2013’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. from Marvel Studios/abc was a fresh, inventive television show that complemented the growing MCU in all the best ways. The show followed a group of agents under previously-believed-dead Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) as they attempted to stop HYDRA, hackers, aliens, Chronicoms, Inhumans, AIDA, and more. Let’s dive in and see where Coulson and his team hit and miss over their seven seasons.
There are many who argue the show was at its best during the early phases, presenting Coulson’s team as part of the connected MCU – including some special visits from Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) – to show how integral the team was to the larger stories being told on the big screen. Early in seasons one and two, the crossovers made sense, even if the explanation of hiding Coulson’s new life from The Avengers didn’t.
But in reality, the focus of the show early was giving us a reason to root for Skye (Chloe Bennet), Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), Fitz-Simmons (Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge, respectively), and even Ward (Brett Dalton). The chemistry in the first couple seasons is what really makes the show great; the action sequences are well-choreographed and make sense in the grand scheme of the show, and the twist with Ward and HYDRA was one that broke our hearts. We also get introduced to the moral compass of the show, Agent Mackenzie (Henry Simmons).
In seasons three and four, the focus shifts to Inhumans and the battle with Hive, the otherworldly entity that takes the body of Ward as its host. While some of these stories dragged on a little, the disconnect from the MCU began, leaving fans confused by the storytelling. The really fun stuff comes courtesy of Ghost Rider (Gabriel Luna) and the amazing Mallory Jansen as AIDA. Those two storylines come together nicely at the end of season four, with emphasis on the Darkhold (this book shows up again in the MCU in a different iteration with Wanda Maximoff).
Season five brings our agents to space and introduces us to two characters most of us wish we saw earlier – Deke Shaw (Jeff Ward) and Enoch (Joel Stoffer). These two characters gave viewers some fresh faces and lightheartedness the show lacked in the previous seasons. Shaw, it turns out, is the grandson of Fitz-Simmons, a reveal done in the only way the writers could with such a great character. Stoffer’s portrayal of Enoch immediately made the character a fan favorite, mostly because the actor is supremely talented – his timing, chemistry, and facial expressions brought life to a Chronicom being.
Seasons six and seven wrapped the show up, with the finale of season six figuring heavily into the series finale. The agents come to know in season seven its the last time they will all be together, and the show ends on a high note for almost all the characters, one of the few shows to bid farewell to the audience in such a high note; though, watching Enoch’s sacrifice still is a huge gut punch.
The Best Episode: “The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D” (Season 7, Episode 7) – this homage to the 1980s is over-the-top fun and keeps viewers laughing out loud at every turn.
The Best Line: “As I have always been” – Enoch
The Best Season: Season Four
The Best Fight: May vs. May
The Worst Episode: Sadly, it’s the Pilot episode. We get foundations, but no substance. If that’s the worst of it, there are still seven seasons that are enjoyable.