History ShoutOut / AgentsOfSHIELD

* Fitz-Simmons are apparently ''{{Minecraft}}'' players: Skye's ex-boyfriend fails their personal test of character when they learn modded the game specifically to play as a [[FelonyMisdemeanor zombie pigman]].

* Skye insults Hunter's British accent by nicknaming him ''{{Trainspotting}}''. (Hunter immediately shoots this down by exasperatedly pointing out that ''Trainspotting'' is Scottish, whereas he's English.)

'''Dr. Whitehall:''' At the beginning! Like the song says - ''a very good place to start.''

* The warehouse scene in "Shadows" has many parallels to the warehouse from the Franchise/IndianaJones franchise. At the beginning of the episode, the crates the Howling Commandos seized from the Nazis have the "palm tree and swastika" seen in ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', though the location given is far from the tropics.

* Coulson's classic Corvette "Lola" turns out to have machine guns hidden behind the headlights, much like a [[Franchise/JamesBondcertain other spy's]] Aston Martin DB5.

* Another subtle one to the Whedonverse: Simmons's crush on Mike Peterson only lasts an episode, but it serves as an oblique Shout Out to ''Series/Angel'': in both shows, a socially awkward genius (who happens to be a young, brunette woman) develops a crush on a character played by J. August Richards.

* Simmons's crush on Mike Peterson only lasts an episode, but it serves as a subtle Shout Out to ''Series/Angel'': in both shows, a socially awkward genius (who happens to be a young, brunette woman) develops a crush on a character played by J. August Richards.

* At one point, Skye compares [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Captain America]] to "The Dude" from ''Film/TheBigLebowski'', and becomes frustrated when no one else gets it.

** The ''Who'' references obliquely count as additional Marvel references, too, as Marvel published a ''Doctor Who'' comic strip in the UK for many years and the Whoniverse even has its own official Marvel Universe number (Earth 5556).

* In "The End of the Beginning", [=FitzSimmons=] have a friendly disagreement as to who gets to be [[Franchise/SherlockHolmes Holmes]] and who's stuck being [[TheWatson Watson]]. (They both see themselves as Holmes, naturally.)

** In the pilot, while arguing about the effectiveness of Fitz's "Night-Night" gun, Simmons says that "I'm not Hermione! I can't create instant paralysis with that!" The latter part of the comment is a reference to the scene where Hermione went Petrificus Totalus on Neville (And some will say she ''does'' look a bit like EmmaWatson).

** In the pilot, while arguing about the effectiveness of Fitz's "Night-Night" gun, Simmons says that "I'm not Hermione! I can't create instant paralysis with that!" The latter part of the comment is a reference to the scene where Hermione went Petrificus Totalus on Neville.

--->'''Coulson:''' Did I fall asleep?\\

* ShoutOut:
** Several to ''Franchise/HarryPotter'':
*** In the pilot, while arguing about the effectiveness of Fitz's "Night-Night" gun, Simmons says that "I'm not Hermione! I can't create instant paralysis with that!" The latter part of the comment is a reference to the scene where Hermione went Petrificus Totalus on Neville.
*** Dr. Hall, the VillainOfTheWeek in episode 3, is more or less an ActorAllusion to Ian Hart's role in the film adaptation as Professor Quirrell.
*** In "Repairs", when Skye gets frustrated with [=FitzSimmons=] not letting her touch anything in their lab because she hasn't taken the required classes, she refers to the Academy as "your stupid S.H.I.E.L.D. Hogwarts" in retaliation.
** Skye later calls Ward the [[Franchise/{{Terminator}} T-1000]].
** [[Film/TrueLies "Have you ever killed anyone?" "Yes, a few! ...High-risk targets, but they were all terrible people!"]]
** Fitz-Simmons' little robots are named after Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs.
** Mike's MotiveRant at the end of the pilot is basically MichaelDouglas' speech from the end of ''Film/FallingDown'' modified for a world with superheroes.
** This being a Creator/JossWhedon project, there's a few subtler ones to ''Series/{{Firefly}}''[=/=]''Film/{{Serenity}}'':
*** In "0-8-4", Ward uses a staff weapon that releases a head-high shock wave of energy when it's shoved into the ground; it's almost the exact same move and effect as the one Simon uses to rescue River in the opening of ''Serenity''. It even has a component that launches into the air and produces the wave.
*** "The Hub" ends with two of the heroes surrounded by bad guys, with no way to escape, and facing certain death. [[BigDamnHeroes They are rescued by their ship appearing out of nowhere]] [[Series/{{Firefly}} and hovering to pick them up.]]
*** In "The Magical Place", pay attention to the logo on the security guards uniforms. It is the same as the logo of the private security firm from ''Film/{{Serenity}}''.
*** In "T.R.A.C.K.S.", the team attempted to pull off [[FireflyE02TheTrainJob "The Train Job"]].
*** In "The Only Light in the Darkness", Fitz is given the desert island scenario question on the polygraph test (he's asked what he'd hope/expect to find if he was washed up on a desert island alone with a sealed crate). He answers "Simmons", recalling the iconic GirlInABox reveal from the ''[[FireflyE01Serenity Firefly]]'' pilot episode.
** A couple to ''Series/DoctorWho'':
*** One scene in "The Hub" showing the interior of Fitz's bunk on the Bus reveals he's personalised it a bit with a miniature TARDIS. This was not a random shoutout: the episode aired a couple weeks before the 50th anniversary of ''Doctor Who'', and in fact this was also done on several British television programs in tribute, including an episode of ''Series/HolbyCity'' that aired the same day as the SHIELD episode.
*** When Simmons is put through a polygraph test in "The Only Light in the Darkness", one of the questions is what she'd hope to find if she was washed up alone on a desert island with only a single, sealed crate. Her answer, after a bit of thought, is the TARDIS.
*** The ''Who'' references obliquely count as additional Marvel references, too, as Marvel published a ''Doctor Who'' comic strip in the UK for many years and the Whoniverse even has its own official Marvel Universe number (Earth 5556).
** In Coulson's dream-flashback to Tahiti in "The Well" he and his masseuse have an exchange reminiscent of ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'':

** S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy's top computer science ace is "Aly Hannigan." Creator/AlysonHannigan played computer nerd extraordinaire Willow on ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', of course.
** In "The End of the Beginning", [=FitzSimmons=] have a friendly disagreement as to who gets to be [[Franchise/SherlockHolmes Holmes]] and who's stuck being [[TheWatson Watson]]. (They both see themselves as Holmes, naturally.)

*** One scene in "The Hub" showing the interior of Fitz's bunk on the Bus reveals he's personalised it a bit with a miniature TARDIS. This was not a random shoutout: the episode aired a couple weeks before the 50th anniversary of ''Doctor Who'' (similar toy TARDISes were visible in a number of British TV programs aired around the same time).

*** One scene in "The Hub" showing the interior of Fitz's bunk on the Bus reveals he's personalised it a bit with a miniature TARDIS.

*** In the pilot, while arguing about the effectiveness of Fitz's "Night-Night" gun, Simmons says that "I'm not Hermione, I can't induce instant paralysis!" The latter part of the comment is a reference to the scene where Hermione went Petrificus Totalus on Neville.

** In "The End of the Beginning", [=FitzSimmons=] have a friendly disagreement as to who gets to be [[Franchise/SherlockHolmes Holmes]] and who's stuck being [[TheWatson Watson]]. (They both see themselves as Holmes, naturally.)
* ShownTheirWork: Skye correctly mentions the existence of Shining Path when they are in Peru in "0-8-4".
* ShutUpHannibal: At the end of "Yes Men", when Lorelei is taunting Sif about her lover who Lorelei used and is implied to have killed, Sif literally shuts her up by using the PowerNullifier collar, which renders her mute.
-->'''Sif''': You were saying?
** In "End of the Beginning" the Clairvoyant is ranting about how they will come for Skye, kill everyone else, and nothing can stop this [[spoiler:and then Ward just shoots him]].