Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Jammed Pack Edition

Hello fellow S.H.I.E.L.D watchers, miss me? If you don't follow my How I Met Your Mother reviews than you have probably been wondering where I am. A member of my family died two weeks ago so television and reviewing have not really been on my mind. But I've had an entire day off of school to watch 3 episodes to review / recap for you. So get comfortable put on your thinking caps and let's get started.

1x02: 0-8-4

The first thing that came to mind when this episode began was what the heck was an 0-8-4. At the end of the pilot we learn that an 0-8-4 is an unidentified item. So the first reaction is great so they don't even know what they are getting into how am I supposed to. I thought the second episode of the season matched the first and I believe it exceeded my expectations. It's been a couple weeks since it aired so let me breakdown it down:

1. Agent Skye- Her first day in the field with the other agents was a big one and a testy one. Ward and May do not trust because she is a part of the Rising Tide, which we learn by the end of the episode they are right not to. Skye tries to win Ward over by telling him what the R.T actually does and how as a group they can be the solution. She also saves Ward's life and actually reads the safety packet for the plane which is a first... so kudos to you Skye. But even know 4 episodes deep I still do not know what her intentions are. Where do her true loyalties lie, with S.H.I.E.L.D or with the Rising Tide?
   
   
   
2. Agent May- What I love most about Whedon shows is that they display powerful women in a man's world kicking ass and taking names. And Agent May is no different, I believe she will become a big Asset to the team as the show progresses. We learn in this episode that she IS the cavalry, which I am hoping we get a flashback episode in the future about what that entails and how she ended up flying the plane instead of participating in combat. I was a little unsure of her character in the pilot because she was clouded with mystery but I guess that's what the best part is, week by week uncovering new layers to such a strong female character.
   
   
   
3. Avengers Continuity Continues:  Bravo and the crowd cheers. Or maybe just me but bless the continuity. I believe continuity is one of the most important things in a show and a show that has poor continuity will not play out well for me. So excellent work on the hammer from Thor reference and bringing the Tezerak (bad spelling) energy back. I just watched the Avengers last night for like the fifth time, I am turning into a huge comic book nerd, I think it's been slowly building for years to be honest with you. Speaking of Avengers continuity in the pilot my girl Maria Hill made a cameo appearance and in the back of my head I knew there was tons of opportunity for more Marvel characters to show but I did not expect one to show up in the second episode of the season as well. But holy shit did I ever scream at my television when Nick Furry popped up to scream at Coulson for destroying the plane and for his team of misfits. Well done, Whedon's well done.

Quotes: 

• "Oh, Congratulations Agent Ward you managed to string together 3 words into a sentence.” (Fitz). 
• “Is this your first mission together?” “NO.. it’s our second.” (Skye and Simmons) 
• “One person usually doesn’t have the solution, but a 100 people with one percent of the solution can get the job done.” (Skye) 
• “What the hell was that?” “..Her wrist.” (Fitz and Ward). 
• “I read the safety pamphlet.” “I think you might be the first.” (Skye and Ward)

The only part of the episode that I would drop in the did not care for pile would be Agent Reyes and the Peruvian team. Not that I did not believe it brought good drama and everything because it certainly did but as soon as she made eyes with Phil, I was like well this isn't going to end well. I'm sure I'm not the only one who found that part a wee bit predictable? Other than that the episode was awesome, so whatever.

1x03 - The Asset

The episode started off with an invisible force of nature completely flipping over the S.H.I.E.L.D truck set to deliver a "package" to an unidentified location. We learn that the "package" is a scientist named Dr. Franklin Hall who is idolized by FitzSimmons. The team tries to do everything in their power to save him from Ian Quinn who is this week's villain.

1. Agent Skye: My number one need to talk about character after every week it seems because I love her to death but she also makes me incredibly irrational because I do not know her intentions. When she agrees to go help save Dr. Hall I immediately think yes you go and save him for FitzSimmons but then when Quinn figures out she's snooping around she tells him that S.H.I.E.L.D is listening. She is simply confusing and I do not know what to do with her. When talking with Quinn he also strikes a nerve by saying she has no family. I am left wondering what her ultimate back-story is aside from the Rising Tide. We learn about her being in foster homes at the end of the episode so what happened to her  birth parents? Speaking of Agent Ward can we talk about her sexual tension between the two of them because yowzah it's burning up in here, especially after that boxing scene. I do not know what I want with them yet but the chemistry has certainly been undeniable since the pilot. So I say bring it on.
   
   
   
2. Gravitonium: I think this week's mystery device we shall say was the most interesting. An original prototype created by Dr. Hall that completely defies the laws of gravity was awesome. The prototype originally created by Hall is then turned life size by Quinn becoming detrimental to the world. When Coulson learns from FitzSimmons that the only way to stop the Gravitonium from detonating is by creating a catalyst. By using Dr. Hall as a catalyst the show has totally set up the possibility of  a super  villain to be created because at the end of the episode you see in the unidentified S.H.I.E.L.D freezer all though inside the device Dr. Hall is still very much alive or dying slowly and painfully... it could go either way.  

Quotes:

• "I thought I was joining S.H.I.E.L.D, not 24 hour fitness." (Skye)
• “You want me to bench press this?” “No I want you to read it.” (Skye and May).
• “You do not have the background or clearance or experience with any of this.” “I know but I have an invitation… well technically it’s an E-vite.” (Ward and Skye). 
• “You forget I saw plenty of action with the Avengers.” “…And you died.” (Coulson and May). 
• “I could get used to this people, it’s like Siri.. if it worked.” (Skye). 
• “I thought she was done for but she managed to sweet talk her way into Quinn’s office.” “How did she manage that?” “Probably with her… ugh…her…uh… boobs.” (Simmons, May and Fitz).
•  “The kids got balls.” “Thanks but  ... yuck.” (Skye)

I thought the episode overall was really good like I said this week's device was one of the most interesting and overall complex and nothing like we had seen so far. In the pilot the technology was from Iron Man 3 and in episode 2 the technology was from Captain America and The Avengers so this was the first episode in which it was something new and fresh so it was great.

1x04- Eye Spy

Last night's episode kicked off with a bizarre openings thus far. The men in the red masks with their hands handcuffed to metal brief cases. Cut to the black woman and then to the dark lights and to the red masked man with his hand almost severed off to give your head a good spin.

1. Akela: Telepathy? Mind-Reader? Human Robot... that's a new one. Akela was an interesting character, a former S.H.I.E.L.D agent under Coulson's guidance turned captured victim now human robot. Your first thought was that she could sense danger and could bend things with her mind. After she attacks FitzSimmons and Skye and they view it on a monitor the audience learns she is being watched and controlled herself via a bionic eye. Who was controlling her? The S.H.I.E.L.D team with the help of Akela find out who was controlling her and save her before the person in control can kill her. Phil then finds the controller who ends up dying because someone is controlling him as well. So who is the ultimate leader is the question. Akela who is now free and off to S.H.I.E.L.D prison asks Agent May what happened to Coulson, May does not understand the question leaving the audience to wonder what else Nick Furry did to Coulson besides fake his death during the battle of New York.
   
   
2. Big Brother: This reoccurring idea that Big Brother is watching you keeps coming up in these episodes. Last week Quinn brought it up by saying S.H.I.E.L.D was Big Brother watching Skye's every move, and this week Big Brother was the controller of Aklea's controller. If you are unfamiliar with this term and no not the CBS Hit reality show although it does share the same idea. This idea stems from George Orwell's 1984, which was a futuristic novel written in the late 40's on what the future would be like. The "Big Brother was the core of the propaganda and absolute truth signifying that no matter what you did, you were never free. Someone at a higher authority was always watching you and it is usually the government. So whether or not I am reading too much into it or I am right on track this show certainly knows what it's doing. I would like to thank my senior English teacher in high school for making me read this book because now I sound super intelligent. It's a good book if anyone wants to read it. 

Quotes

• "Only a few women in the world can pull of something so impossible. Since you run the bus it had to be her." (Coulson)
• "You're a robot, can you do that?" (Skye)
• "Be friendly Agent Ward, can you be friendly? Please don't die." (Skye)

The team came together in their specialized fields to help complete and solve yet another mission. This show continues to get better and better and I enjoy reviewing it and I hope you all enjoy reading them. Again I am sorry for slacking off... but it really was out of my control. I hope you're ready to stick with me through this series, it's going to be an amazing ride.