If you're like me, you might not have had much time to follow this series, or its character arcs. While now it has nearly been 2 years since this episode's first broadcast, I find myself catching up on my missing Marvel arcs, and most importantly, coming to truly enjoy this series. I hope it keeps up the pace.
Television production can be a different animal – and the use/ re- use of established characters may be a necessarily, if clichéd, evil. This episode makes much use of the estranged agent Ward and Kara (Agent 33) who I hope to see more of.
Much of the series' season 1 and early season 2 was too pedestrian for my tastes, although I acknowledge the MCU has done a much better job marrying its plot lines between film and television than Warner Brothers. To this end, Chloe Bennet's Daisy/Skye has largely played a pretty (if sophomoric) girl-next-door. We finally now see Daisy begin to throw down; while her inhuman powers are showcased, the episode truly show-cases her "Agent 13ish" qualities as a fighter – leaving me to wonder how much of the fight scenes were actually Bennet versus a stunt double. I thought this was the episodes highlight.
As always, Ruth Negga is a great actress, although underutilized in this series. Once the searcher for "the clairvoyant", Negga's "Raina" herself has now become one (hopefully this irony is not lost on fans). This stated, her ability to foretell is not (yet?) realized – although hopefully we'll see some more articulated, and manipulative prognostications in the future. In a nod to the cinematic MCU, Raina foretells "Consequences men made of metal will tear cities apart and the world will be changed forever." This tie- in was a bit ham- fisted for me. While the prognostication follows a powerful vision held by Raina – the augury reads as a general summary for Age of Ultron.
Comparatively, Coulson is admirably restored in authority and confidence. We as viewers likely had presumed, throughout the second season, that Coulson had his reasons for secrecy. We're treated to a nice cameo from a minor cinematic character – although I was truly left for wanting a Samuel L. Jackson moment. A brief interaction between Fury and Gonzalez would have been priceless.
All told, this was the best episode of AOS I have viewed, although I have quite a few more to still get through. This was a nice treat.
Television production can be a different animal – and the use/ re- use of established characters may be a necessarily, if clichéd, evil. This episode makes much use of the estranged agent Ward and Kara (Agent 33) who I hope to see more of.
Much of the series' season 1 and early season 2 was too pedestrian for my tastes, although I acknowledge the MCU has done a much better job marrying its plot lines between film and television than Warner Brothers. To this end, Chloe Bennet's Daisy/Skye has largely played a pretty (if sophomoric) girl-next-door. We finally now see Daisy begin to throw down; while her inhuman powers are showcased, the episode truly show-cases her "Agent 13ish" qualities as a fighter – leaving me to wonder how much of the fight scenes were actually Bennet versus a stunt double. I thought this was the episodes highlight.
As always, Ruth Negga is a great actress, although underutilized in this series. Once the searcher for "the clairvoyant", Negga's "Raina" herself has now become one (hopefully this irony is not lost on fans). This stated, her ability to foretell is not (yet?) realized – although hopefully we'll see some more articulated, and manipulative prognostications in the future. In a nod to the cinematic MCU, Raina foretells "Consequences men made of metal will tear cities apart and the world will be changed forever." This tie- in was a bit ham- fisted for me. While the prognostication follows a powerful vision held by Raina – the augury reads as a general summary for Age of Ultron.
Comparatively, Coulson is admirably restored in authority and confidence. We as viewers likely had presumed, throughout the second season, that Coulson had his reasons for secrecy. We're treated to a nice cameo from a minor cinematic character – although I was truly left for wanting a Samuel L. Jackson moment. A brief interaction between Fury and Gonzalez would have been priceless.
All told, this was the best episode of AOS I have viewed, although I have quite a few more to still get through. This was a nice treat.