Agents of SHIELD Review: “One of Us”

– Spoiler Review –

Skye’s dad Cal gathers up a gaggle of gifted villains and harries Coulson’s hometown in Wisconsin (my state!), Skye undergoes ‘psycho-babble’ to clear herself for field work, and Bobbi and Mac’s secret is (mostly) revealed. “One of Us,” was another fun, well-paced adventure for Agents of SHIELD.

There’s something inherently funny about Kyle MacLachlan driving a bunch of gifted characters around in a Winnebago, though it somewhat down played their threat for most of the episode, until they put their gifts to good use in the final battle at the high school football field in Manitowoc, WI. It was a fun plot while it lasted though and I hope we get to see even more new powers and abilities while Cal’s in the Inhuman’s lair. The scene between Cal and Gordon felt like they’ve met before, as he scolded Cal for being ‘too noisy,’ especially since he was just a failed science experiment unlike the others. Don’t you think disappearing two people in front of crowds is a little noisy though too, GORDON? Either way, excited to see who their ‘boss’ is going to be.

Blair Underwood quests stars as May’s ex-husband Andrew Garner, the psychiatrist chosen to evaluate Skye for agent duty, something necessary seeing as she’s a. got powers and b. is now on the gifted index. Blair’s great at matching and countering May’s expert silence and they have several scenes together where Andrew even gets May to laugh and smile, making their history feel palpable. But his conversations with Skye are the episode’s best, as he gets around her sarcasm and humor and to the cusp of her problem and worries: being rejected as an agent/from her family.

Skye, despite gaining some emotional control, has night terrors over the issue of being rejected by her ‘family’ which rock the entire facility (which I thought wouldn’t be possible with the vibranium-laced cell). The emotional changes that go along with Skye’s gifts come at the same time Chloe Bennet has really starting coming into her own with the role this season, helping sell her part in the Inhuman saga of the MCU (I’ve still got my fingers crossed she’ll get to star or be a part of the movie later this decade). Circumstances beyond the team’s control put Skye in the field despite her evaluation and she ends up witnessing her ‘family’ brutally take down gifted people like her shortly after her father is whisked away by Gordon. This triggers her quakes, but to save her friends and others from her potential destructive power, she turns it inwards and ends up mangling herself, in a very unexpected development.

The reunion of Fitz and Simmons felt very far off at the start of this episode, after everyone found out he had been covering for Skye last episode. Simmons has a heart to heart with Bobbi, revealing her and Fitz’s relationship changed far too much at this point for them to ever repair it, but not too long later it’s amazing how it only takes some gossip over May laughing around her ex for them to start coming back together already. I’m rooting for you guys!

Well, the confounding secret Bobbi and Mac have been keeping gets somewhat unveiled, though it raises even more questions than answers. Bobbi spends most of “One of Us” evading Coulson’s questions regarding Hunter, hiding a lot of truth within her lies so that even he can’t detect the bullshit she’s hiding. Meanwhile, Mac tries to bring Hunter around to his side of things, but he’s extremely unsuccessful…that is until Mac brings him to the, “…real SHIELD.” A nice little visit from Nick Fury would prove Coulson’s version is the real SHIELD, but it’ll be interesting to meet those behind this other SHIELD, which will be likely headed by Edward James Olmos’ (Bill Adama himself!) character, and to learn why they believe they’re the real one.

Here are a few other things:

So if they put Skye on the Index, which Cal was using to gather his villains….why didn’t he already know about it?
Since shows normally hop around major cities and picturesque countries, it’s always odd, exciting, humbling, and awesome to see Wisconsin on a show I’m watching. I’ve been to Manitowoc before, not enough to identify if they legitimately filmed there, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they had managed to do so covertly enough where not too many people found out about it. Next time though Marvel, I’m always free to be an extra.
Ruth Negga, who plays the cunning Raina, just got a part as the female lead in AMC’s adaptation of the comic series Preacher. I don’t know if that means her time as Raina is running out or if she can juggle the two shows, but I look forward to seeing her in the new show.
It feels like Coulson’s secret orders to Simmons on finding ways to end the threat of the gifted if necessary is supposed to come off as ‘bad-guy-ish’ behavior, but it makes sense from a tactical standpoint and I don’t feel like it’s necessarily an evil thing for him to be doing.

Is real SHIELD real or is “real” SHIELD real? Who are Gordon and his Inhuman pals working for? Can Skye ever get a grip on her powers? Can the Fitz/Simmons band get back together? The questions are building in AoS‘s second half and I look forward to having each one answered. “One of Us” definitely started down a path viewers (and myself) should be eagerly awaiting to journey along for the rest of the season.

+ Cal and his villainous Winnebago
+ Psycho-babble
+ Bobbi and Mac’s secret semi-revealed

– Coulson’s secret mission for Simmons

Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.

Agents of SHIELD Review: “One of Us”

+ Cal and his villainous Winnebago

+ Psycho-babble

+ Bobbi and Mac’s secret semi-revealed

– Coulson’s secret mission for Simmons

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+ Cal and his villainous Winnebago

+ Psycho-babble

+ Bobbi and Mac’s secret semi-revealed

– Coulson’s secret mission for Simmons

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