Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Review – “Nothing Personal”

The serialized portion of the season continues as we build to the season finale. Meanwhile, revelations about multiple teammates take place.

Cast and Crew Information

Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson
Ming-Na Wen as Melinda May
Brett Dalton as Grant Ward
Chloe Bennet as Skye
Iain De Caestecker as Leo Fitz
Elizabeth Henstridge as Jemma Simmons
BJ Britt as Agent Triplett
Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill
Adrian Pasdar as Colonel Glenn Talbot
J. August Richards as Mike Peterson / Deathlok

Written by Paul Zbyszewski and Daniel J. Doyle
Directed by Bill Gierhart

Premise

Skye gets word about Ward’s Hydra affiliation to the rest of the team, Maria Hill comes back into the fold and we (eventually) learn who is behind the T.A.H.I.T.I. project.

High Point

“Can you? ‘Cause you haven’t so far.”

Low Point

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the security clearance needed for the final reveal.

The Review

This is an original structure for the episode, with some new character dynamics to play off of. We’ve also got some more real movement towards the season finale. I give it 5 out of 6.

The effects worked well enough. The “Lola” bits are still a bit weak in terms of realism of the backgrounds, but it’s still great when you look at the volume of effects that are needed for a network show. I give it 5 out of 6.

The story works again as an intermediate chapter only. So long as it is viewed in that context, it works very well. I give it 5 out of 6.

The acting is also well done. The characters are believable and they have new places to go. I give it 5 out of 6.

The production is still Mutant Enemy. 6 out of 6.

The emotional response is good. This isn’t the intense roller coaster of the two episodes that bracketed Captain America: Winter Soldier, but there are entertaining and engaging elements that should nicely position the next two (and last two) episodes of the season to hit big. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it’s another strong chapter in the series. 5 out of 6.

In total, Nothing Personal receives 36 out of 42.

6 replies on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Review – “Nothing Personal””

  1. I think the final word before the fade out at the end pretty much summed up everything. “Huh.”

    • Yep, that was my reaction, too. I really did not expect that, but it was probably my high point, not low, for that very reason.

  2. At least Adrian Pasdar has finally grown a real mustache.

    I loved the reveal at the end as well. It makes total sense that Coulson would be in charge of a project that could be used to revive an Avenger. It shows how important he is to Fury that Fury decided to use it on Coulson, complete with following his instructions on memory erasing. That last scene was mind-blowing.

  3. I’m really enjoying Agents of SHIELD, it’s weird that their first season is only 6 episodes long but their pilot episode shown right after Captain America was great

    • *insert doppler shifted whoosh sound (approaching)*

      I could have sworn I was watching the show before the Captain America movie.

      *insert dopper shifted whoosh sound (receeding)*

      All kidding aside, the action has been cranked up since the movie.

      • Not just the action – the tension and the stakes have both been seriously dialed up. It’s been pretty impressive.

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