Agents of SHIELD "Shadows"

"Go dark."

This appears to be the new mantra of Marvel's ambitious television project straight from Coulson's mouth. And it is indeed all the better for it. 

When Agents of SHIELD was in its infant stage, the show was middling to terrible. In fact, the show didn't gain real footing until it started tying into the events of the blockbuster hit Captain America: The Winter Soldier. After that, the show really hit an almost revolutionary surge of interest. It was almost as if it were a different show, featuring great characters and plots. It completely changed from the lackluster procedural that was only somewhat keyed into the Marvel Universe that was pitched at the beginning.

Season 2 starts off with the same momentum and that the last final established. SHIELD is effectively dead and Phil, Skye, and May are rebuilding the remaining remnants of the organization. They even have a few new recruits to help them along the way. Skye, as a character, has really grown into her own and seems like an effective member of the team instead of a liability. She even holds out on her own against the villainous turncoat Grant Ward in an amazing scene set in a tech-heavy SHIELD prison cell. Now Director Coulson has settled into the role as fearless leader even if him and May still clash at times. In particularly distressing news, Fitz seems to be suffering from some type of mild brain damage which is causing him to hallucinate Simmons, who actually left some months ago. As for the new recruits, Agents Koenig and Triplett shine in their particular roles and the new team led by Lucy Lawless also put in good performances. The plot revolve around the team tracking down an 0-8-4, a code for objects of alien origin. However, HYDRA is after the same device using Carl "The Crusher" Creel AKA The Absorbing Man. The object is held is a high secuity military base under the watchful of eye of super-dick Col. Glenn Talbot, who wants to put down all SHIELD members regardless of their affiliation to HYDRA or not. Creel goes after Talbot but not before being thwarted by the agents, who also use the opportunity to use Talbot to get into the base. They break in and recover the artifact but one of their team, Lawless in fact, falls prey to the artifact's damaging effects. The agents escape by stealing a Quinjet while the new recruits nearly get away bu are stopped by an escaped Creel who managed to obtain the device. 

This episode was non-stop action with some really great scenes of dialogue. I think the show has really come into its own in terms of both writing and its connection to a wider comics universe. Using characters like The Absorbing Man and Col. Talbot really make the show feel grounded. What's particularly good is how the premiere uses the momentum of the films to carry its action forward but doesn't rely on them to boost its own story. I think this will help the show as it moves forward. I also appreciate how the morals of the team are explored. SHIELD is considered the enemy by the US government now so the need to work in the shadows is greater than ever before to save the world. This requires doing some less than moral things by the team and it's interesting that the show is still exploring that. I'm very curious to see exactly where the show goes next.

Afterthoughts

- Kudos to the show for teasing Agent Carter in the opening. I'm looking forward to that spinoff immensely. It already has a very Indiana Jones feel to it, which is later hinted at in the warehouse scene

- It seems the mystery of Skye and her lineage is still not being revealed just yet. I certainly hope they're not teasing it for another whole season though

- Was Lawless dead at the end of the episode? It seemed to be so, but I have a feeling she'll be back

- The Nazi at the beginning and at the end of the episode is Daniel Whitehall, also known as Kraken best known from famous Marvel story Secret Warriors