‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Recap: ‘The New Deal’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

​For some time now, geeks and nerds everywhere have been able to bask within the majesty of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s ability to provide its fans with seemingly endless entertainment. Because it truly seems as though movies and shows, featuring our favorite comic book characters from this franchise, are going to continue along forever since there are so many ideas to pull from, to the point where even those we have lost along the way, have received their own standalone stories, such as Agent Phil Coulson. For so many fans thought he exited the MCU way too early in The Avengers and the decision to let him have his own series where he could show us what the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division can accomplish, seemed like the right one for certain.
 
Which is why so many of us tuned into Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. when it first premiered. Because it would let us spend time with a genuinely beloved character, and being able to do just that, and hang out with some supremely dynamic characters as they faced incredible odds on a consistent basis, and accomplished wonders along the way, is what kept us coming back time and time again. And it truly seemed as though this series would never end as well. Because there were countless missions and tie-ins waiting for them down the line. But sadly, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and as the MCU begins to evolve and shift into Phase Four, we are starting to see big time MCU stories come to a close; something that’s forced us to bid farewell to some of our favorite characters and franchises and sadly, that’s something we’re going to have to do in regard to this series as well.
 
For we have reached the end of our journey with Agent Coulson and his intrepid agents, since season seven will provide us with the final mission for this storied franchise and well, it would seem that they are going to go out in epic fashion. For last night’s season seven premiere saw the team arrive in New York City in the 1930s, immediately following the events of season six and well, the stakes simply couldn’t be higher for them. For ‘The New Deal’ reminded us of the fact that the Chronicoms have come to this era in time to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D. before it can be formed, and that prompted the team to pull out all of the stops to prevent such an act from happening. Which led to some supremely unique moments for certain.

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​Since their search for answers brought them face to face with Governor Roosevelt, a year before he would become President of the United States and transform America into something special, and it really was quite cool to see Coulson and Daisy get a chance to stand next to, and help, an American icon and quite frankly the grand reveal of what they are going to have to do in order to save S.H.I.E.L.D. was quite powerful as well. Because Hydra will have to survive in order for this magnificent organization to thrive since that’s simply how history plays out, and it is going to be interesting to see how a majority of the team will reconcile that fact. Since they suffered mightily at Hydra’s tentacles during The Winter Solider tie-in, in season one. 
 
But what matters most about this particular tale, is the sheer fact that it serves as a reset in a way. Because this series has made some bold and game-changing decisions over the past couple of years, especially when it comes to killing off Phil Coulson and replacing him with the enigmatic and evil Sarge last season. So, it was quite lovely to spend a little time with a rejuvenated and enhanced Coulson once again and be reminded of why this character resonated with us in the first place, since he’s just a giant nerd that wanted to play hero, like the rest of us. And it was equally as compelling to see the characters take a moment to process and heal from some of the tough experiences they’ve dealt with over the past of couple of years.
 
Because quite frankly, they deserve that, and it will help them focus upon the incredible task in front of them and really in the end, this was quite the delightful season premiere for certain. For in many ways, it recaptured the magic and the wonder of season one by taking us a grand adventure, one where our agents relied on their wits over anything else. Plus, you can never go wrong with a Patton Oswalt cameo since the man is simply a brilliant actor, and it really was wonderful to see a different iteration of the Koenig family pop up on this series before it comes to a close. But what matters most, is that this episode really does set the stage for what should be one epic final season. Because without S.H.I.E.L.D., the MCU we fell in love with simply cannot exist, and saving those memories and those moments is a just cause for certain. Until next time.

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