Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. has always found itself the underdog from the word go. Its first season pulled decent, but not spectacular numbers, and the second season has been less than what ABC would call a sophomore success. Yet despite its performance issues, the series has continued to thrive and survive as a key tool in Marvel's publicity machine, and Agent Carter has found itself a party to that great fortune as well. However, with the good comes the bad, and as such it looks like that brand new Mockingbird-focused spinoff of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is officially dead.
Deadline has reported that the Bobbi Morse/Lance Hunter-flavored side project has been put on ice over at the alphabet network. No official reasoning has been confirmed, but this seems like a done deal. Frankly, it's surprising the idea was even released to the public at all, considering it seemed like a rush job from the beginning. However, if we were to name a cause of death for the Morse/Hunter Mystery Hour, we'd be able to give you two.
The first cause is, “Death By Dependence.” With Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. needing as much help as it can get to justify its worth on a weekly basis, jettisoning a newly introduced and well-received character so soon would be to shoot itself in the foot. If the fans are tuning into the show to see Mockingbird Morse kick all sorts of ass, then home base is truly where she belongs. While the midseason decision to raise Bobbi's profile may have snuffed the fires, it's the second cause that most likely acted as the silver bullet in the heart of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Spinoff.
We're talking about a “Death By Peggy Carter.” With Agent Carter failing to maintain the momentum of its premiere, the fact that it was greenlighted for a second season must have meant that some blood had to be shed in order to let it live. Choosing between Peggy Carter and Bobbi Morse isn't a hard choice, as Carter would (and should) win any day of the week. There's tons of backstory that Agent Carter can fill in the history of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s momentous rise, as well as its infiltration by HYDRA. With Captain America: Civil War on the horizon, as well as an appearance by Peggy Carter in this summer's Ant-Man, it seems only right to keep Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter working together for at least one more season to glue the pieces together.
However, just because Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. has stopped its spinoff dead in its tracks doesn't mean they can't revive it at a later date. For all we know, ABC wants to develop Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter for another season, after which they may decide to circle back to the project and revise its fate. While the Mockingbird spinoff sounds like a quickly deployed idea, it doesn't sound bad as a whole. It merely sounds like an idea whose time hasn't yet come.
Don't cry for Bobbi Morse's spinoff; instead cry for the unfortunate ABC shows that have been flat out cancelled. Just be sure to dry your tears for next week's 2-hour season finale of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., because TV's better enjoyed with clear eyes.
