I was pretty meh on the episode, although my mood may be partially to blame. Toward the end I started reading about House Republicans while I was watching.

The way she asked Melinda May "What did they DO to him?" (or was it "What HAPPENED to him?") makes me think yes, she literally *saw* something physical, rather than just a change in demeanor.

Oh, good call!

I think the reason this show isn't quite clicking for me is that none of the characters seem to want anything, so the stakes feel very low for them personally (even if they are saving people/the world every week). I've never yet felt that any of these guys are in danger, or worried about losing anything.

Coulson obviously has zombie/robot angst, and Melinda May has a backstory we'll get to eventually, but none of it seems to matter very much to the missions they're on.

I wonder if part of the problem is Marvel not being sure which comics storylines they want to hold back for future movies - I feel like this show should have a much stronger mythology of its own by now. What is this show's Rambaldi device / wormhole / I Want To Believe poster?

I feel like this show should have a much stronger mythology of its own by now. What is this show's Rambaldi device / wormhole / I Want To Believe poster?

There's the organization behind almost-exploding not!Gunn in the premiere, who maybe are also behind party-trick eyeball!Amador. But they don't really feel like a big deal, probably because SHIELD isn't talking about them.

(Also, I really would love to see an I Want to Believe poster in Fitz's room.)

But they don't really feel like a big deal

Right, which is why they don't count. There's nothing driving the action forward, really. It's just a bunch of quippy attractive people flying around in a superplane solving crimes. Which isn't to say it's not fun, but the show still hasn't answered the question of why they're doing it at all.

I thought the ep was an improvement--people playing to their strengths, very little angst between people, an interesting "monster" of the week. Skye wasn't even that annoying, she was competent in her areas and had weaknesses that weren't Sources of Drama. She and Fitz/Simmons made an interesting grouping. And the peeing in the van was a good touch.

The previews look very intriguing, too. And I bet Skye was looking at Ward through the x-ray glasses.

the show still hasn't answered the question of why they're doing it at all.

It's their jobs? And it keeps Skye out of jail--though next week will be interesting.

Is it a question of Why are they SHIELD? Or why are they on that plane? I don't see it as a big deal, more like "Why do cops fight crime?" Or do you prefer cops to have some sort of tragic backstory that drives them on a quest to fight injustice and all that?

In a narrative, yes, there has to be something driving the characters other than "because it's my job and I have nothing better to do."

Not in a straight procedural, there doesn't.

I get very bored with Tragic/Dramatic Backstories. I like character who get pulled into things rather than characters that are pushed into thing. "There I was, doing my job, which I am pretty good at, when Something Happened and now I have to cope." Which I suppose can be "Why are they doing this?" I find it more relatable than the usual Past Trauma/Tragic Loss of Family Member/I Must Atone thing. It's one reason I liked Scully so much. Before she met Mulder, her biggest drama was her family disapproving of her joining the FBI.

edit: And then she acquired a destiny and delightful badassness.

Not in a straight procedural, there doesn't.

If this is a straight procedural, it needs better cases-of-the-week. If this is a character driven long-form story show, it needs better characters and better mythos. Right now I don't think it's doing either one well.

I like character who get pulled into things rather than characters that are pushed into thing. "There I was, doing my job, which I am pretty good at, when Something Happened and now I have to cope."

If Something would Happen in this show, I would be delighted. But it's ep 4 and there's just no forward momentum at all.