Agents of SHIELD - Making Friends and Influencing People - Review

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “Making Friends and Influencing People,” was written by Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Bobby Roth – both familiar names from last season. The episode has lots of action, great effects, and interesting plot developments. It also fills us in on what’s been happening with Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). Henstridge delivers a great performance, and we see that her character has really changed. But what makes this episode must watch tv, and highlights why people need to be watching this show is the performance of Iain De Caestecker. His performance is heartbreaking and powerful as he confronts Ward (Brett Dalton) and the reality of his own condition. 

The episode actually highlights how a number of our characters have been changed by the events of season one. We see Skye (Chloe Bennet) has developed into a credible agent under May’s (Ming-Na Wen) tutelage. It’s a nice thread that weaves through the episode as Skye checks her bio-bracelet and we see that she has managed to control her physical reactions. We see her in the gun range maintaining a 61 bpm heart rate. She tells May she imagines each target to be Ward. May warns her to think of them as targets – don’t personalize them. This dovetails nicely with Hunter’s (Nick Blood) concern about Skye’s ability to kill someone in the field. He wants to know that an experienced agent will have his back in the field. He wants to know that she won’t hesitate. He tells her how Hartley and Idaho coped with killing targets. May also cautions her that experience doesn’t make it easier to take a life. This scene is also nicely reflected in Skye’s conversation with Ward. He tells her that a HYDRA agent wouldn’t hesitate in the field. If they clearly can’t acquire an asset, they kill them so that S.H.I.E.L.D. has no chance to acquire them.

We next see Skye checking her bpm just before her first real skydive. Hunter gets her worked up and her bpm is 75, but she is able to get it back down to 65 with very little trouble. When she shoots Donnie (Dylan Minnette), her bpm is solid at 61 – just like it was on the range. Afterwards, of course, we find her scouring the Internet for news of whether they’ve found his body. In the final scene, however, Ward tells Skye that her father is alive and that he can take her to him when she’s ready. And that interaction causes her bpm to skyrocket to 98 and she is unable to control her reaction and we see the count just keep going up. Ward still knows how to push her buttons, and she doesn’t have the same control over her emotions as May does – yet. We also see that she’s very afraid for Simmons – who she knows is a terrible liar. But this episode gives us ample evidence of just how much Simmons has changed. It’s a great moment when Skye and Simmons make eye contact and then Skye provides the shot for Simmons to maintain her cover.

I loved the little montage of Simmons starting her day and heading off to HYDRA to work. We quickly see that she’s not given much authority or respect at this new job and is just one of many scientists. I love how they kept us guessing up until this episode, but quickly reveal that she is a double agent. I loved the scene with Coulson (Clark Gregg) showing up to debrief her and bringing a wholesome meal for her. He says he can do simple – and that’s where his vision of S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to work. He’ll keep it simple. It’s also a nice way to demonstrate that he still cares about Simmons and the fatherly relationship they established last season is still strong. He also emphasizes to her that being undercover is all about the relationships – just as that forms the strength of a team. 

Henstridge is wonderful as we see her try to fit in by being friendly to Mr Turgeon (Adam Kulbersh), her supervisor, who is clearly an idiot, but also has a healthy fear of upstairs. In fact, this atmosphere of fear would likely have prevented anyone from having friends at work! She immediately has to put Coulson’s advice to tell selective truths rather than lying. She is brilliant at it! I loved when she told Bakshi (Simon Kassianides) that when she graduated with two PhDs at 17 she had questions and S.H.I.E.L.D. seemed like the best place to get answers. Now it would appear that HYDRA has the answers she needs. Brilliant! She selectively doesn’t mention that she’s actually gathering answers for S.H.I.E.L.D.

         I also loved that she told him her loyalty was to science – avoiding having to lie. She uses the same tactic – and her “likeability” – with Donnie. When he presses her about whose side she’s on, she tells him she’s on his side. And that’s true – because S.H.I.E.L.D. is also on Donnie’s side. Ultimately, Simmons convinces Bakshi of her worth and loyalty, resulting in her being promoted “upstairs.” This, of course, puts her in much greater danger. Kassianides does a wonderful job of being suavely creepy.

We get some interesting insights into HYDRA. It’s made clear through Whitehall’s (Reed Diamond) comments that he’s been alive for a very long time. He’s also willing to do whatever it takes. It’s interesting that their brainwashing technique is called the “Faustus Method” – no doubt because it was devised by a demon and puts the victim through Hell. It’s also interesting that Faustus never really gets the reward he is promised for complying. We learn – through Ward – that they only brainwash particularly valuable assets. I wondered if Agent 33 (Maya Stojan) was going to be someone special or whether she was just a convenient example of someone Coulson wanted to recruit and what the brainwashing technique looked like. She doesn’t seem to be performing any particularly specialized function by the end of the episode after she has complied. While we see the technique in action with Donnie, it’s obvious that it doesn’t work perfectly as he was able to shake it off and escape at least for a little while. I have to wonder if we will see him again – he may have been shot but he would appear to be frozen and preserved in the ocean – and they haven’t found his body. After all, how long did Captain America survive frozen? We also learn that HYDRA doesn’t know who is in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Some of the most interesting scenes take place in Vault D with Ward. I thought the conversation between Ward and Skye about their families was very interesting. Ward admits he was never brainwashed but tells Skye that his family tore him down and Garrett built him back up. His loyalty was always to Garrett – not HYDRA. Skye taunts him with the fact that everyone loves and respects his family. Ward counters that every family has its secrets – yours does too. Of course, the fear it that Skye’s family are monsters – but are they? Maybe in direct contrast to Ward’s family who seem nice on the surface, Skye’s family seems bad on the surface but is actually a force for good?

The most powerful scene in this episode is clearly the one in which Fitz discovers and confronts Ward. Both actors are terrific in this scene, but De Caestecker deserves an Emmy. His shock at discovering Ward and realizing that not only is Ward still alive but Coulson and the team have been keeping him a secret is painful to watch because you can feel the shock and pain Fitz is feeling. I thought this scene was not only beautifully acted but also wonderfully written and paced. When Fitz tells Ward that he now has trouble with words, and it’s easier if he shows him, I thought he was going to literally show Ward the word or a picture or an explanation on his tablet – I did NOT think he was about to demonstrate hypoxia by depriving Ward of oxygen!

For his own part, Ward seems genuinely sorry for and ashamed of what he did. But he also confirms a suspicion (hope) that I had – and many others had as well. That he actually tried NOT to kill them. The only person Ward has ever been loyal to was Garrett – he told Skye this in this episode. Yet, Garrett expected him to put bullets in Fitz and Simmons’ heads. Instead, Ward knew he was at least Igiving them a fighting chance and had every expectation that they’d find a way out of the jam he left them in. He was legitimately trying to save them, not hurt them. 

I’m very much enjoying the relationship that is growing up between Fitz and Mack (Henry Simmons). Once again we see Mack step in to help Fitz find the words he needs to express himself. I also liked that he tried to calm Fitz down and make him feel better about not going on the mission. We see that Fitz is getting better when he banishes “Simmons”, telling her, I know you’re not here. 

The final scene between Coulson and Fitz is also a really good one. Fitz is mad that Coulson didn’t tell him about Ward. Fitz isn't sorry for what he did but he insists he's not a killer. Coulson apologizes and does tell him about Simmons. Coulson reiterated throughout the episode that Fitz is still a valuable member if the team. It’s a sign of Fitz’s improvement – and the comfort level that having Mack around provided – that Fitz came to the briefing this week and didn’t have to leave. I loved Coulson telling him that Yes, as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. he knows a lot of things he’s not going to tell Fitz. But he does tell him that Simmons is on assignment even though he dodges Fitz’s question about whether Simmons asked to go.

Once again – being S.H.I.E.L.D., there are also a couple of great light-hearted moments. The first one that jumps to mind is when May shoots Hunter to prevent him from shooting Simmons. Trip (BJ Britt) immediately says to Coulson, “I wanted to be the one.” Also thought Skye calling Hunter Trainspotting was hysterical and especially Hunter’s very exasperated – and somewhat hurt – response that he’s not Scottish. And finally, May getting her digs in to Hunter about payback – and her reminding him that she might be square after shooting him, but Trip isn’t! It’s so much fun to see how much May actually gets to smile this season!

        What did you think of the episode? Do you think Fitz is making progress? Does this more in control Skye worry you? Are you worried for Simmons? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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.