Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode 1.12 “Seeds” (7 out of 10) Starring Clark Gregg, Chloe Bennet, Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton; Tuesdays at 8/7 central on ABC.
Though it was an imperfect episode, tonight’s installment of SHIELD managed to get a few things right. ‘Seeds’ is an appropriate, albeit slightly obvious title, since plenty of new story threads opened up over the course of its intersecting storylines. We got to take a look at SHIELD’s science academy, were introduced to a few new players in Centipede’s dirty little army, and learned the truth behind Skye’s parents. As usual, if spoilers give you a rash, you might want to wait until you’re caught up to continue. Also, I have a dermatologist friend who can check that out for you.
The Mystery of the Frozen Swimming Pool
A few nerds in a pool are terrified to see the water freeze around them. As they are students at SHIELD’s science academy, the implication is that someone is taking a cue from Anakin Skywalker and trying to wipe out potential SHIELD agents before they have fully ripened. This also means that our friends have been contacted to investigate this possible attack.
The inclusion of the science academy somehow made SHIELD more accessible, which was a good thing. I liked the idea that SHIELD runs an operations academy for their field agents and a science academy for their tech-geeks—it created a bit of a jock vs. nerd conflict among Ward, Jemma, and Fitz which was entertaining. Even in the well-oiled machine that is SHIELD, jocks and nerds are still vying for supremacy.
All of the scenes at the science academy were great. In a cross-promotional move that was both well-placed while providing a geeky “A-ha!’ moment, Skye reads the name Bucky Barnes on the SHIELD wall of valor—little does she know that he’s scheduled to become the fearsome Winter Soldier in the upcoming Captain America flick! Also, during a lecture that Jemma and Fitz offer to the academy’s students, they mention AIM and HYDRA along with Centipede as examples of science gone bad.
It’s these strategically placed references to the wider Marvel universe that make SHIELD feel like it’s actually in the same league as Marvel’s blockbuster films—and this is exactly what the show needs.
Not everything is comic book references and snappy quips between Jemma and Ward, however. In the middle of the lecture, one of the students present at the pool-freezing turns into a nerdsicle himself. The scene touted pretty decent special effects for a TV show, plus it solidified the idea that someone was definitely out to get them.
Meanwhile, in Mexico City
Back on the plane, Coulson has been contemplating the fact that he wasn’t brought back to life in Tahiti after all—and honestly, it’s making him kind of a drag. May ends up speaking on behalf of the audience members who like Coulson better when he’s cracking wise and taking names, and tells him to snap out of it. As incentive to do so, she’s turned up new evidence regarding Skye’s parents and their attachments to SHIELD. Turns out, one of the agents who dropped her off was killed, but the other, Agent Lumley, is hiding out in Mexico City.
Admittedly, the sequence when May and Coulson confront Lumley and the subsequent reveal about Skye’s shady past are pretty cool. Not realizing that they’re with SHIELD, Lumley tries to munch on a cyanide pill rather than be taken alive. Coulson manages to defuse the situation—while he’s hovering above an alley in his Stark Industries modified hotrod, which was another cool throwback to the “Captain America” film.
In short, Lumley explains that he was part of a SHIELD contingent that was investigating an “object of unknown origin” that was somehow related to several deaths in China. The agents were surprised to find out that little baby Skye was said object. Lumley went on to explain he was the last survivor of that mission, and that each member of the contingent had been hunted down and killed by parties unknown.
This has potential. Not only does it make Skye look like she has some untapped power within her, it opens up all kinds of possibilities regarding the people that managed to hunt down and kill full-fledged SHIELD agents. It doesn’t sound like they’ll be too happy to learn that Skye is alive and working with SHIELD, that’s for sure.
Yeah, It’s a Weather Machine.
In what they originally supposed was a cruel prank, the SHIELD agents begin investigating any possible bullies that academy wunderkinds Seth and Donnie may have been dealing with. Fitz sees a bit of himself in Donnie, and the two bond over their shared frustrations of growing up with genius level IQ’s—however, it’s all a ruse to get Fitz to help Donnie with the last bit of information he needs to build a weather machine, the telltale sign of a rookie mad scientist. Through this revelation, we learn that the scientists are being financially backed by a new and mysterious sleazeball named Ian Quinn, who appears to enjoy the irony of paying future SHIELD agents to try and bring down the organization.
From here on, the episode is fairly predictable. After he and Seth unleash a hurricane over the science academy, Donnie disables the machine only to electrocute his best friend, leaving SHIELD to clean up the mess.
This is when the episode drooped in quality. After Fitz’s soapbox about how Donnie’s just another misunderstood genius and that he just needs someone to take a chance on him, I remembered how much the show’s writers love throwing in syrupy crap about how SHIELD is all about second chances and blah blah blah. Just once, I’d like to see Coulson or Ward straight up belt one of these social rejects in the face and tell them that “no one understands me” is not a valid reason to destroy the world.
Coulson’s heart to heart with Skye about the truth behind her parents’ disappearance was also a bit melodramatic. When he gushes about how Skye’s perseverance and optimism in light of what he told her helped “make him a better person” it was hard to keep the gag reflex in check.
The episode wrapped up with two potential supervillains that will most likely show up later on. Donnie, after being taken to the Sandbox for observation and (hopefully) imprisonment is revealed to have gained ice-powers (presumably to become this dude, who could potentially provide a link to Justin Hammer), and Ian Quinn leaves Coulson with an ominous reference to the Clairvoyant, revealing his ties with Centipede.
Verdict
‘Seeds’ was solid until the last fifteen minutes or so. It’s great to get a peek behind SHIELD’s shady exterior, and seeing Jemma and Fitz enjoy a bit of celebrity for their reputations as scientists made it easier to take them seriously. Coulson’s and May’s encounter with Lumley shed some new possibilities for Skye, whose mysterious backstory is arguably cooler than Coulson’s was. My fingers are crossed for a “Guardians of the Galaxy” crossover, in which Skye is revealed to be a Skrull, but I’ve been burned before.
Stan Lee’s much-anticipated cameo will be happening next week, and based on the previews, he will be playing an older gentleman with glasses. Watch the episode and check back with bigshinyrobot.com for another scintillating review!