Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns tonight with a 2-hour season premiere. Earlier this week a 20-minute preview of the show dropped on Marvel’s social media, and we got a good look at the agents in their new space habitat. The video has since been removed from YouTube, but the hype remains. Tonight’s long-awaited return has a lot of promises to cash in, but the two hour time frame might just pull it off. In the spirit of optimism, here’s our wish list for season five.
Put The Fitzsimmons Puzzle Together–For Good
Fitz was conspicuously absent from the entire preview. Other characters brought up his absence at least twice in the first fifteen minutes. Please, for the love of Phil Coulson, reunite Fitzsimmons quickly. We know it’s coming. Another season of “will they won’t they” after they already have is pointless. There are plenty of other opportunities for dramatic tension without rehashing this tired storyline. Give the two of them something new to grapple with, or let a different romantic couple take the spotlight for a change.
Keep “Mom and Dad” Apart
Please veer away from Philinda under any and all circumstances. There’s no romantic chemistry between them, and it’s infuriating to watch the showrunners try to make it happen. Their relationship doesn’t have to be sexual or romantic to be strong and important.
For the Love of All Things Flaming
That being said, if Ghost Rider returns, he needs to be more than a romantic interest for Daisy. They’re each strong and independent on their own, and they don’t need kissy break time between battles.
THAT being said, Ghost Rider needs to return for more than three minutes.
To Infinity War and Beyond
It’s about time for more MCU tie-ins. S.H.I.E.L.D. is the longest running Marvel TV show to date. It’s been around for half the life of the MCU as a whole. The last tie-in (Civil War) was last year’s Slingshot, which directly referenced the Sokovia Accords. Time for Thor to show up. You want Melinda May to have a romantic relationship with a man who can keep up with her in a sparring match? I know a guy.
There Can Only Be One
Zero secret levels to S.H.I.E.L.D. this year. We’ve had HYDRA S.H.I.E.L.D., Secret-secret S.H.I.E.L.D., government S.H.I.E.L.D., Framework S.H.I.E.L.D…now we’re in space. The rulebook doesn’t apply, and there are no precedents (in this version of the Marvel Universe). This loops back to item five—with Infinity War on the way, it would be great to see S.H.I.E.L.D. expand instead of chasing its tail regarding legitimacy.
I Miss My Shotgun-Axe
Mack is officially the team heavy. Kill off whoever else you want, but he needs to keep bashing in heads until this show is rolling in a very shallow grave.
The “E” Stands for Experiments
Some more experimenting with form. Episode 3.5 (“4,722 Hours”) was almost entirely carried by Elizabeth Henstridge as Jemma Simmons, trapped on an alien planet. First, she had to solve the problem of where, exactly, she landed. Then there were questions of survival. Finally, the science of getting back mixed in with the new, complicated feelings for her fellow survivor. The episode is still one of the show’s best, and, as Stranger Things 2 showed with their seventh episode, a side quest here and there can actually enrich rather than draw away from the main story.
Finally: We, the fans of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., wish that Marvel Entertainment and ABC would wake up.
S.H.I.E.L.D. has a diverse cast and a loyal fanbase that hung on through the absolute strangest season of ups and downs. After the three-part season four, which introduced characters just to kill them off a few episodes later, started and stopped its story threads, and ended up in SPACE, it’s pretty clear that if we’re still watching, we’re not going to stop. Regardless of every monkey wrench, space rock, demon book, and/or coma, the cast and crew continue to give the show their all. Showrunners Mo Tancharoen and Jed Whedon pushed the show to its limits when its future was unclear. Imagine what they could manage if they had some job security.
What are you hoping to see this year?
