Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (S2E8) Review: Attacking From The Back(stories)

Everybody's got a story is how the old saying goes, and Agents of SHIELD proved that this week with it's focus on backstories for many of it's characters. What I found interesting about these backstories is not only in how they're presented in an entertaining manner, but in how much they rely on the universe SHIELD has created for itself. Last season, it felt like everyone named dropped Thor or Iron Man every five minutes, and that was the extent of a larger world beyond the central cast, but now the show has developed itself to the point where there's much more to this show. And that makes for very interesting storytelling possibilities.

Agents of SHIELD (S2E7) Review: Answers And Questions

One major flaw of Agents of SHIELD's first season was the way it constantly delayed giving the audience answers on pivotal questions, instead relying on lackluster storytelling to distract them from the fact that nothing of substance was getting answered. The major pivotal question that never got much resolution was Coulson's resurrection, which gets more clarity in this episode than it did in the entire first season.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (S2E6) Review: Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

The Agents of what used to be a massive organization called S.H.I.E.L.D. sure don't get a lot of breaks in life. However, although the crux of the episode centers on more trouble for what's left of Nick Fury's spy agency, there's some breakthrough news to come for these guys and gals secretly protecting the world. But first, they have to deal with the fact that HYDRA just framed them for an attack on the United Nations.

Agents of SHIELD (S2E3) Review: Chill Of An Early Fall

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

This particular episode of Agents of SHIELD made me realize just what this show was reminding me most of thus far in the season; The Empire Strikes Back. Now, the episodes we've seen so far haven't been as good as that Star Wars adventure, and A New Hope is infinitely better than the first season of Agents of SHIELD. However, this second season does share one extremely noticeable aspect with the 1980 Jedi adventure; they both take already developed characters and toss them in darker scenarios, testing them to their limits.