User Reviews

The second episode of the second season continues with a strong plot and strong writing. We get a a good focus on Hunter, the team deals with Creel and Fitz helps them find out how.

Lance Hunter gets an incredible insight into his character. The best part about this is that even though he is a mercenary, following the money in order to complete the job, he showed his love and respect for Hartley by letting her have an honorable funeral. I am not really surprised that he went after Creel as a vendetta but I am glad that Coulson still wants him to stay around because the team needs a specialist that will cross the lines.

Fitz is starting to get a little better and that is so relieving. I'm glad that Mack is helping him by having Fitz talk to and through him. de Caestecker's portrayal of Fitz with brain damage is really good because it is entirely disheartening because we know what Fitz is truly like. The fact that Simmons is gone is clearly making him worse so I really want to know where Simmons is.

Creel this episode was also boring as he was basically nothing but a brute for Hydra. However, there was some interesting parts about Creel, especially his powers and the possible fact that Hydra might have brainwashed him.

Raina popped up again in this episode and she still creeps me out. She is clearly connected to Skye's father, played by Kyle McLachlan, and can somehow hold the obelisk without it killing her. It's a very good plot point to focus on as there is clearly something special about Raina, and according to Skye's father, Skye can hold it too.

+ Hunter + Fitz' recovering + Where is Simmons? + Kyle McLachlan! +/- Creel - Raina still really weird

Final Score: 8.8/10

Ironically, the "real" story here is so bizarre it, too, could come from a graphic novel.

First, your mission is to locate the guy behind what is acknowledged as one of the best written, and most influential, TV shows of all time, and then allow him to regain lost prestige by reversing Marvel's endless series of film flops.

Done.

Next, credentials duly re-established, god-like reputation re-attained, direct him to the Marvel TV franchise, and give him carte blanche. Literally. If he wants to bring his brother into the project, let him. Money is no object.

OK,you now have the best and the brightest in the entertainment biz doing a weekly salvage operation on one of the weakest properties in the Marvel catalog. Because, when all is said and done, this is really the MBA-certified Business Plan that Marvel (a public firm) has adopted. Rehabilitate the weakest properties first. The strong properties will take care of themselves. Darwin in reverse.

The above I hope will help newbies grasp why this series consistently presents the most frustrating (and arguably un-interesting) story arcs yet with the most interesting and captivating characters.

That is Whedon, clever man, completing his corporate mission while at the same time doing what he does best -- character development, entertaining viewers.

Where this disjointed series is headed, I don't care, and I don't think you will either. It is engaging, not as much as Buffy was, but (and I am sure Joss is tired of hearing this) how many Buffies can you do in one lifetime anyway? Note that the ending, the last two minutes, is crazy fun. And that it has nothing to do with the long arc (and I am sure there IS a long arc, somewhere, your grandchildren will live to see it) BUT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE CHARACTERS.

This episode was really fun, it served to get the audience to know the new character (Mack and Hunter) better and I gotta say it works! I may be biased because I love those characters based on future stuff, but as far as introducing new characters the show manages to make them relevant to the story and give us more info about them but not in a lazy or exposition way so they feel like people rather than plot points. The Coulson arch continues to be fascinating, and his interactions with Talbot are pure gold!