Agents of Shield Season 4 Thoughts

Season 4 Thoughts

Agents of Shield has had quite the run during its fourth season installment with many wondering whether or not the season would face cancellation at the end of the day. Thankfully, not only was the series recently announced with an official renewal after weeks of tension driven speculation, but the season also managed to end on a pretty high note all things considered. So, with that said, here are my briefly summarized thoughts regarding Agents of Shield's fourth season overall.

Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider was an awesome addition to the MCU via the Agents of Shield standalone brand. The casting was perfect, the visual FX during all of the transformation and fight sequences were incredible to gaze at, and the character himself added a whole new layer of fantastical fun to the series. Ghost Rider's scenes during the finale was where I felt we really got to see him fully let loose and evolved which makes me more than eager to see him return in the future. Due to his fascinating and mysterious story as someone who has experienced some version of Hell and has made a new deal with a raging and powerful spirit, Robbie Reyes has been the only character that I've ever considered wanting to see a spin-off series for. Agents of Shield definitely gets a thumbs up for doing the spirit of vengeance justice. 

Different Unique Story Arcs

This season of Agents of Shield did something that I have never seen executed on any other comic-book TV series (with the exception of Gotham to some degree). The concept of exploring various unique and individually themed story arcs back to back with an overarching connection and end point was absolutely fascinating to see. Despite some of them ending up being far more compelling and better constructed than the others, the idea alone is praiseworthy in my opinion and something that should not be overlooked by audiences. I'd love to see this storytelling device presented in the future as it beautifully tributes what comic-book readers are used to venturing through different issues and volumes every month. 

The Framework Arc

The framework storyline is one of the various arcs explored this season and is one that I'll never forget whenever I find myself discussing the show in the future. It's essentially one massively extensive "What if" scenario thrown onto the audience but displayed in a dramatically and visually captivating way. The design of the world itself is worth mentioning given the Hydra themed backdrop smothering the screen with its eerie presence, but even more notable is the character twists. Seeing some of our heroes become legitimately fleshed out villains as well as witnessing the evolution of the Aida character transform into one of the series' greatest villains yet made this particular entry a spectacle of storytelling. 

That Finale Cliffhanger

Agents of Shield is traditionally known for its amazing season finales setting up the future of the series via some form of a teasing dialogue or visual treat. Seeing Coulson gazing through what seems to be the window of a spaceship with the line "Time to get back to work" opens the floodgates to a sea of speculations. Not only are the visual FX phenomenal (as they have been this entire season for the most part), but the implications are pretty massive regarding the evolution of the scope for the show. Once you've entered the cosmic realm of the Marvel universe, you've entered a world of infinite possibilities at that point. With that in mind, one can expect some pretty crazy story lines and science-fiction imagery heading our way. 

Slow Beginnings

The first half of Season 4 (give or take a couple of episodes) honestly had me the most nervous that I've ever felt for a show that I generally enjoy. What made me fearful for the show's shelf life was how considerably dull and lifeless both the storytelling elements and entertainment value came across (especially when a certain flaming skull donning badass wasn't headlining a scene). Everything from the highly forgettable ghostly characters showing up to the "Everyone's a robot now!" plot point took Agents of Shield's successful momentum and made a profound stop in the middle of the road. Luckily, things do eventually change for the better.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, Season 4 may have been a bit of a mixed bag regarding its entertainment quality and questionable pacing regarding certain story points altogether. However, once the framework arc started, everything seemed to have elevated back to the respected bar of quality known to many fans like myself. New characters such as Ghost Rider and Aida were fascinating to see spotlighted (especially Aida considering her evolution towards the end) and the implications of the future made during the finale left me genuinely excited to see what's in store for us. Say what you will about a large portion of this season feeling like a major letdown, but considering where the journey lead to in the end, I can confidently consider this an overall success in my book.

Season Rating: 8/10