"Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." may have gotten better this season plot-wise, but its future remains murky to date.
ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey recently spoke about Marvel's flagship series at the Television Critics Association's (TCA) winter press tour, and she revealed they have yet to decide whether to renew or cancel the show at an upcoming meeting with Marvel. While she admitted the show's direction this season was impressive, the potential season 6 renewal still depends on what it would bring to the table next.
"The creative this season, I honestly think, has been the strongest it's ever been," she told a pool of reporters during the TCA. "I'm really looking forward to hearing them come in and talk about what their ideas would be for season 6, so we can make a better determination about whether we're going to order another season or not."
Unlike its cinematic universe, Marvel has not found a great deal of success when it comes to its television shows. A handful of its pilots failed to get off the ground, and most of those that have, unfortunately, have not been a consistent winner at the ratings department.
"Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s" viewership, for one, has been underwhelming since season 1 despite kicking off on the heels of "The Avengers" in 2012. It has since been a subject of cancellation rumors every season. Last spring, its fifth season was unlikely to be greenlit, but ABC did give the show a last-minute chance. Thanks to that, fans got the outstanding arc that pitted Coulson (Paul Gregg) and company against the Kree in outerspace 70 years in the future.
Dungey's optimism about the renewal is by no means any confirmation, but it still gives fans reasons to hope. The case is different, though, for fellow Marvel/ABC series "Inhumans." She did not directly say that the show will be canceled, but her response all but confirms the show is heading to that path:
"We haven't made any official decision yet about what we're going to pick up in May, but I will say that the numbers, unfortunately, were less exciting for us than we hoped they would be."
ABC is not launching new Marvel shows next season. So, if "Inhumans" does get axed, "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." will be the only superhero show left on the network.
"Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." season 5 continues next Friday with "Together or Not At All" at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
