| "4,722 Hours" | |
|---|---|
| Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode | |
 The title card used for the episode in place of the series' usual graphics sequence | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Jesse Bochco |
| Written by | Craig Titley |
| Cinematography by | Feliks Parnell |
| Editing by | Kelly Stuyvesant |
| Original air date | October 27, 2015 |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Guest appearance | |
"4,722 Hours" is the fifth episode of the third 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 Jemma Simmons, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is stranded on an alien planet. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and acknowledges the franchise's films. The episode was written by Craig Titley, and directed by Jesse Bochco.
Elizabeth Henstridge portrays Simmons, and is joined by guest star Dillon Casey as another survivor stranded on the planet. Series regulars Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, and Iain De Caestecker also briefly appear. The episode was a departure from the norm for the series, focusing on a single character rather than the usual ensemble, and taking place on an alien planet. The episode was filmed in the Californian desert, with a filtering effect used to make it appear to be night on the planet, as its sun rarely rises. The episode took inspiration from multiple science fiction films, and bears similarity to The Martian, which was released close to the episode's airing.
"4,722 Hours" originally aired on ABC on October 27, 2015, and according to Nielsen Media Research, was watched by 6.40 million viewers within a week of its release. The episode received an overwhelmingly positive critical response, with praise going to its bottle episode nature and Henstridge's performance, as well as to the storytelling which was generally seen as overcoming predictable or familiar plot beats. Many critics called it the best episode of the series.