Does Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Deserve Season 2?

The series gets a second season, but does it deserve one?

Story by: Matt Cummings

Despite sporting a continually declining ratings base and failure to capitalize on many aspects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ABC has renewed Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a second season.  The renewal was announced on May 5th, in preparation for ABC's Upfront Event on Tuesday May 13th.

While we've never been entirely sold on the series's flat characters and overall cheesy tone, we were most disappointed in its inability to maximize the gains behind Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World.  In fact, many were ready to call the show dead in the water after enduring the mostly unwatchable 12 episodes leading up to the Captain America: The Winter Solider tie-ins.  Since that time, AoS has delivered solid episodes one week and filler ones the next, as Coulson and team attempt to pick up their shattered lives post-HYDRA.  The revelations of Ward as a HYDRA agent sent shock waves through the Twitter, but fans continued to ask: "Where is this show going?"  And while we've now been given a second season, debate is most certainly to heat up based on these and many other questions:

1. It's time for Ward to go.  Since Ward's betrayal, one thing is clear: the team wants to see him in a body bag at the earliest possible convenience.  We whole-heartedly agree, but for reasons that ABC might not like.  Actor Brett Dalton has done nothing to inhabit this role with anything more that we could live with, and his character has killed too many people to justify his return.  The team also needs closure for the death of Agent Victoria Hand and the deep betrayal of Coulson's team.  Dalton's stock has improved as a result, but the character can only go so far.  If Ward returns for Season 2 and is somehow re-acclimated to the team, we could see fans turning into Green Rage Monsters and tearing down the Internet.  Grant Ward has got to go.
2. Does anyone care about Skye being an '084?' Let's be honest: hottie Chloe Bennett can't act, and the role created for her does nothing to encourage a different performance.  Suddenly, we learn that she's a weapon of unknown original - referred to in the series as a '084' - but nothing from her suggests that an inner power is soon to present itself.  That blame should be placed squarely on Creators Jedd Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, who haven't seen the need to imbue her with better lines.  In many ways, the news of anyone other than Coulson being such a weapon hasn't made sense from the moment it was revealed, and Bennett is the last person we'd pick for being a central figure in the series.  She needs more time to perfect her acting and better lines - and more boob shots.  That's why we stay to watch the show.   
3. How do Nick Fury and Maria Hill fit into Season 2?  With How I Met Your Mother sunset by CBS, Actress Colbie Smulders has plenty of time on her hands.  Adding her as a series regular would instantly improve the somewhat questionable acting stock.  True, Hill does work for Stark Industries, but her addition to reconstitute the agency could pay off in many ways.  Again, we're not impressed with the acting by anyone other than Clark Gregg, so adding a heavy like Samuel L. Jackson into multiple episodes could give the show another much-needed boost.  While we're doubtful he would appear on a consistent basis, AoS needs Smulders to add a new layer.  
4. Should Season 2 be re-titled "Extreme Makeover?" With S.H.I.E.L.D. in total disarray, will Season 2 focus on rebuilding the spy agency?  Or, will we get more glorified X-Files type of shows?  And would such an effort be watch-worthy?  Does the impending Avengers 2 - Age of Ultron even need a S.H.I.E.L.D.-like agency to reconstitute its heroes?
5. Should the show even be titled Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?  Like we said above, how do you tell a story about an agency that doesn't exist anymore?  If Couslon and team take out Ward and Garrett, what else is there to tell...unless S.H.I.E.L.D. is rebuilt to take on HYDRA.  We see clear evidence of Red Skull's old group experimenting on Loki's spear as well as humans.  Unless S.H.I.E.L.D. is rebuilt to combat this new threat, keeping the name is like saying you're still married after an ugly divorce.

Considering that ABC is now producing a Peggy Carter S.H.I.E.L.D. origin show, a fond farewell for AoS seemed imminent.  The renewal does more to cast doubt on Marvel's Cinematic Universe building, particularly if Whedon and company can't both key in on better story arcs that somehow tie into the movies, while producing memorable stand-alone episodes filled with plenty of Marvel tips-of-the-hat.

In short, this show needs a compelling story arc, fresh actors, and ultimately a reason to exist.  Unless radical changes are made to Season 2 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , we have little faith in its chances for a third.

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