Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1 Episode 6 "FZZT" Discussion Thread

[cherokeesam]

Fitz and Simmons were more interesting than Skye and Ward will ever be when they were just bickering scientists with dueling accents creating solutions out of a veritable box of scraps in the back of the Bus. Once they were the focus of the show for once, they became far and away the best characters behind the dynamic duo of Coulson & May.

There is no need to fridge one of the scientists to make the other interesting. However, if they killed off Skye in some horrible way, Ward would instantly become a darker, more sympathetic character through grief and guilt. Since those two have a sort of pseudo-relationship going, it would make sense to kill her off to **** with the almost-not-quite-boyfriend's empty head. It would be easy to do as they've shown us multiple times that Skye can't fight, refuses to learn, ejects the clip out of her gun when trying to fire it, etc. Just send her up against a Very Bad Person, let her eject the clip from her gun and giggle about it, then BOOM! Ward is a grieving SO and the ratings tick up a notch in one shot.

Ward *still* doesn't trust or like Skye one bit. If she died, he wouldn't grieve at all, other than over the fact that he didn't get a chance to tap that. So no, he wouldn't even remotely change from his Agent Stickuphisass persona. Maybe sometime late in the season after they've had an actual relationship instead of a sexual tension tease, yeah. But right now, it would be meaningless. And, as Eddie said above, it makes no sense to build a mystery around this character and then fridge her before any of those questions find answers.

Skye is absolutely useless, and worse yet, she is unbelievable. Not for her clean hair and clothes, but for the fact that Coulson would even take her aboard a mobile SHIELD base and allow her to join his supposedly elite team. That made zero sense in the pilot and as the show goes on it makes even less sense.

At the start a lot of fans believed that Coulson must have had some sort of secret plan for Skye. Perhaps he knew she was still working for Rising Tide and hoped to turn her. Or maybe he has some special ability to sense when people have hidden superpowers and knew that Skye is secretly Jessica (Drew)(Jones)(Fletcher)(Rabbit)(Whatever). People came up with ridiculous theories to explain Coulson's actions because it didn't make any sense. None of the theories panned out because the writers don't have any plausible reason for putting Skye on the team.

You have no idea what kind of reasons, plausible or implausible, the writers have for putting Skye on the team. Coulson obviously has a reason for it that hasn't been shown yet, and is just now being explored.

 

[Xeno]

Ward *still* doesn't trust or like Skye one bit. If she died, he wouldn't grieve at all, other than over the fact that he didn't get a chance to tap that. So no, he wouldn't even remotely change from his Agent Stickuphisass persona. Maybe sometime late in the season after they've had an actual relationship instead of a sexual tension tease, yeah. But right now, it would be meaningless. And, as Eddie said above, it makes no sense to build a mystery around this character and then fridge her before any of those questions find answers.



You have no idea what kind of reasons, plausible or implausible, the writers have for putting Skye on the team. Coulson obviously has a reason for it that hasn't been shown yet, and is just now being explored.

Ward would feel guilty if Skye died in the field due to her inadequacies and lack of real training. So would Coulson. It would be a great team-building/team-breaking moment. They would have to face the tragic consequences of keeping someone who wasn't up to task around just because Coulson made a foolish error in trusting her and misjudged her abilities. That is the kind of drama I would love to see play out in a show like this, where we're led to believe that real danger stalks the characters at all times.

As for the writers' reasons for putting Skye on the team, at this point I don't even care anymore. Her so-called "mystery", hackneyed as it is, doesn't interest me because it's a carbon copy of Peter Parker's origin and too many other orphaned wanderer tales to count. The other characters are much more interesting and I'd rather their lives were explored than waste time watching Skye's trite little story unfold.

 

[ares834]

Great episode, easily the best of the series so far.

I find it kind of funny, but when the show sidelines Skye, it's main character, and actually takes itself seriously it is far more fun to watch.

 

[BatsDC]

Was a good episode, glad FitzSimmons finally got some development.

Shame Zzzax wasn't the villain, but the infection was a good plot line, especially toward the end on the Bus.

I hope we see more of Agent Blake as well. I can see him becoming a villain toward the end of the series, especially with the Winter Soldier tie in episodes.

 

[cherokeesam]

Ward would feel guilty if Skye died in the field due to her inadequacies and lack of real training. So would Coulson. It would be a great team-building/team-breaking moment. They would have to face the tragic consequences of keeping someone who wasn't up to task around just because Coulson made a foolish error in trusting her and misjudged her abilities. That is the kind of drama I would love to see play out in a show like this, where we're led to believe that real danger stalks the characters at all times.

As for the writers' reasons for putting Skye on the team, at this point I don't even care anymore. Her so-called "mystery", hackneyed as it is, doesn't interest me because it's a carbon copy of Peter Parker's origin and too many other orphaned wanderer tales to count. The other characters are much more interesting and I'd rather their lives were explored than waste time watching Skye's trite little story unfold.

Yeah, a "death of Skye" would definitely weigh far heavier on Coulson than on anybody else, since she's basically a pet project for him. But it would also undermine the hell out of his character and make him look like an idiot for having such a spectacular failure in judgment. Coulson brings a totally unqualified civilian into a top secret echelon squad, watches her fail and flail on every mission, sees her betray SHIELD, and then boom, she dies early on in the season? Um......nope. They're not going to make Coulson look so colossally inept and stupid.

Yeah, we get that you hate Skye, xeno. The writers and the rest of the audience don't share your hate, though. There's a hidden story there that they intend to unravel as the season goes along.

 

[Nathan]

Finally watched it. At first I thought it would be a completely weak Episode, because Ward was acting like a dick, the other 3 were acting like children again, and overall the whole murder mystery didn't seem all that interesting to me. But then it really picked up once Coulson had his one on one time with the Fireman, and Simmons got infected. So it went from 'Meh' to 'Pretty good'.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Yeah, we get that you hate Skye, xeno.

We certainly do.

 

[Docker2.0]

Skye is absolutely useless, and worse yet, she is unbelievable. Not for her clean hair and clothes, but for the fact that Coulson would even take her aboard a mobile SHIELD base and allow her to join his supposedly elite team. That made zero sense in the pilot and as the show goes on it makes even less sense.

At the start a lot of fans believed that Coulson must have had some sort of secret plan for Skye. Perhaps he knew she was still working for Rising Tide and hoped to turn her. Or maybe he has some special ability to sense when people have hidden superpowers and knew that Skye is secretly Jessica (Drew)(Jones)(Fletcher)(Rabbit)(Whatever). People came up with ridiculous theories to explain Coulson's actions because it didn't make any sense. None of the theories panned out because the writers don't have any plausible reason for putting Skye on the team.

Preach!!!

 

[Human Torch]

Yeah, we get that you hate Skye, xeno. The writers and the rest of the audience don't share your hate, though. There's a hidden story there that they intend to unravel as the season goes along.

In fairness,it seems the majority of viewers passionately despise at least one member of the cast.("Ward is a block of wood","The science twins are annoying","Skye is too pretty trashy to be on the team")

I must be the only one who actually likes them all,and is not hoping for someone to die a gruesome death.

 

[Docker2.0]

I don't think anyone hates Skye because she's pretty or trashy. I think her betraying an elite espionage team for her boyfriend and then being let back on the team is beyond stupid. The way the team is set up now, it's almost like a CW series. All a bunch of teenage wtf's that have no business being there.

 

[Silvermoon]

In fairness,it seems the majority of viewers passionately despise at least one member of the cast.("Ward is a block of wood","The science twins are annoying","Skye is too pretty trashy to be on the team")

I must be the only one who actually likes them all,and is not hoping for someone to die a gruesome death.

You're not the only one

 

[JB-the-Hunter]

I must be the only one who actually likes them all,and is not hoping for someone to die a gruesome death.

Nope. I not only like them all, I like them all a lot!

The way the team is set up now, it's almost like a CW series. All a bunch of teenage wtf's that have no business being there.

Are you joking? Not only is half the team over 30 years old (Gregg 51, Ming-Na 49, Dalton 31), but the ones that are younger certainly have business being there.

 

[Nathan]

The only problem I have is that, for a group of professionals that work under Shield, they are still too childish. I was really annoyed with the beginning, but like I said, it really picked up and improved once Coulson shared his experience. And with Simmons infected, it was nice to see the actors not goof off the entire time.

 

[Docker2.0]

Nope. I not only like them all, I like them all a lot!


Are you joking? Not only is half the team over 30 years old (Gregg 51, Ming-Na 49, Dalton 31), but the ones that are younger certainly have business being there.

I know that. But they act like teens.

The only problem I have is that, for a group of professionals that work under Shield, they are still too childish. I was really annoyed with the beginning, but like I said, it really picked up and improved once Coulson shared his experience. And with Simmons infected, it was nice to see the actors not goof off the entire time.

That's my point. They just don't come off as agents. I plan to watch it until the plug is pulled though but Marvel is missing a golden opportunity with this show.

 

[Eddie]

I know that. But they act like teens.

That's my point. They just don't come off as agents. I plan to watch it until the plug is pulled though but Marvel is missing a golden opportunity with this show.

Coulson made a Supernanny related joke in Iron Man 2 and Fury also cracked jokes. In the Avengers, we see an agent playing Galaga (thought we wouldn't notice, but we did). S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are so much more mature in the movies.

 

[Docker2.0]

Coulson made a Supernanny related joke in Iron Man 2 and Fury also cracked jokes. In the Avengers, we see an agent playing Galaga (thought we wouldn't notice, but we did). S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are so much more mature in the movies.

Are you guys being sarcastic or do people really have to spell it out for you guys?

 

[Human Torch]

But,the point of the show was Coulson getting some fairly raw recruits,(May being the exception,and originally even her joining the team was with the provision that she wouldn't have to see action) and making them top level Agents.I mean,that premise was fairly obvious from the beginning.That's why I said before that I was willing to except the series for what it was intended to be,not what I'd like it to be.

 

[OB12]

I don't really get the hate for Bennet as an actress. I think she is doing a decent job, but I think the problem is that the character doesn't really fit real well in the current context of the show.

 

[Docker2.0]

I don't really get the hate for Bennet as an actress. I think she is doing a decent job, but I think the problem is that the character doesn't really fit real well in the current context of the show.

I agree. She's hot and not that bad of an actress. It's her freakin character on the show. I'd love for her to be SpiderWoman or heck even Ms. Marvel because I could careless if she had blond hair. If you can change Nick Fury to a black dude, then changing hair color is nothing. But this show has rubbed a lot of Marvel zombies the wrong way.

 

[Xeno]

Yeah, a "death of Skye" would definitely weigh far heavier on Coulson than on anybody else, since she's basically a pet project for him. But it would also undermine the hell out of his character and make him look like an idiot for having such a spectacular failure in judgment. Coulson brings a totally unqualified civilian into a top secret echelon squad, watches her fail and flail on every mission, sees her betray SHIELD, and then boom, she dies early on in the season? Um......nope. They're not going to make Coulson look so colossally inept and stupid.

Yeah, we get that you hate Skye, xeno. The writers and the rest of the audience don't share your hate, though. There's a hidden story there that they intend to unravel as the season goes along.

"Coulson brings a totally unqualified civilian into a top secret echelon squad, watches her fail and flail on every mission, sees her betray SHIELD..."


Thank you for laying out how problematic the situation is so succinctly. Well done.

Coulson already looks inept and stupid for having brought Skye onto the Bus. That is the worst aspect of having her on the team, that a character I really like has been made to act in an inexplicably idiotic manner to justify her presence. Since there has been no overarching reason provided thus far for Coulson's stupid ass decision, I have to agree with Agent May, who suggested that he has acted as if Loki's spear damaged his brain instead of his heart.

You can't speak for "the rest of the audience" as far as Skye's popularity or lack thereof is concerned. Neither can I. However, if you read comments about the show on other sites as well as critics' reviews, Skye comes in for quite a lot of scorn. She and Ward are the two characters most often mentioned as major problems with AOS. Now, for all I know every single person who hasn't commented about her online loves her, but I doubt that. When one character is cited so often as problematic there is something to it, more often than not.

 

[cherokeesam]

"Coulson brings a totally unqualified civilian into a top secret echelon squad, watches her fail and flail on every mission, sees her betray SHIELD..."


Thank you for laying out how problematic the situation is so succinctly. Well done.

Coulson already looks inept and stupid for having brought Skye onto the Bus. That is the worst aspect of having her on the team, that a character I really like has been made to act in an inexplicably idiotic manner to justify her presence. Since there has been no overarching reason provided thus far for Coulson's stupid ass decision, I have to agree with Agent May, who suggested that he has acted as if Loki's spear damaged his brain instead of his heart.

You can't speak for "the rest of the audience" as far as Skye's popularity or lack thereof is concerned. Neither can I. However, if you read comments about the show on other sites as well as critics' reviews, Skye comes in for quite a lot of scorn. She and Ward are the two characters most often mentioned as major problems with AOS. Now, for all I know every single person who hasn't commented about her online loves her, but I doubt that. When one character is cited so often as problematic there is something to it, more often than not.

"Since there has been no overarching reason provided thus far for Coulson's stupid ass decision...."

Thank you for laying out the "solution" to the "problem" so succinctly. Well done.

The writers obviously have a reason for Coulson having a reason to bring Skye aboard. They hint at it, they foreshadow it, they build the mystery. IMHO, they're dragging this **** out and losing viewers by the thousands in doing so, but it's blatantly obvious that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to Skye; you just don't want to accept that.

If/when Skye is revealed to have superpowers, and Coulson has known it all along and just waited for the "right moment" to let Skye see that, he'll come off looking like a genius and a prophet. To the rest of the team and to the audience.

Patience.

 

[Endeavor]

Shame Zzzax wasn't the villain, but the infection was a good plot line, especially toward the end on the Bus.

Wasn't he though? What if this is just the MCU re-imagining of Zzaxx?
For all we know these organisms form a collective hive mind.

I mean, electricity becoming a self aware life form because of a power plant bombing is too hoaky. An alien energy based life form fits more with the MCU.

 

[The Question]

"Coulson brings a totally unqualified civilian into a top secret echelon squad, watches her fail and flail on every mission, sees her betray SHIELD..."

In what way has she failed on every mission? So far she's done a pretty good job handling herself.

The only problem I have is that, for a group of professionals that work under Shield, they are still too childish. I was really annoyed with the beginning, but like I said, it really picked up and improved once Coulson shared his experience. And with Simmons infected, it was nice to see the actors not goof off the entire time.

I really can't wrap my head around this complaint. A team of dedicated professionals who also have extremely childish traits is basically the most entertaining thing you can do on a TV show. To me, anyway.

I mean, that describes every single Aaron Sorkin show ever.

 

[Shikamaru]

I don't get how Ward is a "major problem the show is considered to have" on par with Skye and the European Wonder Twins. He is technically he only one of the young characters who feels and acts like a proper SHIELD agent.

 

[The Question]

I don't get how Ward is a "major problem the show is considered to have" on par with Skye and the European Wonder Twins. He is technically he only one of the young characters who feels and acts like a proper SHIELD agent.

This is another aspect of the criticisms I don't get: So far, the show seems to be making a pretty strong point of how we're supposed to root for the heroes because they don't act like proper SHIELD agents. In the most recent episode they pretty clearly state that "proper" SHIELD agents are cold and bureaucratic and all about the bottom line and Coulson and the team are admirable because they're not like that.

And, like, if that's not your thing that's fine. I get that. But it's weird to me to complain that a TV show isn't doing something that would be contrary to one of the show's core themes.