Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Broken Promises
January 12, 2017 7:10 PM - Season 4, Episode 9 - Subscribe
The Nadeer family has a reunion, which really isn't going to go well. You know what else doesn't go well? HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING FROM TERMINATOR MOVIES?!
God, I love Yo-Yo so hard. She is my favorite character. She is strong with the snark. As is Mack in this episode and his repeated commentary (""Have either one of you seen a movie in the last 30 years? The robots always attack.") followed by a nice head chop and robot death insurance. You rock, sir. Also points for "You and I grew up very different" (gave me Budapest flashbacks) and reference to "Chopping Mall." This is the funniest episode in ages.
Oh, Rafferty. "We're just friends." Thanks for sharing.
Oh man, Vijay: I don't care if she's your sister, she's said to your face she's going to kill you. I'd say "stupid move," except since you're an Inhuman, odds are you may actually come back from being shot and deep-sixed.
AV Club review.
Vulture review.
God, I love Yo-Yo so hard. She is my favorite character. She is strong with the snark. As is Mack in this episode and his repeated commentary (""Have either one of you seen a movie in the last 30 years? The robots always attack.") followed by a nice head chop and robot death insurance. You rock, sir. Also points for "You and I grew up very different" (gave me Budapest flashbacks) and reference to "Chopping Mall." This is the funniest episode in ages.
Oh, Rafferty. "We're just friends." Thanks for sharing.
Oh man, Vijay: I don't care if she's your sister, she's said to your face she's going to kill you. I'd say "stupid move," except since you're an Inhuman, odds are you may actually come back from being shot and deep-sixed.
AV Club review.
Vulture review.
Roll credits!
posted by banshee at 9:03 PM on January 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by banshee at 9:03 PM on January 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
Without the weight of Hydra and Blue Planet, this show seems so much more nimble and enjoyable. I think it may have re-found its way.
That Mace sincerely believes in his motivational bromides comes off rather charming. I'm interested to find out how much real Mae is in the LMD. I'm guessing that May must be kept alive in order for the May LMD to function or something.
posted by klarck at 5:42 AM on January 13, 2017
That Mace sincerely believes in his motivational bromides comes off rather charming. I'm interested to find out how much real Mae is in the LMD. I'm guessing that May must be kept alive in order for the May LMD to function or something.
posted by klarck at 5:42 AM on January 13, 2017
I'm guessing that May must be kept alive in order for the May LMD to function or something.
They've been a little cutesy with the camera angles but I think May's plugged into the wall of the closet they're keeping her in; presumably that's so the May-LMD can access all of real-May's memories, which it seems to be able to do.
The banter between Mack and Yo-yo was fantastic. Robot death insurance! A completely-deserved shot at how bad Salvation was! I love that in addition to being a funny running gag, it helps build the relationship between Mack and Yo-yo completely believably. I can totally picture them just chilling and binge-watching cheesy "robots take over" B-horror movies some night.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:21 AM on January 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
They've been a little cutesy with the camera angles but I think May's plugged into the wall of the closet they're keeping her in; presumably that's so the May-LMD can access all of real-May's memories, which it seems to be able to do.
The banter between Mack and Yo-yo was fantastic. Robot death insurance! A completely-deserved shot at how bad Salvation was! I love that in addition to being a funny running gag, it helps build the relationship between Mack and Yo-yo completely believably. I can totally picture them just chilling and binge-watching cheesy "robots take over" B-horror movies some night.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:21 AM on January 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I liked this episode, and I apparently really like surprise beheadings.
The meta comments about other movies and even the ridiculousness of their own lives (Simmons has been kidnapped a dozen times) are very welcome. There's really no reason for this show not be playful.
It's a bit odd however that Mack's reference point is the Terminator movies, given that these characters live in a worlds that narrowly avoided destruction by Ultron.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 11:45 AM on January 13, 2017
The meta comments about other movies and even the ridiculousness of their own lives (Simmons has been kidnapped a dozen times) are very welcome. There's really no reason for this show not be playful.
It's a bit odd however that Mack's reference point is the Terminator movies, given that these characters live in a worlds that narrowly avoided destruction by Ultron.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 11:45 AM on January 13, 2017
Paper that's because the Terminator series is both the apex and nadir of sentient robot films.
Reality is never going to be like that, and Ultron kinda sucked (IMO). But hey, from that awfulness we got Vision, soooo. :)
I just spent 2 hours searching for the "roll credits" gif. This is a testament to my laziness in not simply making one myself. BECAUSE IT WAS PERFECTION.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:10 PM on January 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Reality is never going to be like that, and Ultron kinda sucked (IMO). But hey, from that awfulness we got Vision, soooo. :)
I just spent 2 hours searching for the "roll credits" gif. This is a testament to my laziness in not simply making one myself. BECAUSE IT WAS PERFECTION.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:10 PM on January 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
Okay, that was fun.
God, I love Yo-Yo so hard. She is my favorite character.
Likewise. I like the others, but Yo-Yo is definitely the one I wish I could hang out with and, in paradox-inducing recursion, snark at Agents of SHIELD with.
posted by mordax at 9:24 PM on January 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
God, I love Yo-Yo so hard. She is my favorite character.
Likewise. I like the others, but Yo-Yo is definitely the one I wish I could hang out with and, in paradox-inducing recursion, snark at Agents of SHIELD with.
posted by mordax at 9:24 PM on January 13, 2017 [2 favorites]
I know enough Spanish to wish Yo-Yo and I could gossip about Mack privately while double-dating at the drive-in. *I will go down with this ship*
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:28 PM on January 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:28 PM on January 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I thought the use of Mahler's Adagietto in the opening was great.
I really liked the Mace/Daisy/Gemma scenes. They're doing a great job of maintaining the tension of wanting to take Mace at face value, with a healthy dose of skepticism. All three of those actors could create chemistry with a log, so it's just fun to watch. This is my favorite of the roles I've seen Jason O'Mara in.
Looks like we're on Shotgun Axe v2.0, that's a much more stylized axe head than the one he chopped Coulson's hand off with.
I loved the robot meta-commentary. The offhand "Small wonder!" nearly knocked me out of my chair. I also appreciated the Roy Batty comment.
I know Henry Simmons is huge, but wow, seeing the size difference between Mack's and Yo-Yo's hands when they fist-bumped was shocking.
I was psyched to see Talbot will be back!
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:59 AM on January 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
I really liked the Mace/Daisy/Gemma scenes. They're doing a great job of maintaining the tension of wanting to take Mace at face value, with a healthy dose of skepticism. All three of those actors could create chemistry with a log, so it's just fun to watch. This is my favorite of the roles I've seen Jason O'Mara in.
Looks like we're on Shotgun Axe v2.0, that's a much more stylized axe head than the one he chopped Coulson's hand off with.
I loved the robot meta-commentary. The offhand "Small wonder!" nearly knocked me out of my chair. I also appreciated the Roy Batty comment.
I know Henry Simmons is huge, but wow, seeing the size difference between Mack's and Yo-Yo's hands when they fist-bumped was shocking.
I was psyched to see Talbot will be back!
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:59 AM on January 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
Everyone else is loving on Mack and Yo-Yo...I'll just say "me too."
But my favorite bit was Mace and Daisy. They have chemistry! When he's around her he loses his usual composure! More, please, more!
Is it just me or have they massively intensified both Gemma and Daisy's makeup this year?
I am also looking forward to Talbot's return.
I wonder if Vijay will be a new and different kind of Inhuman when he comes out from underwater. Maybe one of his superpowers is that every time he dies he develops new powers?
posted by rednikki at 2:09 PM on January 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
But my favorite bit was Mace and Daisy. They have chemistry! When he's around her he loses his usual composure! More, please, more!
Is it just me or have they massively intensified both Gemma and Daisy's makeup this year?
I am also looking forward to Talbot's return.
I wonder if Vijay will be a new and different kind of Inhuman when he comes out from underwater. Maybe one of his superpowers is that every time he dies he develops new powers?
posted by rednikki at 2:09 PM on January 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
One thing I quite liked about this episode is how they filled in some of the motivation for Senator Nadeer and the watchdogs. It's not just that they don't like randos gaining super-powers, they are suspicious that what comes out of the terragenesis is not the same person who went into it, i.e. that's not her brother, it's just some alien who thinks it's her brother. Maybe they dealt with this before, but it only really clicked with me in this episode, and perhaps having LMD-May around helps hammer this home. She is what the watchdogs think is happening to all the people who become inhumans, just with aliens instead of robots.
I've got to say, as someone who has seen his share of terrible sci-fi movies, I probably would jump to the same conclusion. I mean I want to believe I would recognize the humanity(?) of the inhumans, be on the right side of history, etc. etc., but another part of me would think: alien pod people. Not that I would arm myself and lead an insurgency, my temperament in crisis leans more towards "Oh well, we had a good run. Let's get ice cream"
posted by selenized at 9:54 AM on January 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've got to say, as someone who has seen his share of terrible sci-fi movies, I probably would jump to the same conclusion. I mean I want to believe I would recognize the humanity(?) of the inhumans, be on the right side of history, etc. etc., but another part of me would think: alien pod people. Not that I would arm myself and lead an insurgency, my temperament in crisis leans more towards "Oh well, we had a good run. Let's get ice cream"
posted by selenized at 9:54 AM on January 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by sardonyx at 8:22 PM on January 12, 2017