Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is bringing back none other than Lance Hunter for the next episode, which the trailer indicates will feature Hunter helping Fitz break out of jail. Hunter left S.H.I.E.L.D. back in Season 3 to star in a prospective spinoff that ultimately never happened, and he wasn't alone. Bobbi Morse was with him. The announcement that Nick Blood would be reprising his role as Hunter naturally led many fans to wonder what exactly happened that Bobbi wouldn't be with him. Fortunately, Nick Blood has explained why Hunter isn't with Bobbi in the big episode:
What I would say is they probably and a tiff a few days before and this time apart is allowing her to cool off. Now they each have a little bit of time and space to think until the situation calms down. That's what I imagine.
We can stop worrying that Hunter is flying solo on the mission to spring Fitz from the clink because Bobbi was killed or crippled or just straight up split with Hunter for good. Nick Blood indicates that Bobbi is alive and well, just a bit peeved with Hunter. Given that their relationship on S.H.I.E.L.D. was as contentious and argumentative as it was loving, we probably shouldn't be surprised that riding off into the spy sunset didn't suddenly cure them of their tendency to bicker. Honestly, that's probably for the best. Would Hunter and Bobbi be half as much fun together if they always got along?
Unfortunately, we may not get Bobbi back at all for so long as a certain show on Fox is doing well. Adrianne Palecki, who plays Bobbi, is currently the leading lady on Fox's hit new series The Orville, which was renewed for a second season back in November. Bobbi may have to be M.I.A. from the S.H.I.E.L.D. shenanigans so long as The Orville is going strong on Fox. Then again, perhaps that big Disney/Fox merger could create a window. We'll have to wait and see.
All things considered, this week's episode of S.H.I.E.L.D. looks like it should be plenty entertaining even without Bobbi. Fitz and Hunter were always fun as a duo, and a jailbreak should make for some solid action. Nick Blood went on in his chat with TVLine to address whether it was interesting to appear in a huge storyline without Bobbi:
Yes. Yes, it was quite strange, because they make such a good duo. They have a great dynamic together and it would have been really fun to work with Adrianne again, because we get on very well off-screen, we're good friends and stuff. But Hunter's got his Bobbi fix, so he's probably grateful for a little time away from the ex-wife!
All relationships work differently, and Hunter and Bobbi just so happen to work best when they occasionally take breaks from each other and go off on side missions. If it keeps them from killing each other, who's to complain? Hopefully the episode doesn't end it a way that rules out potential future appearances from either/both characters. We don't need to rule out all chances of Adrianne Palicki ever appearing, and it would definitely be a huge bummer if Hunter died.
Whatever happens, we can bet that the episode will fill in a lot of the blanks left over from Fitz' unexpected appearance in the Lighthouse at the end of last week's episode. You can catch the team-up of Fitz and Hunter on Friday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC. The year is almost over, so be sure to take a peek at the 2018 midseason TV premiere guide and 2018 Netflix schedule for what you can watch in the new year.
