Yep. They knew. I've seen several interviews today talk about how everything that's happened on the series this year was planned from the very start.

That was my thought initially, but I can't really come up with a scenario where it makes sense.

Guess we'll see.

Which is great, I love not being sure what's going on. Gives you a reason to watch...

Although unfortunately the ratings weren't helped by the movie tie-in. But they were already re-airing it next week at 7 and then following it with a new episode at 8, so maybe they were thinking it might take word-of-mouth on the episode to get people back watching.

Wow, pretty incredible the long term vision of Marvel Studios.

Yep

Most shows are painfully predictable.

Red Wedding is one of the few that truly surprised me.

Hopefully Shield keeps expanding the storyline

btw I wouldn't be surprised if the lady wasn't really dead

I wouldn't either...but...Garrett would have to be either unbelievably misled or unbelievably incompetent for that to be the case. I mean, shot right in front of him...

Maybe it's a way to introduce LMD's or something.

Somebody on another board conjectured that maybe the thing with Ward is a way to introduce Dr. Faustus.

Heh...

Long, interesting interview at IGN contained the following tidbit, which may kill the 'Ward didn't really kill hand' theory:link

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Hmm. Maybe Ward will make a better bad guy?

Hail Hydra

About to start watching tonight's. Most excited for this show that i've been since the premiere.

Please don't let me down.

meh

I thought that was pretty good. Definitely feels like a different show now that all the buildup makes sense. Although I think he's a little too moustache-twirly badguy now, I enjoyed Ward's explanation for how he iniltrated the team, which was almost verbatim what people were saying online after last week's episode (give Coulson a project, seduce the biggest threat, jump out of plane to save simmons, etc). And Garrett had some great comedy lines (put your arms down, you look like a west texas cheerleader LMAO ).

I think some things were teased there that I didn't understand, stuff they focused on in the Fridge. And what's up with the metal on Garrett's side? Is that related to the Deathlok stuff or something else?

Paxton was certainly giving off a Chet Donnelly type of vibe this episode.