Hero Report: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. sends a broken team back in time

This week’s Hero Report has Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on top as Supergirl comes in with a great episode as well.

After last week’s dismal Hero Report, almost all of the superhero shows get back on track with good episodes. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has remained the most consistent all season, easily proving that it can do time-travel without all of the convoluted complications like The Flash.

Speaking of the scarlet speedster, his series along with Supergirl take a fun break from the main storyline with decent episodes.

Photo Credit: The CW

“For Good” is actually a pretty decent filler episode of Supergirl, the problem is that the show doesn’t actually have time to kick back since it goes off the air next week. Once again, the strengths of the episode are the character based ones, that build off of the friendships that were formed this season.

Almost every scene with Sam is fantastic, and Odette Annable has been one of the best additions to the series. She’s desperate to find out why she’s having these memories blackouts and isn’t afraid to reach out to Alex for help. However, the two moments that stand out compared to everything else: when Sam finally tells her friends about her problems and when she gets the results back from her tests.

It’s going to be truly heartbreaking when Kara realizes that Sam/Reign are one in the same but there’s no doubt she’ll fight to keep her friend. The plot that doesn’t exactly work is the Lena/Edge assassination storyline. Now that he’s been disposed of and Lillian Luthor is headed back to jail, it hopefully means Lena will join the central story a bit more.

Hero Report Grade: B

Photo Credit: The CW

The only reason keeping “Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash” from getting an A in the grade is the Barry storyline. However, Team Flash proves that those characters can take the point on an episode and deliver with one of the best of the season.

Shrinking Cisco and Ralph for the night is surprisingly funny with plenty of great bits. However, the standout would be Iris accidentally stepping on the latter and Caitlin scraping him off like a piece of gum. Of course, the two boys end up their normal size by the end of the episode, it was still a nice distraction. Cecile also gets more to do this week, gaining telepathy as a result of her pregnancy which is a nice way to finally starting moving her into Team Flash.

However, the namesake hero is the one that drags down “Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash”. Barry’s overconfidence leads him to break his innocent friend out of prison and drop him off in China where he’s safe from the authorities. Central City is suffering without the scarlet speedster but Barry figures he should stay incarcerated but is more than happy to release a friend? It ultimately doesn’t make any sense and leads to the Flash winding up in a metahuman prison once the Warden catches him using his powers.

Hero Report Grade: B+

Photo Credit: The CW

Black Lightning is still building up its world, and “Lawanda: The Book of Burial,” essentially feels like that. This week continues to establish the criminal underworld as a serious threat to the entire town, Jefferson’s family, and his eldest daughter’s burgeoning powers.

However, it doesn’t have the element of surprise that last week had when it killed off Lawanda, a brutal murder which set the tone for the rest of the season. The local church has gotten one hundred people to sign up in a march against the gangs, something will definitely not end well. Over the past two weeks, Black Lightning has shown how unwilling it was to give people a perfect happy ending.

Anissa’s relationship is over before the audience even gets to know her, but her beginning as a superhero is established as she begins to embrace the idea of vigilantism. Jefferson is all-in as a hero, but Gamby deleting the footage of Tobias already sets up a rift between two friends.

Meanwhile, Jennifer found the perfect boyfriend who’s entire life gets destroyed when he’s left paralyzed in a wheelchair. No one is safe from the carnage of a fight between good and evil, something that Black Lightning wants to shed light on.

Hero Report Grade: B

Photo Credit: The CW

It’s sad to see a show like Arrow, one that influenced a whole new generation of superhero television, begin the sad process of dragging itself to the finish line. With a consistent and massive ratings drop throughout this season, “All For Nothing” doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in the viewers. While Arrow has always been an ensemble show, it’s clear that each episode is getting overstuff and characters are suffering from poor development.

Vince was introduced last year as a trigger-happy vigilante, but “All For Nothing” doesn’t understand that a handful of episodes isn’t enough to turn someone into a full-on hero. Sadly, just as his character is beginning to get somewhat interesting he’s killed off just to push Dinah further off the deep end.

Speaking of the new Canary, the entire roster of “newbies” have slowly evolved from mildly interesting to deeply annoying. With the rumored exit of Willa Holland at the end of the season, Arrow might need to do a hard reset if it hopes to continue.

Hero Report Grade: C-

Photo Credit: ABC

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“Past Life” sets up Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a compelling return with decisions that may end the world. While the return of Raina would have been a cool twist, many fans correctly predicted that a different version of Yo-Yo ends up to be working for Kassius.

Well, working is too nice of a term considering she has been repeatedly tortured and used to breed new Inhumans.

She warns her past self that Daisy doesn’t actually cause the end of the world, but the team’s decision to save Coulson’s life will. Unfortunately, she doesn’t get to pass that news on since the group is splintered into different units. “Past Life,” definitely goes out with a bang though, as everyone makes questionable decisions.

Fitz, Simmons, Mack, and Yo-Yo might not have made it back in time while Coulson and May had to ice Daisy to bring her home. When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. picks back up in March, it will be interesting to see who makes it out alive (here’s looking at Deke), and how the relationships between the team will be effected after their decisions in the future.

Hero Report Grade: B+

Next: 25 Best Superhero Television Shows Of All Time

Supergirl goes off the air next week which hopefully means they’ll leave on a high note. In the meantime, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. won’t be back until March but Legends of Tomorrow will kick back up in the Monday timeslot. For Arrow and The Flash fans, both series will continue on in their normal programming but it’s unclear where either is headed as an endgame.