Landing in that category of “oh my god, is this still on?”, ABC’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” continues to plug along, five seasons in despite tepid reviews throughout and dwindling viewers. Still, the hardcore Marvel fans remain, happy to press on through the slog of the upcoming season for the simple payoff of being able to exist in that universe.
As has been the case with many of Marvel’s television shows, the quality of ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ has very rarely (if, honestly, ever) lived up to the quality of the films. Naysayers can quibble about the sameness of the extended universe, but at the very least the end product never seems as scorched in poor lighting or riddled with stilted dialogue. From the Netflix products to shows such as ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.,’ the series has always been plagued with the fact that they aren’t able to dabble in the bigger names. So, while yes, Agent Coulson’s team is going to space this year, they’re going to have to settle for C list baddies and heroes.
The show has also failed to make liftoff despite a backbone of well-liked characters at the center. With some true breakouts from our original lead Chloe Bennet to frequent scene stealers Elizabeth Henstridge and Iain De Caestecker, the talent on board has been enough up until this point to keep fans going. That, plus an intriguing plot that will help (hopefully) shake the series out of its complacency and familiar format. If that’s possible five seasons in remains to be seen, but the latest teaser is trying its hardest to remind us why we began watching in the first place. It’s been quite a while since I watched and, soon after, quit the series, but even I can be possibly lured back in with the promise of colorful intergalactic adventures.
“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” season five premieres on Friday, December 1st.