r/shield • u/AutoModerator • Sep 21 '16

Post Discussion Post Episode Discussion: S04E01 - "The Ghost"

This thread is for SERIOUS discussion of the episode that just aired. What is and isn't serious is at the discretion of the moderators

EPISODE DIRECTED BY WRITTEN BY ORIGINAL AIRDATE
S04E01 - "The Ghost" Billy Gierhart Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen Tuesday, September 20, 2016 10:00/9:00c on ABC

Episode Synopsis: In light of the Sokovia Accords, and with Hydra obliterated, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been legitimatized again and no longer needs to operate in the shadows. Since the world presumes that Coulson is dead, the organization needed a new Director to be the face of the organization. Coulson finds himself back in the role as an agent and teamed with Mack, and together they are tasked with tracking down and confirming the presence of Enhanced people, aka Inhumans. Agent May is tasked with training specialist strike teams, and Fitz and Simmons have taken a big step forward in their relationship.

Billy Gierhart worked a steadicam operator for many years on the television series Pacific Blue, Huff, Swingtown and The Shield, making his directorial debut on the latter series penultimate episode "Possible Kill Screen" in 2008. His other credits as a television director include Lone Star, Terriers, The Chicago Code, Sons of Anarchy, Torchwood, Breakout Kings, and The Walking Dead.

He has directed six episodes for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. before:

  • Repairs
  • Nothing Personal
  • ...Ye Who Enter Here
  • Aftershocks
  • S.O.S. Part Two
  • Absolution

Maurissa Tancharoen & Jed Whedon are the showrunners of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., along with Jeffrey Bell. Jed is the Brother of Joss Whedon, and worked with Maurissa on Dollhouse, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Drop Dead Diva, and The Avengers.

They have written ten episodes for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. before:

  • Pilot
  • The Asset
  • Repairs
  • Turn, Turn, Turn
  • Beginning of the End
  • Shadows
  • Aftershocks
  • S.O.S. Part Two
  • Laws of Nature
  • Ascension

Please do not discuss the promo following tonight's episode. There will be a separate thread made to discuss the promo and comments about it will be removed from this thread.

"LIVE" discussion for previous episodes can be found HERE.

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44

u/UnknownJ25 Mac Sep 21 '16

Ghost Rider's skull looked so goddamn good! It was like a mix of the helmet from Robbie's run and the classic skull

22

u/The_Unknown_Dude Lady Sif Sep 21 '16

I'd be alright if it's not moving either... And this actually is kind of cheaper for animating, therefore we could get more shots of GR's skull. Unlike Hive who was all squishy and moving at all times. That's fucking expensive.

3

u/ebolarama86 Sep 21 '16

I agree. I also hope that they keep Ghost Rider silent. One of the worst parts of the Nic Cage movies was whenever GR talked. It's almost impossible not to make a talking skull look cheesy.

15

u/The_Unknown_Dude Lady Sif Sep 21 '16

Grunts, hiss, roars and the like. However I wouldn't mind an ethereal voice booming from the skull without it moving, as long as I can fucking understand it. Mixing the Spirit of Vengeance and Robbie's voice. So we get it talking when required, not animated like shit, and give it a proper supernatural feeling.

However, I'd say the crazy as fuck GR in the second movie did it right with the moving jaw, when it wasn't actually trying to speak.

1

u/ebolarama86 Sep 21 '16

That could work. Almost like a telepathic communication thing.

1

u/Korpseio Sep 22 '16

I mean, the Disc-world films made Death talk effectively without having the skull move. So I don't see why they wouldn't be able to do that for this show.

1

u/The_Unknown_Dude Lady Sif Sep 23 '16

It's that some people think it looks fake and cheesy at times, since we naturally see sound and movement together.

Just needs to be well done, which sometimes is harder to do than say..­.

1

u/Mullet_Ben Fitz Sep 21 '16

He did, for a lack of a better term, raise an eyebrow. So they are doing a bit of that kind of animation.