Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Singularity
April 27, 2016 7:38 AM - Season 3, Episode 18 - Subscribe
The S.H.I.E.L.D. team is left reeling and decimated as Hive continues to sway Inhumans to his side. But there is a sliver of hope as Agents Fitz and Simmons follow a lead that may be able to stop the maniacal Inhuman once and for all.
Written by Lauren LeFranc
Directed by Garry A. Brown
Full Cast and Crew Credits
AV Club recap: "One team is zipping around the world, performing some questionable missions; the other team participating in some Mad Men-meets-Orphan Black spy games. It’s all very endearing, but it’s all very rushed–you can tell the writers are both scrambling to set the table for the season finale, and pad for time until that point. “Singularity” is a fine episode, but it’s also a fast one, which allows the stakes to be raised, but at the expense of giving its characters the proper room to breathe."
E! Online recap: "As the team swung into action on tonight's all-new episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to rescue an infected Daisy (Chloe Bennet)—who was quaking the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. compound apart after revealing she'd been turned when we last saw her—she and Hive (Brett Dalton) embarked on their demented SkyeWard reunion, which also involved collecting more Inhumans to infect and apparently buying a whole damn town."
Written by Lauren LeFranc
Directed by Garry A. Brown
Full Cast and Crew Credits
AV Club recap: "One team is zipping around the world, performing some questionable missions; the other team participating in some Mad Men-meets-Orphan Black spy games. It’s all very endearing, but it’s all very rushed–you can tell the writers are both scrambling to set the table for the season finale, and pad for time until that point. “Singularity” is a fine episode, but it’s also a fast one, which allows the stakes to be raised, but at the expense of giving its characters the proper room to breathe."
E! Online recap: "As the team swung into action on tonight's all-new episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to rescue an infected Daisy (Chloe Bennet)—who was quaking the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. compound apart after revealing she'd been turned when we last saw her—she and Hive (Brett Dalton) embarked on their demented SkyeWard reunion, which also involved collecting more Inhumans to infect and apparently buying a whole damn town."
Dammit, show- if it turns out that Hive has done something to Jemma and she is dead or something, we are fucking done.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:58 AM on April 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:58 AM on April 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
Hive has evolved from Nazi's to communists..
Australian Gambit.
HR should be all over these crap!
They've been spread thin since half of them split off to form IHR.
posted by FallowKing at 8:03 AM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Australian Gambit.
HR should be all over these crap!
They've been spread thin since half of them split off to form IHR.
posted by FallowKing at 8:03 AM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oooh, background agents at the base.
Yeah, so is that a first? I don't think anyone else has ever been shown in base shots before, right? Just the team? I kept getting distracted while Mac was talking, looking to see who was behind him.
Hive is creepy as fuck, although his clothes make me laugh.
What is with Jemma and her cold hands? Are they the cold hands of death???
The shield in Colson's hand was everything.
posted by the webmistress at 9:34 AM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, so is that a first? I don't think anyone else has ever been shown in base shots before, right? Just the team? I kept getting distracted while Mac was talking, looking to see who was behind him.
Hive is creepy as fuck, although his clothes make me laugh.
What is with Jemma and her cold hands? Are they the cold hands of death???
The shield in Colson's hand was everything.
posted by the webmistress at 9:34 AM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
What is with Jemma and her cold hands? Are they the cold hands of death???
I had basically the same reaction as TheWhiteSkull, but I didn't even connect the dots to Jemma's cold hands until your comment. I just thought her having cold hands was sort of a cute thing that happens IRL but you never see on TV. So much for that!
Also, May had a lot of great banter this episode, but I think my favorite was this exchange:
May: "Maybe you should get a bionic leg."
Coulson: "Too soon."
posted by mstokes650 at 10:07 AM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
I had basically the same reaction as TheWhiteSkull, but I didn't even connect the dots to Jemma's cold hands until your comment. I just thought her having cold hands was sort of a cute thing that happens IRL but you never see on TV. So much for that!
Also, May had a lot of great banter this episode, but I think my favorite was this exchange:
May: "Maybe you should get a bionic leg."
Coulson: "Too soon."
posted by mstokes650 at 10:07 AM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
After May makes that comment about people not coming to her with their feelings, the look she gives Mac after his reply was priceless. All the time they've put into these characters is paying off when you get quick reactions like that.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 11:07 AM on April 27, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by GhostintheMachine at 11:07 AM on April 27, 2016 [6 favorites]
Glad to hear that the military has successfully decapitated Hydra. That's how you kill a hydra right? Cut off its head?
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:43 PM on April 27, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:43 PM on April 27, 2016 [5 favorites]
Can any comic book experts comment on the genetic engineer and bionics guy? Was he made up for the show or did they pull him out the Marvel archives somewhere?
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:46 PM on April 27, 2016
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:46 PM on April 27, 2016
Funny you should ask: He was actually created by a guy I went to college with, Marvel writer/editor Marc Sumerak, who also wrote the well-received Sentinel and Franklin Richards series from about 10 or so years back.
The character of Holden Radcliffe is the villain of the 2005 Machine Teen mini-series, which Marc wrote for the Marvel Next imprint. I honestly didn't expect to see his name in the "Special Thanks" credits at the end of the episode, so it was a nice surprise!
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:34 PM on April 27, 2016 [7 favorites]
The character of Holden Radcliffe is the villain of the 2005 Machine Teen mini-series, which Marc wrote for the Marvel Next imprint. I honestly didn't expect to see his name in the "Special Thanks" credits at the end of the episode, so it was a nice surprise!
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:34 PM on April 27, 2016 [7 favorites]
Dammit, show- if it turns out that Hive has done something to Jemma and she is dead or something, we are fucking done.
Yeah. That would be grounds for instant DVR removal.
posted by eyeballkid at 2:22 PM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah. That would be grounds for instant DVR removal.
posted by eyeballkid at 2:22 PM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
I am going to start saying "That wasn't on the schematic" every time something is unexpected.
posted by srboisvert at 3:35 PM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by srboisvert at 3:35 PM on April 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
I have a theory about the team member that's going to die.
It's the youngish dark-haired guy with no name who has come into a scene with Coulson in each of the last four or so episodes to give Coulson information. My reasoning? Why would they create an unnamed character, who has lines, who serves an expository function that any of the other characters could serve? So they can fulfill their promise of killing someone without having to kill a main character. I can't think of any other reason they'd go to the trouble and expense of hiring another actor and giving him lines virtually anyone else could say if he weren't either going to be meaningfully integrated into the show somehow, or killed.
But it's probably Lincoln. The writers never figured him out as a character, he's never been anything more than a plot device. Yeah, probably Lincoln.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:52 PM on April 27, 2016
It's the youngish dark-haired guy with no name who has come into a scene with Coulson in each of the last four or so episodes to give Coulson information. My reasoning? Why would they create an unnamed character, who has lines, who serves an expository function that any of the other characters could serve? So they can fulfill their promise of killing someone without having to kill a main character. I can't think of any other reason they'd go to the trouble and expense of hiring another actor and giving him lines virtually anyone else could say if he weren't either going to be meaningfully integrated into the show somehow, or killed.
But it's probably Lincoln. The writers never figured him out as a character, he's never been anything more than a plot device. Yeah, probably Lincoln.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:52 PM on April 27, 2016
Well, I guess he has a name... Agent Anderson.
Camille De Pazzis was suitably eerie as Anon. I was hoping they'd cast Matt Frewer as Radcliffe, but I know that's too much to ask. I like John Hannah, so I look forward to seeing more of Radcliffe.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:59 PM on April 27, 2016
Camille De Pazzis was suitably eerie as Anon. I was hoping they'd cast Matt Frewer as Radcliffe, but I know that's too much to ask. I like John Hannah, so I look forward to seeing more of Radcliffe.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:59 PM on April 27, 2016
Yeah, Jemma is already dead. My hope is that they will figure out how to isolate her personality and contain the hive parasite so that she gets to stay as herself on the show. Although, Can alpha!Hive inhabit two dead bodies at once?
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 5:28 AM on April 28, 2016
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 5:28 AM on April 28, 2016
"It's your choice, Lincoln. It's up to you. Your choice. Except for this bomb vest. That's my choice. And you have to wear it. And I might arbitrarily murder you."
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:47 AM on April 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:47 AM on April 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, Jemma is already dead.
Or she could just have poor circulation, like women are reputed to have.
She probably hasheat vampires cold feet too.
I mean, yeah, mention her hand are cold, but surely, while makin' out, Fitz might have just noticed her deathlike mouth or lack of breathing. Surely he wouldn't get lost in the moment.
And if he did, he'd notice when they did the deed, surely?
posted by Mezentian at 11:56 PM on April 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Or she could just have poor circulation, like women are reputed to have.
She probably has
I mean, yeah, mention her hand are cold, but surely, while makin' out, Fitz might have just noticed her deathlike mouth or lack of breathing. Surely he wouldn't get lost in the moment.
And if he did, he'd notice when they did the deed, surely?
posted by Mezentian at 11:56 PM on April 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
It seems like a pretty clear foreshadowing line to me, given that we don't see the aftermath of Jemma shooting Hive beyond walking away a few steps and clearly Hive was just fine after their interaction.
Also, wasn't Mack in the hotel room? I kept waiting for him to bumble in and get thrown out.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 6:25 AM on April 29, 2016
Also, wasn't Mack in the hotel room? I kept waiting for him to bumble in and get thrown out.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 6:25 AM on April 29, 2016
Mack was out at the jet loading it up or something, according to Jemma.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:29 AM on April 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:29 AM on April 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
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Jesus, Ward has turned creepier. Before he was just an intense and demented stalker, now he's a cult leader, turning everyone who "joins" him creepy.
Mac and May banter is great. As is May's glee at being irresponsible.
Oooh, background agents at the base. Lotta story potential here writers!
Fitze and Simmons shine up real good.
Suicide vest? That's pretty intense. Glad May called Coulson on his bullshit and he apologized.
Sex! It's how you clear Fitz from a room!
I want to see all the "broken comms" talks between Bobbie and Hunter!
But really, maybe don't hash out relationship details while working. HR should be all over these crap!
Ok, the shield for SHIELD was cool. Very handy (I see what you did there May).
Kree devices! That can't be good for someone.
Alas poor Hydra, you were a good plot device, but your time is done.
Oh cool, Fitz and Simmons had sex and appear very happy. So one of them might die?
Hive & Co have a town. There's goes there neighborhood!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:47 AM on April 27, 2016