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I don't understand the hate that villain-of-the-week stories have been getting lately. The heroes get to face a variety of threats over the season while the main plot develops and pops up from time to time before culminating in the finale. I've always liked that formula. Sure, most of SHIELD's individual plots haven't quite been Buffy-quality, but they haven't been bad, and this one was one of the better this season. Besides, like 50% of the episode was arc-related anyway.
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Apr 24, 2014 07:41
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I don't mind monster of the week format either, but you can easily do that together with a bigger plot, Person of Interest does that.
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Apr 24, 2014 07:51
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I am with the people who thought the lie detector scene was dumb. Not because lie detectors don't work (because I can buy a super science one in the context of the show that does work) but because they still did the stupid "beat a lie detector test by saying a bunch of roundabout poo poo that is technically true, and the person administering the test lets it happen." If you have a lie detector machine that actually works and you are high-level agent running a secret organization you should be very specific with your questions and demand specific, clear answers and if you ask someone if they are associated with an enemy group and their answer is "Yes... our groups are so uh, intertwined now" you don't let that slide. As for the monster of the week format in general I think it's fine but SHIELD hasn't really been pulling it off. That first episode with the girl with he eye implant was probably the best one they've done. I think despite being kind of bare-bones and straightforward this episode's Blackout plot, while not that good, was a step in the right direction. The team's conflict now is way more interesting than stuff like Coulson brooding over being brought back to life too mysteriously.
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Apr 24, 2014 08:26
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I liked this episode I'm hoping the last three episodes don't return to the status-quo. I don't want May to catch up with Colbie Hill in the waning minutes of the next episode and have them concoct a gadgetry-heist-centric way to set up SHIELD again. That's exactly what I expect from that plot, therefore, it wouldn't be good TV if that happens. Something's gotta change in a big way going into the next season. Give us stakes so we can slay the "Almost-Boring Show" vampires...or something. On the plus-side, Skye's story arc is entering the preliminary phase of "being a spy might actually suck". Something that was long overdue.
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Apr 24, 2014 11:26
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MoaM posted:I liked this episode Please stop. Status quo is a Latin term meaning the existing state of affairs! It's not something you return to, it's something you are at! 
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Apr 24, 2014 11:39
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tastychicken posted:Please stop. Status quo is a Latin term meaning the existing state of affairs! It's not something you return to, it's something you are at! Also a decent band.
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Apr 24, 2014 11:47
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Decius posted:Also a decent band. Whatever you want. 
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Apr 24, 2014 11:50
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A better phrase would have been "return to the status quo ante bellum" (return to the state before the war) or even just "return to the status quo ante" (return to the previous state). WHOO, TALKIN' 'BOUT LATIN ITT
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Apr 24, 2014 12:31
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MoaM posted:On the plus-side, Skye's story arc is entering the preliminary phase of "being a spy might actually suck". Something that was long overdue. You're right, Skye actually became more interesting this last episode. I'd like to see them follow through on the transition from her thinking that Coulson's team is just going to Scooby-Doo it around the globe to realizing that she is involved in some straight-up horrible stuff. Getting completely played by Ward like that has to shatter her world-view.
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Apr 24, 2014 13:59
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The status quo is often referred to when talking about Marvel and DC comics. They can't change TOO much, because then that would I understand why this is done in comics, everything is sort of frozen in time or at least moving at a glacial pace for Brand Reasons, but it's not for sure going to be true for this show. In fact, it would be a very poor thing from a television perspective. We really won't know till Season 2, which is probably going to be a thing no matter how hysterical some people may get. Season 2 won't have the excuse this season had. Not if they want viewers.
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Apr 24, 2014 14:28
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Irish Joe posted:We don't have front license plates in Pennsylvania you stupid show And it's three letters, four numbers, not five!  Related, I'm not sure my wife wants to watch TV with me for a while...
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Apr 24, 2014 14:28
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I'm watching for any hints of Skye's super powers. As for the "Monster of the Week" format, obviously it's pretty standard by now in the genre, and can be done well or not so well. Buffy was great not necessarily because of the plot - either the monster of the week or the season long "big bad" - but rather because of the characters and their interactions with each other. This is true of all great shows, and something poor shows lack. Dollhouse lacked it, and I think AoS still does, though it's definitely getting better.
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Apr 24, 2014 14:29
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Agents of shield has started taking risks and has built up a decent rouges gallery which has just been replenished thanks to the breakout in Fridge. Plus they have started dipping into the rich marvel cannon with people like Deathlok and Hydra now in the mix. With supplements also coming from the main cinematic universe, It does look like Shield has the makings of a great series finally in place. Whether or not it continues remains to be seen but at least it should be a decent ride along the way. 
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Apr 24, 2014 14:42
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They really should have released Agents of Shield in the winter instead of the fall so they could have cut the number of bullshit filler episodes in half before Winter Soldier.
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Apr 24, 2014 15:13
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I don't really get the hate Blackout is getting. I thought he was a decent enough villain. You can't go too big with superpowers because the protagonists are (probably) human. And the real meat of the story was Coulson and the cellist, who was hinted at in the series 7th or 8th episode.
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Apr 24, 2014 17:16
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notthegoatseguy posted:I don't really get the hate Blackout is getting. I thought he was a decent enough villain. You can't go too big with superpowers because the protagonists are (probably) human. And the real meat of the story was Coulson and the cellist, who was hinted at in the series 7th or 8th episode. The show would be better if they added super-villains like Arrow does. They do that, and they still complain. I plan to watch and see what they do with the end of the season, and how they finish it off. I assume it will end with them being a mini shield that still reports to Nick Fury and Hill, but they will not have the resources. The Shield poo poo is not going to be fixed on the show, it will be done in either Avengers 2 or more likely Captain America 3.
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Apr 24, 2014 17:22
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If this show gains more viewers, I could see them fixing SHIELD on it. It's not like they couldn't recap in the Cap 3 "oh yeah, Coulson and his team did x and y and that's why Cap is now... doing whatever he's doing"
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Apr 24, 2014 17:25
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No Butt Stuff posted:If this show gains more viewers, I could see them fixing SHIELD on it. It's not like they couldn't recap in the Cap 3 "oh yeah, Coulson and his team did x and y and that's why Cap is now... doing whatever he's doing" They will never, ever put major movie-altering stuff into a television show. The movies are where the real money is, and if anyone decides to also watch the show then that's a bonus. But the show is never going to wag the dog, to butcher a saying.
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Apr 24, 2014 17:28
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What was Ward taking out of his finger after the interrogation? A paperclip? I'm guessing to block the readings from that finger sensor?
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Apr 24, 2014 17:29
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No Butt Stuff posted:If this show gains more viewers, I could see them fixing SHIELD on it. It's not like they couldn't recap in the Cap 3 "oh yeah, Coulson and his team did x and y and that's why Cap is now... doing whatever he's doing" I assume that will be a season 2 plotline and can see it sort of tying in with Avengers 2
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Apr 24, 2014 17:29
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PCOS Bill posted:And it's three letters, four numbers, not five! So Spy Momma put on fake plates on a covert mission to rescue her daughter? Who would imagine?
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Apr 24, 2014 17:31
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PunkBoy posted:What was Ward taking out of his finger after the interrogation? A paperclip? I'm guessing to block the readings from that finger sensor? He jammed some metal poo poo in there to gently caress with the machine's readings by inducing pain and fluctuating his breathing, sweating, temperature, etc. That poo poo was long, it sounds painful to prepare yourself that way.
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Apr 24, 2014 17:40
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PunkBoy posted:What was Ward taking out of his finger after the interrogation? A paperclip? I'm guessing to block the readings from that finger sensor? Apparently you can 'fool' lie detectors by deliberately causing pain to yourself. It offsets their baseline reading or something and the machine can't detect minor fluctuations in stress or heart rate because they're already pushed up so high because of the pain. Or so the urban legends about beating polygraph machines would have you believe.
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Apr 24, 2014 17:41
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Snowglobe of Doom posted:Apparently you can 'fool' lie detectors by deliberately causing pain to yourself. It offsets their baseline reading or something and the machine can't detect minor fluctuations in stress or heart rate because they're already pushed up so high because of the pain. Or so the urban legends about beating polygraph machines would have you believe. All you need to do is relax your anal sphincter.
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Apr 24, 2014 17:53
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On a random observational note, when Audrey mentions that she and Coulson had plans to go up the coast when she received the phone call when he died, I like to think Tony Stark secretly arranged those plans during The Avengers, and was going to surprise Coulson with them. 
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Apr 24, 2014 18:11
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PunkBoy posted:On a random observational note, when Audrey mentions that she and Coulson had plans to go up the coast when she received the phone call when he died, I like to think Tony Stark secretly arranged those plans during The Avengers, and was going to surprise Coulson with them. Tony didn't even know Coulson's first name.
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Apr 24, 2014 18:14
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Andrew Verse posted:Tony didn't even know Coulson's first name. That wouldn't stop him.  He is fully aware about Coulson and Audrey's relationship in Avengers. In one scene he walks in with Phil encouraging him to keep in contact with her.
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Apr 24, 2014 18:20
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Andrew Verse posted:Tony didn't even know Coulson's first name. Sure he did: it's Agent 
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Apr 24, 2014 18:25
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Tony probably went to tell the cellist personally when Coulson died and then hosed her pain away.
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Apr 24, 2014 18:32
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Andrew Verse posted:Tony didn't even know Coulson's first name. Pepper Potts would have handled it, she knew all about Coulson's relationship with the cellist.
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Apr 24, 2014 18:52
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redshirt posted:I'm watching for any hints of Skye's super powers. Dollhouse got way better on that front in the back half of the first season and then in the second season. If you haven't watched it all the way through I'd really recommend it.
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Apr 24, 2014 20:32
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Snowglobe of Doom posted:Pepper Potts would have handled it, she knew all about Coulson's relationship with the cellist. Speaking of, if Gwyneth Paltrow is willing to guest star on Glee of all shows, I wouldn't be surprised if Pepper stopped by sometime next season.
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Apr 24, 2014 20:39
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Agent Poots was pretty entertaining this past episode.
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Apr 24, 2014 20:50
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I'm a little late on the Fitz talk, but I am pretty sure the last scene with him and Simmons was him letting her go, per Coulson's talk about how he was letting the Cellist go and live her life. Fitz had a sort of resignation/understanding look there, where he didn't want to get in the way of her happiness. If that meant she crushes on Triplett for a while, then he was going to be ok with it. That was my reading of it anyway.
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Apr 24, 2014 21:00
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Emerson Cod posted:Speaking of, if Gwyneth Paltrow is willing to guest star on Glee of all shows, I wouldn't be surprised if Pepper stopped by sometime next season. She has a lot of free time, now.
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Apr 24, 2014 22:36
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I'm bummed Patton Oswalt can never take another role in the Marvel universe again now, because he's great, and he loves comics.
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Apr 24, 2014 22:38
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hollylolly posted:I'm a little late on the Fitz talk, but I am pretty sure the last scene with him and Simmons was him letting her go, per Coulson's talk about how he was letting the Cellist go and live her life. Fitz had a sort of resignation/understanding look there, where he didn't want to get in the way of her happiness. If that meant she crushes on Triplett for a while, then he was going to be ok with it. Nah, Fitz is going to constantly give Triplett poo poo over petty stuff. I liked how he kept getting shut down whenever he tried to explain something this last episode.
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Apr 24, 2014 22:43
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LividLiquid posted:I'm bummed Patton Oswalt can never take another role in the Marvel universe again now, because he's great, and he loves comics. They can always have his body abducted and used for something else...
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Apr 24, 2014 23:00
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LividLiquid posted:I'm bummed Patton Oswalt can never take another role in the Marvel universe again now, because he's great, and he loves comics. Speculation: It turns out that all of Fury's secret bases are run by LMDs, all Koenig.
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Apr 24, 2014 23:09
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LividLiquid posted:I'm bummed Patton Oswalt can never take another role in the Marvel universe again now, because he's great, and he loves comics. You know he had a brother....
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Apr 24, 2014 23:13
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