Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Toldja (6x07)

Oh boy oh boy. Things are really starting to come together.

Cons:

If that's the end of Enoch, then I'm kind of bummed about that. His character had so much potential. I wasn't a fan when we first met him, but I warmed to him over time and I kept waiting for things to take off and grow with this character. Now, it appears our time with him is over, and it didn't really amount to very much.

Pros:

You know, I've expressed my opinion that Coulson just should have stayed dead, but in doing so I think I've neglected to mention in past reviews how amazing Clark Gregg is doing with this role. The character he is playing is so very clearly not Coulson, and it comes across very well. His villainous vibes don't go too far, because it's clear to everyone involved at this point that while "Sarge" and his people are bad news, the Shrike are the real threat. Sarge doesn't care about May, Mack, Daisy, etc... but he does care about his mission, and that doesn't necessarily put him at odds with S.H.I.E.L.D. It's been a little slow-going so far, but I am intrigued by what this character might bring us.

Having Daisy back with most of the rest of the core cast is really nice. I especially enjoy seeing Mack and Daisy interact off of each other. They have a special bond of friendship, and you can already tell that Mack is more relaxed and able to succeed as Director, now that he has Daisy with him. Daisy is the ultimate shipper on this show - of course she's been a champion of Fitzsimmons from the beginning, but she also supports Mack and Yo-Yo. She knows how much they love each other, and while she understands the challenges they face, she's sure they belong together anyway. I love that.

I'm not necessarily too interested in the Shrike situation for its own sake, but I do like how it's positioning all of our various characters. Mack is trying to be a leader, Yo-Yo is obviously struggling with the loss of her paramour, as is May, who has to deal with Coulson's face right there in front of her. Daisy is trying to get back into the swing of things, and wants to help her friends find equilibrium.

And then there's Deke! Honestly, this character has mostly been used as comic relief for quite a while now, so I was thrilled to see how seriously he reacted to the news of Fitz's death. He's furious that everyone kept him in the dark about it, and tells Mack that if he'd known, he would have gone along on the rescue mission. I believe that. It's easy to forget that Deke has inherited his grandparents' genius sometimes, because he's such a goofball, but he actually does make a valuable asset to the team. I'm excited to explore that more.

The stuff with Fitzsimmons and Enoch on the gambling planet was mostly comic relief, and I really loved it. I was frankly just thrilled to be able to check in with them this week at all, because I thought we might be in for a dry spell after last episode's bounty. The plot is mostly unimportant. Someone buys Fitz and Simmons away from the casino owner, saving them from possible death, and wants to use them to help get back to earth for some reason. More information to follow. The main point being, they have a ride home!

I loved seeing Fitzsimmons operate as a casual, functioning couple. It's been far too long since we've gotten to see that. There were lots of casual touches, and Fitz defending Simmons from inappropriate advances. I like that they really are positioned as equals. Neither one is the protector or protected in each instance. They each play both roles equally.

Despite being slightly frustrated that Enoch appears to be gone for the time being, I did like his goodbye scene with Fitz. The way he planned on slipping quietly away, but then Fitz finds out and gives him a hug, his final attempt at a joke... it was all very Enoch, and I'm going to miss him a lot!

That's all for now. I can sense some really big stuff coming up in the next few episodes - it's a two parter. Oh boy!

8.5/10