Anghus Houvouras reviews the seventh episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D….
#CoulsonsARobot
Halfway through the seventh episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Skye looks over to Simmons after an encounter with Coulson and says he is acting like, and I quote:
“A robot version of himself.”
Seriously, they’re not even trying anymore. This is either the most obviously plotted turn in television history or the most blatant attempt to divert us from the truth. But odds are our back-from-the-dead Joe Friday-like Agent is a Life Model Decoy. Because if he isn’t, then Joss Whedon and company are having way too much fun with their sleight of hand.
The seventh episode “The Hub” finally broadens the scope a hair bringing Coulson and company out of their tricked out cargo jet and into a major S.H.I.E.L.D. operation involving some separatists and a super-weapon that needs deactivating by a two man team comprised of the seasoned Agent Ward (Brett Dalton) and significantly less experienced super-nerd Agent Fitz (Ian De Caesticker) are sent in on a seemingly impossible mission into enemy territory. Meanwhile, the rest of the team deals with being relegated to the sidelines as two of their associates are sent into harm’s way with no exit strategy. Will Ward and Fitz survive? Will the team be able to save them in time? Will there be a copious amount of male bonding between the jock and the nerd?
Short answer: Yes. Yes. And Yes.
While the main mission of “The Hub” was a fairly boilerplate affair, there were some interesting things happening in the peripheral. We’re finally getting a broader look at S.H.I.E.L.D. itself. This issue introduces Agent Victoria Hand (Saffron Burrows) and starts to delve into the idea that Coulson and his crew are small, inconsequential pawns on a much larger game board. It’s funny that now a quarter way into the first season, we have so little insight to S.H.I.E.L.D. itself. Up to this point, all we knew was based on previous films and a twenty second cameo from Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. The Avengers gave us mysterious shrouded faces on a TV monitors and Captain America: The Winter Soldier has eluded to a dark current running through the agency. Seeing some of those seeds planted into the series will only help develop the intrigue.
Right now, so much of the pathos is tied to Coulson as he searches for clues about what has happened to him. Once again they reference Tahiti and he gives his standard response: “It’s a magical place.” And while I like Clark Gregg in the role and enjoy his torment, I just keep screaming “COULSON’S A ROBOT” every time he starts to inquire into the events that occurred after his brief stint with death.
Still, I may be the sole defender left of this show. So many others have lost patience and feel no connection to this corner of the Marvel Universe. With this week’s announcement of Netflix and Marvel teaming up to bring fan favorites Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Daredevil to streaming media, people are already starting to write Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. off as a failed experiment that will wither in the shadow of these super-hero fueled exploits.
I for one am still digging the show. They have successfully played up the shows strengths and doing a much better job of weaving in the ensemble. Ward is becoming a solid character, and for the second straight episode both Fitz and Simmons are given more to do than regurgitate old Willow and Xander dialogue. Though, to be fair, Firz was channeling some serious Xander this week. If nothing else, Whedon paradigms are both entertaining and somewhat painfully obvious.
“The Hub” is another solid episode for a show that I still claim is worth watching. I’ll be curious to see how next week’s episode works as the first real piece of connective tissue is sewn into the series with a Thor: The Dark World themed episode that has ties to the blockbuster. If ever the show had an opportunity to prove how it could work as a parallel to the Marvel movies, this would be it.
See you next week.
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the novel My Career Suicide Note, is available from Amazon.
Originally published November 13, 2013. Updated April 15, 2018.
