TV Review: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Ep. 18 – Providence
Warning Spoilers Ahead
With the end of last week’s episode still ringing this week’s episode opens with S.H.I.E.L.D. still weakened and battered. Coulson seems to be in charge and is assessing where the organization stands, and what assets they still have. The answer is very few. The organization has also now been branded a “terrorist” organization, on the run, and off fighting Hydra. This drives the team to go underground and on the run, erasing their identities.
With Colonel Glenn Talbot now on their trail, Coulson and his team seek refuge in the last place anyone would look, where they begin to uncover S.H.I.E.L.D.’S most dangerous secrets — secrets that could destroy them all.
What’s also nice is we get to follow up with Grant and Garrett where it’s confirmed that Garrett is indeed the Clairvoyant. Some of the earlier plot lines, and individuals captured, is revisited, now with a fully active and in charge Hydra backing them up. With S.H.I.E.L.D. broke, Garrett decides to not only free some folks, but also go shopping and grab loose weapons and various S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities.
With Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D. team on the run, a cryptic message is sent, sending the team to an unknown location. Who sent the coordinates? We’re not quite sure, but Coulson is convinced they’re from Fury himself. This leads them to a snowy location in the middle of nowhere.
Coulson learns the truth about Fury when he meets an isolated S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in the location they stumble upon.
While last week’s episode was an improvement, this week’s writing, acting, everything is leaps and bounds above what’s come before. It’s night and day from what we saw here and what came before. There was more than enough moments to make this episode satisfying, and the highlight of the season so far.
Writer: Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Brent Fletcher
Overall Score: 8.25
