#eye-spy

R: Well, I think this episode was super exciting. I got to preview it at NYCC this Saturday and my feelings haven’t changed much at all. It’s far and away the best episode so far.

S: I think that’s true, though it’s not because there was anything going that was radically different. It’s just a lot more cohesive than the previous ones – it all hangs together really well. Part of that is the good use of visual storytelling, from the opening teaser, which tells its own mini-story without a word of dialogue, to the use of the glasses and eyes to signify the theme of watching and being watched. It was subtle but really well done. And all of that ties in really well with the subject matter of the episode.

R: Right, I guess that’s kind of interesting. They didn’t need a major deviation from their established dynamic in order to create a much, much better episode. Frankly, I think what they needed was to limit their scope a little. This was really just a story about one woman and once they decide that that’s all they’re making the episode about, they told a much better story and revealed a lot more about our heroes.

S: Yeah, I thought the characterization was also much improved, and maybe it does have to do with that limited scope. In the past they’ve misstepped with characterization partly because they were telling instead of showing (we didn’t discuss this in the previous review, but this was why I was ambivalent about the reveal about Ward – because we did need something to relate to about him, but it was poorly done). In this episode, though, everyone’s personality is allowed to shine through their actions. I’m actually starting to think Fitzsimmons are their best characters, for instance. The problem of them being indistinguishable is slowly going away, I’m noticing (Fitz is a lot more boyish and Simmons is sort of the exasperated older sister), and more than that, they never have to explain themselves to us. We kind of just understand who they are already. And the point is, that was happening with everyone this week.

R: Right like I’m currently obsessed with Melinda May. I loved how she saw something of herself in Akila and was kind of disgusted by it.

S: That’s a really cool point. I didn’t really catch on to that, but I see that now.

R: Yeah, I have a feeling that of all of them, May hates SHIELD the most. And when we find out what happened to Coulson, she’s probably going to be the angriest about it. Their relationship is deep. And beautiful. It shows that Coulson can evolve beyond being a dad to his agents. And from that we can kind of see how he doesn’t think Ward is as good as Ward thinks he is. If he really trusted Ward, he’d treat him like May and, frankly, Ward would be able to make decisions for himself. He really can’t and/or doesn’t and I think that that’s a place that going to be explored in Ward and Coulson’s relationship.

S: Well I think his relationship with May is different because they’re really equals in terms of seniority. They’re the mom and dad of the team. And what was so cool about this episode was that it was the first time I really understood everyone’s relationships to each other instinctively. I guess before I was a little unclear about May’s role, but now it makes sense – she’s almost as much their leader as Coulson is. He never really orders her to do anything because they’re equals. And Skye makes so much more sense to me now, too – she sees Coulson as a cool dad. Part of that, to be fair, is because of the reveal we had about her last episode, where we now know she’s an orphan.

R: Right and in that dialogue, there was a lot more of the classic Whedon dialogue, finally. She reminded me of the Scoobies in the best of ways.

S: That is such an adorable way to look at the team. Coulson is Giles and Skye is sort of a Buffy/Faith hybrid. I’ll have to think about who the others correspond to.

R: Well, I do hope they’re a little different than the Scoobies. Like, for one, they’re older and they all have skills. Unlike in Buffy, it’s not about them learning skills that will help save the world, it’s about them learning to live together and make room for each other and collaborate, which I think is an awesome premise for the show. It’s kinda dumb that I’m only seeing it four episodes in, but I can definitely dig it.

S: Oh yeah, that occurred to me in the second episode. It’s kind of the same theme as the Avengers, except nobody is superpowered and the focus is less on them gathering the team and more about them learning to be one.

I want to get back to something you said earlier, though, which is that the episode was focused this one woman. I agree with that, but I also think part of what made this episode so good is that the story had a wider applicability to the show as a whole. It hits most of the big issues they’ve been exploring – can SHIELD be in a “position to do some good”, as Coulson says, despite their enormous power? They do that through the theme of surveillance, another recurring issue in the show (which Skye basically embodies). In this episode, SHIELD is contrasted with the mysterious organization that controls Akila. They actually have very similar methods, and even end up doing exactly the same thing when Skye sees what Ward sees through the glasses, but of course the big difference is that SHIELD is protecting Akila, whereas this other organization is enslaving her. So the answer to that question, at least this week, is yes – they can use their power for good.

R: Which is cool. But I think Skye doesn’t exactly represent surveillance, but the subversion of authority. She’s not the one doing any surveilling - she’s just hacking the systems, taking back what authorities have already deemed their right. I don’t think that’s going to be represented as monolithically good any more than authority and surveillance is going to be represented as monolithically bad. Which, you’re right, is being explored in this episode.

S: For the significant improvement and a story whose parts all mostly work for the whole, but allowing for the possibility that the show can do even better, I give it an 8/10.

R: I actually have to give it a 10/10. I cared for everyone in the episode - was completely emotionally engaged and thought the storytelling was tight and visually intelligent. I give it a perfect score with a note that this is relative to the rest of the show. I’d be VERY happy if this ep becomes the new baseline, but for now, it did a spectacular job as is.