Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Review: As I Have Always Been (Season 7 Episode 9)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is so much fun. There, I said it. Even when lives are at stake, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can make it unforgettable.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 Episode 9, “As I Have Always Been,” takes our titular team of agents through a time loop, but only Daisy and Coulson can remember it. If they don’t figure out how to fix their time drive, it could be deadly.
“As I Have Always Been” is as high stakes as anything the show has done, and works well as a bottle episode. It fits with the time travel theme, is both compelling and entertaining, and (as is the case sometimes) ends in tragedy.
The tone and feel of the episode is exciting and action-comedy, but the more you pay attention the more you get a sense that there is impending doom of kind. Of course, it doesn’t help that during each time loop, multiple team members get killed but are revived in the next time jump.
Even though “As I Have Always Been” sounds kind of like Groundhog Day, it really isn’t. Since Daisy and Coulson remember each movement made (unless Daisy is the one to die), they’re able to learn and manipulate things to try and beat the clock and save the Zephyr (and everyone on it).
The stakes are extremely high, as has been the case with most of Season 7. What’s more, though, is that “As I Have Always Been” really showcases both the heart at the center of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and showcases the strength of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team as a unit.
When Daisy learns she’s in a time storm and enlists Coulson’s help, they have to enlist different team members at different times to help. Not only is each team member ready and willing, they do not hesitate to believe Daisy or Coulson and jump in.
Even most recent additions Deke and Sousa are more than willing to risk their lives to help save the rest of the team. Sure, Sousa may have had a few other motivations, but we’re getting off track here…
Clark Gregg and Chloe Bennet do a masterful job. They manage to keep the excitement up and simultaneously can handle the gravity of seeing their teammates repeatedly die.
The sense of impending doom is not unfounded, it turns out. After removing Simmons’ brain-blocking microchip, the only cure for the time drive turns out to be the equivalent of Enoch’s heart. Finding this out is deflating to watch, but the real gut punch is when Enoch takes it out without a second thought.
Honestly, this is the single most disappointing part of “As I Have Always Been” (one of Enoch’s lines, btw). Enoch has made a fantastic addition to the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, for plenty of reasons, but more than anything the comic relief. Still, he could occasionally gut you with a heartbreaker.
Enoch: “I would like to think Fitz would do the same. I would like to think you all would.”
The nature of a high stakes show is that occasionally, you lose people. But the loss of Enoch cuts deep. Joel Stoffer deserves huge props for his work on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
A few stray thoughts:
- Okay, now that we don’t have Enoch we need some tech help on the ship. Can we PLEASE have Fitz back? The dominoes are all in place.
- I wasn’t sure I was on board with a Daisy/Sousa romance, but that scene was pretty great. I’m open to it.
- “It all phases me, just maybe not my face.” Sousa is a treasure.
- I know this isn’t a preview for next week, but I’m glad we’ll see more of Jiaying next time out. Daisy deserves to revisit that.
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 Wednesdays at 10/9c 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.