't say you're here on S.H.I.E.L.D. business. You just like the beers they have on tap."

Mack: "This [bar] is my sacred space."
May: "I thought that was the church."
What a great bit of dialogue.

Mack: "We need brains."
Benson: "You're talking plural. I only have the one."

Piper: "I mean, one more week with Davis and we will find a dead body, his."
Davis: "Yes, because one more week with you and I will definitely kill myself."

Piper: "You learned to read alien?"
Simmons: "Of course, what have you been doing over the past year?"

A decent start to the season. Two out of four space jumps.
--
Lamounier

4 comments:

  1. Nice to see the reviews continue. Doubly nice to see Simmons being called out on her selfishness. I'll leave my AV Club rant below:

    I gave in and read the spoilers for the premiere from then they aired it at the con so I’ve given this rant before in some places but now that I’ve finally seen the episode proper I can officially say this with full sincerity:

    SCREW SIMMONS.

    I get that she’s not in the best state of mind cause of grief and what not but HOLY HELL. So rather than just do what everyone suggests and go back to Earth and stock up to maybe allow you to better handle this search you decide to basically screw all 3 people over by forcing them on this search with you now. After they volunteered for a GODDAMN YEAR. What a selfish person.

    And you know this whole thing wouldn’t bother me if I felt this was gonna lead to some proper character development but given the show’s track record with Jemma it’s probably not going to happen. This is like the THIRD DAMN TIME she went behind Daisy’s orders/suggestions when it was a situation involving Fitz and it makes things worse EVERY TIME. You’d think she’s learn something by now. But I guess not. We’re probably just gonna ignore this like we did the whole Fitz torturing Daisy thing (because I don’t even really know why Daisy would be even so willing to be on this search after all the crap that Fitz and Simmons has pulled with her last season).

    *End rant*

    Now as an addendum apparently there may be some future development where Simmons and Fitz have to make some amends for their past actions which can hopefully help.

    Daisy's new look has definitely grown on me since the initial promo stuff. She especially looked good in that turquoise lighting in the beginning.

    I guess I'm cool with them brining Clark back at this point and the mystery behind Sarge is at least somewhat compelling.

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  2. Nice to see you around as well, televisionandotherrantings.

    And oh my god, that was you? I saw that comment. I didn't read it because I hadn't watched the episode yet and was only browsing through the page, and then I saw that "screw Simmons" and was like, oh boy, what did Simmons do? Then, as I watched the episode, I kept thinking "she is not doing anything wrong, poor Simmons, that's totally understandable." Until, BAM, she did that. So yeah, I get it. And I hope she is called out on it, it's way overdue.

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  3. Been in love with Coulson for years. But OMG, Evil-Coulson? I may have to join the dark side.

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  4. May has softened while Jemma definitely got scary. Must be the bangs.

    Fitz! Enoch! Yay!

    Ley lines. They're also convergence points on Outlander. It's where the time travel happens.

    ReplyDelete

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