We’re racing toward the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season four finale and what better way to build up some momentum than to have our primary antagonist achieve her goals and lose some of our main cast along the way?

Farewell, Cruel World! sees the end of the Framework arc, and while it’s been immensely enjoyable to watch, we needed to get back to the real world eventually and we finally get going on that plan. Daisy, Coulson, May, Simmons and Mack head off in search of Radcliffe’s backdoor (phrasing) and have to deal with a lot of emotional turmoil along the way.

But first, since this may well be the last time we get BJ Britt, we have some hilarious moments with him that really drives home that we’re missing a hilarious and sincere character in the main cast. Trip has some fantastic scenes with Daisy and Mack and is taking the whole idea of the world being wrong in stride, though he is disappointed that his other-world counterpart apparently has no game whatsoever.

It’s good to see there’s still something between Coulson and May as he encourages her to take a leap of faith and is rewarded on the other side with May admitting he’s cute. Awwww!

Less cute is Mack’s… departure? Is that what you’d class this as? It’s certainly emotional and understandable and while Mack staying in the Framework with his daughter is unsurprising, it’s a little hokey from a logistical standpoint. I mean, how long does he expect them to just leave him in there? Does he really think Yo-Yo is just going to let him stay there? Who would look after him and keep the Framework going? I guess they’ll explain it in the following episodes but Henry Simmon’s supposed final appearance is bittersweet to say the least.

As usual, Iain De Caestecker is killing it as both a cold-hearted HYDRA head and as the repentant real-world Fitz. This guy can act rings around everyone! Without Simmons there to support him, and Coulson not being that effective, his fragile mental state is easy prey for the now human AIDA/Ophelia who tearful reunites with him and TELEPORTS AWAY. The fuck!? When? How? What? Is her new body Inhuman? Is that tech-based? WHAT.

Questions need answers and we can only hope we get them when we return next week with… The Return.

Three episodes in and I’m already looking forward to reviewing The Flash more than SHIELD. It’s not that the product is bad or gets on my nipples (Looking at you, Doctor Who) it’s kinda just… There. Plodding along the same path that we kinda had last season.

The B Plot of Hunter and May gunning for Ward was a fun distraction from the A Plot, both for subtitling two drunk British guys, because you silly colonials just don’t get English and May looking like the hottest Alt Girl ever despite being 50 years old. DANG.

Lola’s new boyfriend makes an appearance! If that’s not a sign that Rosalind and Coulson will be teaming up/knocking boots than I don’t know what is. For real though, SHIELD acting as an advisor to the ATCU makes me think that we will see SWORD eventually and if Rosalind reveals her real name to be Abigail Brand, I’ll be a happy man.

Lincoln’s had a rough time recently and it just gets worse. Losing his job, being hunted not only by the ATCU, SHIELD and Lash and now accidentally giving his only friend a heart attack… Shit’s rough. There’s indication of a darker past to Lincoln and I’m not sure I like that. I like Luke Mitchell as an actor and I especially like him when he’s light and fluffy. His super-serious storylines in Home & Away and Tomorrow People were fun to watch, sure, but he’s just got the face of a lovable scamp not a dark, brooding victim of circumstance.

FitzSimmons begin to deal with the fallout of Simmons’ return and while their scenes are short and few, they straddle the line between adorably cute and just tragic. Their constant hand-holding, Fitz keeping the reservation from their date months ago and Jemma’s readjustment to Earth taking it’s toll on her are all fantastic little scenes. These kids might just get their happy en–

“I have to go back.”

…Oh no. No, no, no. That’s not good. That’s not good at all… Is this a result of her PTSD and a sign that she’s really not coping or did something happen or did she discover something GAH! What a kick in the quad…

A solid episode but nothing outstanding so we’ll see if it picks up next week with Devils You Know.

The second episode  kicks off in a big way as the team rush to Fitz’s side as he keeps screaming at the monolith. His desperation is at it’s zenith but just as he begins to lose hope, he finds what he needs and when he calls, the team answers. It’s great to see the team so focused.

While Andrew returns to assess the new Inhuman, we get a look at what May has been doing and she’s been playing golf with her dad! It’s cute to see a Mulan reunion on-screen but, seriously, it’s nice to see more of May’s past. Her childhood love of ice-skating, her dad calling her Millie (or Mellie, James Hong’s accent is thick) and how protective she is of her family.

Peter MacNicol makes a return as the affable Asgardian, Elliot Randolph, who busts out of jail to help the team. After a little coercion from Phil, naturally. He’s a welcome addition to the team for the episode.

There’s also some adventure with the delightful dickbag that is Grant Ward and Brett Dalton is killing it as usual. A bit weird to see him recruiting Baron Von Strucker’s son into his new Hydra but will that lead to more children of villains? Will we see Victor Mancha, the son of Ultron?

Obviously, the biggest plot point for this episode is Fitz and Simmons. Two of my favourite moments result from this and I’ll share them with you.

Fitz didn’t even flinch! I love that.

The actual mission to rescue Simmons is a bally shambles, between using rickety old tech and Fitz going full Big Damn Hero and leaping into the portal himself and I have to admit that I was sceptical that we’d see Simmons, let alone that she’d actually be saved but with the help of Daisy pushing herself to breaking point, we get a happy reunion.

That’s the face of a man who spit in the face of common sense, science and the whole goddamn universe to save the woman he loves. Pure joy. Now we await the fallout because Simmons will no doubt be suffering PTSD. Maybe the worst is yet to come but for now, I’ll leave Hunter to channel the audience’s feelings.

Purpose in the Machine is a great follow-up to the season premiere, re-establishing the status quo for the team and giving plenty of hints to what we can expect soon.

Making Friends and Influencing People sees the return of Jemma Simmons and shows what she’s been up to since last we saw her. WORKING FOR HYDRA. While Immortal Nazi, Daniel Whitehall is upstairs brain-washing people likes it’s Clockwork Orange, Jemma is in the belly of the beast performing science-y stuff. Hydra, meanwhile, is hunting Donnie Gill (AKA Blizzard) and SHIELD is a couple steps behind.
I’ll take this opportunity to mention Melinda May, because even though she’s not doing much, she is being a driving force for the team. Whether supporting Coulson, training Skye or busting Hunter’s balls, Ming-Na Wen is doing a fantastic job. I wanted to mention her really because it’s rare to see her smile and she’s bloody adorable. Roll on next week when she’ll be in a dress and kicking ass!

Simmons is serving as a double agent for Hydra which is actually a little disappointing. I can understand WHY she wouldn’t join Hydra but imagine IF. If she was just as broken as Fitz and her declaration that she’s solely loyal to science ringing true? That could present a fairly interesting angle but now that we’ve established brain-washing, it’s inevitable for her heel-turn. It’s like Skye Chekov’s Gun-ing herself by saying she’s never killed anyone but does it by the end of the episode.

Fitz is slowly improving, especially thanks to Mack. I said it last week and I’ll say it again, this BROTP has a great dynamic and I look forward to seeing more of it. Fitz becomes paranoid, believing the team is hiding things from him and he’s right. He’s so convinced that he even dismisses HeadSimmons when she tries to convince him otherwise. He tells her that she’s not there and, in a moment of clarity, she disappears and he goes to confront what he suspects; that Ward is Skye’s “asset”. The following scene is easily the strongest performance Iain De Caestecker and Brett Dalton have delivered together. Fitz immediately begins panicking and Ward tries to calm him and even justify his actions and Fitz… well, he goes DARK. He can’t explain what Ward did to him, so he’ll show him. By removing the oxygen from Ward’s cell. DAMN! Ward earns a reprieve by giving up info on Blizzard. Fitz rushes to Mack for help and the team is warned.

Blizzard shows a significant power boost since last we saw him, going full Sub-Zero all the time. He has also been brainwashed and is keen not to go back to that. Skye shoots him and he falls overboard, cocooning himself in ice as he sinks into the water, setting up an inevitable return but it’s great that we’re seeing more named, powered villains rather than just business men and other agents.

Another strong episode but next week looks like a departure into a light-hearted spy-romp with ‘Face My Enemy‘.