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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

TV Recap: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 1-2 - 0-8-4

Last night’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. seems a good chance to get to know the characters better.  The plot, such as it was, was entertaining enough.  But it wasn’t complex and overly twisty.

Sometimes you need TV like that.

And to show just how uncomplicated the plot was, they started with the Agents’ plane in the sky getting a hole blown in the side just after Leader announced that things were fine.

Really?  You have to do that old trick?  So often, I find that covers a lack of suspenseful story.  It’s a hook when nothing in the first half of the episode will work to get you into the story.  As much as I loved Alias, I got so tired of that devise during season 3.  I still haven’t recovered.  I didn’t help that Covert Affairs pulled a 10 week teaser like that in the recent first half of their season.  And they certainly didn’t need it.

It’s an overdone device.  Let it go already!

I should point out that, yes, I know it can be done well.  Babylon 5, my favorite TV show (still) did it well with a couple of characters' relationship.  But it wasn’t the main focus of the show.

Okay, rant over.  Moving on.


We start with Sky coming on board the plane as they are about to go wheels up for a mission in Peru.  Something unknown has been found in an ancient temple.  The last time something unknown was found was when they found Thor’s hammer.

The crew lands, but as the scientists are looking at this device, two groups of locals show up trying to shoot our team.  One of them includes Phil Coulson's former lover, so we team up with them and all get on the plane.

Once back there, we find out the device is a weapon.  An unstable weapon, as the scientists tried to tell everyone before it was taken on a wild ride back to the plane.

But that’s also when the former lover and her men turn on our heroes.  She wants this weapon and she wants it all to herself.

Fortunately, everyone but Phil is imprisoned together, and they are able to work together to find a way to get free and turn the tables on the crew that took over their plane.  Unfortunately, that involves blowing a hole in the side of the plane.  But they land and save the day.

The episode ends with the weapon being shot up into space and the former lover in custody, although it’s expected that Peru will bargain to get her back.

As our crew watches the rocket, Sky gets a text from someone in the Rising Tide movement.  So I guess she isn’t the only member.  But what is it she agreed to?  My guess is she’ll turn on S.H.I.E.L.D. at some point in the second half of the season.

Meanwhile, we also learned that whatever Melinda May used to do, she got the nickname “The Calvary.”  It’s a nickname she now hates.  And, after working together so well to take their plane back, Melinda and Grant’s initial objections to Sky are gone or at least lessened.  Wait until she turns on them.

And I do hope you listened to ABC and stuck around for the final scene.  Samuel L. Jackson made a funny cameo as Nick Fury chewing out Phil for already wrecking the plane.

Don’t let the size of the recap fool you.  I did enjoy the episode.  I just don’t feel like there is a lot of depth or meat to focus on here.

However, did I miss something?  Let me know in the comments.

2 comments:

  1. I know this may be what they're aiming for, and while I feel this episode was a huge improvement over the series premier, I still think it's a tad too campy and story driven rather than character driven. Predictable and shallow are two words stuck in my head throughout the episode. It's fun to watch, but I don't feel invested to follow through with the series. I'll probably give it a few more episode before making up my mind though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, the dip in the ratings shows you aren't alone.

      I'm enjoying the ride - at least so far. Certainly reminds me of other Whedon shows, and they've always had a certain camp factor to them.

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