Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Season 3 Episode 19: “Failed Experiments”
Directed by Wendy Stanzler
Written by Brent Fletcher
Created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen
Starring Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Brett Dalton, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge, Henry Simmons, Luke Mitchell, Axle Whitehead, John Hannah, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Alexander Wraith
ABC
Air Date: Tuesday, May 3, 2016, 9pm

These “Who Will Die” promos for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Fallen Agent are killing me. Or someone else, I guess. They have been teasing an “earth-shattering” finale and death for so many weeks, that I’m actually looking forward to seeing who they kill off.

As for Episode 3.19 “Failed Experiments,” we definitely see some failed experiments!

Spoilers ahead.

“Sometimes the greatest miracles happen by accident.” This is the theme quote of the episode. In the latest installment of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., we learn about Not-Ward/Hive’s (Brett Dalton) origin story. He was an indigenous person thousands of years ago and he was attacked and experimented on by the Kree (every time I hear this, I want to say, “Jaffa, kree!” Stargate SG-1, anyone?). Super nerdy references aside, these experiments added live Kree DNA to Hive and he became who he is. It is Daisy (Chloe Bennet) who reminds him that he is a wonderful miracle and not a failed experiment (along with the “many others” to whom the Kree also did this). Swoon. Love story of the century, guys.

My personal favorite part of the episode is when three loyal Hydra leaders listen to Hive’s tale and ask how it relates to them. Hive tells them they will be rewarded…by being subjects in an experiment to recreate what happened to Hive. Then, their faces get melted off. Literally just melted. That was basically Game of Thrones level of gross. It was definitely the most interesting part of the episode, though.

Basically everything else was about S.H.I.E.L.D. and Daisy. Lincoln (Luke Mitchell) desperately wants to help, so he injects himself (an Inhuman like Daisy) with a cure developed by Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) to see if it works…against Coulson’s (Clark Gregg) orders. He almost dies, but he doesn’t. Bummer. I don’t particularly enjoy watching main characters die, but this show has just been so drab that it would at least liven it up a bit and get the plot moving.

During a S.H.I.E.L.D. attack at Hive’s headquarters, Mack (Henry Simmons) encounters Daisy and tries to save her, but she almost kills him and he loses faith in her by the end. It’s obvious May (Ming-Na Wen) shoulders some of the blame as well, but tucks it down into her badass persona and fighting skills, particularly against fun Aussie Inhuman James (Axle Whitehead) in a billiards bar. There’s not much to know about that exchange besides the fact that she turned on the charm, he was an obvious and gullible candidate for this method, he gave her information readily, and then she knocked him out. I do always enjoy May’s no-nonsense attitude. Overall, Coulson seems to be thinking of the big picture and not worrying about losing Daisy as a casualty of war.

Meanwhile, our fallen agent, Daisy, questions her own loyalties (as does Hive) because she still cares about her friends at S.H.I.E.L.D. Her resolution to this is that she will do the the Kree experiment on them or she will “rip their hearts out.” Fair, fair.

My second favorite part of the episode was when Hive showed his chief doctor/experimenter/torturer, Holden Radcliffe (John Hannah) an alien-looking ball (to the geeks who know what this is, please forgive me for my lack of knowledge) and says, “If you were scared before, you should be terrified now.” This is one of the least terrifying things I’ve ever seen. Is it the word choice? I use the word “terrifying” a lot in a sarcastic context. And if you hadn’t guessed, I was also being sarcastic when I said this was my second favorite part…but it was funny.

Finally, we find out this cool ball is some sort of homing device to some Kree hunters who are after Hive for being a “failed experiment.” Per Hive’s orders, Daisy keeps one alive (but cruelly breaks his spine) in order to drain its blood for more experiments. Silly Hive; those people’s faces melted off because they used DEAD Kree blood, not LIVE Kree blood! DUH.

As you can see, “Failed Experiments” was underwhelming and could quite possibly be considered a failed experiment. But can it become a miracle as the quote above suggests? Only next week will tell when we finally… find… out… who… will… die… … …

S.H.I.E.L.D.ed Observation:
– If there was a show (almost Doctor Who style?) just about Fitz and Simmons going on adventures together and being cute and sciency I would totally watch it. Would you? I think they are the best characters on the show: well developed, natural, good chemistry, believable, fun, cute… Anyone listening out there, TV Gods?

Until next time!

Videos

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3×19 Promo “Failed Experiments”

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3×19 Sneak Peek “Failed Experiments”