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

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Season 2, Episode 17 “Melinda” (B)

This was an intriguing episode that wasn’t necessarily overcrowded as the last handful of installments have been. Not featuring the elements of the other S.H.I.E.L.D. was a positive since this allows for an introspective focus on our core characters and an eye-opening spotlight on one of them. Seeing a smiling, warm May who was almost more chipper than Coulson was strange, though as soon as she got to Bahrain it was clear that things were going to turn sour. Some aspects of this show are unexpectedly creepy, and the little girl who could control people whose pain she wanted to feed off of was distinctly disturbing. May having to kill her to save the lives of everyone around her hit her hard, and it explains a lot about how she acts in the present day. It tied in nicely with Jiaying’s warning about going through the mist too young and knowing what to do with your newfound abilities. I found Jiaying’s revelation of her relationship to Skye and their subsequent family dinner far less emotional and strong than I would have hoped, but that dinner table provided a very crucial piece of information. Raina’s appearance may have changed for the worse, but her newfound ability – seeing into the future – is absolutely incredible, and very worrisome if used for evil rather than good. On a lighter note, I’m glad to see that Fitz is coherent enough to be able to elude his companions, open the box, and make communication with Coulson and Hunter, who seemed more than eager to be able to teach him how to escape from a locked bathroom.