indigo sunrise

I'm kind of glad I had read that as a theory a few days ago so I could brace myself, otherwise it would have hit me even harder. I'm so gutted. Not just that she left, but also for selfish reasons because she's my absolute favourite character and not getting to see her a lot in this episode and probably in the next one is completely devastating

Natasha Romanoff

how could people possibly figure that out!?

I was like "how the hell could it be a hallucination?"

and now I am just.

gingerly

It started with people noticing that Simmons was wearing the same outfit she wore in FZZT (when the season 2 promo was first released), strangely enough.

General thought: Just one episode into the new season, the show feels so different to last season.

indigo sunrise

Yep, it was mainly because she wore the same thing from FZZT, and also because her hair was longer, while we've seen in promo pics that it's shorter for the new season. And then there were two promo pics from the next episode (which is not a spoiler now I guess) where two were almost identical, except in one Jemma was there, and then in the other one she wasn't. So people had started to put two and two together...

It really does. I both like it and don't like it. I do love this new direction but if we don't also get some of those more lighthearted, goofier moments soon in upcoming episodes, I am going to miss that so much

ETA: something else, I'm worried about the foreshadowing they seem to be doing with Skye. Coulson says "oh yeah, and then he went nuts" and they cut to Skye lying on the comms table that's displaying the alien code. Then a bit later on, Trip says "You'll go crazy staring at this crap." don't do this to meeeeee!

DR76

Ohmigod! Did this show lose its sense of humor? I realize that the show is supposed to take a darker turn, but they seemed to be overdoing it. In fact, the only flash of humor came from Trip. And what was up with that speech from Coulson near the end of the episode? He sounded as if he had a burr up his ass. The scene between Skye and Ward was simply wince inducing. Were they trying to make Ward seductive? Frankly, I found him annoying. And what was up with that slow motion scene? Was this episode directed by John Woo or something?

It happened . . . just as I had feared. The producers caved in to the public's inability to deal with the serial drama format . . . and they ended up forcing the action - to the extreme - down our throats. God, this is disappointing.

Mistified

This had not been my favorite episode.

Just as DR76 said, the humor is gone. That was the most flattering aspect of the show and it was taken from it. The characters also seem different.

Simmons walking out on Fitz because she couldn't handle it? It doesn't sound like her. I missed her though.

Fitz is a mess. But that was to be expected but I feel like no one is trying with him.

May was fine but not enough.

Skye and Ward really both need therapy. Ward trying to kill himself is not something that can be forgotten. He needs to get help. I also cringed at Skye telling him that he should have tried harder.

Coulson keeping Ward down there knowing about his suicidal attempts really pissed me off. What happened to his compassion? I also didn't like that he made no time for his team.

Too many new characters. I loved seeing Trip.

warangel88

Skye seemed to lost her compassion as well. She honestly has become some one I don't recognized any more. I can't really see the old Skye telling somebody to go kill them self.

Also I'm wondering if the New SHIELD/Coulson has really learned from the Old SHIELD mistakes. I mean it seemed like the Old SHIELD had a problem with letting agents to die/no escape route. It seems to me, Coulson believes the mission is more important than the agents if he was willing to let Izzy die.

Honestly the only good thing I can think of is Trip, and the relationship/friendship between Lance/Izzy.

5555

They showed Dum Dum! The Absorbing Man was great, especially since I didn't know he was going to show up this soon and thought he was something else.
Other than that I'm uncomfortable.
Chloe is beautiful and Ming Na is prettier than Melinda, but it doesn't feel right with long loose hair and cleavage.
The symptoms Fitz is suffering from don't make sense.
Was Lucy Lawless the woman who cut off her hand, the woman with Talbot, or both?
I wish we had to wait longer to see Ward again.
Most importantly, who decided to put HYDRA agents in Iraq and Syria where we're dropping real bombs? Maybe if the show gets cancelled this season they can be fighting there and all get killed in a US air strike!

Butterfly85

I really liked the episode alot, even though I do agree the humor was gone. I didn't hear about those hallucination theories but something felt off to me about the Fitz/Simmons scenes so I wasn't that suprised she was a figment of Fitz's imagination. No one else was talking to her and she was only in scenes with Fitz. Did the actress that played Simmons leave the show or is recurring now cause Simmons leaving that way, especially to leave her friend like that seemed really cruel and selfish. I liked the absorbing man too and I wonder what the deal is with that silver thing. Liked seeing a cameo by Cap's girlfriend lol. God I love Trip, I want more of him. I don't care about Ward at all and hope they don't try to redeem him. He's not needed IMO and the damage he's done to Fitz is awful. I hope they give Guardians of the Galaxy some love IE mentions. Then again probably not since that was in space. So yeah besides the humor being gone like some said, I thought it was a great episode and I'm not suprised if it's darker since Shield is no more. I wonder how they will work in Avengers 2 into the show when that gets closer to it's release date.

gingerly

I had assumed Skye telling Ward he should have run into the wall harder was her simply not believing he genuinely tried to kill himself, and that it may have been another ploy to manipulate her. I hate to say it, but if I was in her position I would have my doubts too.

Simmons leaving makes sense to me, as much as it sucks. The guilt must have been overwhelming, and the lie detector test scene in 1x19 (being unsure of why she was still with SHIELD at all) tells me at least a part of her was ready bolt (and all things considered I can't blame her).

I saw a lot of humour in the new team, mainly Lance Hunter, but I do see it's a lot more serious than the majority of last season. Buuuut, after everything that happened at the end of last season, I don't see how they coulld hold onto the humour that was there in the beginning. It also seems to me like it's part of the retooling of the series, because I remember many saying in the beginning it was hokey and they couldn't take the show seriously.

Karri

I liked the episode. Skye, May, and Tripp were the best parts. I do miss the closeness between Coulson and the team. I hope that doesn't last long. I keep thinking they are going to redeem Ward eventually, but after seeing how Fitz is I'm not sure how they would be able to make it believable. Ward was kind of creepy in that scene with Skye. I don't think Skye has lost her compassion. I thought he was using his suicide attempts to manipulate her and even if he wasn't she certainly had reason to believe he was.

warangel88

I dont think anybody is inredemable. It just depends on what he or she decides to do with his life from this point on.

I think Marvel is known for a redemption arc. I mean look at Natasha/Black Widow. She is probably worst than Ward. But people seem to over look it because she is in Avenger.

Also I don't think anybody should say a person should have died after learning they tried to commit suicide regardless of the circumstances.

Mistified

They look over the redemption arcs of people like Natasha because you only see them after they have started but we had to see ward at his lowest before he could start his.

Skye is my favorite character and I understand how upset she is and he deserves it but she took it too far with the 'should have run faster' line but it could be that she doesn't believe him. She has no reason to.

The Survivor

I thought the premiere was good. Actually really liked more then S1 premiere/pilot.

Being a long time Xena fan it was cool to see Lucy Lawless on the show. Though I worry though now if this was just one time deal now given what's happened.

I feel really bad for Fitz. I don't want to see less of Simmons. So I hope she comes back soon. I think she will.

Absorbing Man is bad ass villain.

I don't have an opinion yet on the other new team members.

May and Coulson are still my favorite characters. I know this isn't a popular/well shared opinion but there's just something about Skye's character that makes me hard to connect/like her. Hopefully that will change in Season 2.

indigo sunrise

I also took it as her not believing him - cause why would she? I definitely don't think she meant it in a 'you should have tried harder to kill yourself' way. I think she is mainly taking his suicide attempts as yet another way to manipulate her and the rest of the team into feeling sorry for him and letting their guard down around him. For now she absolutely has zero reason to believe anything he says, and I think that's going to be that way for a while.

This episode did have some funny moments (Lance brought some, as did Tripp, and the whole Coulson-as-Talbot bit had some funny bits) but yeah, it was a much darker tone overall. But then also, I think that was definitely done on purpose. They really needed to show us with this new episode that everything has changed for the team, and the show isn't going to be the same as a result. I am sure that that lighter humour will return eventually, but for now there is SO much at stake. It wouldn't have fit into the tone to have some sillier moments, but I'm convinced that we'll get them back once the season progresses!

Elizabeth is still a regular, she'll be back. I didn't see it as selfish at all, that's practically the least thing Jemma Simmons is imho. She's shown over and over again that she'll go to incredibly length to save the rest of the team, her friends. She's practically sacrified herself over and over again for them. I don't think she would have left if she wasn't completely 100% convinced that it would be the right thing to do, she did think Fitz was worse in her presence, and who knows what she's up to now, she might be following some invaluable leads to find a way to make Fitz better. Wherever she is, I think she's still 100% involved in helping the team, especially Fitz. Also, it can't have been easy for her at the Playground. Knowing that the guy who tried to kill you is right there in the basement? Yikes.