A funny thing happened on the way to fulfilling particular seasonal plot points on this week’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The showrunners decided to wedge in the backstory of its (arguably) most interesting character. A baffling decision, to be sure, and, worse, it juxtaposed poorly with the episode’s larger story obligations. …Wait, that’s not funny. That’s very, very annoying.
Agent Melinda “The Cavalry” May is, theoretically, meant to be the focus of the episode entitled—go figure—“Melinda.” So, it’s more than a little confusing that the merry band of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most reliably competent character feels marginalized (if not swallowed up entirely) by the continuing, banal journey of Skye’s “Who am I?” storyline. From the series’ very beginning, it has made continued, awe-hushed whispers in regard to May’s nickname. This week’s episode ostensibly addresses that via flashbacks from seven years prior: While on assignment in Bahrain, Coulson and May attempt to apprehend a super-powered Russian woman, Eva (perhaps a previously unknown Black Widow agent?), only to seemingly have the mysterious woman provoke the kidnapping of a young girl, and send a S.H.I.E.L.D. strike force after her. Before the “hostage” scenario has the potential to become more volatile, Coulson agrees to send May in after the girl.
Meanwhile, Agents couldn’t seem to stop itself from competing with what it (presumably) meant to spotlight tonight, by picking up Skye’s crushingly dull “learn about yourself and your powers” thread, tossing in some clichés standing in for progress (Seriously, guys? Shattering fancy stemware?) and learning to control her abilities, then having her Inhuman teacher turn out to be… GASP… her mother! Not only was this “revelation” fairly obvious, it was clearly meant to have substantial emotional heft, if the swelling score and Chloe Bennet’s perpetual half-gape were any indicator. It… did not. At least Kyle MacLachlan made it back, acting a little less nuts.