AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: “The Well” Roundtable

A new episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs tonight, so let’s talk about last week’s episode. Makes sense, right? (Actually, we’re just super busy at Nice Girls HQ and the roundtable got put on the back burner.)

1. What did you think about the SHIELD tie in with Thor 2? Successful? Forced?

Mel: I haven’t seen either Thor movie (I know, right?), but I got a sense of the plot of the second one from this episode, so I’d say it was successful. Not having seen the movie didn’t make it hard to follow the TV show’s storyline, either, so that’s another mark in the “successful” column.

Louise: It wasn’t as forced as it could have been, which is a good thing. If I hadn’t seen Thor: The Dark World on opening night I would have still followed this without much effort. Plus who doesn’t love some crazy Asgardian technology? I mean if Mjornir can rest nicely on a coat hook, why not do this?

Frea: It was an okay tie-in. I don’t think it was too forced, though, honestly, I’d rather have had an episode of them running around Greenwich, dealing with the fall-out, but I understand why they wouldn’t. Not everybody’s seen Thor yet, after all. Bringing in an Asgardian plot makes sense.

2. Was Ward’s childhood memory as traumatizing for you as they wanted it to be?

Mel: No. He’s slightly more interesting now, but more because he connected with other people than because of flashbacks that made him look like a cruel little boy.

Louise: Not as traumatic as it could have been by a long shot. I’m sorry Ward, but your childhood drama seems less problematic than Bruce Wane’s poor story of the well.

Frea: Meh. I don’t understand why so many TV shows use the death of a character (LOOKING AT YOU, SPECIFIC TV SHOW I WON’T NAME BUT NOW REGARD AS THE WORST SHOW AIRING ON TUESDAY NIGHTS AND FOREVER. HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU???) as a shorthand for trying to make your main characters interesting. I mean, the scenes were well-shot and all, but I find Ward’s entire backstory to be cliche and annoying because of it. But then, I usually get that reaction with manpain. Somebody shouldn’t have to die to make you more interesting.

3. May/Ward – yes or no?

Mel: You know what? I’m OK with this as a fling.

Louise: Cautiously yes, if only because I think it gives Ward some humanity, which he desperately needs. I mean, he has an emotion other than controlled anger. GOOD THINGS!

Frea: Hell no.

4. MVP?

Mel: Melinda May wins again! Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t she the only person to handle more than one piece of the thingamajig? And it didn’t turn her into some raging psycho? Talk about your control issues!

Louise: I’m probably going to still Frea’s thunder, but Melinda had it down this week. She’s got a will of steel to take on all of that Asgardian tech and not show a sign of weakness.

Frea: Melinda Freaking May, with a side of Simmons.  It’s been hinted that there is serious pain in her past before (her burnout all but screamed it), but this episode gave us actual confirmation of that. She continues to shine on as my favorite character for many, many reasons.

5. Favorite Scene?

Mel: That bit at the beginning, when Ward helps Simmons control her fear long enough to climb that tree trunk, that has stayed with me all week. Also, Fitz, Simmons, and Skye mimicking Ward? Priceless.

Louise: DOLLHOUSE CALLBACK! Wait, that sounds wrong, but it’s good to see that Coulson’s really questioning what happened to him in Tahiti.

Frea: Anytime you put Skye, Simmons, and Fitz in a room, and then add Melinda. Those four together remain my favorite thing. I especially loved Simmons with her disdain for magic. She probably really empathized with Hermione Granger growing up, but also finds the character very frustrating, considering that magic is only science that’s not yet discovered yet.

Bonus: Is Thor “dreamy”?

Mel: He’s not really my type, but there’s no denying he’s a hottie.

Louise: YES!!!!!! I would not turn him away from my door.

Frea: Is the Space Pope reptilian?