REVIEW: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Best Laid Plans"
Since the last episode, we were left with only one question: how the frick is anything going to get done? We have time-travelling to do, a planet to save, and several plot holes to cover. Well, I’m apathetic to inform you that none of those things are solved in this episode. Yet it’s still a fun ride.
A few points to the episode for pointing out the new game plan within the first ten minutes. Is it a mish-mash of muddled exposition that can barely stand on its own internal logic? Of course it is, but it’s a mish-mash of muddled exposition that can barely stand on its own internal logic that can go somewhere for one or two more weeks. We have a semblance of direction now, so let’s stick with it in the midst of this narrative circling.
Fitz says it best when he just exasperatedly declares “this is a bloody time loop.” I don’t think he was referring to some of the plots, yet it’s a pretty good analogy. A bunch of the episode is repeating arguments that only serve to drag the whole story about two steps. Mack and Elena argue what to do about Kasius, everyone’s still iffy about the destiny thing, and they still keep calling Daisy the Destroyer of Worlds. None of this gets old because none of it was interesting in the first place. I know they have to pad the season somehow, but we’re already dealing with the same sets over and over again. We don’t need to hear the same lines.
One decent way to pad the runtime is the human revolution plot which, despite some drags, provides some level of twists and meaningful action. Mack truly does need to be in more positions of leadership. And, oh look, Tess is somehow alive again. Even though Kree biology and bringing people back to life are not a good mix, we get at least one new newbie that I liked back. She’s also someone who’s clearly terrified like the others but willing to do the right thing anyway. Did you know that it was this easy to endear someone to a plot?
Unfortunately, we also then go back to Deke. How can we have a story about our heroes in the future, likeable characters somehow coming back to life, and plots moving forward and still think his backstory and development are worth our time? I don’t care that he helped Daisy. It’s almost ten episodes too late to make him likeable. Please don’t make this go any further than that.
As a side note, I think now’s a good a time as any to compliment the special effects team for the season. We watched a giant ship go through a Sharknado-sized twister, and it didn’t look awful. The whole space season has probably sent them into overtime to the point where Daisy has to be depowered, but it still holds up pretty well. Let’s just hope they manage to keep enough reserve for a season finale. They still have to apparently save the world.
The action is still just as exciting as ever. The last fight between Daisy and Sinara partnered with anti-gravity is pretty inspired. That coupled with gravity storms and bombs give some send of tension that a show with only three sets could use. It made me wish that they would have used just a few more scenes, especially since Daisy’s just another agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (roll credits).
The effects and actions are nevertheless a good balance for the fact that not too much is pushed forward this time around. We still have to deal with Kasius despite the symbolic uprising with the humans banding together, and he keeps pulling twists out of thin air. At this point, the villains are starting to have more holes than the time-travel, which is shockingly easy to find. Again, where do we go from here?
This is certainly more of an action-packed episode than last week, which makes it vastly more interesting. Actually, anything that has a lick of sense would have made it vastly more interesting than last week’s episode. It’s a pretty low bar. Hopefully that means it’s all uphill from here.
