AGENTS OF SHIELD: “Out of the Past”

A new episode from the final season of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD aired this week on ABC.

Here’s the synopsis for the latest episode, “Out of the Past”:

It was just another average morning on July 22, 1955, when Agent Phil Coulson realized the importance of that day in the S.H.I.E.L.D. history books. With a chip on his shoulder and a genre-bending glitch in his system, he’d set into motion a chain of events that would hopefully preserve the timeline as we know it and ensure those pesky chronicoms get the ending they deserve. What could go wrong?

Join NiceGirls Roz, Christie, Karen, and Ruben as we discuss the episode, using our ratings system known as SASSY – S(tupid), A(wesome), S(o) S(o) and Y(Your Thoughts):

STUPID

Roz: Have we learned nothing from anything this season? I don’t know if keeping Souza alive – but also dead – is a good idea when the Chronicoms are on the move for maximum pain for SHIELD.

Christie: There’s little I don’t like about this episode, except for maybe poor Enoch’s treatment. Hopefully he’s still a friend in the 70s next episode, and not bitter about how he got stiffed.

Karen: SHIELD is really giving Enoch the short-shrift. “Hey! You’re awesome, and we appreciate you, but hang out for a couple of decades and we’ll be back.” They’re jumping in time and space, but they can’t zip over a few thousand miles to get a pretty essential team member? They only mentioned he’s a Chronicom as an afterthought when Mack was only very slightly upset to leave him behind, so that wasn’t the motivation behind it.

Rueben: I agree that the only thing I didn’t like about this episode was that Enoch got a bit overlooked. Although Mack and Daisy mentioned him near the end, that they hated leaving him behind again, but he was 3,000 miles away.

AWESOME

Roz: I love love love some film noir, so the whole black and white with narration was a dream come true!

CLARK GREGG

Christie: I was really concerned about going noir in this episode because it could have been really tacky, but they ended up making it fit with the plot, which was really cool. I also like how they figured out to keep Souza alive, though I’m sure that will come back to haunt them.

Karen: The Noir thing was super creative and actually logical since it was Coulson’s “inner monologue”. I couldn’t help thinking of a cross between Archer and Doctor Who (Bootstrap paradox anyone?). However, it didn’t lessen the greatness of how it was done in this episode. I also really appreciated how they used Yo-Yo and Deke here. They seemed much less wasted than they have already this season.

Rueben: Karen, you said it perfectly. I really enjoyed the entire episode; especially understanding a bit more about what is going on with May. I really liked the twist on it being the Coulson LMD that went into the water instead of Sousa (although, like Roz said earlier, I’m not sure if keeping Sousa alive will help them with the chronicoms). This was a terrific episode!!

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SO SO

Roz: What the hell is up with May and her new empathic powers? This is something that is going to bug me for a few weeks.

Christie: I am worried about how slowly they’re moving on whatever is going on with Yoyo and May, though at least we made a little progress on May.

Karen: Okay, co-dependence between HYDRA and the Chronicoms?  It kinda lessens their impacts as singular organizations.

Rueben: I’m worried about that chronicom staying behind to work with Malick!!

YOUR THOUGHTS

Roz: Are we going to the 70s next? EFF YES!!! I’m cool with that. We’re just going to get closer and closer to the present as this goes on and I think that’s a great way to make this all work.

Christie: Call me a third voice about going to the 70s. Not that I’m a big fan of the 70s in general, but this could be really interesting, though I was hoping we’d linger a bit more in some of the other time periods.

Karen: I agree 100% with Roz, I can’t WAIT for the 1970s. I also think the parallel between The Avengers being inspired by Coulson’s death and SHIELD being inspired by Sousa’s is *ahem* inspired. (I gotta thank Michael Ahr from Den of Geek for that revelation).

Rueben: Wasn’t that clip for next week’s episode just super fun to watch. I nearly peed myself when Enoch showed up and said that “almost” Terminator line – even if he was about 10 years (give or take) too soon with the sort of pop culture reference. I continue to enjoy the little things in the episodes too: the title cards that change with each time frame, the outfits and how the pairings when the team goes out in the field are coming together. For once I’m not completely irritated by Deke. I’m really looking forward to what’s next.

[Photo Credit: ABC/Jessica Brooks]

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be back next week on Wednesday, June 24 at 10/9c on ABC.