SHIELD: Seeds

One of the first rules you learn about writing is "Show, Don't Tell". Don't say that a couple fell in love, show it happening. Don't say that someone learned a lesson, show the consequences of their actions and the steps they took in wake of them. Don't talk about a pivotal character moment, show the revelation happening.

At the end of this episode, Coulson gives a big speech about how to react when life hands you a shit sandwich. Thematically, it all works. It ties together his misgivings about his resurrection, Skye's reaction to learning about her past, and the birth of a new super villain. But parts of it would have worked so much better in Skye's voice. I don't want to hear that she looked past her revolving door experience of the foster care system to see the protection of SHIELD while she looks mournfully at a memorial. I wanted to see and hear her reach that conclusion. Her character arc would have worked so much better if it hadn't been delivered by a third party.

The show, is of course, trying to make this all about Coulson. But why couldn't that have been a conversation between the two of them?

The whole speech at the end reminded me strongly of the second season finale of Buffy. The episode handles these themes, the ultimate message, and even the cheesy voice over so much better. Because we aren't told that Buffy made the hard choice in the end. We get to see her whole journey and are able to understand fully both why she made that choice and how much it cost her. We barely get a glimpse of Skye after she gets handed a bag of lemons until we hear that she's decided to make lemonade.

I don't want this show to be a second-rate retread of a show I've already seen. A show that this one can't even hold a candle to in terms of character development, season-long arcs, and thematic tie-ins.

SHIELD is trying. It's getting better. But I still just barely care about these characters. And I need to care about them to stay invested in their journeys. To keep watching the show.

Earlier this week, the episode of Sleepy Hollow brought me to tears. It's cheesy and over the top, but it still manages to hit all the emotional beats that it needs to. Now I cry easily, especially at TV, movies, even commercials. And this episode should have brought me to tears. Happy tears, but tears none the less. Instead it made me groan and roll my eyes and wish that I was watching a show that aired 15 years ago.

Still, seeds have been planted, and some of them look interesting. Hopefully this show can still pull it together in the back half of the season. At least all the bad guys are starting to coalesce into one shady agency.