6.8/10
Lincoln is one of the most boring characters on a show that has had to fight accusations that it's dull. Focusing the main story of the episode on him was a recipe for doldrums that the show lived up to. Even seeing him go all Static Shock on the power lines or bus or guards didn't do much for me. Accidentally killing a friend who's mistrustful of you should be a meaningful event, but it was constructed so haphazardly, and with such an uninteresting character, that I barely cared. The lack of chemistry between him and Skye/Daisy meant that I only groaned when they kissed. Daisy herself has had to overcome bland mary sue characterization, and pairing her with a piece of stubbly milquetoast doesn't do anything to help that.
I did appreciate Coulson's part of it. I go back and forth on his interactions with Rosalind. On the one hand, at times it feels like a dinner theater version of Hepburn and Tracy. On the other hand, when things are clicking, it makes Coulson feel like a human being and not just a delivery mechanism for exposition, high-minded ideals, and ill-fitting quips. I'm cautiously optimistic about the storyline, and especially pleased that they tied it to Coulson learning lessons from the "Real Shield" debacle.
Hunter and May's storyline worked well enough, as they're two of the better characters on the show, even if the "fight club to get into Hydra" plot felt a bit tacked on. May struggling to not just get right down to business in the pub while Hunter and his mate were Brit-ing it up was amusing, and her and Hunter feinting toward what happened during May's vacation was nice. I was surprised at how bloody they let the Hunter fight get, and it's always nice to see May kicking some ass, even if it felt shoehorned in. Again, we'll see where it goes.
And as usual, Fitz and Simmons are the best thing about the show, with Fitz doing everything he can to get things back to normal even if it's not what Simmons needs, and Simmons convincingly showing the psychological scars from her experiences. Are Fitz and Simmons's storylines any better than anyone else's? Probably not, but they're better actors than most on the show, and they sell the emotional undercurrent of all of their stories, which gives them greater weight than anyone but May can muster.
(Oh, and what was with all of the dutch angles in this episode? Seemed like a weird quirk in the way the episode was shot.)
Far and away the best episode Agents of Shield has ever produced. The only episode that can give it a run for its money is last season's spotlight episode on how May earned her nickname. There's a lesson there -- centering an episode on an individual story, particularly one that centers around one of the better actors in the cast, gives the show a focus that is often lacking when trying to juggle multiple intersecting plotlines at once.
This was a hell of a showcase for Elizabeth Henstridge. The production design team helped. (Production design as a plus in 'Agents of Shield"? I"m as surprised as you are.) The blue tint was a cheap way to sell the alienness of the world, but it totally worked, and the dessert topography really sold the desolateness of the environment and contributed to the sense of hopelessness in that world.
But Henstridge is what made the episode work. She sold the isolation, the small moments of crestfallen loneliness and discouragement, the little joys of success and friendship, the simple humanity of a survival story. Her burp, her wistfulness when she says "My dad would like you," and her conversations with an imaginary Fitz (a nice nod toward Fitz doing the same routine last season) all made her feel like a three-dimensional person in an extreme situation. There's a sense that this is Marvel's take on 'Castaway' or even 'Last Man on Earth', and doing this kind of laser-focused narrative requires a lot of the actors involved. These types of stories are, by necessity, character pieces; Henstridge was more than up to the challenge, and it deepened my appreciation for Simmons.
The actor who played Will was pretty good as well, and while his story could have felt too cliche, it worked in the context of the episode as a whole. Really, this felt like a well-structured science fiction short story as much as it did an episode of an ongoing series, and that's not a knock. Knowing Fitz and Simmons's relationship helped give certain moments more weight and significance, but it could almost work as a standalone piece. That's how strong and self-contained this was.
There was also a legitimate sense of menace from the planet. The zomibe-like astronaut, the tentacle creature, and the dust storms all suggested something frightening and alien about this world. It prompted so many great emotional moments from the two characters stuck on it. Doing an episode like this, so unlike AoS's usual M.O., was something of a gamble, but it paid off like gangbusters here.
Another great episode. Probably one of my favourites of the entire show, to be honest.
I couldn't stop cracking up for the first 5 minutes. The scene with The Machine experiencing a facial recognition error was shown at New York Comic Con last October. I watched it on YouTube months ago, and I thought it was pure gold, but I was sure it was just a fun, little bonus. I never expected it to be an actual scene from an actual episode, but I'm so glad it is. The cast's impressions of each other were hilarious. Amy Acker's Reese and Finch were particularly on point. We also got Root in bunny slippers and her and Finch redecorating the subway. It was nice to have some happy stuff before things got serious again.
The Machine going crazy was really sad for me, especially when Harold realised that she was suffering, reliving her deaths over and over. His speech about things not being black and white and about people doing their best really touched me. Harold was a different man when he created The Machine, and since then he's had to learn that good and bad aren't always mutually exclusive, which is exactly what The Machine needed to understand in this episode. I love how they draw parallels between The Machine and her human agents.
How great is the relationship between Root and Harold? They've come so far. She kidnapped him when they first met, and now they're working together, fighting against Samaritan together, living together, and he's willing to sacrifice The Machine if he has to choose between her and Root? I'm in tears. And Bear likes Root too!
Of course that random guy we saw in the middle of the episode wasn't random. I really should've seen it coming.
The ending was amazing as well. Team Machine on a picnic? That's some fanfiction shit right there, and I love it. I know it won't last, but they deserve some peace and quiet every once in a while.
Okay, so apparently this episode aired a day early in Canada? Thank you, Canada. You rock.
That being said, my mind is filled with incomprehensible yelling, and my hands are shaking, so I'll keep this one brief.
Have we just watched Shaw's Winter Soldier origin story?
Sarah Shahi was on fire, hot damn. What an amazing performance.
I was sure that Shaw's escape wasn't real the moment I saw that random-ass boat. Way too convenient. Then the episode made me doubt a few times whether it was a simulation or reality, but in the end it turned out to be exactly what I'd suspected from the beginning.
I'd been waiting to see my baby Shaw again for so long, but I wasn't prepared for that. God, I can't deal with my emotions. It's too much.
I just really want them to kill Greer, all right? Slowly and painfully. Hell, I'd kill that asshole myself if I could.
If the simulation was in Shaw's head, why wasn't it from her point of view? And have those creeps watched Shoot bang every time they've run it?
This episode was unbelievably sad, and I'll probably still be crying about it next week, but Sarah Shahi tearing apart Amy Acker's shirt might just be the greatest thing I've ever witnessed with my own two eyes. Is there any chance we'll get some more of that when Root and Shaw are finally reunited in the real world?
Shaw has chosen to put a bullet in her head 6,741 times instead of killing Root. I'm bawling. Ultimate OTP goals right there.
What an exquisite episode. It struck the perfect balance between heartbreaking and awesome. Easily one of the best they've ever done and definitely in my top 3.
I'll be on the floor sobbing uncontrollably if anyone would like to join me.
My girl Daisy finally getting the recognition she deserves. It all went to shit after 5 minutes, of course, but it was still nice to see people appreciate her for a change.
I wasn't really surprised when Mace turned out to not be an Inhuman. I've never noticed that briefcase before, though. It's entirely possible that I just didn't pay attention to it until it became relevant to the plot, but I could've sworn that we'd never seen Burrows carry it before this episode.
Stop hurting Melinda May 2k17. Please.
I get that Radcliffe created Aida, so obviously he trusts her, but still, letting an android poke you with acupuncture needles? This guy doesn't have common sense.
Decoy May and Daisy had a cute scene sitting inside Lola. I still catch myself thinking of them as mother and daughter.
Can the writers stop dicking around with FitzSimmons? Seriously, Fitz is lying to Jemma now? Yeah, sure, because that's not out of character for him at all. Just leave these two alone and let them be happy! We don't need more drama!
Jemma just walked into that interrogation room and broke the guy in 20 seconds flat. If you think that Daisy or May are the biggest baddest badasses at SHIELD, think again. Jemma Simmons is a small unassuming murderous science child who will rip you to shreds with a polite smile on her face and a cup of tea in her hand.
Pretty solid episode. I love the Black Canary character and Laurel was amazing. But I feel bad for Katie Kassidy, working that hard for four years, about to be the female hero and they threw her character to the trash. Dinah this episode was everything that the BC is, and this should've been the story Katie Kassidy got since the beginning. Dinah Drake totally felt like the BC from the comics. She did an amazing job, she can fight, she has the canary cry and above all, she's well written. I'm not a fan of what they did to Laurel, but Dinah's pretty awesome. They shouldn't have fucked Laurel.
The MVP was THE BURGER. The disgust on Ollie's face was hilarious. I love this non-addition to the plot devices. These are the ones that make us relate to the characters. And that 3 patty, oh boy, now I relate to Rene on a spiritual level. That's character development, lol. Plus, they should've had Wild Dog eating a Hot Dog instead.
And why miss the opportunity to open a Big Belly Burger franchise. The same with SPN's Biggerson's. I would fly over there just to have one.
I loved Curtis and Wild Dog chemistry together. He certainly surprised me with his nom-outburst when Curtis called him nutcase. They balance each other and I love it. Wild Dog is growing. I want an ep focused on him/his family.
Badass Ollie's back. He did some cool stuff. That chopper scene was badass as hell. Just standing there not giving a fuck while being dizzy. Man, you're cool.
And Talia Al Ghul. I like her character so far, even more if she's brings badass Oliver S1/2 back. That "something else" and his first suit gave me the goosies. She knows way too much. My gut tells me she trained Prometheus because Ollie lost his way.
My thoughts when I saw that other hacker: oh no, now there's two of them.
Great episode but I need more Adrian Chase: the most badass Vigilante/DA I've ever seen. And the Diggle subplot had a satisfying resolution. The fight scene in Russia was superb. God I miss good old Ollie!
Man, I already love Zari. The way she figured out the whole team at the beginning was hilarious and 100% accurate (also, Mick was so pleased with himself, I love one (1) man). But while she acts all sarcastic and whatnot most of the time, deep down she's a total softie. Her interactions with little Ray (that British accent!) were precious. I wonder if she's going to be wearing that white costume into battle from now on, or if it was just for Halloween purposes. Either way, it looked cool.
The little Dominator was absolutely stinking cute and I want one. If only there was any way to stop it from growing up because the Mominator was UGLY. The way she cuddled her kid was sweet though.
The federal agents singing with both Rays and Gumball bobbing their heads in sync was so freaking adorable and one of the best moments of the episode.
All the E.T references were awesome. Especially the shot of little Ray riding his bike in the sky with a full moon in the background. Iconic.
Welcome to the world, baby Ronnie (I'm not crying, you're crying)! It's going to be a wild ride.
Jax, whatever you're doing, stop it right now. No one's breaking up Firestorm, not on my watch. I love my team and I want it to stay the way it is.
The whole theatre burst into spontaneous cheers several times, and the whole theatre completely went silent - people literally stopped chewing their popcorn - on numerous occasions.
Like you've probably already heard, the movie REALLY is a phenomenal throwback to the original trilogy, with an extra oomph and insane amounts of creativity and new found inspiration that will take the franchise to a whole new level.
The characters are three-dimensional, it's nowhere near as strictly black and white, good vs. evil like in most of the previous movies, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren is the best example of that. Hands down, the best villian to appear in the Star Wars franchise other than Darth Vader.
Daisy Ridley & John Boyega are thrilling to watch, the old cast members, popping in during the movie were just as fun to watch.
J.J. Abrams and the writers somehow managed to create a plot that was very confined in space and time, yet they effortlessly captured the grand universe that is Star Wars with some pretty great throwbacks to the old trilogy plot-wise. Some might argue that it's lack of creativity and unnecessary repetition, but I thought it was a wonderful homage. It flowed naturally and there really was no dull moment.
Absolutely phenomenal. :)
ET gets a remake! What a great episode! Definitely one of the best ones I've seen! So much cuteness in just 42 minutes and now I have alien goo in my eyes!
"Isn't that adorable!" Ray "cinnamon roll" Palmer is just simply adorable. The more I know about his childhood the more I fall in love with his character. Gumball was simply lovely! That cute little baby dominator! That head-bobbing while watching Singing in the Rain. Gold. I was looking forward for some insight into Ray's childhood and backstory and here it is.
It was surprisingly emotional. I connect with little Ray in every way possible. His words really pierced my heart. Props for the actor who plays young Ray. He made me laugh, he made me cry and he definitely won my heart.
Zari's character development was perfect. She was great. She being supportive of little Ray was cool. She's so much fun and her dynamic with the team was great as well. She's a great addition to the team.
I really loved Stein's interactions with Jax and calling him family, especially know that we know Victor Garber is leaving the show. And he named his grandson Ronnie! Cute.
I love the writers of this show and the big nerds they are. So many E.T. references. This touched my heart. So many emotions. I loved the flying bicycle scene. That was breathtaking.
MiB agents randomly start singing. This is the show! It was a WTF scene but boy, did I enjoy it! I lost it the minute they said "good morning". This just proves that the show can do whatever they want even if that doesn't make any sense. They don't hold anything.
The Mommynator scenes with Nate were just golden. "I'm gonna brush my teeth forever", lol. Nate was great. His Biff Tannen outfit while waxing the DeLorean was perfect. I love BTTF and I hope they do an episode inspired on it.
That scenes with all of them suited-up was awesome. Zari's suit is amazing. I love that it's loosely based on Isis. I loved Rory robbing candy from those bullies. This show is just awesome!
I can tell you that Game of Thrones is phenomenal, visual beautiful, fantastic, exhilarating and action-packed thrilling rollercoaster that in many ways has not been seen yet in a tv show. I could say that and be absolutely right about it, but unless you have been living under a rock without an internet connection for the past 2 years than no doubt you already heard, seen or read for yourself what a masterpiece the books and/or this tv series is.
Game of Thrones is exactly like the title says: A game for the throne. Played by the people who think its their right to claim, conquer or inherit it. They all have different goals and different ways of getting to that point, but their goal is in essence in one way or another the same for all of them: to be recognized and remembered for their deeds. Off course that is not so weird since everyone in real life at some level thinks like that. But the main characters in Game of Thrones are different, either through noble descent, the power and money they have, intelligence or sheer luck they have become a member of one of the noble houses that rule the countries and can decide the fate and lives of hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of people within the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos.
The story, setting and characters are all taken from a broad range of European history. Most of what we see of the continent Westeros (castles and tournaments) is taken from High Medieval Western Europe from around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. But the story takes bits and pieces from other time periods as well. For example the wildfire that was used in season 2 in a brilliant strategic move of "The Imp" Tyrion Lannister during the Battle of the Blackwater is in fact Byzantine "Greek fire" which was invented and first used in the 7th century during battles between Muslims and Byzantines. This and other historical events, devices and characters based on real people out of history are all as it seems perfectly interwoven into each other into the fictional world of Game of Thrones by the author of the books George R. R. Martin.
For the actors who play the characters i have nothing but utmost respect. The performance they manage to show episode after episode is definitely what makes this tv show so popular. There is one in particular that without a doubt is one of the more popular stars of this tv show: Peter Dinklage who plays the role of "The Imp" Tyrion Lannister. In the 1st season he was portrayed as nothing more than someone who took advantage of his noble status and money to do whatever he wanted. But in season 2 (and hopefully the next seasons too) he transformed despite his disadvantage of being born as a dwarf (who during medieval times and in this fictional world are considered "lesser" humans) into a brilliant military and political strategist and someone who can very good and enjoys as he so very accurately said himself "play the game".
Game of Thrones is without a doubt the hit tv show of this decade. It started out with a story about medieval times, but slowly with every episode we see the world of the Seven Kingdoms transform into a place where mythical creatures exist, magic and dark powers are used as a weapon against enemies and where the dead are once more walking again.... Winter is coming, and i have no doubt it that it will be as spectacular and story-wise phenomenal as we have have seen in the previous seasons.
