Anghus Houvouras reviews the first episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 2…
If Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. perfected one thing during its first season, it was dropping Easter eggs. The series spent nearly two thirds of its first season being little more than fan service dropping references to heroes and villains we wished we were watching. Sure, we got a little Deathlok here and Lady Sif there, but the rather messy first season felt quite detached from the Marvel Cinematic universe from which it was birthed. Where Fox’s new series Gotham suffers from an orgy of excess when it comes to notable characters from the Batman universe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was often faulted for not featuring enough characters from the comic books while trying to forge its own path.
The Season Two season premiere feels almost engineered to address some of those concerns. Within the first five minutes we’re treated to an appearance from Agent Carter and the Howling Commandos as well as one my personal favorite Marvel villains Crusher Creel aka The Absorbing Man. The second season sets a wildly different tone from the first. Last season S.H.I.E.L.D. was a technological superpower protecting the world from threats with limitless resources. After Hydra reared its heads, S.H.I.E.L.D. has now been reduced to a rag-tag group of agents trying to stitch the seams back together. It’s a far better set-up for a show that lacked gravitas during it’s freshman season.
Once team Whedon decided late last year to make the Agents outlaws, the show got interesting. The opening of the second season hits the ground running with a number of interesting subplots and some far more nuanced characters. A mysterious item of unknown origin (aka 084) is being hunted by several interested parties. The back catalog of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s intelligence is being sold on the open market. The only thing that stands between Hydra and a powerful obelisk is Director Coulson and his handful of dedicated agents.
The original cast has weathered some storms. Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) has suffered some brain damage and struggles to maintain lucidity. Skye (Chloe Bennet) is trying to become a real agent under her new S.O. Agent May (Ming-Na Wen). The traitorous Ward (Brett Dalton) is a prisoner trying to regain her loyalty by giving her classified Hydra information. And Coulson (Clark Gregg) has to deal with the heavy burden of being Director and keeping certain things from his team.
The dynamic is so much more interesting. There are layers of conflict playing out. The show’s flaws are still readily apparent. The FX can’t really be described as ‘special’. The show still feels like the low rent district of the Marvel universe. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is still a plucky little exercise in serialized shenanigans. The show has darkened a tinge or two which helps greatly with the drama.
The first episode, “Shadows” is a fun return to this eccentric little Marvel offshoot. The formula hasn’t dramatically changed. The flaws are still glaring, but I still see enough each week to keep me coming back.
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the novel My Career Suicide Note, is available from Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.
Originally published September 24, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
