What I’m Watching: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Season 2, Episode 6 “A Fractured House” (B+)

I’ll go on record: this was the best hour this show has delivered in a long time, mixing action and a handful of solid plot developments while not even touching the big reveal from last week, which was that Skye’s father struck a deal with Whitehall to bring down S.H.I.E.L.D. That endgame was still in play full force in this episode, as Hydra agents posing as S.H.I.E.L.D. committed very public acts of terrorism designed to unite the world against the fabled organization. Fortunately, Coulson and his team thought quickly and utilized the prisoner in their basement for leverage with the man with the power to clear the institution's name: Ward’s brother. I haven’t seen Tim DeKay since I stopped watching “White Collar,” and I think he was a great choice to play the political figure who contradicted everything Ward said while our traitorous agent seemed genuinely afraid of ending up in his brother’s custody. Of course, it was all a ploy to be able to escape, which should make him a more dynamic part of the story going forward. I’m very pleased with how things with Bobbie and Lance are progressing, and their antics in the field are extremely entertaining, coupled with some impressive acrobatics and other tactical skills. It’s reassuring to see that Fitz and Simmons are working to get back to where they were, and though it’s going to take a while, I think they’re on the right track. This team certainly looks different than it did a year ago, but I think it’s a much stronger group.