While plenty of networks have comic book-based shows premiering over the next couple of weeks (including tonight’s Gotham), ABC is holding back its new series Agent Carter. Instead of premiering sometime this fall, Agent Carter is being held for midseason, but that hasn’t stopped the Marvel-oriented series from signing on a few big names. The latest actor added to the roster is Shea Whigham, an HBO regular who has had roles in Boardwalk Empire and True Detective.
On Monday, Marvel announced that Whigham has signed on to play Strategic Scientific Reserve Chief Roger Dooley. He’s a “tough but fair-minded” individual who is in charge of Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) at the SSR, as well as Thompson and Sousa, who will be played by Chad Michael Murray and Enver Gjokaj.
Whigham should be a pretty good fit for the period drama. The man’s spent the last several years playing bootlegger Nucky Thompson’s brother on the Prohibition era drama Boardwalk Empire. He’s had a tough go of it on the HBO drama this season, hiding out in Chicago to avoid murder charges. Luckily, he won’t have to suffer in the early thirties for much longer, as Boardwalk Empire is wrapping up its final season in just a few weeks. It’s the perfect time for Whigham to nab another TV gig, and with Agent Carter, Whigham is headed to 1946. He’ll be a part of the post-war workforce, and since he is fair-minded, hopefully he’ll help Carter as she adjusts to being a woman in a man’s world after the war has ended and the men are returning back to work.
In addition to Whigham, Atwell, Murray and Gjokaj, Agent Carter has cast another big name. Just a few days ago, the series announced that Cloud Atlas actor James D’Arcy has signed on to play Howard Stark’s Butler in the drama. We also know that Peggy Carter will be fulfilling missions for Stark, and it would be nice for Dominic Cooper to reprise his role in the series. That might be wishful thinking, but since Agent Carter is still coming together, it might not be totally out of reach.
While Agent Carter is heating up, ABC has another Marvel series in the lineup, and fans won’t even have to wait until midseason to catch new episodes. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is headed into its second season this fall, and the show has been great about teasing a slew of new guest stars, one of which happens to be Agent Peggy Carter. If you want to see how Atwell’s character does on TV, all you have to do is tune in for the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiere.
S.H.I.E.L.D. hits ABC’s schedule tomorrow night at 9 p.m. EST. Agent Carter will follow at midseason. We’ll let you know as soon as the latter series gets an official premiere date.
