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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Friday, March 29, 2024
Arts | TV

'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' returns with action-packed premiere

Cast_of_Agents_of_S.H.I.E.L.D._at_PaleyFest_2014
Despite some notable characters notably missing, the third season of "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." looks to be a promising one.

Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (2013 - present) premiered its third season last week with an exciting episode that, with any luck, will set the tone for the rest of the season. The premiere starts off at a quick pace, a welcome surprise considering that the past season moved frustratingly slowly until the overstuffed two-part season finale. If the writers can keep the pace consistent, this may be the best season of "S.H.I.E.L.D." yet.

At the end of season two, a dangerous chemical compound, Terrigen, was released into the ecosystem. In its airborne form, it reacts with an alien mutation gene present in the small portion of the population that exhibits superhuman powers. Now, it's spreading across the world, and those with the mutated genes, called "inhumans," are developing dangerous abilities that they can't control. (It's not too pleasant as a solid either: In its crystallized form, Terrigen turns anyone who touches it to stone.)

The premiere opens with a violent pursuit of one of these superhumans, Joey (Juan Pablo Raba) by a mysterious corporation trying to detain and experiment with the inhumans. Unfortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D., the organization dedicated to capturing these individuals and protecting them from the world, as well as protecting the world from them, is, as far as the public knows, no longer in existence. (S.H.I.E.L.D. was destroyed at the end of last season.)

Unbeknownst to the world, however, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have managed to get their teams back together and rebuild the organization in secret. They are able to help Joey escape, and viewers are let in on the secret that S.H.I.E.L.D. is still up and running to the best of its ability.

Though many fan-favorite characters are back this season, there are two noticeable omissions: Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) and Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). These two sharp, intelligent and powerful female leads are absent in this premiere, save Simmons's appearance in the final minute. Last season, May requested a vacation and hasn't been seen since. Wen's character has the best, sassy one-liners on the show, and the dialogue in this episode is somewhat lackluster without her quippy additions.

May is also such a key character in the show that viewers can only hope her absence is short-lived. She acts as a moral compass for Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., and makes sure he's taken care of and kept in line. Their friendship is compelling and not easily replaceable, even by Coulson's strong relationship with another agent and inhuman, Daisy (Chloe Bennet). Coulson and Daisy's relationship resembles that of a father and daughter, while his relationship with May is more of a friendship. The two connections work well together to define Coulson as a person, but alone, they are less moving.

Meanwhile, thing are looking bleak for Simmons. While working on analyzing the Terrigen crystal last season, she was consumed by it and presumed dead by everyone except her partner, Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker). Fitz has been searching endlessly for information on the crystal, hoping to rescue Simmons from wherever she is. It's truly heartbreaking to see Fitz struggle without Simmons while also having to deal with his team encouraging him to move on. De Caestecker portrays the tormented Fitz impressively well, and his scenes are a welcome reprieve from the action sequences.

The release of the toxin has been a huge problem not only for S.H.I.E.L.D., but also for everyone else on the planet. It looks, as usual, like the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be the under-appreciated heroes, attempting to save the world despite being fractured as a team. In addition to the loss of Simmons and May, various betrayals and secrets revealed at the end of last season weakened S.H.I.E.L.D. This season will be about building trust again and about focusing on character relationships, new and old.

Despite the voids in the cast, which will hopefully be filled in the coming episodes, the third season of "S.H.I.E.L.D." looks to be a strong one. The writing is consistent and the actors are performing as well as ever. The pace of the show may be more balanced than the previous season, allowing for slow build-up as opposed to sudden action. This first episode has offered a lot to look forward to, and hopefully the creative forces behind "S.H.I.E.L.D." will continue their quality work.

Summary 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' looks to have a more consistent pace for its third season, despite gaps in its main cast. The season premiere was dynamic and compelling; viewers will be eager to see what the new season brings.
3.5 Stars