Week 20: Ragtag, Beginning of the End

Ragtag: "Speak up, kid. I'm not a mind reader." This show has a better sense of humor than I give it credit for. This is mostly an unremarkable episode that sets up the season finale. The notable story belongs to Ward, who must make tough choices in the past and present, and the show could use a lot more of that sort of thing. I also appreciated the "large file transfer" joke and the spy-team escape that followed. Given how much of a hard-ass Garrett is, how did Triplett come out normal and not a jerk? I don't see the show pulling a second Ward-like twist with him too, but I also don't buy him being so nice; Garrett never worked have worked with someone seemingly decent and moral like him. (5/10)

Beginning of the End: There weren't many surprises in the plot here, but the levity was really unexpected. That's what I missed from the movies! Tony Stark once said, "If we can't protect the Earth, then you can be damn sure we'll avenge it," but he may as well have said, "if we can't protect the Earth, then we'll make fun of whoever is attacking it," which is practically the MCU motto. Seeing Coulson and Fury team up to crack jokes in the face of an enemy literally being driven mad with power was a thrill. More like that, please! The scene where FitzSimmons briefly accept their death was also nicely written, as was the closing scene where Coulson finally got to throw his tantrum about Tahiti and Fury paid him a high compliment.

The office scene at the beginning was a missed opportunity: I'd have liked to see more jokes about office workers in the world of Hydra and Centipede, controlling the super-soldiers remotely. "Ugh, I just can't get started killing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents until I've had my morning coffee." "Boss is all over my ass to kill a bunch more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents lately. I guess the Q2 numbers aren't looking so good." "Hey Sheila! How was your weekend? Tell me you didn't stay here in the office killing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents all day Saturday." "Has anybody seen my stapler? The one with the really nice Hydra logo on it?" (7/10)

season rating: 5/10 (It was ok.)
best of season: "T.A.H.I.T.I"
worst of season: "The Asset"

Erik, if you're still watching, does AOS still feel like "CSI: SHIELD" at this point? Has it improved?

Shout out to Ming-Na Wen for playing a chipper, squeaky-voiced geek while still making her believable as May. That was funny.