TV REVIEW: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. S4E15 – Self Control

Wow.

Remember how I said was really worried and frustrated about where it looked like the LMD plotline was heading last week? Well, forget I ever said that. This? This was amazing.

BRB, nightmares for days.

I have to admit that I was not expecting Fitz to be the other LMD. They got me good, last week. Fitz makes a lot more sense than trying to start out with a Daisy LMD, though, as I mentioned – since Aida and Radcliffe have not, in fact, learned how to replicate Inhuman powers. But man oh man, the confrontation between Simmons and Fake Fitz! I felt so awful for Simmons throughout basically the entire episode. I mean, she’s already been through an awful lot in her SHIELD tenure – and now she has to kill someone who looks and talks like her beloved Fitz. No wonder she was so traumatized afterward.

Speaking of trauma, I wouldn’t mind if there were many fewer instances of wrist-slicing in future episodes. Not a big fan. I almost feel bad for poor, stupid Radcliffe, meeting (physical) death at the hands of his own creation – but only almost. After all, I called it pretty soon after Aida first showed up: despite Radcliffe’s intentions, she was going to go rogue. (And then Mack called it, too, with his and Yo-Yo’s suspicion of robots!)

And speaking of scary robots, Mack, Coulson, Mace, and Fitz as their LMD selves, with so much less humanity, was really very chilling. Very well done, to those actors as well as the writer. It’s a good thing they/Aida underestimated Jemma and Daisy. Love those two so, so much. I love that they helped each other pull themselves together, and then made a kickass plan to save the humans on the base. That was even after poor Daisy saw all her doubles and had yet another “Ward is Hydra” moment! (More on Ward in a moment.) I’m hoping all the LMDs on the base ended up being destroyed in LMD May’s explosion. Based on the EW interview with Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, it sounds like that chapter is closed, at least. But I was so glad LMD May went out like the hero she was made to copy. Seems like any version of May who is at least mostly May will be just as awesome as the original.

Because that’s not incredibly creepy or anything. Poor Daisy!

Right, so, the Framework. I guess we have yet to see exactly how each of the regrets that Aida “fixed” will play out in that terrifying alternate universe – but it sure doesn’t look good so far. For one thing, freaking Ward is back. What the heck, Aida? I hope you don’t think he is Daisy’s biggest regret, especially when Lincoln gets name-dropped in the same episode. At least Daisy didn’t look happy about his reappearance. Also, Coulson, didn’t you think about the implications of you not joining SHIELD? No Avengers assembling, Hydra wins – and what would even lead you to end up with May in that terrible world? And I guess Simmons died when Hydra took over – which means I have NO idea how she’s going to be in the Framework. Lots of inconsistencies, Aida. I wonder what Aida will do if her own actions in “fixing” these regrets end up damaging the thing she’s supposed to protect. Although I guess she has her new terrifying Russian headless robot thing to help her in that endeavor. Gah!

Now we have to wait until April 4 for any resolution! Not fun, but after this episode, I’m pretty sure it’ll be worth the wait. Would you agree?