Over the past two weeks, there have been a lot of rumors surrounding the status of the Marvel’s Most Wanted – the intended Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spin-off set to star Bobbi Morse (Adrianne Palicki) and Lance Hunter (Nick Blood). The show, which has always seemed like a sure bet for a series order, has gone from a “no-brainer” (per Deadline) for a series order from ABC, to “far from a lock” (per The Hollywood Reporter). For fans eagerly awaiting news regarding the potential series, the conflicting reports have proven to be frustrating. After all, not only did they come within days of one another, but they both came from reliable sources, making it hard to figure out who fans should actually trust. Is it really a “no-brainer”? Or is the series considered “far from a lock”? As of right now, it’s hard to answer that, unfortunately.
As I stated in my initial write-up, while Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn’t been the ratings smash it was when it originally premiered back in 2013, it has proven to be a strong performer in the L+7 ratings. So, although the idea of spinning off of S.H.I.E.L.D. was rather iffy given the show’s ratings, it still seemed like a given that Most Wanted would receive a series pick-up – especially given the status of Agent Carter. After all, ABC renewed S.H.I.E.L.D. for a fourth season awhile back, but has continued to remain quiet in regards to a potential renewal for Agent Carter, a show that saw a huge dip in the ratings in the show’s second season. This potentially leaves that mid-season slot open as it’s expected that Agent Carter will (unfortunately) not receive a season three order from ABC, providing the perfect slot for either Most Wanted or Damage Control (which has yet to film its pilot) to fill. Of course, should Marvel’s Most Wanted move forward at the network, there’s no guarantee that it’ll serve as a mid-season show. It’s entirely possible the series will air concurrently alongside its predecessor, S.H.I.E.L.D.
Still, how does a series see such a drastic change in its status within a matter of days? Well, you have to remember that while both Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter are trustworthy sources, each trade has their own source for information. Deadline could very well have one source believing it to be a “no-brainer”, while THR’s source could see Most Wanted as more of a question mark. That’s just how pilot season works. Trades try to stay on-top of news regarding new shows, seeing which are moving forward, and which aren’t, but their assumptions on what will actually go forward is far from guaranteed. After all, it’s important to remember that until either THR or Deadline officially report on the status of the show – stating whether or not the show will move ahead with the series past the pilot stage – nothing speculative that either trade reports in the meantime is guaranteed. Meaning, you can’t give weight to one trade’s guess over the other.
As much as we all want to know what’s going on with Marvel’s Most Wanted? There has been nothing confirming the status of the show past the pilot stage. However, with ABC set to take the stage during their upfronts on May 17th, actual news regarding the status of Most Wanted – along with Agent Carter & Damage Control – shouldn’t be too far behind.
As always, for all things Most Wanted, be sure to follow along here!
