5x17 The Honeymoon

The closer we get to the season finale, the more stressed I become. Partly because we still haven't heard anything about a renewal (although I'm holding on to my possibly naive belief that they would've given us a heads-up by now if they were going to end the show this year). There is so much going on and we only have 5 episodes left to resolve it all. I'm not ready.

I've been waiting for Daisy and Little Miss Murder to finally meet. It was a good fight. I have to say, I'm really enjoying Dove Cameron. She's doing a fine job with this character. Ruby is genuinely terrifying, and you're never quite sure what she's going to do next, which makes her a very compelling antagonist.

This is a sci-fi show, and I generally have no problem suspending my disbelief for just about anything they come up with. Inhumans? Gravitonium? Rocks that transport you to another planet or to the future? LMDs? A fear dimension? Sure, why not, seems legit. But Mack and Piper operating on Deke without immediately killing him? Nope, that's where I draw the line. Piper reading what looked like a S.H.I.E.L.D. equivalent of WebMD during the surgery was pretty hilarious though.

Deke is in love with Daisy (but who isn't?), which I knew was going to happen. He's a good-looking young guy, that's the only criterium you need to meet on this show to become Daisy's love interest. At least the way he confessed it while being heavily sedated was funny.

May said she loved Coulson! I mean, we been knew, but I didn't expect her to say it out loud. Phil looked like he was about to have a stroke.

"- I'm sorry you never got the honeymoon you dreamed of.
- Nonsense. I'm protecting England from evil robots with the man I love."

Yeah, if I ever stop freaking out about FitzSimmons, just assume I'm dead. I'm surprised it took them so long to establish the "not leaving each other's side" rule. They've been ripped apart so many times that they should just handcuff themselves together. They're in so much trouble now with Ruby. I hope the rest of the team gets there fast and rescues them from her clutches. Daisy is not going to be happy about Jemma and Elena's stunt. But in their defense, at least it wasn't fruitless? They did find the machine that Hale wants.

Of course Talbot was brainwashed by HYDRA. Of course. I guess the Lighthouse will be compromised soon. Where is the team supposed to go? It's not like they have a lot of options at this point.

[7.1/10] Another perfectly okay episode. Lots of disjointed or overdramatic monologues in this one, and more cheesy action movie one-liners, but we’re moving things along.

The highlight of the episode by far was May taking Coulson to task while, at the same time, telling him that she loves him. It’s the exact way May would make that sort of profession of love -- angrily and kind of grumpily, while calling someone an idiot, and I dig it! The show definitely goes a bit over the top with it, but I’m on board with what they’re shooting for, which makes me cut it some slack.

There’s also the continuing story of Fitz, Simmons, and Yo-Yo trying to find and destroy the particle infusion chamber or whatever the Hydra macguffin is called. It’s perfectly fine. Fitz and Simmons are cute together, naturally, and Yo-Yo being limited in her super powers thanks to the mecha arms is an interesting enough hitch in her giddyup. I’m still exhausted by the Russian dude, but whatever.

I still like Coulson and Talbot as a pair, as Talbot in particular has been a real highlight. Daisy rescuing them and then having to deal with Talbot’s PTSD and guilt is a good place to go. That said, I’m a little tired of Whitehall’s mind control program continually coming back, but it’s a perfectly serviceable tease.

I’m a little tired of them teasing the slap-slap-kiss chemistry between Daisy and Deke, and wish they would just pull the trigger already, but I guess that’s Hydra’s job since Deke gets shot in this one and has to be operated on by Mack and Piper. It’s a little contrived how they end up in that position, and it results in a pretty weak scene where they have a chat about What They’re Feeling right before a medical emergency pops up in the middle of the operation, but whatever. Again, it’s passable, and leads to an amusing scene of Deke admitting his affections for Daisy when he’s all doped up.

That just leaves the continuing adventures of Ruby, who’s rebelling against her mom after a losing tilt against Daisy. The fight scenes are good in this one (both Daisy/Ruby and Yo-Yo/Ivanov), but Ruby’s big fake crying routine goes over like a lead balloon, and the betrayal and headstrong beginnings of her own plan don’t have the punch they’re supposed to. Still, the thematic stuff is good, which keeps you along for the ride.

Again, this is an episode that’s thoroughly fine. Sometimes a little weak, sometimes a little cool, but mostly squarely in the realm of “acceptable but not overwhelming.”