When Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was first announced, fans were incredibly excited. This was the world of Marvel's cinematic universe, but instead of waiting an entire year to see the movies, fans could simply sit down on the couch and watch the TV show as well.
The series premiere was a massive success for Marvel, with over 12 million viewers tuning in. As the series progressed, however, ratings began to decline rather quickly, and by the end of the first season, many were beginning to wonder if Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would last.
With the season premiere airing this past Tuesday, it seems that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. may still be in trouble. The season two premiere was only able to bring in half the numbers of the first season premiere, with just over 5.6 million viewers.
Following the first season's finale, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s numbers were just about the same. The final episode of season one pulled in 5.45 million viewers. It doesn't mean anything for the show just yet, but it doesn't bode well, either. Marvel was obviously hoping that the fan response would be bigger than season one's disappointing finale, not at the same.
Marvel and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are facing tough competition this year, with rival company DC debuting Gotham just a day earlier. Arrow is also going strong in its second season, and The Flash is set to debut in less than two weeks. That being said, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiere was well-received by critics despite the low ratings; with any luck, the show can recover some of its lost fanbase through good word of mouth.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. marked Marvel's first successful foray into live-action television, and the first season was met with critical acclaim. Unfortunately, even multiple tie-ins to the ever-evolving Marvel Cinematic Universe couldn't hold viewers' attention, and ratings were halved by the end of the first season.
So far, Marvel has been much more successful on the big screen. Guardians of the Galaxy was the number one film of the summer and was an unexpected hit for Marvel. Captain America: The Winter Soldier also performed well, and is currently the second highest-grossing film of 2014.
Things may be rough for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. now, but there's no telling what will happen throughout the rest of the season. If viewership improves, there's a chance the series will continue, but if ratings continue to plummet, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. may not make it to a third season.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. on ABC.
