The Ghost (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

"The Ghost" is the first episode of the fourth season of the American television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D., it follows Phil Coulson and his fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they deal with the enhanced individuals Quake and Ghost Rider. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and acknowledges the franchise's films. The episode was written by showrunners Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, and directed by Billy Gierhart. Clark Gregg reprises his role as Coulson from the film series, starring alongside Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge, Henry Simmons, and John Hannah. A fourth season was ordered in March 2016, with Gabriel Luna introduced as Ghost Rider, a character created through both practical and visual effects. He was included as part of the series exploring supernatural elements ahead of the release of the MCU film Doctor Strange (2016). Mallory Jansen and Lilli Birdsell are also introduced as recurring characters for the season. The episode begins the season's first "pod" of eight episodes, subtitled Ghost Rider. "The Ghost" originally aired on ABC on September 20, 2016, at the later time of 10:00 pm which allowed it to be darker and more mature than previous seasons. The episode was watched by 6.24 million viewers within a week, and received mostly positive reviews due to its new status quo and the introduction of Ghost Rider. The opening scene received criticism for sexualiz