Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV Series) Past Life (2018) User Reviews

Flint Rocks, The Agents Are Back, and This One Wins!

[LorenBieg · 9/10 · 8 February 2018]

Past Life may be my favorite episode of the season so far. The action is impactful, the Kree in top form (especially a terrifying berserker transformation), and the characters are playing at their best.

Kasius has been annoying most of the season because of a writing problem, in my opinion. But, in this episode he transcends to truly desperate and crazy, which feels more human in a twisted way.

The time loop is played to dramatic effect, though the trick of killing off characters with the hope of "changing the timeline" to save them all lacks dramatic effect. Yo-yo's conversation with herself intercut with the argument Daisy and Coulson have about her returning to the past is the first real weight I've felt in any of the characters this season, and delivers some ominous foreshadowing for the rest of the season.

Daisy faces a true dilemma. Make an extreme sacrifice that may save the future, but may not be necessary? How do you decide such a thing? It's ultimately Coulson's call to make. But, Daisy makes a memorable stand. I also found the decision to include Flint and his abilities in the attack stirring.

Overall, this episode resolves a storyline that has been the least enjoyable in several seasons. But, it does so with sufficient momentum to propel the rest of the season forward. For my part, this story could have played out over 4 episodes and been tighter. But, I'm looking forward to seeing how the team averts the destruction of humanity in the future.

Re-watch thoughts

[noorea-85147 · 23 April 2019]

This episode is way more emotional and sad than I remember, I think the scenes with the "seer" were great, frustrating since they don't give much, but very well done and they do explian how the not giving much is part of the whole thing! the episode is also more brutal than I remember, there are be-headings and crushing all around! I liked the action seeing Kasuis unhinged (well, more than usual) was a joy to behold, the actor who plays him did such a good job, he may not be in my top 3 villains, but it's because the competition is fierce!, the scene in space was so beautiful. The episode also leaves on an interesting note, I kinda like that an episode that practically tells us the grim future is set in stone, also shows us a way where even if it comes to pass again, life may still find a way after, such a cute message.

Time Travel = headache

[Clarke_Kent · 7/10 · 19 February 2018]

I'm a big fan of the show (have been) but I just hate when they add time travel to everything as I usually end up walking away confused.

Ok so Daisy is torn because she doesn't want to go back to avoid destroying the earth, the surface crew wanted to kill her to make sure she doesn't go back and destroy the earth. So then how is the earth destroyed if she hasn't done it?

Her wanting to stay, them wanting to kill her so that she doesn't destroy the earth yet the earth is destroyed with her travelling forward before it happened...

See this is why I get headaches with time travel story lines. Even using their own flavor of "logic" it still doesn't work lol.

Past Life

[bobcobb301 · 7/10 · 4 February 2018]

Another episode that was enjoyable and yet will get overrated by the internet. It is hard to buy into deaths on this show the way they manipulate the concept and time as it seems like nothing ever sticks.

I just want this setting to be done with, but we've been stuck with space all season and that probably isn't ending or going to improve any time soon.

i hope S5 gets better

[leannaxfitz · 5/10 · 27 August 2020]

Season 5 has been the worst season so far for me. the fight scene between kasius & mac was so unwatchable. the pacing of the episodes have been so slow, and this storyline only got interesting when fitz showed up. episode 5 "rewind" was so fun to watch ! a whole episode dedicated to fitz & the comeback of hunter was awesome ! i really hope the rest of S5 gets better because the theme of future/space has not been great.