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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Shadows - Review

Sep 25, 2014

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Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returned last night with “Shadows.” The episode was written by showrunners Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen and directed by Vincent Misiano – a familiar name to those who watched the first season. Given that Whedon and Tancharoen penned this episode, I think we can expect that most of the big threads for the season will have their start here. As with the first season, we have some new characters to get to know – both good and bad. But there have also been some real changes to our core team too – and many of those changes are distressing – in a good, angsty, Whedon-universe kind of way, of course!

The episode opens with a flashback to the very beginnings of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Agent Carter (Haley Atwell) and her men, Dum Dum Dugan (Neal McDonough) and Jim Morita (Kenneth Choi) defeat HYDRA and take possession of the first 0-8-4. Dr Whitehall (Reed Diamond) lets us know that the obelisk was thought to be able to defeat death – I think that’s going to be pretty important. He also placed the timing of Agent Carter nicely by informing his underling that the Red Skull was dead – we’ll be sliding in nicely after Captain America: The First Avenger. We see Whitehall show up – strangely young – at the end of the episode, so I wonder if we’ll be seeing him as an important character when Agent Carter premieres. We also get a nod to Stark industries playing with the new tech and being a problem, so no doubt, we’ll be seeing quite a bit of Tony’s father – and maybe a very young Tony himself!

We then flash forward to the present where S.H.I.E.L.D. is once again at the mercy of HYDRA. Unfortunately, this time, they are also enemies of the US government. The premiere features some good fight scenes, snappy dialogue, and the special effects we’ve come to expect. A quick shout out for the great work done with Carl Creel (Brian Patrick Wade). A picture was tweeted from set showing a muscular guy with one blue arm – speculation was that this might have been a Kree – but it seems certain that it was Wade being made up for the big fight scene when his arm is concrete.

I liked the uncertainty of the first scene – it’s impossible to tell who the good guys are and who the bad guys are – it’s a terrific way to demonstrate the world our agents now find themselves in. We quickly learn that Coulson (Clark Gregg) trusts Isabelle “Izzy” Hartley (Lucy Lawless) who is a former agent. Idaho (Wilmer Calderon) and Lance Hunter (Nick Blood) are a different story, however, and as mercenaries are really only accepted as part of her team. By the end of the episode, Hunter has a new motivation for helping S.H.I.E.L.D. and finally seeing the big picture – revenge.

Trip (BJ Britt) is always a breath of fresh air. I love his obsession with trying to figure out 
exactly what Koenig (Patton Oswalt). He introduces us to Alphonso “Mac” Mackenzie (Henry Simmons), the team’s new mechanic. However, his first question is whether they found any tech, so I have to wonder if he’s the team’s new Fitz (Iain De Caestecker). Given how… fit he is, I hope they don’t keep him locked up in the Playground though!

Speaking of Fitz, Iain De Caestecker delivers a brilliant performance in this episode, and I think breaks all of our hearts as we finally see the effects of Ward’s (Brett Dalton) treachery. This is the first of the episode’s huge surprises. In a move worthy of The Sixth Sense, we don’t learn until the end of the episode that Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) was never actually at Fitz’s side. Where she is and whether she’s abandoned her BFF (or more?) is yet to be learned, though Coulson says at the end of the episode that she left for Fitz’s own good. The interactions are actually beautifully shot. In the very first scene with Fitz and Simmons, Simmons is not in focus and is behind Fitz. She only slowly comes into focus. It seems like she talks to May (Ming-Na Wen) when May comes to the lab, but in fact, Fitz echoes what Simmons says and May really responds only to Fitz. When we see Fitz and Simmons outside the control room, it drives home how on the fringe Fitz really is. There’s a dark moment of humor when Fitz calls Simmons on making a head trauma reference.

        It was easy to buy into the deception because the largest part of me wanted to believe Simmons when she told Fitz he was getting better and was almost there – but it’s clear from the devastation on Coulson’s face that Fitz is, in fact, getting worse as he withdraws from everyone except the Simmons that he’s conjured up. Fitz himself is clear headed enough to know what he’s lost which makes it all the more poignant and painful to watch.

Skye (Chloe Bennet) is all grown up and under May’s wing. She clearly misses having access to Coulson, but is now content to be ruled by chain of command. I have to wonder if there is more than too much to do that is making Coulson keep Skye at arm’s length though. We see that he has her on trying to break the alien language – and happily there don’t seem to be any overt problems with either of them over the alien blood coursing through their veins – certainly not that we see in this episode. We do, however, get a glimpse of just how broken Ward is.

Brett Dalton continues to impress as the now un-masked Ward. He’s pretty darn convincing playing a crazy person! I don’t believe that Skye was ever really in love with Ward – and certainly never in the obsessive way he is in love with her. I think that his suicide attempts may eventually garner some sympathy for him – but never the love he craves. Given that Fitz is a constant reminder of what his treachery cost their team, I doubt that anyone on the team will ever really forgive him. Or the fans either. I’m personally still stuck on the fact that Garrett damaged the younger Ward as much as lack of oxygen damaged Fitz, and for that reason, Ward is redeemable. Ward vows to tell Skye only the truth for the rest of his life. 

Creel is set up as an on-going problem – much like Deathlok in season one. I thought it was hysterical that as Ward explains to Skye that Creel can absorb any substance and transform the molecules of his body into that substance – and that he enjoys the process – we see turn into… *ahem* … wood! The other big on-going problem is Brigadier General Talbot (Adrian Pasdar). Props to Pasdar for sporting that haircut! 

I loved Coulson interrogating Talbot – he does offer to work with Talbot. I’m looking forward to Talbot finally realizing that HYDRA is still a really big problem and that he needs Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D. I also loved that they used the interrogation to carry out their ultimate plan. They haven’t evaded Talbot for so long by underestimating him – both his capabilities and his stupidity! I did love Talbot calling the interrogation room their Honeycomb Kill Room though!

We definitely need to see lots of Oswalt and Gregg in scenes together – loved Koenig coaching Coulson’s impersonation of Talbot! The raid itself was as much a mission to get the team’s hands on the cloaking technology they needed as to get the 0-8-4 back. My one big quibble with the episode is that while it’s nice to have the slow-motion hero win, there’s just no way that that soldier could have missed cutting May in half with his machine gun as she rode away on that motorcycle.

May does continue to be her badass self, however. I’m relieved and happy to see that she and Coulson have clearly settled their differences and she’s settled into her role as his right hand. That doesn’t mean she isn’t still watching out for him though – keeping him out of the field and making sure he stays in touch with her – though clearly he’s not that good at it.

And that brings us to the other shocking moment of the episode. Why would Izzy pick up an 0-8-4 with her bare hands? In fact, why open the box at all? I did think that was a bit of a misstep. Regardless, it leads us to the shocking necessity to amputate her arm and then her death! Hunter is going to have to take at least some responsibility for her death as he’s the one who ditches the mission to take Lizzy for help. I’m really going to be disappointed if this is it for Lucy Lawless. She does tell Hunter that she doesn’t want to die – and given what we do know about this 0-8-4 – that it may be able to defeat death – maybe we haven’t seen the last of her.

The episode ends with Coulson dedicating their work to validating the sacrifices of those agents who have laid down their lives for the cause. For all that I’m a pretty positive tv viewer/reviewer, it’s not often that I’m completely willing to trust showrunners to take me where we need to go, but that’s the case with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I was quick – check out my first ever review of the show – to say it was all going to make sense down the road. There’s less mystery in some ways this season, but no less excitement for me to follow where Whedon and Tancharoen are leading us. What did you think of the episode?

About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.

22 comments:

  1. Historical_MaterialistSeptember 24, 2014 at 8:38 PM

    Great review! And great start to the season! I agree with almost everything in the review except for the following: "I don’t believe that Skye was ever really in love with Ward". Not only is she in love with Ward, she is batshit, crazy, head over heels in love with Ward: and hates herself for it. I personally don't care too much other than to say that some elements of "ship" are a necessary ingredient to a compelling drama. This comes from my very, very old school notion of "the hero always gets the girl" Its an archaic concept I admit but it does generally work.

    Sorry, not intending to go off on a tangent: just wanted to establish that. Again, great review!

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  2. Did anyone else catch the eye-to-eye of Skye and the new guy on the car? I just wanna say, I called it first #SkyeHunt #SkyeLance.

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  3. the fitzsimmons storyline is absolutely heartbreaking

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  4. Great review for a great season premiere. Fitz breaks my heart. The Whedon's are terrible persons! :(

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  5. lol at the wood comment and skye is completely in love with ward if you don't know that then you've definitely not seen the show and god poor leo i can't believe the whedons completely broke him like that, i figured it'd be bad but no that bad

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  6. Thanks! I think we'll have to agree to disagree. :) I think she may have had feelings for him, but remember when she asked him out for a drink, she really did mean just a drink - she already had a boyfriend at that point. But I can also see your pov...

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  7. Thanks! I hope they aren't so terrible that they won't eventually fix him...

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  8. Excellent review - thanks.
    For those who haven't seen the review at EW, I would have to recommend it. They have a nice still shot of the case Agent Carter shut in the first scene before we could get a full view. Its a blue arm they are surmising is the alien that brought Coulson back. Interesting point of discussion at the very least.
    Fitz completely slayed me. Decimated. Please come back Simmons.
    Talbot is a tool and that haircut is why supercuts are only $5.
    Ward ... I still don't trust him. And not sure he'd have a bed with a frame on it instead of a mattress on the floor if he's on suicide watch. Not even sure they would let him have a mattress.
    I can't believe they killed off Lucy Lawless that quickly ... there's got to be more to that story.

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  9. :)
    I think that Skye admired him/looked up to him, but he was A. sleeping with May, B. she really did just want a drink because she had a boyfriend in the beginning and was a double agent herself and C. he's a psycho-killer-traitor... I'm not saying she never had any feelings for him, but I don't think she had fallen for him completely... BUT I also think Ward can be redeemed and had very good reasons for being the way he was and I think he is deserving of pity...


    I know a lot of people don't want a "magical" fix for Fitz... but I DO!!!

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  10. I don't blame her!! Lance is an Eye Candy XD

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  11. First off great review.
    While I personally didn't think it was great as the season finale it was still a very good ep. The Fitz reveal at the end was a killer and as you said the guy that played him did a wonderful job I also though the woman who plays Simmons did a excellent job in playing those scenes as well, her reactions make it seem like she is really there but if you go back and watch the ep you notice subtle differences in how she plays certain scenes that just seem off for her usual character and portray the illuson that Fitz has conjured up in his head of her.
    I really like Lucy Lawless in this ep how I felt the characters under her on her team were a bit plain and boring, just my opinion though.
    I enjoyed see the hard choices etc that Coulson now has to make as Director.
    I'm interested to see where Coulson's new role takes him.

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  12. Thanks! Yes, I agree, Elizabeth Henstridge did do a great job - especially when you re-watch.
    I think Lucy Lawless was way under-used - which was to be expected and unfortunate in a season premiere. There were way too many other things going on to spend enough time on her character. I'm still hoping we are going to see more of her...
    I love seeing Coulson in charge!

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  13. Thanks! AH! I didn't see that shot into the case! That would be interesting...
    I kept thinking Ward should be naked in an empty, padded room! I mean he could easily hang/strangle himself with those pants!!! And are they held up with elastic or a drawstring?? Of course, he does say that he "went" through a bad patch, so maybe he's not on suicide watch now....
    It seems from interviews that Lucy Lawless has been filming in New Zealand since shooting this, so that makes me nervous - but I agree, there has to be more to this!

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  14. Well that's true, but that was also way back toward the beginning of the season. Skye/Ward weren't really given a chance to develop as a love story, per say, but their bond definitely deepened by the end. That was what made the betrayal so utterly gut-wrenching on both sides. I can't wait to see where they go with them this year, because it is soooooooo messed up and currently Hannibal-esque. LMAO! Should be fun!

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  15. Yeah, they're going to play with that for sure.

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  16. Great review, Lisa. The show was so much fun, and they managed to shock me and break me and have me on the edge of my seat a few times. Excellent. Creel is just the coolest damn villain, and I hope after they neutralize him he comes back again later in the season. (notice how I refuse to accept that he could be killed, lol) The new dynamics of the team are intriguing as hell. I already love Lance Hunter, though I'm pretty sure they're going to play with him and Skye and I really hate that idea. #TeamWard Speaking of Ward... He's so playing to get out of that cell. I hope he was telling the truth about telling Skye the truth from now on, but I can't wait for him to get out of that cell. My dream is that the show has him walk the good guy/ bad guy line, but I guess we'll see? Coulson impersonating Talbot (with Koenig, who I adore) was priceless! I love that May is the only one with semi-regular access to Coulson, and lastly.....Fitz broke my heart in two. That was brutal, and I'm kicking myself for forgetting that this is a Whedon-verse show. That one hurt. I really need Simmons to come back ASAP. ps--you are not the only one wanting a Fitz miracle, it's hard to see that. Poor dude. :(


    The episode was fun. So far so good, season two.

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  17. Oh forgot....... and Talbot is a jack arse, but I love him. His entanglements should prove interesting.

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  18. Yes - this.
    Ward should totally be naked in a padded room. Naked.

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  19. Thanks! I really hope they don't pop Skye into a relationship too quickly - I somehow think they won't. If she is really May's pupil, maybe they'll just have super hot sex! LOL! I'm wondering if Ward is going to be able to use poor Fitz in some way to get out or as an ally of some kind... Definitely need Simmons back! I'm waiting for Ward to tell Skye the truth about something that is going to have seriously bad ramifications for him - which will prove his loyalty for her - though we already know he's crazy enough to let himself get hurt to continue a lie... I'm enjoying Brett Dalton's crazy Ward! And I do love to hate Talbot too. You just know that once he accepts that Coulson and the team are the good guys, he's going to be _their_ rabid dog!

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  20. I liked this epsiode a lot, and this review hit a lot of why--as well as noting some of the less successful moments. Overall, though, I thought this was a creditable return. I was also vastly amused by the shout-out to "Crusher" creel's early manifestation in the comics as an escaped convict, complete with ball and chain that he used as weapons--converted here into the weapon improvised from the chain fence! lol!
    I confess I was stunned when Lucy Lawless died (apparently). I suppose that could be it for her, but it seems a waste of a nice piece of casting. I hope she's finagled back to life somehow.

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