Agents Of Shield (Season 4)

Season 4 of Agents Of Shield is amazing. The showrunners made the decision to split it into three separate arcs, which could've made the season feel disjointed, but it works. Everything transitions seamlessly, and the pacing is excellent. This was my favorite Agents Of Shield season that I watched prior to these reviews, and it's still fantastic.

Since this season is divided into three arcs, I'll split up my review accordingly:

The Ghost Rider Arc: The first eight episodes of this season revolve around the Ghost Rider, a really badass superhero whose only other live-action appearance was in the Nicholas Cage films. It's great to finally get to see that character done well, and his struggle with his "devil side" is very compelling. It also parallels Daisy spending much of this arc as a vigilante, pushing herself away from the rest of the team after the events of Season 3, and the dynamic between her and Robbie is great. Meanwhile, there's also a lot of focus put on SHIELD trying to improve their reputation by making an Inhuman their new director, a storyline that stays consistent through the whole season. The new director Jeffrey Mace is a bit annoying for most of this arc but you do warm up to him by the end. Unfortunately, while I do really like the Ghost Rider storyline, it's my least favorite of the three upon rewatch. It gets off to a bit of a slow start, the villains are some of the weakest in the whole show, and the midseason finale is honestly kind of dull. At its best, however, this arc offered some great episodes and a fantastic depiction of the iconic Ghost Rider character.

LMD Arc: I didn't love the LMD arc when I first saw it, but it actually held up really well upon rewatch. The Ghost Rider arc introduces the LMD that Radcliffe built, Aida, who ends up having to read the Darkhold (that evil Doctor Strange book) to save the team. This prompts Radcliffe to want the Darkhold for himself, replacing May with an LMD in an attempt to get it. There's a great sense of paranoia to the whole arc, especially once the show introduces the fact that characters other than May could be LMDs as well, as well as some interesting themes on man vs machine. The stuff regarding SHIELD's reputation is also mostly fantastic, between the reveal that Mace isn't an Inhuman and the stuff with Nadeer. However, I think the arc does start to suffer once it introduces the Superior, the Russian leader of the Inhuman-hating Watchdogs. He's not very compelling at all, and really drags down the season. Thankfully, it all ends on one of the, if not the, best episodes of the whole show, making the whole arc more than worth it.

Framework Arc: But while I like the LMD and Ghost Rider arcs, they don't even come close to the final storyline of the season: The Framework arc. I've expressed my distaste with alternate universe episodes but this is a huge exception, I love this storyline. It's primarily about Daisy and Simmons going into the Framework that Radcliffe and Aida built to save the rest of the team, a virtual reality where everyone's regrets never happened. Unfortunately, those regrets not happened ending up leading to a 1984-esque Hydra-owned hellhole, where May and Fitz are the villains, Ward is a double agent but for SHIELD, and Mack has the daughter he previously lost. Seeing Daisy and Simmons try to survive such an oppressive place is already super gripping (and the political commentary, while not subtle, very much works here), but I especially love how the Framework fits in with everyone's character arcs for the season. Fitz has to deal with feeling like a monster after helping to create Aida, Daisy has to deal with Lincoln's death all over again, Mack has to deal with the loss of his kid, and so on. Despite being an alternate reality, much of the development from the Framework ends up sticking, and the last two episodes taking place back in the real world not only affirms this development but brings together all the previous arcs for one big final battle with Aida. It's just fantastic.

While most of the season was great, these are the highlights. Yes, I know most of them are from the Framework arc:

Tbe Good Samaritan: This episode was a pretty fantastic turning point for the Ghost Rider arc, as it really feels like everything is starting to reach its fever pitch. For starters, Robbie reveals that he's Ghost Rider to his brother, as we finally learn about his backstory. The big confrontation on the Quinjet is tense, the reveal of the true villain was pretty cool, and the big cliffhanger left me stunned when I first watched it.

Deals With Our Devils: I was surprised to find that I liked this one a lot more than when I first watched it, the way it jumps between the perspectives of the team and Fitz, Coulson, and Robbie is really cool. There's also a lot of fantastic plot progression, like Simmons and Fitz reuniting, Aida reading the Darkhold, and Coulson learning that Mace has been colluding with Nadeer.

Self Control: This is an amazing episode, easily the show's best up to this point. With LMDs all over the base, the sense of paranoia is off the charts, and it leads to plenty of electric scenes where the characters just can't trust anyone. The whole episode is filled with legendary scenes, like Fitz and Simmons trying to figure out which of them is the LMD, Daisy blowing Mack to pieces, the Daisy LMDs, LMD May's sacrifice, Radcliffe being killed, and of course, that insane final scene that introduces the Framework. I also have to say, as of this episode, I think I'm starting to like the Skimmons ship... huh... 

What If...: This was such a tense and anxiety-inducing episode, and a strong start to the Framework arc. The show throws both Daisy and Simmons in the deep end and forces them to quickly adapt to a Hydra-occupied world that they're completely unfamiliar with. It all adds up to one of the bleakest episodes of the whole show.

No Regrets: I can't understate just how much of a 180 I made on Mace both times I watched this season. The writers want you to hate him at first, because he's new, unfamiliar, and a bit untrustworthy. But eventually you realize that he really does want to save the world, and his sacrifice to save a child and the rest of the team is just such a noble end to the character. A true patriot. Oh, and May turning against Hydra and giving Daisy a Terrigen crystal is pretty great too.

Farewell, Cruel World: This is pretty much the end of the Framework arc. While not the season finale, most of the cast is back in the real world by the end of this episode. Thankfully, Farewell Cruel World is a fantastic episode. It's fast-paced, tense, and action-packed that evokes the third act of the Matrix in a lot of ways. The final third in particular is fantastic, from Coulson and May's reunion, to Simmons's confrontation with Fitz, to Mack deciding to stay. The emotional moments all land incredibly well. 

The Return: I know I said What If... is one of the bleakest episodes in the series, but The Return is the bleakest episode in the series, at least so far. Saying the team had a rude awakening would be putting it lightly, with Coulson and May trapped underwater, the base being destroyed, SHIELD being declared fugitives again, Elena learning about Mack, and all that sweet sweet drama between Fitz, Simmons, and Aida. This episode is raw, emotional, and incredibly well-acted, while also managing to include some great action and the long-awaited return of Ghost Rider.

World's End: This finale is absolutely packed, but still manages to be a satisfying ending to the season. Obviously, the big emotional stuff happens in the Framework, with Hope disappearing and Radcliffe's death. But there's also Coulson briefly becoming the Ghost Rider, May and Coulson finally getting to discuss their relationship, Talbot getting shot, SHIELD's reputation getting destroyed, and of course, that pretty crazy abduction cliffhanger. This was the last episode that I saw before quitting the show, and I couldn't be more excited to see what happens next.

Overall, Season 4 is amazing. It's well-paced, character-driven, exciting, emotional, and every single one of the three arcs are great in their own ways. And the Framework arc, one of the best storylines in all of television. I can't overstate this enough, I love this season, and it held up just as well upon rewatch.

5/5 Stars