S03.E02: Purpose In The Machine

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Fitz and the team enlist the aid of an Asgardian to unlock the secrets of the ancient monolith that swallowed Simmons, and Agent May is at a crossroads in her personal and professional life

 

Promo:

[Spartan Girl]

YAAAAAAY! I was so afraid Fitz wouldn't be able to pull Simmons through!

Call me a fool, but I'm still holding out hope for May to work things out with Andrew. But her teaming up with Hunter to kill Ward will do for now.

Speaking of Ward, I will only tolerate his smug douchey face as long as this season is his last. Especially if he was the one that tried to run over May's dad. And if he and the Hydra kid kill Andrew. Then he REALLY has to go.

[AimingforYoko]

Hunter's reaction to Simmons' rescue pretty much mirrored mine. This whole ordeal also brought out the best in Fitz.

I am loving Evil Ward. The part when he actually got hit by Von Strucker, Jr.'s bodyguard and then Ward shot him was gold. I am afraid that this whole Hydra thing is just to get personal revenge on Coulson and May, though.

Edited October 7, 2015 by AimingforYoko

[blueray]

I liked that episode, though I wish it was just on the stuff with the machine and the temple. Because that was a lot more interesting the Ward recruiting some kid.

 

Anyhow, I wonder if I was the only one hoping that Fitz would tell Simmons that he didn't know how long Daisy could keep that open, and have her go who? So Fitz finally says Skye. Anyhow, I feel to easy to get her back. Which make me worry she is either not Simmons or there is something else going on. What is the odds that she would be right there when they opened it. I know Coulson said something about her seeing the flash, but still there wasn't that much time before attempts. Unless time passed different there so she has like days or weeks to find the spot (because that would be awesome). Anyhow I'm glad to have her back, and hopefully she is herself.

 

I liked seeing that asgard from season 1 again and I liked the stuff with May. Overall, good episode.

[Jediknight]

They got Simmons back.  Thank Zod.  I was going to be mad if Fitz wouldn't have been able to get her out.

 

Loved Hunter's enthusiasm at Simmons being rescued.  Also that Mack still calls Fitz Turbo, and the Wonder Woman reference when the Asgardian called Bobbi an Amazon.  Still don't know how you can screw up Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman.

[Lantern7]

I thought Simmons would be away longer. I'm betting that she was gone much longer than we have been led to believe, and she'll be a little cracked as a result.

 

Was Baron Strucker on the show? Or in the movies? My memory is not that good. And like Coulson, I still think "Skye" when I should be saying "Daisy." "Skyesy"?

[xqueenfrostine]

Can someone fill me in on what happened in the last 5 minutes or so of the show?  My TV cut out after Simmons was rescued.  Last thing I saw was Simmojns (I think?) sitting up in bed holding a rock like it was a weapon. May and Hunter had been notified of Simmon's rescue, but I didn't see anything after that.

 

Huh.  I really don't know how I feel about this episode.  Was it enjoyable?  Yes.  A lot happened, and it was exciting, but if I think too hard about anything in the Monolith plot my brain starts to hurt. While I'm so glad to have Simmons back, it was weird having her rescue happen in just one episode.  Everything fell into place so quickly that it felt a little cheap.  I mean Fitz just now found the random space sand?  SHIELD has had the monolith in a box since before the fall of SHIELD, you would think if it was laying off debris, it would have been noticed before now.  Granted, no one was likely beating it with their fists, but it seems unlikely that it was never wiped down to try to extract some sort of residue with they were studying it.  And then Simmons being nearby enough to reach Fitz within minutes of his landing was just a little too convenient.

 

And I also don't know how I feel about May leaving SHIELD at least in part because things with Andrew didn't work out.  I was very happy to see her this week and I liked watching her interaction with her Dad, but I was still underwhelmed by where she's been all this time and why she's in hiding.

I did enjoy seeing Evil Ward again.  You're a fun guy, don't ever change!

 

Was Baron Strucker on the show? Or in the movies? My memory is not that good. 

 

Pretty sure he's never appeared on the show, but he's definitely been name dropped.  

[blueray]

Can someone fill me in on what happened in the last 5 minutes or so of the show?  My TV cut out after Simmons was rescued.  Last thing I saw was Simmojns (I think?) sitting up in bed holding a rock like it was a weapon. May and Hunter had been notified of Simmon's rescue, but I didn't see anything after that.

 

I think all you missed was the scene at the end. That kid that Ward recruited joined May's ex's psych class. I assume that will be a bad thing.

[AimingforYoko]

 

And then Simmons being nearby enough to reach Fitz within minutes of his landing was just a little too convenient.

They explained that, she saw the flare they fired earlier.

[Senna]

Not as good as last week, but yaaaay, Simmons is back!  Still, as others said, it felt too easy, so there must be some lasting effects on her for this plotline to have a purpose.  I'm thinking she is an inhuman and that's why the monolith took her in the first place, so I'm curious to see how they'll deal with that, if I'm right.  I just hope she is still, in the important ways, the Simmons so many of us (Fitz and me included) have come to love.  The scene at the end was a good sign.

 

I don't mind Melinda and Andrew staying apart for now.  After all, we've just seen Hunter and Bobbi reunited.  I'd like to see a slow burn this time.  Though with Melinda going after Ward and Baron junior keeping an eye on Andrew, it does seem like Andrew'll be in danger.  I could see things starting to go well only for him to get killed ... I hope that doesn't happen.

[xqueenfrostine]

They explained that, she saw the flare they fired earlier.

 

I know they explained that, but I find that explanation lamely convenient.  How much time really passed between the flare and Fitz dropping himself  through the portal?  I realize time may not be the same on both sides of the portal, but even if there was a time difference that gave Simmons more time to make it to the spot where the flare came from, I find that a little too easy.  We know she's been running from something that was hunting her, so it's unlikely that she's just been hanging out conveniently near enough to the portal landing to both see the flare and determine just where it arose from or order to be in  just the right spot to be in reach of Fitz when the portal opened.   Given the turbulence that surrounded the portal opening, had she been even 10 yards out, she probably wouldn't have been able to get near enough to Fitz to grab his hand even after she heard him call her name.  This is just not something that should have worked out so neatly on a first try.

[DeLurker]

Well Fitz' dive into the portal had me doing a bit of pearl clutching!

The new Hydra kid is a poor imitation of all of James Spader's early movies - wealthy, smug and snotty.

Evil Ward remains much more interesting.

[Sandman]

Was Baron Strucker on the show? Or in the movies? My memory is not that good.

 

Baron Strucker

appears in the teaser at the end of The Winter Soldier (if my memory serves) and in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

 

The new junior league Hydra member, Alexander, is played by Spencer Treat Clark. He was in Joss Whedon's version of Much Ado About Nothing, so I think we can count him among the Whedon Players. (As a child actor, he appeared in Unbreakable and Gladiator.) I'm interested in seeing what he does with the part.

[Watcher0363]

Do fifty + year old women really have thighs that look that good? Melinda May!!!!!!!!!!

[thuganomics85]

Honestly surprised that Simmons has already been saved.  Even was briefly fooled and wonder if Fitz got trapped back with her at the end, and I thought we were going to get a bunch of Fitz and Simmons stuck on an alien planet episodes.  Glad she's back, but yeah: the fact it was so easy means that probably something else is going to come out of it.  I'm sure her time on the planet will end up changing her somehow.

 

Melinda apparently wasn't able to make it work with Andrew, so she's been spending her time taking care of her sick father; partially because she fears Ward is going to try something.  But now it looks like she's going to team-up with Hunter to take on Ward and Hydra.  That should be a fun pairing.

 

Speaking of that smug bastard, he's back!  I can't believe I found him so stiff at one time: Evil Crazy Ward is so much fun.  I still want him to be defeated and go down hard, but I can't wait to see what he tries now.  Well, actually it seems like his current plan is to team up with Strucker Jr., and have him go undercover as one of Andrew's students.  Oh, Ward.  You keep going after Melinda like this, then you will deserve ever minute of pain she puts you through, when your luck finally runs out.

 

Glad for the return of Peter MacNicol's Asgardian.  He's always a treat.  Loved his interactions with Bobbi.

 

Continue to dig the Mack and Daisy partnership.  I think the whole cast in general seems to be very well together now, and the various interactions and pairings are pretty fun and refreshing.

[mrsdalgliesh]

Had a great time during this ep. Fitz's energy has ramped everything up. It was the first time I thought, surprisingly, I'm happy I've been watching this show from the beginning. I mean, it was pretty weak then, but it's more fun to see Ward now having seen him blandly "good." It's been good to see CB grow into the Skye/Daisy role. Ditto Fitz. I value Bobbi and Hunter and Mack because the show needed them. I've hung on till now and I feel like it's paying off.

Edited October 7, 2015 by mrsdalgliesh

[Chris24601]

I think we learned quite a bit about the monolith and the role its going to play this season in a nicely oblique fashion tonight.

1) We open with someone being sent into the monolith in the 1830's and a comment that no one they've sent has ever returned.

2) Our Asgardian in residence mentioned that in the 1850's he'd heard that many people had been sacrificed in the old place (attributed to satan worshippers). Obviously, they'd been sent through the portal as well.

3) When Simmons wakes up she's holding a pointy stick to defend herself from a potential threat.

My take... we're going to learn that Jemma wasn't actually alone on the other side and based on her quite obvious PTSD reaction upon waking its clear that a number of them (if not all of them) were hostile.

Just a gut feeling based on the alternate word "punishment" and the Inhuman legends is that the monolith was originally some sort of portal to a penal colony akin to the Phantom Zone or Negative Zone where the Kree threw Inhumans that were too dangerous.

Who's in it now is anyone's guess; Inhuman descendents and/or descendents of the people who went through in the 1850's perhaps; but the clear plot point would be whatever has Simmons clutching a knife as she sleeps eventually getting lose as well.

One other interesting point. I know of one particular canon Inhuman who could also creates the same sort of resonance Daisy was able to... Their King, Blackbolt... another canon bit is that Blackbolt's inhumans also made slaves of a degenerate group known as the Alpha Primatives (basically people who turned into barely sapient monsters after being exposed to Terrigenesis. Perhaps that's what needed to be locked away?

[madhacker]

 

Still don't know how you can screw up Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman.

As someone who's actually watched that travesty of a pilot:oh yeah you can totally screw it up (the costumes, Diana breaking a helpless guys fingers to get info rather than using The Lasso of Truth, Diana killing a security guard that was shooting at her by throwing a broken pipe in his throat (Diana never kills unless there's no other choice last time I read the comics))

 

but this is off topic so I'll leave it at that

[sjohnson]

If Simmons didn't think of Fitz that way before, changing her mind as a reward? For me any story line about changing from the trauma can't carry any conviction. She didn't even lose weight!

 

Enjoyed seeing James Hong, Peter MacNicol and Blair Underwood.  

 

Ward's tough love for the Strucker boy seems like a compulsive re-working of his personal autobiography with Garrett, with himself cast as Garrett. Which is kind of demented. But this is probably an illusion, this show hasn't put much stock in characterization when I've watched it. It's probably just supposed to be part of his awesomely bad ass renovation of HYDRA/SHIELD. I shouldn't expect Ward to be very successful recruiting with the promise that you will serve, suffer and conquer your enemies, or else. 

[VCRTracking]

If Simmons didn't think of Fitz that way before, changing her mind as a reward? For me any story line about changing from the trauma can't carry any conviction. She didn't even lose weight!

 

I like the way TV Guide described it:

"Once she realizes she’s safely back at S.H.I.E.L.D., Simmons curls up next to a sleeping Fitz, as though he’s the only thing tethering her to this world. And though Simmons has clearly been through a lot, seeing the comfort she still gets from Fitz is a nice reminder that some things never change - no matter how many months one spends fighting to survive on an alien planet."

 

So glad they got Simmons back home. I would have pissed if Fitz missed his chance.

 

I was trying to figure out where I've seen Strucker Jr. before and it was in Joss Whedon's version of "Much Ado About Nothing", as one of the evil Don John's henchmen.

 

Loved seeing Peter MacNicol again and James Hong as Melinda's dad!

Edited October 7, 2015 by VCRTracking

[JenMcSnark]

Loved the episode.  Just have to say...if you ever get a chance to see a panel with James Hong at a Con, don't let it pass you by.  He is so hilarious and he's done so, so much. 

[xqueenfrostine]

Ward's tough love for the Strucker boy seems like a compulsive re-working of his personal autobiography with Garrett, with himself cast as Garrett. Which is kind of demented. But this is probably an illusion, this show hasn't put much stock in characterization when I've watched it. It's probably just supposed to be part of his awesomely bad ass renovation of HYDRA/SHIELD. I shouldn't expect Ward to be very successful recruiting with the promise that you will serve, suffer and conquer your enemies, or else. 

 

Before Jr.'s identity was revealed, I was half-wondering if Ward was specifically hitting up the sons of important families in particular to work out his own issues as a son from an important family.  I think his earlier rant about confusing privilege and money with real power definitely had roots in his status as disowned son of a prominent family.  So I definitely wouldn't be surprised if we see shades of Garrett in his treatment of Von Strucker, Jr.  I mean, we already know from the way he handled his relationship with Agent 33 that that's kind of his MO.  Consciously or unconsciously, Ward still lives as Garrett taught him to.  I don't think he freed himself of his old mentor's influence nearly as much as he believes he has.

[TrininisaScorp]

One of my favorite moments of the episode was when Fitz explained the sand from the monolith.  After last episode of everyone thinking he's off his gourd, it was sweet to see the rest of the team jump on that tiny piece of hope he discovered without hesitation.  Loved it.  Also loved Coulson acknowledging that Bobbi has been helping Fitz this entire time.  Those few minutes really speak to how nicely this cast has gelled and how well the writers are letting their natural chemistry happen.  Like mrsdalgliesh, I'm glad I've stuck with the show.

 

(shallow) Dang, Fitz.  Homeboy is looking really fly.  Never thought that before (/shallow)

 

James Hong!  Peter MacNicol!  What fun casting!  

 

I'm happy May is back in action and getting ready to kick ass with Hunter.  She's too fantastic to be sidelined for long.

 

Also happy that Simmons is rescued.  My heart would have broken for both characters if Simmons wasn't pulled back by Fitz.  I know it was a quick rescue, but I'm sure the aftermath of her experience is going to be good character development.  We don't know how long time passed where she was (as a Supernatural fan, these are things I think about), so her waking up in pure terror and fear could be telling of a terrible, lengthy experience on that planet/plane.

[Minneapple]

So Simmons lying her head down on Fitz may have warmed my cold dead heart just a bit. OK, fine. I melted and am now a puddle of goo. A giant puddle of goo is typing this post.

I really enjoy the team being...team-y. I love how even though they had told Fitz to give up on Simmons, they still listened to and followed up on his sand theory. I also love Mack and Daisy's friendship, with him going over to her after the portal blew up. I knew this show was worthwhile when they (gasp!) didn't redeem Ward. I'm glad I stuck with it, even through those uneven episodes in the beginning.

Daisy's conversation with Coulson and Bobbi about Andrew's psychoanalysis of them was a cute moment.

Peter MacNicol and James Hong were fun. Blair Underwood is yummy.

[Kalliste]

I liked that episode, though I wish it was just on the stuff with the machine and the temple. Because that was a lot more interesting the Ward recruiting some kid.

 

Same. When it went back to the Ward storyline I just couldn't care less.. I wish he would just die already because I really am not interested in his character or the whole Hydra thing at all. I know Hydra is the villain but I prefer how the episodes were before they were aware of the Hydra take over.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Li'l von Strucker is the kid from Gladiator and is the "bad guy" (ish?) in a notorious SVU episode. His sister looks just like him, though I don't believe they're twins, and I've already bet Monty Ashley a buck she turns up on SHIELD this season.

 

["the more you knooooowwww"]

[DeLurker]

Do fifty + year old women really have thighs that look that good? Melinda May!!!!!!!!!!

Proof that Ming-Na is not human.  Not sure she is an Inhuman, but she might be.

 

 

Melinda apparently wasn't able to make it work with Andrew, so she's been spending her time taking care of her sick father; partially because she fears Ward is going to try something.  But now it looks like she's going to team-up with Hunter to take on Ward and Hydra.  That should be a fun pairing.

 

Speaking of that smug bastard, he's back!  I can't believe I found him so stiff at one time: Evil Crazy Ward is so much fun.  I still want him to be defeated and go down hard, but I can't wait to see what he tries now.  Well, actually it seems like his current plan is to team up with Strucker Jr., and have him go undercover as one of Andrew's students.  Oh, Ward.  You keep going after Melinda like this, then you will deserve ever minute of pain she puts you through, when your luck finally runs out.

 

Glad for the return of Peter MacNicol's Asgardian.  He's always a treat.  Loved his interactions with Bobbi.

 

Continue to dig the Mack and Daisy partnership.  I think the whole cast in general seems to be very well together now, and the various interactions and pairings are pretty fun and refreshing.

Yes yes yes and yes!

 

I like smartass Hunter and the Hunter-May pairing is already a win for me.  I'm not usually one for gratuitous violence, but I'm looking forward to May using some on Ward.

 

Peter MacNichol's delights me in general and his "To the plane!" was all kinds of great.

 

I think Blair Underwood is doing a good job as the Doc.  He comes across as serious, but can easily slide into a lighter tone very smoothly like when he told SkiDaisy she was on the couch.

[Dream Boy]

Had a great time during this ep. Fitz's energy has ramped everything up. It was the first time I thought, surprisingly, I'm happy I've been watching this show from the beginning. I mean, it was pretty weak then, but it's more fun to see Ward now having seen him blandly "good." It's been good to see CB grow into the Skye/Daisy role. Ditto Fitz. I value Bobbi and Hunter and Mack because the show needed them. I've hung on till now and I feel like it's paying off.

 

 

Same here. Good episode and I am also glad that I stuck with this show. I think it has improved so much and is definitely appointment tv for me now. 

 

Ward is such a bastard. When he finally gets his, it's going to be glorious. 

[Sakura12]

I love how they mix up pairings, it keeps things interesting. May and Hunter should be a fun one. Hunter will be cracking jokes and May will not react to him at all.

 

I love the Mack and Daisy pairing, she does need someone to keep her grounded and not placate her like Coulson did. Mack is nice about telling her truth. I like that put in Bobbi's science background from the comics and that she was covering for and helping Fitz. 

 

I'm glad they got Simmons back now, I'm sure we'll find out what happened to her throughout the season. She's got some PTSD from her time over there and sleeps with a weapon. So I do hope we see her in survival mode.

 

Coulson still calling her Skye is also great. If a friend just suddenly changes their entire name it will take time to get used too. Bobbi and Mack didn't know Skye as long as Coulson did. I wonder if Simmons will call her Skye or not talk to her having her Alien hatred intensified by being an Alien planet. 

 

Ward better not kill Andrew and if he does he better be dead by the end of this season. I also don't know how necessary he is to have this season. They seem to have plenty of threats without him. Finding the new Inhumans before they hurt people, Lash the Inhuman hunter and the Rosalind and the Alien task force. 

Edited October 7, 2015 by Sakura12

[Raja]

What was odd is that about all the information SHIELD had on the monolith going in was the legend that it was an anti Inhuman weapon. Yet Daisy was front and center for the entire mission, even with her body showing physical symptoms that she was not up to the strain.

[benteen]

Very good episode.  I was surprised that Simmons was rescued so soon but I give them credit for not dragging this out like they have with the Coulson revelations the past two seasons.  Hopefully we'll get back to that alien world soon.

 

James Hong!  So glad to see him and he was terrific.  They casted May's parents exceptionally well.  Loved his reaction to May pulling a knife on Hunter (they are a fun pairing btw)...it's like he's seen it before.

 

No Skye in a tank top but I'll take May in a golf skirt.

 

Very glad they brought back Peter MacNicol's Asgardian character, he was a lot of fun.

 

Loved the 1839 scene with the monolith in England.

 

Ward continues to be a ridiculous amount of fun as a bad guy and Von Strucker Jr. was a nice callback to that villain (maybe he won't be wasted like his dad was).  I remember in the comics that Von Strucker had twin children who were mutants that first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #200.  They were the villains in that one and a poor choice to be the villains in a 200th issue.  Werner Von Strucker seems to be another, lesser-known son.

 

I knew the actor playing Von Strucker Jr. looked familiar.  I knew he wasn't Haley Joel Osment and now that I know who he is, I remember him from both Gladiator and Unbreakable.  He was a good actor as a kid and good to see him still working as an adult.

Edited October 7, 2015 by benteen

[Primetimer]

Life in SHIELD isn't perfect, but at least you get to travel.

Read the story

[greekmom]

Loved this episode especially the end with Fitz and Simmons.  

Did anyone notice junior von Strucker's eyes when he was talking to Blair Underwood's character?  Looks like Hydra did something to him.

I actually like baddie Ward but the way he went after lil von Strucker seemed very petty and not very Hydra like.  I imagined Hydra would be more devious and cunning.

Peter MacNichol rocked his role. 

[miracole]

Love that Fitz and Simmons were reunited. Still too much focus on SkDaisy.  I love, love love Mack with everybody.  He even makes characters I'm not to fond of tolerable.

 

I like bad Ward. At this point I should want his story to be over with but for some reason I still like seeing him. 

[Misanthrope]

Simmons was right by the monolith when Fitz dove in because she saw the flare they launched through the portal the first time and came back. There's a line about it in there somewhere.

[Sandman]

James Hong! So glad to see him and he was terrific. They casted May's parents exceptionally well. Loved his reaction to May pulling a knife on Hunter (they are a fun pairing btw)...it's like he's seen it before.

Love the casting of Mama May and Pop May! James Hong calling May "Mellie" might have been the second-best thing in the episode. Even better, as you say, was his muttering "Ayiyaa! ..." (I assume the rest was the Mandarin equivalent of "Aw, crap! These idiots again...")

[KirkB]

We still don't know what was chasing Simmons in the premiere (though I presume we will find out) but as for her responding so quickly to the flare I would imagine that as a scientist and a SHIELD agent it would occur to her to stay in the general proximity of where she landed, just in case her friends found a way to reopen the portal or communicate with her.

 

I think it's pretty clear Simmons isn't coming out of this thing the same. Waking up with the need to defend herself, she's probably going to start training with Bobbi and/or May when she gets back.

 

Peter ManNicol is so much fun to watch it's ridiculous. I love the idea of this wiry, nerdy looking guy being strong enough to throw cars and rip prison doors off without any effort at all. Yet he doesn't rely on his strength, he's a talker and a bit of a con artist, which comes from centuries of hiding. Though with Asgardians public now and Thor on Earth I suppose Heimdall knows he's there they just don't care.

 

Daisy being hurt by the portal. At first I presumed it was a side effect of her being Inhuman but I guess it was her vibratory abilities resonating?

 

Speaking of the portal, did they explain (and I missed it) why it was randomly opening? I know the Asgardian made some mention of it responding to something even if it wasn't obvious what, and since it's destroyed I guess it really doesn't matter but still I'm curious.

 

May and Hunter make for an interesting pairing. Ward is going to be in a lot of trouble if they catch up to him, new Hydra or not.

 

On the subject of Ward, I'm liking the new, devious version, but I am so over Hydra.

Edited October 7, 2015 by KirkB

[Jediknight]

Same here. Good episode and I am also glad that I stuck with this show. I think it has improved so much and is definitely appointment tv for me now.

Oh yeah, season 1 was slow and stalling for time till Winter Soldier, once that came out the show picked up.  The additions of Hunter, Bobbi, and Mack just made it better, and they keep going.

 

No Skye in a tank top but I'll take May in a golf skirt.

If you're going for shallow, don't forget Bobbi in any damn thing, also Simmons.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Awwwww, loved Fitz diving in to rescue Simmons like Westley did for Buttercup in The Princess Bride!

 

I was hoping that the Asgardian would have remote control flusher for his jail toilet because Peter MacNichol will always be the Biscuit to me.

 

I think Hunter got through to May when he told her that she'll never truly be out as long as she's always looking over her shoulder. I know it's just a matter of time before she rejoins Shield, but I'm fine with her initial reluctance. She isn't just trying to help her dad get better. She feels responsible for him being hurt in the first place because she suspects Ward did it to get to her. No wonder she doesn't want to leave his side now.

[paigow]

I was hoping that the Asgardian would have remote control flusher for his jail toilet because Peter MacNichol will always be the Biscuit to me.

There must a portal from Asgard to Poughkeepsie...

[Sakura12]

I'm thinking the Monolith is activated by aliens. It didn't turn to liquid while Fitz was banging on it, then when Daisy walked in it turned. It also turned when Peter MacNichol came in contact with it. So Simmons may be part alien, not Inhuman but another species. 

[blackwing]

With a surname like May, I had always assumed that Melinda was the daughter of a white father and the incomparable Tsai Chin as her Chinese mother, whom we have already seen.  It took me a while to figure out that was her father.  He said something like "20 years with your mother" helped him get a good read on people.  I thought maybe he was a second marriage for her mom, and he was her stepfather.  But then it became apparent to me that he meant they divorced after 20 years.

 

So I looked it up.  May is indeed a Chinese surname, more commonly spelled Mai.  It is spelled Mak in Cantonese.  When May's mother was on the show, I think she might have spoken in Chinese once or twice?  Was it Mandarin or Cantonese?  Her father in this episode definitely spoke Mandarin.  I distinctly recall in the past that May has spoken Cantonese.  Has she ever spoken Mandarin?  Wiki says that May speaks both.  Regardless, I just hate the fact that in most TV shows and movies, TPTB seem to treat Mandarin and Cantonese as the same generic language "Chinese".  I've often heard one character speak Mandarin and the the other answer in Cantonese, or vice versa.  You'd think that in this global world, they would pay better attention to details like that.  It'd be like having someone speak Spanish and the other answer in Italian.

 

How did Simmons survive in that snowstorm for (I think) six months in just a long sleeved shirt?  Or was the snow not really cold?

 

Is the show ever going to introduce Graviton?  They teased him with the hand emerging from the gravitonium but then never followed up.  Were all the special effects that they intended for Graviton used on this monolith instead?

[Sakura12]

How did Simmons survive in that snowstorm for (I think) six months in just a long sleeved shirt?  Or was the snow not really cold?

 

I think that was sand. 

[Julie23]

Loved this episode, had me on the edge of my seat with the rescue of Simmons. Seeing everyone there all working together was great. Love Peter MacNichol's character too.

I thought the Ward scenes took me out of the drama unfolding with the Simmons rescue, so I would rather have seen those in a future episode. Can't wait for May and Hunter to get Ward. He is a horrible, horrible person. 

[shrewd.buddha]

After a good start last week, it felt like AoS fell back to old bad habits this week. It was good to see May again and I'm okay with Ward recurring -- but both were given too much screen time, especially Ward. As before, it makes it seem as if AoS is written to give certain actors a specific number of scenes, as opposed to telling a compelling story.  This may be the case with most television shows, but it tends to stand out for me with this one..

 

And there has been more than enough Evil Villain monologuing and Evil Villain intimidation and torture tactics. Having Ward go through two rounds of this tired trope in one episode was frankly boring. I would much rather be shown how some of those normal looking folks could have been persuaded to be the new Hydra minions. It was a CraigsList ad, wasn't it ? 

 

So far, AoS hasn't created much of a sense of no-one-is-safe, so  I wasn't really worried about Jemma's fate. (Come on, they are still hanging on to Ward..) It was more of a relief to get her back so they could just get on with other stuff. It was going to happen, so all the unlikely coincidences - like her food supply, being within a short walk's distance, etc - just seemed trivial. 

 

This show still feels hamstrung by all the Marvel/Disney movie/comics connections and obligations. I'd like to be more excited by it, but most of the excitement seems to come from 'nerd alert' or Easter egg moments. ("OMG, they almost said 'Secret Warriors' " ) 

 

I liked Peter MacNichol's Asgardian character -- especially when he would get tired of playing human and just acted like a dick.

Edited October 9, 2015 by shrewd.buddha

[Traveller519]

The Simmons in the portal seemed a little to short and clean for me. I know a bunch of time passed since the end of last season, but I would have enjoyed seeing some of that Jemma trying to survive on the Alien planet for that time. What was she eating/drinking? Not to mention some more of Fitz trying to save her and Bobbi covering for him, but maybe the decision was that wouldn't really be moving anywhere and dealing the fallout will be easier.

 

Still I'm a little sad it means the portal is gone now!

[benteen]

They did say Secret Warriors, which sounds embarrassing to say out loud.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure May's father divorced the mother, based on that "20 years married to your mother" line but that May's mother still calls him once and a while.

[kitlee625]

Had a longer reply here, but my computer ate it. Suffice it to say, I agree with everyone who says that Simmons rescue after just 1 episode away is really feeling anticlimactic. It doesn't really feel earned because we never saw her struggling for survival there, or really saw the team dealing with her absence either. We were just told about it. I think that seeing those two things would be a lot more interesting that rushing to the happy ending.

 

So far, AoS hasn't created much a sense of no-one-is-safe, so  I wasn't really worried about Jemma's fate. (Come on, they are still hanging on to Ward..) It was more of a relief to get her back so they could just get on with other stuff. It was going to happen, so all the unlikely coincidences - like her food supply, being within a short walk's distance, etc - just seemed trivial.

 

Yeah, this is definitely my problem with Simmons' rapid return. If even being stranded on an alien planet for six months is something that can be fixed back to the status quo in 1 1/2 episodes, why should I worry about any of the characters being in danger. Her return felt less like the end of an interesting storyline, and more of a way to turn the focus back to other things.

[kennyab]

After a good start last week, it felt like AoS fell back to old bad habits this week. It was good to see May again and I'm okay with Ward recurring -- but both were given too much screen time, especially Ward. As before, it makes it seem as if AoS is written to give certain actors a specific number of scenes, as opposed to telling a compelling story.  This may be the case with most television shows, but it tends to stand out for me with this one..

 

YMMV, but I do find the May and Ward stories compelling. Especially learning more about May's background, that was probably my favorite part of the episode.

[paigow]

Why would Coulson send Hunter after Ward without one of those Black Widow masks? May called BS on "Undercover Hunter" right away and his response was weak.