ABC started cleaning house today, cancelling a number of shows on its current lineup, while picking up and passing on a number of pilots. Unfortunately for Marvel fans, the network canceled Agent Carter after its second season, while they also passed on the proposed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff Marvel’s Most Wanted. We reported that ABC picked up Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a fourth season back in March, but the fates of Agent Carter and Marvel’s Most Wanted was up in the air at that time.
The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Agent Carter ended its second season averaging a 1.4 rating amongst the adults 18-49 demographic, with 4.3 million total viewers in live+7 ratings. The show debuted in midsesaon for both of its seasons, filling the Tuesday 9 PM timeslot vacated by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during its midseason hiatus. The show’s Season 2 finale dropped a whopping 46% with 2.35 million viewers, when compared to the Season 1 finale last year which drew in 4.02 million viewers. There is a silver lining for series star Hayley Atwell, though, since the network picked up her new series Conviction.
The cancellation comes just two months after a report surfaced that the show was likely to get a Season 3 renewal, despite the sagging ratings. The second season of Marvel’s Agent Carter shifted the action from New York to Los Angeles, with Hayley Atwell playing the titular role of the unstoppable agent for the SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve). Dedicated to the fight against new Atomic Age threats in the wake of World War II, Peggy Carter must face her most dangerous assignment yet. But even as she discovers new friends, a new home – and perhaps even a new love – she’s about to find out that the bright lights of the post-war Hollywood mask a more sinister threat to everyone she is sworn to protect.
Marvel’s Most Wanted was set to follow the adventures of Adrianne Palicki’s Bobbi Morse, a.k.a. Mockingbird, and Lance Hunter (Nick Blood). Both characters joined S.H.I.E.L.D. in Season 2, and quickly became fan favorites. Delroy Lindo also signed on to star as Dominic Fortune in the spinoff. Marvel’s Most Wanted was created and written by Jeffrey Bell (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Angel) and Paul Zbyszewski (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Lost), who served as executive producers on the pilot with Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb. Both Mockingbird and Lance Hunter will likely return to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. now that the spinoff isn’t moving forward, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
ABC also cancelled a number of other shows today such as the first-year series The Muppets, Galivant, Nashville, The Family and Castle. The cancellation of Castle came after the show lost longtime series stars Stana Katic and Tamala Jones last month. The network will hold its upfront presentation in New York City next week, so be sure to stay tuned for news on all of ABC’s new shows debuting in the upcoming season.