[NOTE: This review is for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 1, Episode 14 and contains SPOILERS!]

With Skye’s (Chloe Bennet) health deteriorating, Coulson (Clark Gregg) believes there’s a way to save her. Considering that S.H.I.E.L.D. could resurrect him, but his medical file provides more secrets than answers. A redacted document reveals a WW2 bunker labeled the Guest House, which isn’t a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, but it’s their only lead to an experimental drug marked GH-325. If they can get it the question is should it be used to treat Skye?

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns from a month long break brandishing a new title Uprising. As the name implies the team finds themselves at odds with their employer, and they begin disobeying director orders from HQ. T.A.H.I.T.I finds it’s strength in its ability to color S.H.I.E.L.D. in shades of grey albeit heavy handed. Words like diabolical are used to describe the procedure done to Coulson. Or the Guest House not being officially recognized by S.H.I.E.L.D.., not to mention the ethical question do you use a drug derived from half of a blue alien’s torso even if it causes cellular regeneration. Obviously the tone shift has something to do with Captain America: The Winter Solider, where the organization is positioned as a possible enemy. Director Fury’s got some explaining to do, but he isn’t taking any of Coulson’s calls.

On the way to the Bethesda facility, S.H.I.E.L.D. sends a squadron of fighter jets to the Bus. Cue Agent Garrison (Bill Paxton) who is sent in to retrieve Quinn (David Conrad) for interrogation at the fridge. Paxton’s inclusion to the show is a breath of fresh air, but his character suffers from the same problem any character faces on the show they’re too flat. His vague history as Ward’s (Brett Dalton) former Supervising Officer is suppose to be enough to tie him to the team, but it’s Agent Triplett (B.J. Britt) that allows Ward to flex some muscle literally. The bout between the two agents has been the best showcase of Ward’s hand to hand capabilities, but is cut short after Garrison finds out Quinn was one who shot Skye and offer to help.

Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) do a lot of the leg work, looking for doctors, procedures, and drugs in Coulson’s medical report and all of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s recent travel documents to find the Guest House. Their lack of answers helps add weight to the secrets they uncover, but their resourcefulness prove Skye isn’t as vital to the team as once thought. Triplett has a heart to heart with Simmons and is placed as a potential love interest, but he doesn’t get a whole lot to do in this episode.

At the Guest House, the team is greeted by two armed guards but dispatch them quickly. They realize the whole bunker has been rigged to blow, so Ward and Garrett work on an exit strategy while Coulson and Fitz search for the GH-325, which has the ability to heal tissue damage at a cellular level. Fitz gets it back to the Bus, but as Skye starts to flat line, Simmons uses the drug. It brings Skye back with a violent seizure, but then she quickly stabilizes. Coulson discovers T.A.H.I.T.I is more than just implanted memories, but the GH drug comes from the upper half of a blue alien’s torso. May (Ming-Na Wen) asks Coulson why he didn’t want them to use the drug on Skye, and he lies saying he didn’t want her to suffer like he did, which is counterintuitive since we’re supposed to be uncovering the lies S.H.I.E.L.D. has been telling.

There’s a lot of speculation around what the blue alien could be, but the Kree theory holds the most water. The Kree are a race of aliens that have varying skin colors based on generation, but blue is suppose to be the original color and they are described as humanoid in appearance. Marvel’s phase two put an emphasis on the cosmic universe, and this would definitely be in keeping with that theme. The fact that Ms. Marvel is suppose to be Marvel’s first film with a female lead, also lends credibility to this rumor since she and The Avengers have a prevalent story arc with the Kree. The rumors about Skye being Ms. Marvel are unlikely since Marvel Studios wants the character in the movies.

It’s all about second chances the rebrand, tone shift, and Coulson’s reveal. The episode picks a bit of momentum, but I’m cautiously optimistic. Since the reveals on the show have been pretty underwhelming. It’s a strong start and should theoretically take us closer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but as part of a multimillion dollar franchise a television show is hard press to be able to keep up at a fraction of the budget.

The episode ends in Death Valley, California with Lorelei (Elena Satine) an Asgardian stuck on earth, a tease for next week’s episode “Yes Men” which will feature Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) in what I’m calling the actual Thor tie-in episode.

There’s a lot to digest in this one, but hopefully loses the problems the show had early on with the old name. So what did you think of the first episode under the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Uprising name? Has it changed your mind about the original reveal of how Coulson has been brought back into the Marvel universe?

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The writer of this piece was:

Laurence Almalvez
Laurence has previously written over at Whatculture.com.
Laurence tweets from @IL1511