Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Review: Missing Pieces (Season 6 Episode 1)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., for all its faults, really knows how to build an exciting hour of television.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 Episode 1, “Missing Pieces,” is an exciting hour, but spends most of its time setting up and explaining the show’s new status quo.
On “Missing Pieces,” S.H.I.E.L.D. is slowly rebuilding itself under director Mack, but the characters we know and love are split up in different parts of the universe. May and Yo-Yo are getting most of the field work, Mack is directing, and Daisy and Simmons are out in deep space looking for Fitz.
BARRY SHABAKA HENLEY, NATALIA CORDOVA-BUCKLEY, MING-NA WEN
Ultimately, “Missing Pieces” feels like a strong introduction to the new Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The couples are basically no more. Mack and Yo-Yo have split, and Yo-Yo seems to have a new beau. Death now separates Coulson from May, and Simmons is desperately looking for Fitz since the timeline is changed.
So while the characters are familiar, “Missing Pieces” feels like a very different show that’s a year removed from the previous finale. As such, it spends pretty much the entire hour explaining what’s changed since Season 5 ended.
BARRY SHABAKA HENLEY, HENRY SIMMONS
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. For those like myself who rarely have the time to go back and re-watch a finale and rely on the “previously on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” clips at the beginning of an episode, doing something like this is very helpful.
For a where-is-everyone-and-what-are-they-up-to type of episode, “Missing Pieces” is actually quite exciting. It’s not so much the information, but how its revealed that makes it interesting.
It reveals, for instance, that in the last year, Simmons has become a ruthless interrogator in trying to locate Fitz. She’s obviously changed a lot as a character, which will make for an interesting reunion when she finally finds him.
MING-NA WEN
So, overall, a stretched thin S.H.I.E.L.D team trying to add members and fight new threats makes for an exciting episode, and the fact that it’s been a year made things interesting. There is certainly no shortage of stakes.
While “Missing Pieces” didn’t contain a lot of development plot-wise, it’s a fun watch, and it’s great to be back with my favorite agents, minus one. (RIP Coulson).
Speaking of Coulson, I’ve noticed the trend that important characters/beloved actors on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. get a standard 1-season arc as a different character in a similar body (see: Grant Ward/Hive/Brett Dalton). I’m not mad we’re not done with Clark Gregg just yet!
The randomly appearing characters who are lead by the apparent Coulson doppelganger is a profoundly interesting mystery. I shouldn’t hold out hope, but maybe there’s an off-chance that it brings Coulson back to us. A guy can dream!
NATALIA CORDOVA-BUCKLEY, MING-NA WEN
A few stray thoughts:
- Ultimately I think Mack is a great choice for Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the moment with the Coulson hologram is a tear-jerker!
- Fitz was injecting himself with something and it looked like he might be blind? Interesting. I hope they find him soon.
What did you think of this episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Fridays at 8/7c on ABC.
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Nick Hogan
Nick Hogan is an experienced podcaster and writer (particularly on media topics), who loves discussion and analysis of TV and is always looking for new shows to watch. He is also a parent who loves buffalo wings, blowing raspberries, and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.