“A Life Spent” was a improvement over the premiere, but when it comes to this season of Agents of SHIELD so far… my feelings is that I’m not feeling it all the way yet. I respect that SHIELD is taking chances- going forward 70 years into the future is a big one- but it’s just not all clicking. It’s a mix bag of stuff that clicks (Coulson, May and Mack’s Muinty on the Bounty with Tess), stuff that is so-so ( Daisy and Yo-Yo’s arc) and stuff that felt blah (Simmons becoming a teacher to a young Inhuman was cute but gave us way too much of Kasius. More on that guy in a little bit).
I suppose after the fantastic “Agents of Hydra” storyarc, it would be hard to compare anything to that. My hope was they would go lighter but instead they decided to go darker. How dark did “A Life Spent” get? Well let’s talk about Simmons’s arc to discuss a little bit of that darkness.
Teaching the Inhuman Basics
Jemma gets her first task as a slave of Kasius – mentoring a young Inhuman named Abby in how to use her powers. Now these scenes are good, as it touches upon Simmons the teacher and her kind side. Something we hadn’t seen a lot lately thank to the framework.
Jemma’s teachings are able to work for Abby as she is sent to “audition” against a warrior from a interested buyer. After remembering Jemma’s lessons, she is able to defeat the warrior…..by stick her arm through his chest. Needless to say Kasius is pleased and Abby is sold.
Two things I hated about this: 1. I’m sick of Jemma never getting a win. It seems like she gets beat down the most emotionally. (Physically that goes to Daisy) One time I’d like Simmons to get the W. I mean she want even the one who got to kill Aida last season! 2. Kasius is just not anything but annoying and creepy to me yet. I don’t mind that in bad guys but after the last season, I want so much more for this team to fight.
Okay, now onto Daisy and Deke, who the show is giving not so subtle hints that they want you to ship them.
Seriously, they are already at the trope of “never stop arguing with each other” during the beginning of the episode, with Deke’s non-stop bringing up Daisy destroying the world and Daisy’s wanting to punch Deke in the face. It’d be changing, if not for what looks like Deke selling out Daisy to Kasius at the end of the episode. I say looks like, as it feels like this is a long conversation by Deke to help Daisy get close to Simmons (as evidenced by his long game comment to her). It may not be popular yet but their sexual tension is slowly building and the show will hammer that into you.
Speaking of sexual tension…. PHILINDA!!
This part was my favorite story of the show as Phil, May and Mack go searching for a way out of their situation via the late Virgil’s globe. They are joined by Tess (I like Tess as she has had enough of pretty much everyone’s shit) How no one noticed a key in there, I’ll never know but Phil does. This key leads to a mystery transmission that makes it seem that someone is on Earth and knows about the team. My gut hopes that it somehow Fitz with this message because I’m really missing Fitz.
They also have to deal with one of Zev’s right hand men on the mission but our able to get a radio transmission downloaded in time for them to study. Granted it warped but knowing Coulson , I give him 4 days max to figure it out. Instead I want to talk about the brief but telling May/Coulson scene during the episode.
Philinda feels ❤️#AgentsOfSHIELD pic.twitter.com/vlFEkG8VaC
— Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (@AgentsofSHIELD) December 9, 2017
The touching of hands is one of the most intimate things two people who care about each other can do. It shows love, affection and everything else in just that simple gesture. For someone like Melinda May to show that type of intimacy to someone is a big deal. It shows that their connection is as strong as ever. I root like the dickens for these two kids.
So the radio transmission is one from Earth. But, according to the last scene of the episode, the Earth is filled with very dangerous creatures. Think cockroaches on steroids as they destroy Zev’s former right hand man. So who’s sending the message? My head says some character we’ve never seen before.
My heart hopes some way, some how……it’s Fitz.
OUICK THOUGHTS
- Yo-Yo was so cool in this episode and saves the team’s butt not once but twice! Helping out Daisy via stealing a Kree scroll and then planting a gun on Zev’s boy to get the team out of the jam they were in. Also seeing Yo-Yo’s powers in action is always a treat.
- One reasons I think I haven’t warmed up to this season yet is the lack of Fitz. I’ll be honest : he’s my favorite character on the show. Without him, the show feels a little empty.
- Mack’s code of honor is a great thing…until it’s not. I’m with Tess. Right now it’s kill or be killed in space.
Agents of SHIELD airs on Fridays at 9pm Eastern on ABC.
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