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

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: Season 4, Episode 9 “Broken Promises” (B)

This show has a pretty incredible ability to immerse and inundate itself in one intense plotline at a moment’s notice, and after we saw Aida kill an agent and reveal that she was holding May captive at the end of the previous episode, now she’s enemy number one trying to destroy the team. Shutting down May at exactly the moment she needed to came in handy, and having Coulson get the location of the book from her while she was watching and listening to them was a great plan. Fortunately, Mac and Yo-Yo were both on the same page thanks to all the movies they had seen about robots being intelligent and taking power, and Mac was ready to slice Aida’s head off, shout “Roll credits!” and first-bump Yo-Yo in a triumphant show of human perseverance that also ranked as the most entertaining development of the hour. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the book that corrupted Aida but her original programmer, who is back to his selfish ways and trying to gain infinite knowledge thanks to the book. Having a May robot is about the best weapon he has, but the other thing that’s helpful is that no one realizes there’s still a threat. There’s also the case of Senator Nadeer, who initially seemed to go soft on her brother but had no problem putting a bullet in him herself when she saw his formidable powers in action. She’s another villain not to be underestimated who is sure to be even less kind to those she doesn’t consider family.