TV Review: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 Episode 7

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 Episode 7 “The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D “

Director: Jesse Bochco

Starring: Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Elizabeth Henstridge, Henry Simmons, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Jeff Ward, Joel Stoffer

Rating: TV-14

Runtime: 45 minutes

It’s been said but it’s worth saying again just how Legends of Tomorrow this season of Shield is.  The two shows have always had similarities, even beyond the basics of being network superhero shows with diverse casts that spotlight lesser-known comic book characters and original creations, but this season Shield has become even more like its CW DC counterpart, both because of the addition of the time-traveling journey through history and its mostly light-hearted approach to said storyline.  This has been more a benefit than a problem so far because Shield has still retained the parts of its identity that are more unique and bold departures from its usual style, like the noir episode, have been handled with care.  But here the show slips into pale imitation by trying out, with only mixed success, a distinctly Legends storytelling strategy by zooming in on a particular character in the wake of a devastating personal loss and charting their recovery during a largely comedic adventure.  Shield is more than adept at both comedy and drama but delivering both simultaneously and using the former to develop and strengthen the latter is a skill few shows have mastered to the same extent that Legends has.  The result is an uneven Shield that accomplishes what it sets out to do adequately enough but ultimately feels like a lost opportunity for deeper character work.

“The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D” depicts Mack and Deke’s time stranded in the 80s after the Zephyr malfunctioned, leaving them behind.  Already heartbroken by the deaths of his parents, this latest disaster acts as the straw that broke the camel’s back for Mack, and he heads off on his own, taking up residence in his childhood home after the younger versions of himself and his brother are sent to live with their grandparents.  He spends his time alone, drinking, and building model cars, while Deke makes routine, unsuccessful attempts to get him to let him in to help (Mack does make use of the food and drink he leaves on his doorstep, however).  It’s a powerful, realistic depiction of grief and Henry Simmons does an excellent job of conveying Mack’s broken, disconnected mental state, with Jeff Ward depicting Deke’s compassionate pleas equally well.  Despite Deke’s attempts at friendship, there has always been tension between the two men, mostly stemming from Mack’s disapproval of Deke’s immature, opportunistic actions so seeing their relationship take this turn is a striking demonstration of both how fundamentally messed-up Mack is at the moment and how much Deke has grown over the years.

A lot of that nice character work gets swallowed up, however, when the episode shifts into being a comedic 80s nostalgia piece, with an especially loving tribute to the era’s cheesy sci-fi and action movies.  After finally accepting one of Deke’s invitations and going to meet him at a bar, Mack is repulsed to find the futuristic goof has started a band singing popular hits that haven’t been written yet.  But Deke assures him that The Deke Squad is also a cover band in a more literal sense: it’s a cover for Deke’s attempt to form his own Shield to do the work that the Hydra-controlled version from the 80s can’t.  The bandmembers are his first recruits and are introduced with an A-Team-esque graphic montage.  There’s Roxy Glass (Tipper Newton), brothers Tommy and Ronnie Chang, referred to as “The Chang Gang” (played by real-life twin brothers John and Matt Yuan), and Russian demolitions expert Olga Pachinko (Jolene Andersen).  Oh, and Cricket (Ryan Donowho), who really is just a drummer.  The most helpful member of the team, however, is Coulson, whose virtual mind now resides in an old-fashioned computer.

Mack may not be impressed with The Deke Squad’s performance on a laser-tag like training course in the halls of the Lighthouse but they acquit themselves well when the base is invaded for real.  As it turns out Sybill’s consciousness also survived the explosion on the Chronicom ship and, with the help of a nerdy technician, uploads itself into several small, but deadly robotic bodies, which make their way into the Lighthouse.  What follows is a set of sequences that lovingly homage the robot slasher movies Mack loves so much, with the revitalized director taking on the machines with the help of his unorthodox new team (minus poor Cricket, who gets killed early on).

But that can only happen after he picks himself up out of the depths of depression, and it’s the episode’s handling of that arc that comes up short.  The work it does in forging a new, stronger bond between Mack and Deke is solid enough, with Roxy’s chastising of Mack for him not appreciating all the younger man does for him (he’s been providing various kinds of support to young Mack and his family, telling the team that he’s the older Mack’s son) and the Predator handshake that seals the new partnership being particularly good but Mack overcoming his grief feels rushed.  Yes, when Yo-Yo and May arrive to pick the boys up at the end of the episode he says he’s still recovering but he pretty much just gets back into fighting shape because the show needs him to and part of the reason it feels that way is probably because his recovery is wrapped up among such goofy shenanigans.

And I don’t mean to imply that the funny bits don’t work, because they do, at least for the most part.  Henry Simmons and Jeff Ward have both demonstrated their considerable comedic chops during their time on Shield and they predictably sell all of the jokes and references here (Ward’s silly abandon during The Deke Squad’s performance of their remixed version of “Don’t You Forget About Me” is especially delightful).  And the guest actors all acquit themselves quite well also.  It’s just that all their material feels out of place in an episode that’s simultaneously dealing with such grave subjects as grief and depression.  Rather than being “Totally Excellent” the episode feels like a mostly unsuccessful attempt by the show to be something that it’s not.

Notes:

• This isn’t the first episode to feel like the show’s imitating Legends.  Last year’s “Fear and Loathing on the Planet of Kitson” was a similarly comedic-focused installment that worked better by coming earlier in the season so there wasn’t much narrative tension for its silliness to take away from.
• Sybil’s consciousness again escapes, and makes it’s way to Nathaniel Malick, who apparently survived the collapse of his building last episode.