Agents of SHIELD 1x20 Review

[iaria]

Nothing Personal

I loved this episode.

• First - I like Coulson again! This was looking increasingly like a Jack Harkness situation where I love/like the character in his original canon [Doctor Who/MCU] but once they get their own show I end up liking them a lot less. But this was a very good Coulson episode which, minus one moment, showed a lot of what I liked about the character. He was snarky, deadpan, calm, and even though he was as confused and uncertain about what to do as the others he kept them all moving forward one step at a time. He was a good leader. I also liked the emotional vulnerability we got to see.

• I loved the opening scene. I loved that Maria was talking to Pepper. I love how casual things seem between them. Enough that Maria calls Pepper at the end of her hearings to rant and Pepper just listens. It felt like a routine. It's clear that they work closely together. We knew that she was working for SI but I liked her lines about privatizing world peace and the other agencies wanting her gone. I loved her criticizing the agents slow reaction time.

I loved that Melinda was going to Maria for help for Coulson. I loved that she took out the government tails so quickly and effectively.

• I liked Trip's response to Melinda leaving. He's an outsider so it makes sense. I like how - professional and goal focused he is.

• I liked that Coulson took partial responsibility for Melinda leaving - he told her too and was shutting her out/hostile. Or as he says "he was mean", heh.

• I found the whole pancake thing a bit contrived. They could have just as easily found the message/body by searching the base. I don't know why they didn't.

• That first plane scene was really tense. More than ever I found myself feeling sorry for Skye. Trapped on a plane with the guy she liked/her mentor who was actually a killer and traitor, trying to hide her true feelings.

• My reaction to Fitz's breakdown was actually "oh stop being a baby". It's weird because I think he certainly has cause for a bit of a tantrum but how it played out simply had me shaking my head at him. Maybe because it was a full on temper tantrum and that added to his immature expressions of jealousy over the last couple episodes has me a lot less willing to be understanding?

• "Finally good news! (intruder alert) I probably should have knocked on wood just then." - Coulson. Heh.

• "If I come out will you shoot me? Cause then I won't come out." - Coulson. LOL.

• So at first I thought that Melinda was digging up Fury's grave and I thought it was hilarious. Coulson's grave is less amusing though her nonchalant attitude at being caught was funny. I wonder if there's something in Fury's grave as well?

• "Grow up, Phil. You are a liability." - Maria. Thank you! It's strange because I do actually intellectually understand where Coulson's coming from - everyone he was closest to and thought he could trust were lying to him. Of course he'd be hurt and pissed off. But at the same time he's a freaking SHIELD agent and this is probably something he should understand. So it ends up feeling like unreasonable whining, in a way?

• So just how much trouble is Maria going to be in for attacking a bunch of soldiers/the colonel? That doesn't seem like something she can walk away from without repercussions. Does that mean that Coulson and the team are now actual wanted fugitives?

• I loved Skye tricking Ward, using his feelings against him and then getting away. Well, she would have if Deathlok hadn't been there.

• I do wonder though if she's ever going to think of the cops and regret? Yeah, she did what she needed to in order to escape/survive but she brought innocent civilians into danger by doing it. The cops outside Ward specifically wounded not killed but who knows about the ones inside? Perhaps Ward wounded everyone specifically so their deaths wouldn't be on her conscious?

• I loved the Skye/Ward scenes on the plane. I loved her physically fighting back and the head butt was great. I loved her entire rant and Ward losing control a bit and her disgust for him. I also liked that she ended up saving him. That was a dangerous game Garrett was playing.

• Why the hell was Trip on the plane with Maria instead of with Coulson sneaking onto the Bus? That made no freaking sense! If Coulson did take out Ward as planned then who the hell were they planning to fly the plane? Plus taking out Ward would be tough and more help would be better than less. That really annoyed me.

• Huh, I wonder if Tony built Lola for Coulson? The last flying car I remember was the one Howard built in Captain America. I never thought about that till now. Maybe it was a gift from Howard to Fury who then gave it to Coulson? Now I really want to know.

• LOLOL to Skye's hair. An expected gag but still funny.

• I wish we'd seen a Skye/FitzSimmons reunion. I think the show really missed an opportunity there and it would only have taken a couple seconds of screen time. Just them hugging, relieved. Building relationships is as much about the small moments as the big ones. They were so worried about her and then - nothing. It was an obvious omission and it was disappointing.

• The FitzSimmons talk at the pool was interesting. Something about Simmons responses was pinging me. I don't believe she's Hydra (she had better not be! I'll be so pissed) but maybe she's something else?

• So Maria was pretty definite that SHIELD is done and gone. But in that case what is Fury doing? Just off on his lonesome, tracking down Hyrda agents? And if no version of it is going to be recreated then why is she not telling the government about all of Fury's hidden bases? Where does that leave our team?

• Coulson really should have said "say hello to Pepper" not Stark. Pepper after all is the one he was actually friends with. Though this does bring up why Coulson is still keeping the fact that he's alive a secret. It's not really that much of a secret anymore? Pretty much everyone except those that actually matter know it. Also you'd think JARVIS would know he was alive, since the government/SHIELD does, and thus Tony would already know.

• I love the reveal that Coulson was the one in charge of Project TAHITI and that it was he who suggested memory wiping. I loved his 'huh' shocked reaction.