Marvel's Agents Of SHIELD S2.11 "Aftershocks" review

Hang on. Trip’s dead? Why didn’t anybody mention it? Oh hang on – they did. In every bleedin’ scene. At least, that’s what it felt like at times.

His death leads to mourning, to guilt, to anger, to accusations, to revenge. It also leads to some downright clunky dialogue and on-the-nose character motivation. “Trip died because of my fascination with alien super powers,” wails Simmons, “so now I will be cheerleader for the stamp-out-alien super power campaign! Yay!”

Okay, it’s not quite that simplistic but not far off. The big argument that erupts at Coulson’s briefing session isn’t much better; it all feels so artificial and scripted – the characters slaves to the plot requirements, vocalising a dramatic viewpoint.

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With all that whinging and soul-searching it’s not a great episode for most of the regulars. Skye/Daisy sits in quarantine looking worried and causing GBH to lamps and fizzy drinks cans. Bobbi and Mack plot in dark corners using the kind of code language that only characters who know viewers are listening in would use. Simmons becomes a raving zealot. Coulson comes across even more like an out-of-his-depth insurance broker than usual. There would be nothing wrong with Coulson’s reluctantly promoted middle management performance if he could muster up the necessary steel in the moments that count; instead, when he has to square up to Mack here, he’s so whiny you half expect Mack to simply deck him.

Luckily, outside of Team Mope the episode shows a lot more spark. Admittedly, Raina is in a suicidal mood but her new thorns means she spends more time killing than moaning. The opening flashback showing Jiaying helping Gordon come to terms with his transformation is beautifully shot and acted. Gordon’s sudden reappearance at the end of the episode – teleporting in and creating an energy dome – is a visual highlight too. We’re liking this guy already.

Hydra is tricked rather too easily into a cull of its second-tier bosses, but the assassination montage nevertheless retains some visceral clout.

The “faux” crash is great too, and the excellently choreographed fight that follows it. You do have to question, though, if Coulson’s scheme may have been a little over-elaborate. Doesn’t SHIELD have a budget to think about? Coulson and May could easily have feigned unconsciousness after the crash and saved on a few explosives. But then we’d have missed Coulson’s glorious overacting.

The running gag about Mack’s model of Lola not being able to fly was fun too, and a clever bit of smoke and mirrors. It reminds you of the model’s existence without highlighting that it’s the smoking gun it turns out to be.

The only regular who really comes out of the episode with honours is Fitz (though Hunter’s American accent is amusing, we admit). Iain de Caestecker’s performance is deepening episode by episode to the point where you genuinely empathise with this guy’s frustration at his mental and physical limitations. As a result, he completely sells you on the idea that he’s about to betray Skye, before he then reveals his true colours and lies to protect her secret instead. He seriously needs a hug. Shame his bromance is destined to go nowhere as Mack is clearly set to do a Grant Ward in the coming weeks.

So, another Agents Of SHIELD episode with tantalising moments showing what the show could be, but lacking in oomph overall. Surely it’ll fulfil its potential, soon?

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Best Line

May: “They’ll never take us alive? Really? A little over-the-top, don’t you think?” Coulson: “I only had a day to come up with this whole thing. Besides, if I let you write the script, no one would say anything.”

She's A Star

Adrianne Palicki (Bobbi) is listed as a star rather than a guest star for the first time in the credits.

It's Wossisname

Henry Goodman, who plays Dr List, was previously seen in the extra end credits sequence for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. There he was hobnobbing with Baron von Strucker, who gets a name-check in this episode.

You Rock

Bobbi tells Skye that she’s a rock star. Well, she’s certainly going to be rocking their world soon…

Going Down

Don’t panic. Skye’s got her heart rate comfortably under control if the way it drops sharply between these shots is anything to judge by.

Family Business

In case you’d forgotten, there’s a reason why Coulson turns up at Trip’s mum’s door looking like a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. The massive case was, in fact, the one Trip was given by his grandad – an unspecified Howling Commando* – that was full of gadgets, and last seen in the episode “Providence”. (*It’s a lazy assumption that Trip’s grandad must have been Gabriel Jones just because of the ethnic link, although the fact that Trip used the alias “General Jones” in “Shadows” does make Gabe the most likely candidate.)

Best Moment

When Gordon rescues/kidnaps (delete as per revelations in future episodes) Raina it’s one of those rare moments when SHIELD actually looks like a superhero show. Even Gordon’s exaggerated “hero” stance when he teleports in is a wonderfully over-the-top touch. We suspect the FX team used the same teleporting-effect CG software as The Flash did for Peek-A-Boo a few weeks back, though.

Marvel’s Agents Of SHIELD airs on Friday nights on Channel 4 in the UK and on ABC on Tuesday nights in the US.

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