Beyond Agents of SHIELD season 5, is there a future for the ABC series?

While we’re bummed out still that there was no Agents of SHIELD season 5 at San Diego Comic-Con, we’re very glad the show’s even on the air. Just remember that there was a very clear time in which we weren’t altogether sure we’d be getting more of the show, and the idea of that was terribly depressing.

If this was season 1 Agents of SHIELD that was potentially going the way of the dodo, we wouldn’t be that bummed. Now that the show’s gotten increasingly better over time, we’re far more locked in for the long haul. We do wonder here and there what would’ve happened in the event that the show was this good right from the jump. Would it have twice the viewers now and have a stable, long-term future? Would they get bigger Marvel cameos? Hard to say.

As it is, this is clearly a series with an uncertain future. It’s heading off to Friday nights for the first time, it’s not coming on right away in the fall, and its ratings were down once more in season 4. There are really two reasons that SHIELD is still here in the first place.

1. The Marvel connection – Having Marvel within the Disney umbrella is a huge ace in the hole for the show. If the comic company wants programming that suits its brand on ABC, they’ve got it with this show!

2. The low ratings elsewhere – Had ABC posted better numbers elsewhere last season, we’re not sure these agents would still be around. We’re glad that they are, but there is trepidation moving into the future.

(If you wanted to add in a third reason — a good Netflix deal — we wouldn’t blame you.)

For the time being, we’re absolutely nervous about season 5 being the final season of the series; it hasn’t been announced as such, but that’s not doing a whole lot in terms of subsiding some of that anxiety. If the ratings decline like they typically do year to year and the show is moving to Fridays, it’s difficult to envision a situation where the show gets anywhere close to matching the ratings that Shark Tank drew in this timeslot on Fridays last year. SHIELD also costs considerably more to make in between all of the sets and the cast and the special effects. They found a way to show through the Framework that they can execute a less-is-more philosophy without a problem, and we’re sure that with the right tools, they could do so again.

If there is one bit of advice that we can offer up right now, it’s this: If you loved the first four seasons of SHIELD, convince everyone near you to go back and watch the show — and also to do it live. This is the easiest way for the show to ensure it comes back. Maybe if it holds steady it can get a sixth season renewal. If not, we just hope that someone announces a final season in advance so that the writers can prepare for it.

Do you think that Agents of SHIELD season 5 should be the final one for the show? Sound off in the comments!

Meanwhile, head over here to get some additional news right now when it comes to the series. (Photo: ABC.)