Are you ready ?
Take a deep breath.
And...
Go...!
And we're straight in where we left off, cars on roofs, dead mercenaries with severed limbs, villain on the run with the Obelisk, motorbike chase, missed opportunities for mobile assassinations, arrests at gun-point. Phew ... I need a lie down! Who am I kidding, I need to keep watching.
That's how you start an episode if you want people hooked!
I know you have to lead people into a new show, so last season couldn't have started like this but if it had there might have a been a few more viewers seeing it to the bitter end in the hopes of repeated glory.
It doesn't keep up all of the way through the episode of course, it couldn't, but this episode really hit the ground running, jumping, biking, driving and flying.
The Absorbing Man is on the run to his HYDRA paymasters with May in pursuit, after first giving Lance Hunter the means to escape from the wreck that killed his partners. Unfortunately for Hunter he's straight into the hands of Gen. Talbot's men.
May is ordered into observation only on Creel, and is quite angry (as per normal) that she's not allowed to see if he can absorb a surreptitious bullet to the back of the head.
Back at base, with a stolen Quinjet, the big prize is the cloaking technology that the ever more broken Fitz failed to replicate.
You can't help but feel sorry for Fitz, if he was an agent who was out in the field there'd be back-up and great efforts to keep him from harm. As it is, he's clearly in need of serious mental health treatment, so the logical thing to do of course is to give him complex scientific problems that they know he can't solve on his own and then tell him that if he doesn't fix it lots of people will die. No pressure then. Is there such a thing as "Scientistism"? Are there people out there fighting the corner for oppressed PhD's? Seems like there are actually! Step forward Mack. Fitz suddenly and unexpectedly has a new non-imaginary friend, the only person not just standing round metaphorically pointing at the poor guy and shouting "Ga-Ga”! I'm glad Mack has got something to do that isn't just stand around, it's a nice touch to see him, clearly without a clue as to what he's doing, but able to trust Fitz enough to make the much needed breakthrough. Hurrah!
Lance Hunter is offered a chance to double-cross Coulson, which he accepts for both noble and monetary means. This sort of deal is always a problem for entertainment shows. If it's all open and up front then it's usually a ploy, in this case not only is it out in the open, but it also doesn't appear to be a secret in any way to anyone, so it doesn't quite pan out as expected. Mind you, he's still in need of a slap down as he's a dick.
In other news, there are more than just two factions after the Obelisk, and Creel has found out that turning yourself to rubber is not the defence he thought it was. Death follows behind the Obelisk as predicted last week, but it isn't the thoughtless dumb object that it looks at first sight, it gets to choose its victims...
A character from series 1 returns to try and barter for this strange prize, is given short shrift, and then sells out Creel for being mean! So after last weeks disastrous mission to retake the artefact, we have another try.
Coulson is under strain as acting Chief, but his real issues are inside his head, with one of the problems being that “The Problem” needs more brain room and wants out! Mysterious symbols that link to the Obelisk, are floating around in Coulson's cranium, and he needs to have regular visions to give the symbols an outlet. Apparently though they can't just be written down, they have to be carved into the wall 10 feet high. Must be a bitch to find a stationers that supply 100 clean walls for party invitations...
Then there's the second mystery man to pop up in two episodes , This newcomer is demanding for someone to "Get me my daughter". Anyone want to speculate about this ? Yes, I thought you might .
Overall then, good action, good progression, good episode, and a good piece of bluffing right at the end.
More please!