ABC/Mitch Haaseth(LOS ANGELES) — The final episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs in a few weeks, but Wednesday night’s episode marks the directorial debut of Elizabeth Henstridge, who stars as Jemma Simmons on the ABC sci-fi adventure.

Tonight, the S.H.I.E.L.D. team’s caught in a time loop, repeating the same actions over and over.  As they try to prevent their own destruction, only two characters are aware of what’s happening: Daisy and Coulson. 

“I think it’s a big deal for them to give somebody new an episode,” Henstridge tells ABC Audio about stepping behind the camera. “And it’s a very complicated show…so I think I really had to prove that I was serious about it.”

“They gave me an episode that has Daisy and Coulson at the center,” she laughs. “And I think they just knew  I would absolutely love that!”

And the time loop episode was especially challenging, Hentsridge explains.

“How do you make a scene interesting when we’ve kind of seen [it] five times already?…How do you keep the audience engaged?” she says. “[T]here was definitely a lot of a lot of planning!”

This episode has a lot of humor but also a lot of heartbreak — and a few hints about the ultimate fate of our heroes.

“This final season has felt like a love letter to the fans…and I think the writers have done an amazing job,” says Henstridge, revealing that she loves the final episode and feels the fans will, too.

And here’s some good news: We’ll soon see fan favorite Leopold Fitz, who’s been absent the entire season.

“We’ll…soon hear from Fitz directly about where the heck he’s been, what’s going on and how serious the situation is,” promises Henstridge. 

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on ABC.

By Andrea Dresdale
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