Is it fair to blame this on Joss? He is the showrunner, and I thus I would think approves or not the scripts. He may not get everything he wants, but I'd imagine he can say "no" and "hell no" at least.

Actually, I don't think he's the showrunner: I think Jed and Maurissa are. Joss, Jed, and Maurissa are all listed as "creators" and executive producers, but there are five other XPs on the IMDB page, as well.

Actually, I don't think he's the showrunner: I think Jed and Maurissa are.

Yeah, I don't think Joss is involved in this show at all as far as the day-to-day goes. He may be involved at a higher level in terms of making sure the mythology stays in line with Marvel's wider universe.

Joss did say at the beginning that he was reading every script and sending notes. Whether that's still true, who knows.

I thought it was ridiculous that they didn't have extra-special no-touching orders, especially holding the night-night guns.

I thought it was ridiculous that Ward didn't shoot her immediately before she opened her mouth.

Also that! But even more so when she came walking over.

Seriously, he's given the impression over and over that he's just a big, dumb slab, but never so much as when he stood there and just LET HER TOUCH HIM after Sif gave such perfectly clear information about why that was the DUMBEST THING YET.

I thought it was ridiculous that Ward didn't shoot her immediately before she opened her mouth.

I said this to Andi as we watched.

Seriously? SHOOT NOW!

Seriously, he's given the impression over and over that he's just a big, dumb slab, but never so much as when he stood there and just LET HER TOUCH HIM after Sif gave such perfectly clear information about why that was the DUMBEST THING YET.

I expected there to be a reveal that he was wearing earplugs or something because why the fuck would you confront her alone, knowing exactly what she would do to you. I mean come on.

Seriously, he's given the impression over and over that he's just a big, dumb slab, but never so much as when he stood there and just LET HER TOUCH HIM after Sif gave such perfectly clear information about why that was the DUMBEST THING YET.

I thought that was because her voice has already started affecting him--the touch just sealed the deal.

I agree that there were aspects of this episode that were problematic (gender issues predominating), but I'll ignore a lot for the chance to watch Sif kicking ass.

I kind of cannot with this show anymore. I will still watch because it's Tuesday and I don't have a lot of other stuff cooking, but this last episode was just bad. Do they not have other butt kicking women like May working at SHIELD? Assemble a butt kicking, all woman strike team to work on special assignment with the Lady Sif and send them in to take Lorelei down. No men allowed. Call it the She Woman, Boy Haters club, whatever. I am just flummoxed by why anything in this episode would've gone down the way that it did other than because the writers needed a contrived reason to bring back the Ward/Skye (which is still a big old NO!), reveal that May is a mole of some kind, and keep Coulson in freak out mode...oh, and tie in with the Marvel movie universe. Bah. Do not want.

I still don't care too much about Skye although I did enjoy her playing Lloyd Dobbler to Coulson's freaking out Jeremy Piven about the alien blood. Dude, you must chill. I don't understand why we are supposed to want Skye/Ward though? They are the two dullest characters on the whole show. Plus, they've barely been interacting lately, and that's all to the good for my money.

Also, I don't care how pretty Lorelei is (and she's very pretty), watching her have sex with Ward when she had taken away his free will was not hawt. She was raping him. It was a choice on her part as it seems she choose not to rape her other minions; guess they weren't pretty enough. It was wrong and disturbing. Too bad it wasn't played that way. Gross.