The Hype
Agents of Shield has given us a very solid few episodes. The stakes have been risen and the quality of story, characters, and presentation has been improved drastically with their season 2 overhaul. Last week we were showed a cliffhanger that seem to promise to answer a question that has teased us for virtually the entire series, who are Skye's Parents?
The Review
However that question is not answered this week, usually cliffhangers imply "tune in next week to see what happens" not "this will happen sometime soon". What were given instead is a mediocre entry in the series. In the first few minutes we get a fantastic re-introduction to Jemma Simmons who has been noticeably absent from the show this season. We then get the big twist that she is working for Hydra! Followed immediately by the twist that shes not.
It's really good to have Simmons back in the series. Also we get some more Ward AKA "Beardy Mctraiterson". There was an amazing scene with Fitz finding out Ward is actually on base. We get a couple scenes with the ageless 1940's villain teased at the end of episode one, and some interesting concepts with the introduction of Hydra mind control.
Last week lance hunter, one of the new characters, shot Agent May, Skye, and Triplet with a sleeper gun and went commando on Crusher Creel. I was very exited to see the confrontation between him and May, but there was no tension and it was treated like a throwaway joke. It is completely out of character for Agent May to joke about something like this, and this seen feels like a wasted opportunity.
Speaking of wastes, the use of Donnie Gill was a total middle finger to the audience, when you tease a somewhat major comic book villain and make us wait a whole season to follow up, you better make it count. Shield does quite the opposite he has a small part and seems more like a plot device than an actual conflict for the cast. On top of that he appears to be dead by the end of the episode.
The special effects took a significant decline from the last 2 episodes and most of the moments were seriously cheesy. Shield has become a much better show this season but this episode is much more reminsant of one of those forgettable early season one entrys. Although it did have some well done and redeeming scenes.
Agents of Shield tones down the exitement and looses some steam, but gives us a solid episode nonetheless.
7.5/10