The executives at ABC have snapped their fingers and wiped out half of the Marvel shows on the network, cancelling the no-good-very-bad Inhumans and renewing Marvel Television’s Most Improved Player Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (per Marvel’s official website). According to THR, the sixth (and apparently not final) season will have a shortened count of 13 episodes, with EW reporting that the season will not air until summer of 2019.
For those of you who don’t have Marvel Studios’ massive release schedule handy on you, this is after the May 3, 2019 release date of the untitled fourth Avengers film. It would have been nice for S.H.I.E.L.D. to show what the world is like after the cataclysmic events of Avengers: Infinity War—this could mean that the Avengers sequel will take place immediately after Infinity War, leaving little to no room for S.H.I.E.L.D. season six to set its story in.
However, TVLine has a quote from ABC president Channing Dungey saying that the summertime scheduling was a decision from the network, and not based on any plans that Marvel Studios has for the upcoming Avengers sequel. Dungey continues:
“What we’ve discovered is that we have a very loyal and passionate fan base for S.H.I.E.L.D. The show does incredibly well for us in delayed viewing. By putting it in the summer, we’re going to be able to ‘super-serve’ the fan base that loves that show and hopefully give it an opportunity to continue on longer than we would if it was [scheduled] in-season.”
Super-serve away, ABC. Whether or not you’re invested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, S.H.I.E.L.D. has created its own fascinating tone and mythology that can be appreciated by mostly anyone.
The fifth season finale will air this Friday, May 18, where our favorite agents will surely save the world without anyone else in the Marvel Cinematic Universe even noticing.
‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Renewed for Season 6 [Marvel]
‘Agents of SHIELD’ Renewed for Abbreviated Sixth Season at ABC [THR]
ABC fall schedule revealed: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. held for next summer [Entertainment Weekly]
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 Set for Summer 2019 Premiere [TVLine]
