"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.

New "Laws" for MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

Article first published as AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Review "Laws of Nature" on Seat42F.

MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. - "Laws of Nature" - "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (ABC/Kelsey McNeal) CHLOE BENNET, LUKE MITCHELL

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. does not do slow and quiet, as evidenced in the third season premiere last night, “Laws of Nature.” Months have passed, and Inhumans are starting to show up across the globe. S.H.I.E.L.D. seeks to catch and protect them, but they suddenly have competition in that market, and it’s not Hydra (or, at least not entirely Hydra). Not all the members of the team are focused on this, though, with personal issues driving the motivations of several.

Daisy (Chloe Bennet) is probably the most changed. Rejecting the name Skye, she now leads Coulson’s team to find the Inhumans. An intense opening scene in which she meets Joey Gutierrez (Juan Pablo Raba, Narcos) beautifully illustrates the challenges she faces, both physical and emotional. It’s not easy for someone to suddenly gain powers they can’t understand and control without warning, and while Daisy has gone through it herself, not everyone is receptive to her assistance.

Mack (Henry Simmons, now a full-time cast member) does his best to help Daisy, but he doesn’t have the same experience she has, so that’s why she approaches Lincoln (Luke Mitchell, also promoted to full-time). But Lincoln wants nothing to do with her, even after the monstrous Lash (former NFL player Matthew Willig), who looks like Raina’s overgrown big brother, destroys Lincoln’s new life. So Daisy is failing on multiple fronts.

Her failure does not mean that she should be written off. Daisy has shown remarkable strength and character over the past two seasons, growing into a very formidable member of the team, and earning authority despite her limited tenure. While she is drawn into MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. because of her past, she is well-poised to write her own future, and it’s a pleasure watching her go through this. And Lincoln will have to come around, eventually.

The best character on MARVEL’s AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., though, remains Coulson (Clark Gregg). Armed with a new hand (hehe), as we knew he would be, Coulson spends most of “Laws of Nature” tracking down Rosalind Price (Constance Zimmer, UnREAL, Entourage, House of Cards, etc.), his competition for the Inhumans. Their exchange in the subway is perfect, and in Rosalind, I feel like Coulson has met his match.

Though, they aren’t exactly on opposing sides. It turns out, someone is killing Inhumans, but it’s not Rosalind’s group. I think. (Maybe it’s Hyrdra?) So that means this could be a match made in heaven. Or T.A.H.I.T.I. Wherever. As long as Zimmer sticks around as long as possible (as allowable by her other work), I’m happy.

Speaking of chemistry, the electricity between Hunter (Nick Blood) and Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) has not cooled off. They are at odds and yet happy together at the same time. This pair has an odd balance, one born of both love and conflict, and yet it seems like they are as good together as they’ll ever be, and it’s nice. Someone on MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. has to be happy, and my vote is for these two. Who may very soon have their own spin-off anyway.

Poor Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) isn’t so lucky. He’s spent months trying to find a way to get Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) out of the monolith. Even Coulson gives up, telling Fitz it’s hopeless and she’s probably dead. The fact that she isn’t, instead trapped in an alien wasteland, with the rock-thing serving not as a cage, but a portal, only makes Fitz’s seemingly hopeless mission feel warranted.

I can’t help but wonder, though, despite not wanting Simmons off the show, if it might not have been a more powerful story to see Fitz dealing with a truly lost cause. The hero pushing on is a predictable archetype, and usually MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. is better than this. It also doesn’t feel entirely right that Coulson and others have given up on Simmons without confirming what happened. I’m still waiting for the twist to redeem this plot, such as Coulson perhaps still working on this in secret, and I expect there will be one coming. Hopefully.

Ward (Brett Dalton) and May (Ming-Na Wen) are both absent from “Laws of Nature,” but that’s OK. MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. has expanded its cast enough that not every player must be in every hour, and there’s plenty going on without them. Of course, I look forward to their imminent returns in the near future. But even sans those two, the season premiere is a solid one, setting up a new, interesting arc as the Inhuman-triggering substance spreads globally, and providing plenty of character drama meat to boot. This is a satisfying first episode back for a reliable series.

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

No "Enemy" of MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

Article originally written for Seat42F.

The action-packed threads converge in “Frenemy of My Enemy,” the latest installment of ABC’s MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Both S.H.I.E.L.D. and “the real” S.H.I.E.L.D. search for Skye (Chloe Bennet), but they aren’t the only ones, as Hydra enters the race, too. Too bad Skye is woefully ignorant of the danger she’s in, hanging out with her crazy dad instead.

It’s a bit surprising to see Skye sympathizing with Cal (Kyle MacLachlan) at this point. It’s obvious that she is staying by his side to protect others, not because she wants to be there, but her words of comfort to him ring a bit too honest to dismiss. She does understand what he’s lost, and while she may not approve of the way he handles things, it’s clear that she isn’t ready to completely toss him aside. Even if he gets locked up, which has to happen, it seems like Skye might continue to visit him.

This is a long way from Skye’s attitude regarding her father previously, but it makes a certain amount of sense. She has always wanted to find her family, and while she appreciates the clan Coulson (Clark Gregg) has built more than her biological relations, Cal does hold the answers to many questions Skye has about herself. Plus, whatever his faults, he loves her, and losing Skye has caused him huge amounts of pain that Skye has finally opened herself up enough to see. Whatever happens, I expect and hope for a lasting bond between these two.

Other bonds in MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. continue to grow more tenuous. Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) confides to May (Ming-Na Wen) that Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) has the toolbox. May turns right around and tells Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki). To her credit, Bobbi only asks Simmons to help her track Fitz, not sharing the news with her fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. board members. But Simmons feels betrayed by May, even when May points out how erratic Coulson has been acting. I don’t think May will turn her back on Coulson by any means, but she may see the wisdom in someone else leading the organization or making Coulson come clean with the team about his secret activities.

Because of this, “Frenemy of My Enemy” actually begins to heal the rift between the two S.H.I.E.L.D.s. Simmons may not be ready to get on board, but May understands that Bobbi and the others are not trying to destroy Coulson. That’s an important step to righting the ship, whoever ends up being in charge in the end. Coulson turning himself in at the close of the episode will be another important step, if he doesn’t do something horrible while in custody, which is a possibility.

S.H.I.E.L.D. does need to get its act together, though, because there are clearly other dangers out there. The super humans might not be one, although Lincoln (Luke Mitchell) is a bit shady in following Skye. But Hydra is presenting a real threat again when Bakshi (Simon Kassianides) is allowed to hook back up with Dr. List (Henry Goodman, Taking Woodstock). Mike (J. August Richards) and Lincoln are kidnapped and may be controlled by those with less than noble intentions. And 33, a.k.a. Kara (Maya Stojan), and Ward (Brett Dalton) remain at large, assuming Coulson didn’t follow through on wiping their memories, which we did not see him do.

It’s hard to review “Frenemy of My Enemy” as its own thing because it’s extremely interconnected with the rest of MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. lately. What is notable is that it is very clear that the series has ramped up, giving us lots of exciting players that keep changing their combinations in new and interesting ways, and the show seems to be rocketing towards what will likely be a shocking, splashy conclusion. I’m happy to be along for the ride.

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.

MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. "Afterlife" Review

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s installment of MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. takes us into the “Afterlife.” Specifically, Skye (Chloe Bennet) wakes up in a place called Afterlife, where she is surrounded by both those with powers and many who wish to have them. Meanwhile, everyone else searches for both Skye and a way into the toolbox as the conflict between the “real” S.H.I.E.L.D. and Coulson (Clark Gregg) continues.

It’s a bit of a relief to see Skye among people who can help her. I understand her desire to go save her friends, but Skye is not much use to them in her current, unstable state, anyway. With Gordon (Jamie Harris), Lincoln (Luke Mitchell, The Tomorrow People), and the woman Skye doesn’t know is her mother and whom many believe to be dead, Jiaying (Dichen Lachman), Skye has a chance at not only controlling her abilities, but figuring out how to use them. She will come out of this experience better than ever if she just allows herself to listen to them, as they do seem to have her best interests at heart, at least for now.

A setback occurs when Skye learns that the group is treating Raina (Ruth Negga), too. It’s hard to know if Skye’s right and Raina doesn’t deserve assistance or if Jiaying is right and Raina was just Cal’s (Kyle MacLachlan) pawn who merits compassion. Seeing that Gordon and Jiaying have Cal locked up is encouraging, but Skye doesn’t know the fate of her father, so that’s of no comfort to her. Will Raina come out of this place with newfound purpose, or will she continues to do fiendish things because what she wanted didn’t turn out to be what she expected?

Coulson and Hunter (Nick Blood) go looking for Skye, believing she is more crucial to immediately retrieve than S.H.I.E.L.D. itself is, or perhaps believing that Skye is the key to taking back the organization. They have a bit of help in doing so in the form of Deathlok (J. August Richards), who has undergone some impressive upgrades. “Afterlife” is a little slow in moving this part of the story along, but it’s worth it just to see Hunter’s face when Deathlok shows up, an event Coulson doesn’t clue Hunter into for that very reason. Priceless. And by the end of the episode, the trio has a method of transportation, plus they’re heading towards Ward (Brett Dalton), which promises to be awesome, so it all plays out well.

Coulson has other assistance, too. May (Ming-Na Wen) remains completely loyal. Gonzales (Edward James Olmos) offers her a seat at the table in “Afterlife” and urges her to take it for Coulson’s sake, but she doesn’t seem to accept. This scene demonstrates both who May is, which I never doubted, but also backs up Gonzales’ claim that he is not a bad guy and just wants to help S.H.I.E.L.D. be what it should. He does want to stop Coulson, which causes conflict, but we see him treating the rest of the team with nothing but respect. That’s a good sign.

Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) take advantage of Gonzales’ leniency to smuggle the toolbox out of the base with Fitz, leaving Simmons almost exactly where she begins the season, a lone mole among enemies. By working together here, the twosome repairs their troubled relationship, though Gonzales’ people don’t see that, thankfully. Sadly, though, the bond between Mack (Henry Simmons) and Fitz seems to be destroyed. It’s uncomfortable to watch because Mack truly does think he’s doing the right thing, as does Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki), and their commitment to Gonzales isn’t that different from our main cast’s commitment to Coulson.

Is Gonzales right in thinking Coulson’s people shouldn’t put their loyalty to Coulson ahead of their loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D.? For them, Coulson is S.H.I.E.L.D. and understandably so. They’ve watched him lead the organization through its darkest time. Yet, if Gonzales is going to lead the new S.H.I.E.L.D., perhaps they’re making the wrong decision, and maybe Coulson, who has admittedly been erratic, really shouldn’t be in charge. He seems better after the temple, but they don’t all know that for sure yet. Coulson is a great guy, but he’s not a perfect leader. Nor is Gonzales, though, even if he does allow the others to overrule him on May and let democracy win.

I still keep hoping there’s a peaceful resolution to be had here, and perhaps Skye will be the tool that can make it happen, once she wields her power correctly. None of the S.H.I.E.L.D. people, on either side of the schism, deserve to die or be locked up. They just need to come to an understanding, which will be difficult, given the strong personalities and opinions involved. “Afterlife” gives me optimism if only because both sides of the fight seem to be acting reasonably rationally, putting their cause ahead of personal feelings, even if they disagree on what that cause means exactly.

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