Warning Spoilers Ahead

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. n the seventh episode has gotten a little better, mostly because it moves away from the mystery of the week formula and instead delves deeper into the organization that is S.H.I.E.L.D. and the team’s role within it.

The episode is pretty basic in that a terrorist organization has stolen a S.H.I.E.L.D. weapon and plans on using it to declare their independence. To stop them, Ward and Fitz are sent in to destroy the weapon in a mission that’s level 8, though the team is level 7. The episode focuses on that distinction and the level of secrecy within the organization as team members deal with that differently.

It’s something that’s worth exploring and the episode bounces back from a poor showing last week to give us something that’s much more interesting. The series has set up that Coulson’s team is a bunch of mavericks and the episode pushes that narrative further.

There’s also some movement in a greater storyline as Skye’s history is brought up towards the end and Coulson explore’s his miraculous return from death. That’s the strongest thing going right now in the series that’s been uneven at best and a disappointment at worst.

Hopefully we’ll see more of this direction in the future as the series continues to find its footing.

Director: Bobby Roth Writer: Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Brent Fletcher
Overall Score: 5.25