"Purpose" in MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

Article originally published as MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Review "Purpose in the Machine" on Seat42F.

MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. - "Purpose in the Machine" - (ABC/Kelsey McNeal) IAIN DE CAESTECKER, HENRY SIMMONS

On last night’s MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) struggles to find the “Purpose in the Machine.” More accurately, he wants to rescue Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) from her imprisonment on an alien world. Thankfully, with some help, he manages to do so.

Where Simmons has been is a big part of the mystery so far in MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., and rescuing her has to only be the beginning. While the portal is now destroyed, meaning it doesn’t seem the team will get to travel to where she’s been, we still don’t know what happened during her time there. It will surely affect her even more than her undercover mission in Hydra did, and I’m curious about her life these past months. Hopefully it won’t derail a romantic relationship with Fitz, which seems even more necessary now that he rescued her. And hopefully the show won’t just drop this plot and move on now that she’s back.

How Fitz convinces Coulson (Clark Gregg) that Simmons is still alive, and how Coulson tracks down Professor Randolph (Peter MacNicol, last seen in season one) to help open the portal really isn’t important. Admittedly, it is the meat of “Purpose in the Machine,” but it’s really minor in the scheme of things, which seems odd to say for an entire installment. I enjoyed this week’s episode, and there are some great moments for the team as a whole, but the hour just didn’t matter all that much to the larger arcs, save that a missing team member was recovered.

Daisy (Chloe Bennet), whom Coulson still keeps calling Skye, something that will eventually need to be dealt with, goes along with Fitz and saves the day, but her real plot this week is trying to put together her team, which she gets no movement on. Dr. Garner (Blair Underwood) has yet to approve any of the Inhumans that Daisy has recovered for field duty. Dr. Garner has a point that these people need time to adjust, but given Daisy’s impatience, I look for her to make another approach on Lincoln (Luke Mitchell), who probably wouldn’t need the cool-down period the newly turned have.

“Purpose in the Machine” catches us up with Ward (Brett Dalton), who has become quite the dangerous ruler of Hydra. It’s a shame to see how far Ward has fallen, but really, there are no redeemable qualities left in him, and I applaud MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. for his two-season arc thus far. I don’t know exactly when or how Ward will make a move against S.H.I.E.L.D., this episode giving us little except the beginning of an undercover assignment, but it’s imminent.

I say that even knowing that Hunter (Nick Blood) has recruited May (Ming-Na Wen) to kill Ward. It’s not that I think May has gone soft during her months living with her father (James Hong, Mulan, Blade Runner), though it’s nice she sort of got to relax. But I don’t see such a powerful villain could be taken down by two agents on a rogue mission, no matter how capable they are or how many reasons they have to want him dead. The suspense comes not from whether they will succeed, but from if they themselves will be hurt or killed in the process. (I doubt they will be killed; Hunter has his own spin-off coming and May is too valuable to die in a small battle.)

So, in summary, “Purpose in the Machine” is an enjoyable episode that moves along a number of characters, but really isn’t important. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as not every episode can be a vital linchpin, but it’s also a tad bit of a let down this early in the third year’s run. I expect things will pick up in the very near future.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Reveals "Melinda"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

“Melinda” May (Ming-Na Wen) takes center stage in the latest installment of MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. In flashback, fans finally learn why May is known as The Calvary, witnessing the traumatic event that drove her from field service and changed her into a closed-off person, while becoming a legendary hero to everyone else. It’s a sad story, but also a good one for a character who doesn’t always get as much development as the others purely because she doesn’t reveal much of herself.

The May that the “Melinda” flashbacks begin with is happily married to Dr. Andrew Garner (Blair Underwood) and ready to start a family. She loves her job and her life, and she’s a cheery optimist, at least when compared to the version we’ve grown to know. This episode not only satisfactorily explains the shift, but is an engaging, compelling story in its own right. It is probably the most important hour for this character so far.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. plays it smart by revealing the story now, using it to inform May’s relationship and trust of Coulson (Clark Gregg). As Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) and Mack (Henry Simmons) show May and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) the evidence against Coulson, doubts among Coulson’s own team begin to accumulate. May trusts him because of their history together, and we see that. However, we also see that Coulson has kept secrets even from her, possibly putting together a group of those with super powers. Can Coulson really be trusted?

Both Coulson’s agenda and May’s backstory tie into Skye’s (Chloe Bennet) thread, too. Skye is happily training with the woman she soon realizes is her mother, Jiaying (Dichen Lachman). However, Jiaying tells Skye no one can know about their relationship because the others might see Skye’s treatment as favoritism. To demonstrate how such a perception can go wrong, she tells Skye May’s tale, which ends in May having to kill a super-powered child.

The way these three all fit together so seamlessly is impressive. MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. tends to plod along for awhile, usually good but somehow not quite great, for large parts of the season. Like last year, however, there is a greater plan working behind the scenes, and when everything is known, it all comes together awesomely. “Melinda” is one of those installments that pays off viewers for sticking with the series through the lesser episodes.

It is not without flaw. Despite Jiaying telling Skye they need to keep their bond a secret, when the two eat dinner with Calvin (Kyle MacLachlan), they aren’t very careful in what they say. Lincoln (Luke Mitchell) walks right in on them, though he may not yet understand what he is seeing. Also, while it must feel extremely good for Skye to have eat with her parents for the first time ever, something she’s longed for for so long, can she really overlook Cal’s violent and cruel missteps that bring her to this place? There’s a limit of what is forgivable. This may not quite be an error in storytelling, but I’d like to see Skye resist just a little more.

Still, “Melinda” is mostly good. The stories mentioned above are fascinating, and we also see Gordon (Jamie Harris) working with Raina (Ruth Negga) to try to find her hidden gifts, which Lincoln may have stumbled upon. Raina is unhappy, and justly so, but if she has the power to see the future, as is indicated, she could become even more important to AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Plus, the episode ends with Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) asking Coulson and Hunter (Nick Blood) to help him lose a tail, which seems like it will be a lot of fun.

In general, “Melinda” is a triumph for MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. It reveals a lot about important players, especially May and Coulson, and it helps set up what should be a very exciting finale. If the show can deliver more episodes like this one, I’d have almost no complaints about it. Not that I have that many now, but it could usually be just a bit better, and “Melinda” proves that.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Fan Is "One of Us"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC is called “One of Us.” Whether or not Skye (Chloe Bennet) remains “one of us,” meaning part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, is an open question. Coulson (Clark Gregg) is certainly treating her as such, getting May (Ming-Na Wen) to bring in her ex-husband, Dr. Andrew Garner (Blair Underwood, The Event), to treat Skye. But are Skye’s powers beyond what she or they currently comprehend, and as understanding deepens, will that change opinions?

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. has a tough situation on display. Skye is a dear friend to many and she is May’s protégé so she should be protected and treated normally. But how can her friends not pretend she’s different? If she loses her concentration, she can shake apart buildings, if not larger areas. She is dangerous because she isn’t experienced in controlling her powers, and until she gets a handle on them, if she can get a handle on them permanently, she can’t fully rejoin the team, no matter how anyone feels about her. But not using them, mostly controlling them as she has done so far, is actually hurting her, so that can’t continue either.

“One of Us” talks about a registry of powered people that S.H.I.E.L.D. maintains. Skye is added to the registry, of course, but that hasn’t always been a good thing for those on it. Cal (Kyle MacLachlan) picks up a few folks who have been imprisoned or controlled because of the registry, including Karla Gaye Gideon (Drea de Matteo, The Sopranos), and sets them on a revenge course against S.H.I.E.L.D. One presumes Cal is doing this because the organization has his daughter, Skye, whom he may misguidedly believe would return to him if given free will. But it’s pretty easy to convince the others to help him, as they feel wronged by the organization.

Is this Skye’s fate? Is she destined to be locked up, or not allowed to use her powers? That’s certainly Dr. Garner’s worry, and it’s the reason he refuses to stick around when he’s asked to. Even under Coulson’s new command, not everyone has happy feelings about the agency. Skye didn’t start out believing in them, but she believes in Coulson and May, and so S.H.I.E.L.D. by extension. “One of Us” provides some pretty valid reasons as to why that opinion is not universal, moving the titular body into a greyer area than we’ve seen thus far.

Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) and Mack (Henry Simmons) go even further than just distrusting S.H.I.E.L.D., secretly working for a group they refer to as the “real” S.H.I.E.L.D. We barely catch a glimpse of the place when they take Hunter (Nick Blood) there against his will, so we don’t yet know who’s running the place or why. Yet, they are nice enough to Hunter in the interim, meaning they aren’t villains. Since Coulson is Fury’s hand-picked successor, these are likely people who disagreed with S.H.I.E.L.D. previously and now, believing the organization has a chance to change for the better and has not, are trying to circumvent the inheritance. I’m very curious to learn more about them.

So with two groups of good guys set on conflicting paths, what will happen to MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.? Last year at this time, S.H.I.E.L.D. as we know it collapsed. This season has been about rebuilding. Is the organization about to undergo another monumental shift, just as it’s getting back on its feet?

If that weren’t enough, Cal escapes when the agents capture his minions. Admittedly, Cal is grabbed by Gordon (Jamie Harris), who does not seem a fan and is determined to rein Cal in, lest he expose others with powers. But because Cal is still out there and he proves himself quite capable in the past, Cal still seems like a threat worth worrying about. Plus, we’ve seen no sign of Ward (Brett Dalton) lately, so that’s the other show that can drop at any time.

I really dig this move into darkness that MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. is going through. I’m all for the heroes winning the day, but things get much more interesting when we’re not sure who the heroes are, or when a big difference of opinion splinters them. “One of Us” is certainly a good sign the series is on track.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

IRONSIDE Hard to Get Into

Article first published as IRONSIDE Review on Seat42F.

NBC’s newest drama is yet another remake of an old series. IRONSIDE is based on the 1967-1975 show of the same name, which starred Raymond Burr as a detective confined to a wheelchair after a sniper bullet paralyzes him. In the new show, updated somewhat for modern sensibilities, Blair Underwood (The Event) plays the titular cop, a disgruntled man who doesn’t play by the rules, but gets the job done.

The premise for IRONSIDE is lame. We have a ton of police procedurals on the air, and we surely don’t need another unless it adds something very new to the genre, as some cable networks are currently doing. A remake of a show better suited to another time is a bad idea, even if the new Hawaii Five-0 has done well for CBS, because it does even less to try to craft something original.

The wheelchair seems gimmicky, especially because of the title. Yes, Ironside is also the name of the character, but it implies something different when you see him in the metal wheelchair. The fact that it is copying the original series only slightly makes this less offensive or corny.

There has been some controversy among the disabled community for the casting of Underwood, rather than someone who actually uses a wheelchair in their everyday life. After viewing the “Pilot,” which has quite a few flashback scenes prior to the shooting, the reason for the casting choice seems clear, though, and while there should be more parts for disabled actors on TV, or disability-blind casting, it’s understandable why IRONSIDE goes a different direction.

Early in the “Pilot,” Ironside breaks the rules, psychologically torturing and physically hurting a suspect. The obvious assumption is that Ironside has some anger issues because of the accident that put him in the chair. I applaud the writers for going a different directly, establishing that he was always reckless and insubordinate, so his inability to walk, while surely causing some emotional challenges, did not majorly shift his personality.

The problem is, someone who does their own thing and ignores authority, yet still succeeds, is yet another trope on modern television, especially in procedurals. There are already a ton of characters just like him in other shows, and so another one is not needed or appreciated.

Ironside goes off the rails a couple of times in the first hour alone, and while his boss, Ed Rollins (Kenneth Choi, Sons of Anarchy), grumbles, there are no consequences. Even House had the wisdom to punish its lead now and again, but then, House was a good show. This feels ridiculous and completely unrealistic, leaving discerning viewers wondering how Ironside possibly has a career.

As the “Pilot” makes clear, IRONSIDE will be standard case-of-the-week fare. We see Ironside, along with fellow officers Holly (Spencer Grammer, Greek), Virgil (Pablo Schreiber, Orange Is the New Black), and Teddy (Neal Bledsoe, Smash), go after a man this week that they blame for a girl’s suicide, which may be a homicide instead. It unfolds just as one would expect, with suspicion shifting a couple of times, clues being uncovered, and the guilty party being caught. Yawn.

The one interesting plot in the IRONSIDE “Pilot” is that of Gary Stanton (Brent Sexton, The Killing), Ironside’s former partner. Gary is taking the shooting much harder than Ironside, despite Gary coming out of it physically unharmed. We find out why at the end of the “Pilot,” and there are a couple of scenes that show what Gary has become and what he plans to do about it, or not do. This is an intriguing journey that would make for a cool premise. Unfortunately, it’s a side bit, not the focus of the show.

Now, if you like a procedural, and some do, IRONSIDE seems well made enough. It’s got a wonderful cast, being wasted on this rote work, and the pacing is fast and stays interesting… for a single episode. The problem is, it looks to be a same-thing-every-installment type of series, and there really is no excuse for these anymore in a golden era of amazing visual storytelling. Other than the excuse of ratings and ad dollars, which, unfortunately, is the purpose behind TV networks. If IRONSIDE is an hour NBC has to sacrifice to keep better stuff on, I guess it’s worth it. But it could be so much better.

IRONSIDE premieres Wednesday, October 2^nd on NBC, and the “Pilot” is available now on Hulu.

The Event - "And Then There Were More; Inostranka"

     NBC's The Event returned last night with a special-two hour episode. The hours had different titles, but it felt like they were always intended to run together. I was worried about forgetting how the series left things when it disappeared months ago, but it was pretty easy to catch up. That is a sure sign we do not have another Lost on our hands, unfortunately. While I do not have a lot to say about the show, (this will be a pretty short review for two full hours of television), as the story can easily be broken into a mere three plots, it was pretty good. Not great.

     First, let's talk about the weakest story. Leila (Sarah Roemer) and Sean (Jason Ritter) quickly discover that Leila's father Michael (Scott Patterson) is an alien. Then they rescue Leila's sister, Samantha (Anna Clark), with very little effort. Michael is with Sophia (Laura Innes), who doesn't want to help him find hisdaughters. But Michael stands up to her, much to her chagrin, and before you know it, Michael is able to get a message to Sean, and they meet up.

     It is all far too easy. Sean and Leila have almost no trouble finding both Samantha and Michael. While Sophia seems majorly perturbed that Michael stands up to her, he gets what he wants, and then she exhibits no ill-will about it. Even the major decision Leila has to make when choosing between Sean and Michael is easily solved by Sean walking away while she sleeps. And, really, who didn't see that coming? This arc was predictable, and doesn't seem very realistic if you spend much time thinking about it.

     Far better is the standoff between Blake Sterling (the brilliant Zeljko Ivanek) and Thomas (Clifton Collins Jr.). Thomas takes over Inostranka prison in Alaska relatively easily, only to discover that Sterling is within the walls. While Thomas and his men have no problems dispatching the guards in the facility, Sterling proves quite the challenge, as one expect from a Ivanek character. As the two struggle for control within Inostranka, we are treated to a supreme battle of wills between two powerful leaders. From Blake changingthe door codes to Thomas torturing poor Blake, some of the finest moments of the episode were between these two.

     Special mention also goes to Maya (Clea DuVall), the shifty alien who kills her own husband to protect Sophia's secrets, but balks at following Thomas. She goes along with him when he takes over Inostranka to bide time, but soon learns her friends who did not want to follow the new leader have been executed. Maya makes a (stupid) heroic sacrifice running for Blake after he is shot, only to be gunned down herself by Thomas, and die. It's too bad, because she is pretty interesting, and I like the idea of Sophia having a mole within Thomas's group. Instead, she exposes herself without any benefit to anyone. Blake survives, not owing to anything she does, and she breathes her last breath.

     Also neat is the new Senator for Alaska, Catherine Lewis, played by the award winning actress Virginia Madsen. Lewis goes through her dead husband's office and discovers secrets about Inostranka. She takes what she finds to President Martinez (Blair Underwood), who not only lies to her face, but has her office ransacked. Talk about underestimation. Martinez's logic may be solid, not expecting a brand new Congresswoman with no experience or credentials to challenge him, but on the flip side, she has nothing to lose by doing so. Lewis proves herself a tough cookie right away, going on Hardball to force Martinez to spill his secrets.

     My only complaint here is that not only does Lewis back off once Martinez promises to talk, but she goes back on Hardball and makes herself look like a fool, burying the major cover up she previously promised to reveal. There is no good reason for Lewis to back down. Martinez doesn't actually tell her anything yet, only says he will in the future. Sure, Hardball is live and coming back from commercial, but I expect her to stand her ground until Martinez actually tells her what is going on. Perhaps she does the politically intelligent thing, but she doesn't display that same learned intelligence earlier in the episode. Plus, she may have just hurt her credibility, and considering she is trying to expose something big, she needs her credibility right now.

     Either way, Martinez looks to be developing a worthy foe in Lewis. Since Martinez is trying to sweep state secrets under the rug, no matter how good his intentions, I am pleased by this development. Martinez is not being open as he should, and needs to be confronted. I can even see Lewis being a possible second president, should the show continue, once she disgraces Martinez by exposing his lies. Of course, that is only one possible avenue the writers may pursue. More likely, Martinez will sadly defeat her.

     The Event airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Article first published as TV Review: The Event - "And Then There Were More"/"Inostranka" on Blogcritics.

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