Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “A Wanted (Inhu)man,” was written by Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Garry A Brown. This was another fast paced episode that ramped up the stakes and action on several fronts. We have some new pairings – Daisy (Chloe Bennet) and Mack (Henry Simmons) have formed a really interesting partnership, and Hunter (Nick Blood) and May (Ming Na Wen) are an unexpectedly good match. It’s interesting to see that Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) has become a friend to both Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). Perhaps my favorite scenes in this episode are the ones between Fitz and Simmons – Henstridge is really outstanding. But then there is that amazing May fight scene!
Lincoln (Luke Mitchell) is being hunted by ATCU and there’s a terrific effect with his powers to jump start the episode. We see him turn to his sponsor, learning in the process of course that he is an alcoholic. Mitchell really impressed me in this episode and delivers a terrific performance as he sees even his closest friend turn against him. I thought that Daisy’s kissing him came a bit out of left field, though it’s been clear that she cares about him – for all the reasons she said. He gave her hope and a place in the world, and she wants to return the favor.
The entire sequence to bring Lincoln in is a good one as Price (Constance Zimmer) and Coulson (Clark Gregg) negotiate. I loved Coulson hacking the POTUS call and then admiring Price’s car – that doesn’t have a name and is a he! This looks to be another pairing going forward. Once again, Coulson seems prepared to do anything he has to to keep Daisy safe. Daisy is not happy that the mission went south and confronts Coulson. He tells her he gave them himself. Price has to show some results to POTUS, so he used that for leverage, but he tells Daisy that he’s simply tired of fighting to prove who’s fighting the good fight. He wants to try to get them all to work together. He does assure her that he doesn’t trust them.
Daisy is mad that Mack helped plant the tracker on Lincoln, but he staunchly protects her from ACTU. He’s willing to let them take Lincoln, but after he escapes and they make a move to take Daisy, it’s clear that Mack is not letting them take her. Who didn’t love Mack not telling Coulson about the really personal moment between Lincoln and Daisy? But best of all, was when he gets Daisy to play a video game with him.
Hunter and May undercover is terrific! May proves herself to be excellent at it even if she doesn’t like it. It’s always great to see Wen strut her acting chops by playing an entirely different character – but with terrific May eye-rolls thrown in! The look on her face when she gets picked up in that bear hug is priceless! I loved the use of subtitles when Hunter and his buddy Spud (Daniel Feuerriegel) are getting drunk and the Australian accents just get thicker.
I was worried we weren’t going to get to see May kick a little ass when they both agreed that a small Asian woman winning the fight to see the big boss would cause too much talk. Hunter is pretty much getting pummeled when the big guys want to take May for a drink. Luckily for her (and us!), they take her to another room. She asks “Who’s first?” and then takes them all down. As she leaves, she says, “How about I don’t tell anyone that a tiny little Asian woman kicked your asses?” Hunter is pretty clearly losing until he uses May’s brass knuckles. Unfortunately, he ends up killing Spud. But he does get them through to the next level with their guns for sale.
Simmons is trying to recover, but she is clearly suffering from some pretty severe PTSD. As the episode opens, we see her tentatively trying to get used to her surroundings again. The team discusses the fact that her entire system is out of whack. There was flora but no fauna on the planet, but she was hunted. Though no one knows by what. Coulson marvels, “Imagine having to go through all that alone for so long?” Andrew (Blair Underwood) is coming to help her.
Fitz gently brings her to the lab, hoping the normalcy of it will bring her peace. He’s kept everything the way she left it on her desk. But the noises and the activity freak her out, and he gently leads her out. She says, “I hope you’re not too disappointed.” But Fitz is ever the optimist and says, “You’re self-diagnosing which is hopeful.” How I’ve missed these two together!
Daisy comes to visit Simmons, bringing her a Daisy to help her remember. I love the relationship between these two as well. Daisy tells her she’s there for her when she’s ready to talk. Simmons says she’d rather listen and says some of it is hard to talk about. Meanwhile, Fitz is helping Bobbi with her re-hab and using her as a sounding board. Bobbi tells him to be patient – which is what he told her when she started re-hab. Bobbi also advises him to start fresh and focus on things to look forward to.
In that spirit, Fitz finally takes Simmons out for the dinner he owes her. He has thoughtfully bought out the entire restaurant so there are no distractions. There is wine and roses on their table, and Simmons learns that Fitz has held the reservation for months. Simmons tells him that she can’t thank him enough for finding her. Fitz responds, “What else would I be doing?” Classic Fitz. While it’s great to see him back at what appears to be 100%, it does seem odd that he has made such a complete recovery. Regardless, as the wine is poured, Simmons is completely overwhelmed, her eyes filling with tears. Fitz simply moves to sit beside her and holds her as the tears come and she breaks down sobbing.
In the final scene of the episode, Bobbi finds Simmons in the lab examining the bits of the monolith that are left. Bobbi clearly thinks that Simmons is worried about it and assures her that the pieces are completely inert. Simmons then drops the bombshell that she has to go back! She’s said there were no other people there, but has she been protecting someone?
I thought this was a really good episode that put a lot of pieces in play. May and Hunter have moved their plan along. Coulson may have come to a viable working relationship with Price. Lincoln is still on the loose, but now he knows how Daisy feels about him. Fitz and Simmons seem to be in a relatively good place, but what is Fitz’s reaction going to be to Simmons insisting she needs to go back? What did you think of the episode? What was your favorite scene? 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, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. 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.
