Post by ayanami on Jun 26, 2020 3:00:12 GMT
I wanted to post this in the main spoiler thread at first, but then it just got longer and longer... 
Damn, what an episode! So much to comment on, so little time.
First of all, they’ve really been outdoing themselves with the title cards/intros this season. This. Was. Epic.
Btw, was Jeff Ward’s the only scene that they specifically filmed for this, or am I forgetting wherever that cheesy take was from? (Don’t think so, though…)
Also, btw, while the intro was awesome, this was a totally wasted opportunity to tell people everywhere just how Enver Gjokaj’s name is pronounced! Had it not been for that clip of him posted in another thread here, I’d still have no idea!
A cookie for anyone who can tell me where the NYC establishing shot in the beginning was from! Any movie or TV show in particular, or was that just random stock footage?
I still don’t like bland May. Ming-Na has really grown into the role of stoic May over the years and I’d say that she and the writers managed to give her character quite a development over time, while still remaining true to her core persona. This right now just feels weird, though, and I kinda feel like Ming-Na is just not good enough of an actress to really portray the nuances that her current plot line calls for.
Hahahahahaha, I fricking called it that Sousa would not be happy about giving up his suit! Skye is rocking the 70s style, though, as are Coulson and May.
Sousa questioning the causality loop of time travel five minutes after joining the game. Honestly, I love you, dude. Also, once the Zephyr is back in 2019, make sure you get Netflix and check out a show called “Dark”. You’ll either really enjoy it, or it will drive you insane – depending on your point of view.
“Might as well dive in and embrace the 1970s.” *super weird rollerskater passes by* “…starting now.” I’m dead!
Man, that SHIELD joint has been up for at least forty years and it’s STILL using the same password?! Tell that to a network administrator today and watch them have a total breakdown!
Bendeery English Ale. *raises a toast* “This is to you, Hunter! Cheers!”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to prevent the mistakes through… say… preparation?” Ouch! Well, at least Deke actually got that hint. He still seems oblivious to the fact that nobody in their twenties actually enjoys being called “Bobo” or “Nanna”. (Okay, so Simmons smiled at this, but she’s also super weird right now and has a light bulb implanted in her neck, so that doesn’t count!)
Also, yay, someone remembers that Fitz still exists!
Still with the Lighthouse. Well, they built the damn set, now they’ll be damn sure to keep using it for all it’s worth!
“You’re damn fine at what you do.” Ehhh… not trying to be rude or anything, but what exactly would that be?? What exactly is Yo-Yo’s contribution to the team aside from having really nifty powers? Also, note that we STILL haven’t seen a single scene of her at least trying to figure out what’s wrong with her or if she can get her powers back somehow.
I want a SHIELD coaster!
Weird May still being weird.
Hi, General Stoner! Not playing tour guide today, I see.
Bringing Project Insight into the mix. Nice!
Also, poor Sousa. Giving up his whole life to maintain the time line (not that anyone actually asked him!), meanwhile the Chronicoms go about happily messing things up however they like.
“Keep a low profile. You’re kind of famous among SHIELD agents.” Yeeeeah, you think? Flimsy handwave of the writers imo, because that was my very first thought the second they had Sousa walk into a bar filled to the brim with high ranking SHIELD agents.
Lol @ the figures of speech. Reminds me of an episode of Supernatural, where one of the main characters travelled to the 30s (I think). He constantly kept saying “awesome”, which was met with quite some bewilderment due to the changed meaning.
Weird May is even weird at flirting.
What with it having been four years, I had to check. Young Gideon Malick is being played by the same actor as he was in “Paradise Lost” in season 3. Nathaniel Malick is not.
Sousa to the rescue!
*Skye and Sousa finding the hidden room* “Whoa, high-tech!” Lol
List of people outside the current main team that Skye actually had/has chemistry with: Grant Ward, Robbie Reyes and now Daniel Sousa of all people!!! Wow. Honestly, I had not expected this at all, but the team-up is really working for me. They’re better in five minutes together than Skye was with Mack in a whole season! (Nope, I’m not biased there at all.)
Mentioning it now so I don’t have to later: Peggy Carter is actually not on the list we get to see. Seems like a silly omission if Sousa is to mention her later. Victoria Hand and Robert Gonzales are, though. Nice touch!
Sorry, Sousa, that expression is still not catching on.
Aww, evil Freddy Malick as actually a loving dad. Who would have thought? Hey, maybe they should have just told him what Gideon did to his brother in the original timeline. That might just have caused enough of a stir for the team to escape without taking anyone hostage.
“So SHIELD takes hostages now? Anything else you’re not telling me?” Well, yes and… absolutely yes!
“Come with me if you want to continue to exist!” E – P – I – C (And fuel efficient!)
A time machine that you can’t control seems like a really bad idea. Just saying.
Massive props to Yo-Yo btw for actually trying to get off the ship in time! That would have been a cool storyline, to see her again moments – but really three years – later, after she spent all that time trying to go all John McClane on the Lighthouse. I think in a full season they might have even done that, but alas…
I think Simmons is not Simmons. She’s clearly not a Chronicom, either, (no reaction to the EMP), but something very very weird is going on here.
Sousa being tired of everybody’s sh!t. Love it.
Also, Sousa vs. Deke. Damn. Not the first talk between them that I would have envisioned, but I think that down the line there is definitely some common ground there. They’re both temporal anomalies, after all.
Mission briefing and Deke just volunteered to go after Malick. Yup, the guy’s chances to die of lead poisoning just quadrupled. (Seriously, I even kind of doubted that they were actually gonna do it, just because of how obvious it seemed.) I guess the kid takes after his grandma after all. (Or, you know, his second pair of grandparents could still be Bobbi and Hunter. That would also explain a lot… )
Malick and the Chronicoms scheming evil schemes…
Sousa being all frustrated, Skye baffling him with future tech and even some serious bonding. Man, this pairing is so nice.
“You look okay for a guy who just aged twenty years.” Ever the charmer, Skye.
May and LMD Coulson reminiscing. Sooo… are we all just gonna go along with it and basically not care anymore that the real Coulson is dead? Just wondering.
Skye asking Sousa to do something that would make him put away his gun in just the second that Nathaniel comes busting around the corner. Now how bloody (in-)convenient was that?!? Seriously, bad, writers, bad!
A Malick being smug. Now I’m sure that’s something that’ll never happen again in the future.
May really is basically Deanna Troi at this point. She still kicks more ass, though.
Deke killing Freddy. Now that scene really deserves some special attention:
- First of all: “They see that coming?” Is that like a Quicksilver reference, or something?
- Also, aren’t you forgetting something, Deke? “Look, I’m not the guy you met in the Lighthouse. Not anymore. And I don’t wanna be.” Yeeeaaahhhh… that didn’t work out so well, did it?
- Furthermore, the guy on the team who’s in love with Skye shoots an unarmed villain while that guy taunts the heroes over how futile all their efforts are and that the villains already know all their plans. Now, wherever have I seen that before?
- Elena being upset that Deke just kills the villain. Ehh… does the name “Ruby” still ring a bell?
- Until proven otherwise, I still maintain the theory that Deke’s father could be Bobbi’s and Hunter’s son. That would make it even funnier that Deke and his female partner infiltrate the fancy mansion of a Hydra leader and he ends up executing him. Seriously, this attack was like the culmination of a couple of best-of scenes put together. And it also makes me wonder now what Sousa would say about Coulson giving out kill orders back in the day.
So Hydra has Mack’s mom and dad. I’m glad he didn’t actually gamble the fate of all mankind to save them, only the security of the plane. Still a huge risk to put upon the team, but given the circumstances, not even I can blame him for that one. Although… has Mack himself already been born yet? Has his brother been? Damn, there might have actually been some advantages of letting dear mom and dad drown after all…
- And here I thought Nathanial Malick might turn out to be the less evil brother. Looks like I was wrong. Though I’m afraid if he does end up taking Skye apart to get her powers, not even Cal would be able to stitch her back together afterwards.
So, yeah, very long story short, this was another really good episode that confirms the current trend on the show I already saw the beginning of in the season premiere:
Can... can it be? Is Agents of Shields' writing actually becoming good again? Oh, my, I do not dare to hope!
So, to answer my own question – and even at the risk of jinxing the rest of the season : Yes. It seems like the answer is actually yes. Which actually kinda baffles me, because I’m not aware of any major change-up in the writing department. So far all the writers this season that I looked up have been on the show for a long time, as have obviously been the showrunners themselves.
Well, I guess at the end of the day it might have just been the additional time they had due to the shorter seasons, or maybe a concise effort to end the show on a high note. Whatever it was, though, I think the show is much better than it has been in years and I for one am very grateful for that. Having to say goodbye to Agents of SHIELD in a couple of weeks will be sad enough. I would hate to do so with the show being the same inconsistent mess it’s often been during the last few seasons.
Damn, what an episode! So much to comment on, so little time.
First of all, they’ve really been outdoing themselves with the title cards/intros this season. This. Was. Epic.
Btw, was Jeff Ward’s the only scene that they specifically filmed for this, or am I forgetting wherever that cheesy take was from?
(Don’t think so, though…)Also, btw, while the intro was awesome, this was a totally wasted opportunity to tell people everywhere just how Enver Gjokaj’s name is pronounced! Had it not been for that clip of him posted in another thread here, I’d still have no idea!
A cookie for anyone who can tell me where the NYC establishing shot in the beginning was from! Any movie or TV show in particular, or was that just random stock footage?
I still don’t like bland May. Ming-Na has really grown into the role of stoic May over the years and I’d say that she and the writers managed to give her character quite a development over time, while still remaining true to her core persona. This right now just feels weird, though, and I kinda feel like Ming-Na is just not good enough of an actress to really portray the nuances that her current plot line calls for.
Hahahahahaha, I fricking called it that Sousa would not be happy about giving up his suit! Skye is rocking the 70s style, though, as are Coulson and May.
Sousa questioning the causality loop of time travel five minutes after joining the game. Honestly, I love you, dude. Also, once the Zephyr is back in 2019, make sure you get Netflix and check out a show called “Dark”. You’ll either really enjoy it, or it will drive you insane – depending on your point of view.
“Might as well dive in and embrace the 1970s.” *super weird rollerskater passes by* “…starting now.” I’m dead!
Man, that SHIELD joint has been up for at least forty years and it’s STILL using the same password?! Tell that to a network administrator today and watch them have a total breakdown!
Bendeery English Ale. *raises a toast* “This is to you, Hunter! Cheers!”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to prevent the mistakes through… say… preparation?” Ouch!
Well, at least Deke actually got that hint. He still seems oblivious to the fact that nobody in their twenties actually enjoys being called “Bobo” or “Nanna”. (Okay, so Simmons smiled at this, but she’s also super weird right now and has a light bulb implanted in her neck, so that doesn’t count!)Also, yay, someone remembers that Fitz still exists!
Still with the Lighthouse. Well, they built the damn set, now they’ll be damn sure to keep using it for all it’s worth!
“You’re damn fine at what you do.” Ehhh… not trying to be rude or anything, but what exactly would that be?? What exactly is Yo-Yo’s contribution to the team aside from having really nifty powers? Also, note that we STILL haven’t seen a single scene of her at least trying to figure out what’s wrong with her or if she can get her powers back somehow.
I want a SHIELD coaster!
Weird May still being weird.
Hi, General Stoner! Not playing tour guide today, I see.
Bringing Project Insight into the mix. Nice!
Also, poor Sousa. Giving up his whole life to maintain the time line (not that anyone actually asked him!), meanwhile the Chronicoms go about happily messing things up however they like.
“Keep a low profile. You’re kind of famous among SHIELD agents.” Yeeeeah, you think? Flimsy handwave of the writers imo, because that was my very first thought the second they had Sousa walk into a bar filled to the brim with high ranking SHIELD agents.
Lol @ the figures of speech. Reminds me of an episode of Supernatural, where one of the main characters travelled to the 30s (I think). He constantly kept saying “awesome”, which was met with quite some bewilderment due to the changed meaning.
Weird May is even weird at flirting.
What with it having been four years, I had to check. Young Gideon Malick is being played by the same actor as he was in “Paradise Lost” in season 3. Nathaniel Malick is not.
Sousa to the rescue!
*Skye and Sousa finding the hidden room* “Whoa, high-tech!” Lol
List of people outside the current main team that Skye actually had/has chemistry with: Grant Ward, Robbie Reyes and now Daniel Sousa of all people!!! Wow. Honestly, I had not expected this at all, but the team-up is really working for me. They’re better in five minutes together than Skye was with Mack in a whole season! (Nope, I’m not biased there at all.
)Mentioning it now so I don’t have to later: Peggy Carter is actually not on the list we get to see. Seems like a silly omission if Sousa is to mention her later. Victoria Hand and Robert Gonzales are, though. Nice touch!
Sorry, Sousa, that expression is still not catching on.
Aww, evil Freddy Malick as actually a loving dad. Who would have thought? Hey, maybe they should have just told him what Gideon did to his brother in the original timeline. That might just have caused enough of a stir for the team to escape without taking anyone hostage.
“So SHIELD takes hostages now? Anything else you’re not telling me?” Well, yes and… absolutely yes!
“Come with me if you want to continue to exist!” E – P – I – C
(And fuel efficient!) A time machine that you can’t control seems like a really bad idea. Just saying.
Massive props to Yo-Yo btw for actually trying to get off the ship in time! That would have been a cool storyline, to see her again moments – but really three years – later, after she spent all that time trying to go all John McClane on the Lighthouse. I think in a full season they might have even done that, but alas…
I think Simmons is not Simmons. She’s clearly not a Chronicom, either, (no reaction to the EMP), but something very very weird is going on here.
Sousa being tired of everybody’s sh!t. Love it.
Also, Sousa vs. Deke. Damn. Not the first talk between them that I would have envisioned, but I think that down the line there is definitely some common ground there. They’re both temporal anomalies, after all.
Mission briefing and Deke just volunteered to go after Malick. Yup, the guy’s chances to die of lead poisoning just quadrupled. (Seriously, I even kind of doubted that they were actually gonna do it, just because of how obvious it seemed.) I guess the kid takes after his grandma after all.
(Or, you know, his second pair of grandparents could still be Bobbi and Hunter. That would also explain a lot… )Malick and the Chronicoms scheming evil schemes…
Sousa being all frustrated, Skye baffling him with future tech and even some serious bonding. Man, this pairing is so nice.
“You look okay for a guy who just aged twenty years.” Ever the charmer, Skye.
May and LMD Coulson reminiscing. Sooo… are we all just gonna go along with it and basically not care anymore that the real Coulson is dead? Just wondering.
Skye asking Sousa to do something that would make him put away his gun in just the second that Nathaniel comes busting around the corner. Now how bloody (in-)convenient was that?!? Seriously, bad, writers, bad!
A Malick being smug. Now I’m sure that’s something that’ll never happen again in the future.
May really is basically Deanna Troi at this point. She still kicks more ass, though.
Deke killing Freddy. Now that scene really deserves some special attention:
- First of all: “They see that coming?” Is that like a Quicksilver reference, or something?
- Also, aren’t you forgetting something, Deke? “Look, I’m not the guy you met in the Lighthouse. Not anymore. And I don’t wanna be.” Yeeeaaahhhh… that didn’t work out so well, did it?
- Furthermore, the guy on the team who’s in love with Skye shoots an unarmed villain while that guy taunts the heroes over how futile all their efforts are and that the villains already know all their plans. Now, wherever have I seen that before?
- Elena being upset that Deke just kills the villain. Ehh… does the name “Ruby” still ring a bell?
- Until proven otherwise, I still maintain the theory that Deke’s father could be Bobbi’s and Hunter’s son. That would make it even funnier that Deke and his female partner infiltrate the fancy mansion of a Hydra leader and he ends up executing him. Seriously, this attack was like the culmination of a couple of best-of scenes put together. And it also makes me wonder now what Sousa would say about Coulson giving out kill orders back in the day.
So Hydra has Mack’s mom and dad. I’m glad he didn’t actually gamble the fate of all mankind to save them, only the security of the plane. Still a huge risk to put upon the team, but given the circumstances, not even I can blame him for that one. Although… has Mack himself already been born yet? Has his brother been? Damn, there might have actually been some advantages of letting dear mom and dad drown after all…
- And here I thought Nathanial Malick might turn out to be the less evil brother. Looks like I was wrong. Though I’m afraid if he does end up taking Skye apart to get her powers, not even Cal would be able to stitch her back together afterwards.
So, yeah, very long story short, this was another really good episode that confirms the current trend on the show I already saw the beginning of in the season premiere:
So, to answer my own question – and even at the risk of jinxing the rest of the season
: Yes. It seems like the answer is actually yes. Which actually kinda baffles me, because I’m not aware of any major change-up in the writing department. So far all the writers this season that I looked up have been on the show for a long time, as have obviously been the showrunners themselves.Well, I guess at the end of the day it might have just been the additional time they had due to the shorter seasons, or maybe a concise effort to end the show on a high note. Whatever it was, though, I think the show is much better than it has been in years and I for one am very grateful for that. Having to say goodbye to Agents of SHIELD in a couple of weeks will be sad enough. I would hate to do so with the show being the same inconsistent mess it’s often been during the last few seasons.
