Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returned for season four with “The Ghost” written by showrunner team Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen and directed by Billy Gierhart. I’ll admit that with where the show left off last season, I was a bit nervous about where our team would be. Happily, we can still trust the creative team to keep our team together in essentials – even if it looks like they may have been split up. It takes a talented writing team - and especially a talented showrunner - to keep the continuity of what we love while still introducing new elements. I really liked the new pairings. Admittedly, Mack (Henry Simmons) and Coulson (Clark Gregg) have already worked together, but that’s taken further. I also continue to like the chemistry between Simmons and Natalie Cordova-Buckley as Yo-Yo. Fitz (Ian De Caestecker) and Radcliffe (John Hannah) promise to be hilarious together.
The show introduces its newest character – Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider – in a typically explosive and terrific opening scene. Lola may have a run for her money with a somersaulting, fire-breathing muscle car. Daisy (Chloe Bennet) continues to work on her own, on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D. She watches as Ghost Rider takes care of the thugs she had set out to stop. When the authorities show up, she puts her powers to a new use – flying! Or at least jumping really, really well.
Coulson has apparently developed a passion for Backgammon, and he and Mack play it on the Zephyr. This is a great scene that manages a lot of exposition in a few sentences. The two are circling the globe, looking for Inhumans. Mack is bored and wants to work on Lola – but Coulson is still resisting. The two get called back to Head Quarters and we learn that everything is classified now-a-days. It seems that Mack is more in charge than Coulson, who tells him to stop calling him sir. Mack is looking forward to seeing Fitz and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge), and Coulson is looking forward to seeing May (Ming-Na Wen).
There is a brief fight scene as we see May training her new recruits. Agent Piper (Briana Venskus) is back and seems to be working closely with May. It turns out that May is the one to have called Mack and Coulson in. There’s been conflicting reports of something “odd” happening in LA, and the one surviving victim has identified Daisy. May is telling them in confidence because the Director thinks they may have let Daisy go in the past when they were supposed to be bringing her in. The Director has forbidden them to go after her.
May tells them that there will be orders to kill Daisy based on the fact that she’s known in the media as Quake – an outlaw who takes down bridges and banks. What she’s actually doing is going after the Watch Dogs.
Daisy visits the injured Watch Dog (Ian Hutton) in the hospital. The Ghost Rider still has one of them. I loved Daisy casually holding the door closed with her power. The Watch Dog tells her that he’s not going to heal – once the Rider touches you, he burns your soul – and there’s no coming back from that. He dies while she watches.
It was great to see Simmons and Fitz back to working together in the lab. They’re working on new tech that Radcliffe has helped with. It’s a super-virtual reality system – Simmons hopes that May’s recruits will be able to train virtually rather than May breaking their bones! Mack and Coulson drop by the lab only to be stopped at the door because they aren’t even recognized.
Fitz high fives Coulson over the new record of the Zephyr in the air for six weeks. Simmons has been promoted to Special Advisor to the Director in Science and Technology – which Fitz points out is SADIST! The new Director is apparently paranoid about the last time S.H.I.E.L.D. was government run, instituting a Wide-spread Infiltration Monitoring Program – which Fitz points out stands for WIMP! Fitz wants Coulson and Mack to join them at Radcliffe’s to watch football (soccer). Mack doesn’t recognize them as football teams! The two have to leave though, so Fitz gives them their new toys – and exploding pen for Mack and a new hand for Coulson. Coulson doesn’t share with them what their mission is.
The Ghost Rider questions the Skinhead (Edward Gelhaus). He confesses that they were working with a Chinese gang. When his information turns out not to be helpful, the Ghost Rider runs him down.
Mack and Coulson track the guys that Daisy is after. Their excuse for going to LA is for an Inhuman’s check-in. It’s Yo-Yo – and Mack is clearly excited to see her. He follows protocol to ask about her travel plans. She tells him he doesn’t have to use a satellite to track her – just ask her out to dinner! I loved her flirting with him! He maintains that they can’t “fraternize.” She already suspects that her check-in is just a ruse – they’re really checking up on the little quakes in the area. Mack admits that Daisy is the “unofficial” mission. Yo-Yo asks what the official mission is, but he tells her that they can’t work together because of the Accord.
Yo-Yo meets Daisy on the bus. Inhumans have to stick together after all. She warns Daisy that Mack and Coulson are in town, and jokes that while they watch her every move, some moves they can’t see. She brings Daisy S.H.I.E.L.D. issue medicine for rapid bone healing. She tells Daisy not to push herself so hard. Daisy thinks the Ghost Rider is a serial killer. Yo-Yo questions why Daisy is still in town because she usually keeps moving. LA is where Daisy used to live too – maybe she’s putting down roots? Daisy denies it, but Yo-Yo points out that everyone gets attached to something eventually. Yo-Yo offers to help Daisy with the Ghost Rider, but Daisy brushes her off. Yo-Yo also tells her that Coulson isn’t giving up on Daisy – all he wants is to find her. Daisy tells her that there’s only one thing that she wants: nothing to lose.
Fitz shows up at Radcliffe’s, and Radcliffe is disappointed Simmons has begged off. Fitz is caught completely flatfooted when a naked woman comes out of the other room. It’s Aida (Mallory Jansen), and she’s crashed. I loved the look on Fitz’s face!!
Radcliffe is not allowed experimentation without approval or oversight as a condition of his pardon, so Fitz is freaking out about Aida. This has been Radcliffe’s lifelong dream – a robot that can pass for a human! Fitz, of course, is quickly captivated by the technology and sucked in. Fitz insists that they have to report it right away. Radcliffe agrees that full disclosure is the best course of action… but offers to show Fitz how “it” works first.
Radcliffe admits that he doesn’t trust the new people at S.H.I.E.L.D. He insists that Aida is NOT Ultron – she’s not artificial intelligence, she’s human mimcry – seems like a fine line to me! Fitz is concerned she could be used as a weapon, but Radcliffe insists that is absolutely not what she’s for. Aida herself explains that she is to protect, a decoy target, a safeguard – a shield. Aida is to prevent them from losing any more friends. Fitz tells Radcliffe that Simmons can’t know about Aida because Simmons would have to tell the Director – at least not until Aida is perfect. Clearly, Fitz can’t resist a “sexy” bit of technology!
Simmons and May seem to be having a bit of a problem. Simmons gives May some new tech, but needs her to sign for it. May doesn’t understand the new Spectrum of Security – why does she, a level red have to go through Simmons a level orange? The Director didn’t want to use numbers because he didn’t want anyone to feel less than – but May does anyway – because d’uh!
Simmons mentions the attack in the hospital – “by an Asian female” – and May says, “you think it’s Daisy.” May plays dumb, saying that she’s mostly in the dark these days. Then May suggests that Simmons ask the Director as Simmons is one of the few people allowed or willing to talk to him. May is clearly pissed off. May is convince that the Director has split their team up on purpose. Simmons has already figured that out. She knew that they would be divided, under-mined and kept in the dark as soon as Talbot gave away the base’s location. Simmons has been clawing for as much power as possible in order to keep some control – May is clearly shocked.
Wen and Henstridge are terrific in this scene. Simmons is clearly hurt that after all they’ve been through May didn’t trust her. She lights into May, but tells her that she doesn’t trust the Director – it goes unsaid that Simmons is clearly operating on the “keep your enemies close” theory. Simmons tells May to take her team and go and pull Coulson and Mack out of the field – May is clearly impressed when Simmons stands up to her – and she’s also impressed that Simmons has found the perfect way to let May help Daisy, Coulson, and Mack.
Simmons calls May on knowing that Daisy is in LA and sending Mack and Coulson after her. May denies sending them, saying they went on their own. Simmons tells May that she is going to have to tell the Director because of the weekly lie-detector tests she has to take – she’ll either look incompetent or like she’s in collusion with May otherwise. May sarcastically suggests that she wouldn’t want Simmons to fall out of favor with the Director.
Mack and Coulson find the transport truck that the Watch Dogs took. Coulson’s new hand can x-ray the truck! Mack is more than a bit jealous! They find several dead bodies in the truck. They track where they’re from by the logo on their coveralls and wait to see who shows up to buy the box that was in the truck. Mack wants to close in when it seems the exchange has been made, but Coulson insists they wait to see how it plays out. Coulson is clearly hoping for Daisy to turn up. Meanwhile, Chen (Jen Sung) is excited that what’s in the box can take down enhanced people.
What’s in the box looks like it’s straight out of Indiana Jones. It seems to be light and mist that “infects” those it encounters when released. Chen seems to see a ghost that tells him he’s heard “a breath of fresh air.” His men freak him out and he attacks them. Is this the ghost of the title rather than the Ghost Rider?
Coulson finally agrees with Mack that they have to call for back up, and May appears with her team. Mack’s impressed. The ghost walks behind May, and she seems to shiver, but it seems to go right past her.
Daisy uses the Ghost Rider’s Charger to track him to a salvage yard that carries parts and finds Robbie. She tells him she’s looking for a black, ’69 Charger. He offers to let her look through the records – he recognizes her, even if she doesn’t recognize him. Daisy figures it out, however, and is ready as he attacks. The two fight – and it’s another terrific fight sequence.
Robbie tells Daisy she shouldn’t have gotten involved, and she calls him a serial killer. He tells her it’s not like that, it’s vengeance. She tells him that he doesn’t get to choose who dies, and he tells her that he isn’t the one who decides – and his face bursts into flames. It’s a really good special effect, although the eyes in the skull look a little too much like lightbulbs in a Halloween skull. He tips a rack of equipment over Daisy, and she urges him to just do it – “I deserve it.” Which is a good indication of where she still is emotionally. The Ghost Rider, however, doesn’t think she deserves it.
Mack and Piper keep an eye on the Chen’s men, who all seem to be unconscious – clearly May’s team were using icers. Fitz and Simmons are watching tv in bed together – AW! Radcliffe is putting Aida away for the night. Yo-Yo finally gets a text of the Ghost Rider’s face. Meanwhile, Robbie is helping his brother – Gabe (Lorenzo James Henrie) – who uses a wheelchair – though we don’t know why. Daisy is watching and remarks, “Everyone is attached to something.”
The final scene returns us to Coulson playing Backgammon – this time with May. She tells him that his little side mission didn’t go unnoticed and that the Director wants to talk to him at HQ. Coulson tells her that while Daisy didn’t show up, she was tracking these guys, so he’s counting it as a win. He also tells her that Chen’s men seem to be clear of any contagion.
Coulson tells May it’s good for them to have a moment alone together – it’s been a long time. As he talks, May seems to see his face suddenly go black at the eyes and mouth. She can’t help but react. He asks her if she’s ok, and she says she’s just tired. Of course, we know that May is an iron woman at keeping herself together. Still Coulson’s last words: “Who knows what tomorrow holds” are bound to be prophetic.
This was a good start to the season – giving everyone some great things to do. Where does Daisy go from here? Will she pursue the Ghost Rider? Will he end up joining with the other Inhumans? How are the Inhumans going to function? What about this new Director? How long will Simmons be able to protect the rest of the team? Will she be able to win the Director over? Is he just getting a bad rap? Is May infected? How long before Radcliffe and Aida go sideways? What did YOU think of the premiere? Which story thread are you most intrigued about? Do you miss Ward (Brett Dalton) and/or Lincoln (Luke Mitchell)? 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.
