Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "L.M.D."

[Shogunn2517]

Wasn't sure if it was prudent to do a thread on the newer season or not, or if anyone's is watching.  Premiere was tonight and just some initial impressions.

Season 4 they are branding with "Ghost Rider" and are featuring the eponymously named character.  Whether that will carry for all 23 episodes or just an arch is to be seen.

Spoiler

The show is taking off from where it was left at the epilogue of last season, Coulson's not the director(who is still off-screen), he and MacKenzie are partners.  Daisy/Quake is on the run.  They've talked about the Segovia Accords, where apparently the enhanced/Inhumans that are known have signed.  SHIELD has become much of a Primatech like group from "Heroes" where they do "grab and bag" missions.  Largely the "band" that has been together is not together.  May seems to have her own "calvary" unit.  Fitz and Simmons are on different tracks, Simmons is more leadership with a relationship with the director while Fitz has a brewing storyline with Ratcliffe and his LMD Aida.  Lastly of course there's Quake's pursuing of Ghost Rider(which I'm not entirely sure why), but she finds him.

Overall, I'm not unhappy with what I saw.  Sadly, I'm not breaking my schedule to get to watch this live any longer, but I do believe the writing is strong.  I can't put into words how thrilled I am that they are seemingly moving past the Inhuman storyline, which they've milked for two entire seasons.  I like the direction each of the characters are now and what they have set up.  It's enough of a hook to make me want to keep watching.  I don't know how Ghost Rider fits in the overall scheme of S.H.I.E.L.D., but I honestly wasn't too excited for Robbie Reyes.  Ghost Rider is still Johnny Blaze to me.  A flaming wheeled motorcycle makes more sense than a flaming wheeled charger.  Just not use to the look I guess.   How the Ghost Rider looks himself, he ain't all that bad.  They've kept the style of the skull from the comics, which isn't a simple human skull, but more... "metalic" looking??? 

Still would like HYDRA to come back.  It seems like they took a back burner to the Inhumans in the series as the main opposing force to SHIELD when it should be HYDRA imo.  Overall though, it wasn't a bad watch.  It was pretty entertaining, even if you haven't tuned in for a season or so.

Thoughts?

*BTW, if the Thread Gods deem this to be set in another thread, then so be it.

[BigAl1775]

After 2 episodes, I'm impressed. The FX are well done for the Rider, not something I thought they'd pull off on TV. Too early to call it a hit or flop, but I'm interested to see where it goes.

[BentonGrey]

We're in one episode, and I like what I've seen.  Ghost Rider is certainly interesting so far.

[Shogunn2517]

Okay 3 minutes into episode 2 and this ish is freaking me the **** out!

[Shogunn2517]

Well a rather "new" character to the MCU was revealed on Agents of Shield this week...

Spoiler

New being rather subjective.  But since the character had two prior movies outside of the MCU and the MCU has a current version of the character already, it was revealed that the Ghost Rider, Robbie Reyes IS an actual Ghost Rider who was given his powers from THE Ghost Rider that most of us know, Johnny Blaze.  Though they didn't say his name exactly.  They explained him as a "Samaritan" on a motorcycle.  They would go on to reveal that he brought a recently killed Robbie Reyes back to life as the Ghost Rider making him another Ghost Rider.

Here's a pic.  (Ignore the Coulson/Gregg)

[Silver Shocker]

Yeah, that was neat what they did there. I don't mind Ghost Rider in this. He's alright. Lack of motorcycle takes some getting used to but otherwise pretty cool.

[thalaw2]

Yeah, that was neat what they did there. I don't mind Ghost Rider in this. He's alright. Lack of motorcycle takes some getting used to but otherwise pretty cool.

The new GR drives a muscle car.  I think it's a cool concept.  I haven't read the comics yet, but I have read a bio on the character.  When I heard he'd be in AoS I watched the episode and was impressed.  That was pretty cool FX.  I may start watching this show regularly.

[Tomato]

This version might, but every other incarnation I've seen (Blaze, Jones, and Ketch) ride motorbikes, and Ghost Rider on a bike is such an integral part of the character for most people that even people with only a casual interest in the character like me can be excused for having a tough time with it. That said, I do think it works here because it fits with Coulson's own love of muscle cars.

[Shogunn2517]

Okay, can someone give me a hand here...

Spoiler

When did Aida switch out May for an LMD?

[crimsonquill]

Spoiler

When did Aida switch out May for an LMD?

Spoiler

Earlier in the episode the Director said that May and another agent would leave to transfer the Doctor's files and bring AIDA to the base. Apparently she blindsided May much earlier in the day and when the other agent who was left behind to finish boxing everything up discovered her unconscious body in the recharging chamber she was forced to kill him. AIDA's corruption by gaining access to dark knowledge and creation ability is allowing her to fulfill her purpose to replace high ranking agents to protect them but she has probably come to the conclusion that their human bodies are frail and weak so they need permanent replacements. Once she discovers that the Director intends to shut her down and dismantle her after he figures out how she was built and what data she retrieved from the Darkhold then she would need to take over SHIELD herself by killing those who resist and duplicate the needed upper ranking members.

[BentonGrey]

Well, this season had a few weak points, but on the whole it was quite good.  I liked this version of Ghost Rider much more than I expected, and they told some really interesting stories.  We had a funny moment in the Grey household at the end of this last episode, though:

Spoiler

When AIDA was revealed to have replaced May and be up to some nefarious purpose, Lady Grey said, 'Well, we had a good run with this show.  It's a shame it's over.'  I was confused for a moment, but then I remembered that she is deathly afraid of the machines taking over.  She swears she won't watch the next season because the concept is too scary for her! 

[Shogunn2517]

Lol

[Shogunn2517]

Well, if anyone catch the twist about the Director Mace...

Spoiler

He's taking a formula ripped from Mr. Hyde's DNA that gave him super strength.  Talbot gave him the strength and made him a poster boy for S.H.I.E.L.D.

As much of an interesting take that might be, there was a minor detail from this episode that has tied all of Marvel's properties together...

Spoiler

During the opening press conference, when the HYDRA assassin attempted to take out Director Mace, he shot a bullet that Mace deflected with the podium.  The bullet started to spark and when Mace tossed the podium away it exploded.

I think these were the same bullets that Diamondback bought and used against Luke Cage in Luke Cage.

The bullets were bought from Hammer Industries, which was Tony Stark's rival in Iron Man 2.

Anyone else pick this up?

[Silver Shocker]

Yeah to be honest I wasn't paying that much attention when I watched this week's episode so I missed those references. Neat references though.

I did catch the references to Justin Hammer in Luke Cage though.