‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’: Joss Whedon explains ABC pilot, different take from ‘The Avengers’

While ABC has focused much of its time lately on female-friendly fare, they are taking a big risk this pilot season with an ambitious show that marks the first real utilization of the Marvel license Disney owns on TV: “S.H.I.E.L.D.” From the moment this was announced, we knew that this would be something fans would buzz about until it airs. Not only that, but we knew the excitement would be taken up a notch the moment it was revealed that Joss Whedon of “The Avengers” was involved.

So what was the basic idea behind having a show revolve largely around the special task force led by Nick Fury in the recent Marvel movies? Speaking to Deadline, Whedon explains that the fundamental goal here is to explain a different side of heroism than we traditionally see in comic-book adaptations, and to also give some more depth to the world being created:

“[The show] will tap into the visual style and ethos, and even some of the mythology, of the Marvel movies [with] more intimate stories that belong on television … For me the most important thing is that people fall in love with it on its own merits, rather than constantly asking, ‘Is there gonna be an Avenger?’ Well, there’s not gonna be a Hulk because that guy’s too expensive.”

Whedon also said that the goal for the “S.H.I.E.L.D.” series was to focus “around” the superhero community, and not necessarily on it. There are still missions and important issues to tackle that are not so big-budget in nature, but have the same sort of emotions to them.

We know that Cobie Smulders is interested in reprising her role as Maria Hill on the show at some point, even though we also know that she will be around “How I Met Your Mother” for at least one more season.

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Photo: ABC