Week 46: Laws of Nature, Purpose in the Machine

Now that The Agent Formerly Known As Skye is going by her comics identity Daisy Johnson, I guess I'll call her "Johnson" to bring her in line with the other agents.

Laws of Nature: Now that's what I'm talking about. This was a better-written episode with more interesting characterizations and better acting too, and with an improved season-three budget on top of it. This hour still had the show's same flaws underneath, from the genericism (the Moroccan thugs were clichés) to the irresponsibility (as I predicted, Johnson accepts zero blame for the leaking terrigen) to the show being least interesting when it goes big (I'm already bored by "Dollar Store Avatar Halloween Costume" or whatever the alien's name is), but I'm quibbling about small details when the whole was pretty entertaining. I could watch an hour of Clark Gregg and Constance Zimmer playing bemused spy games while Nick Blood makes math jokes. Mack's sometimes-blunt honesty continues to be a refreshing quality in a show full of liars. The hints of storylines to come are promising. The footage of Tangier was splendid. (More like that please!) The timely connection to Ant-Man was neat. And a cameo by President Iron Man Three was welcome. This was a solid season premiere. (8/10)

I still don't understand where S.H.I.E.L.D. gets its considerable funding if the rest of the world, including high-ranking government officials, think that it doesn't exist. Does anybody want to guess?

Purpose in the Machine: Another fun episode. The production design of that basement machine was impressive, a sign that the show is getting more specific in its set design. Simmons emerging from the pile of rocks at the end was a happy relief. James Hong is always welcome in anything, which is good because he seems to turn up in everything, but then I suppose so does Ming-Na Wen. I appreciated the callbacks to earlier episodes, like Coulson being really good at finding the button to open a hidden passageway, and Ward bringing someone tacos after testing them. Having been a manager who hired some weaker candidates too quickly because I wanted the help right away, I wanted to yell at Johnson through the TV, "No! Wait for better people! Don't be so impatient to form your team! It's not worth it!" Professor Randolph mentions having heard the term "Inhuman" a very long time ago and no one has any follow-up questions about that? Some of the storylines were less interesting than others, but my only serious complaint is about the new, more ruthless Coulson. Threatening the life of a prisoner, albeit a super-powered one, is a real low for him. Once again: S.H.I.E.L.D. are supposed to be the good guys, right? (7/10)