AGENT CARTER: Former ABC President Believes The Show Would Have Performed Better If Released Today

Former ABC President Paul Lee has reflected on having Agent Carter on the network, sharing his belief that the series would fare much better if it were released today. Find his comments in full right here!

News

By JoshWilding - Apr 14, 2023 09:04 AM EST

Filed Under: Agent Carter

Source: The Wrap

Following the success of The Avengers, Disney announced that the MCU would head to the small screen with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC. The series took a while to find its footing and, as time passed, it became clear Marvel Studios and Marvel Television didn't exactly have the closest working relationship.

In fact, the two entities were almost entirely separate, with Kevin Feige's involvement boiling down to telling Jeph Loeb the characters he could and couldn't use.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was followed by Agent Carter, a series it's thought Marvel Studios did have a little more involvement in. Unfortunately, it only lasted two seasons on ABC despite starring Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, and James D'Arcy.

During a recent interview with The Wrap, former ABC President Paul Lee reflected on Agent Carter and shared his belief that the series would fare much better in today's landscape.

"Look, structurally, don’t forget, it was at a time when Marvel movies and Marvel TV were separated," he tells the trade. "So I think one of the reasons it would do better today is that the platform is used to it."

"And it would have sat brilliantly amongst those," Lee added, referring to Marvel Studios' current slate of Disney+ TV shows. "But it was a great early suggestion of where the Marvel brand could go and very useful to everybody."

"I think also were it done today, there would be more synergies between the television and the movies, both creatively, and also in terms of storyline and otherwise," he concluded. "But we were thrilled to do 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' and 'Agent Carter,' because they blazed a path that was very profitable for the Walt Disney Company over time."

The days of MCU (or MCU-adjacent) content airing on network television are over as Disney+ is now home to any and all projects set in that world.

Characters from Marvel Television's Netflix TV shows have started finding their way into the MCU, of course, and D'Arcy reprised his Agent Carter role in Avengers: Endgame. As for Atwell, she's now playing Captain Carter, and rumours continue to swirl that Chloe Bennet will eventually return as Quake.

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43 Comments

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FilmGuy7878 - 4/14/2023, 9:46 AM

Oh boy oh boy.

This is gonna go well. Let the fire commence...

ObserverIO - 4/14/2023, 10:08 AM

@FilmGuy7878 - Exactly. And the fact that you thought this at all is exactly why the show would not go down well today at all.

This wasn't even all that long ago and neither was Jessica Jones. It just shows how quickly society can degrade.

FilmGuy7878 - 4/14/2023, 10:14 AM

@ObserverIO - Both Agent Carter and Jessica Jones were solid shows (not the best but solid) but their main appeal was their likable but flawed female leads and now....

People can't stand a woman being the main appeal of a show. It's f**king sick.

ObserverIO - 4/14/2023, 10:32 AM

@FilmGuy7878 - I blame the government. I blame the internet. I blame the illuminati! Somebody gave the incels an identity and a cause and let loose the dogs of war.

Ironically all they need is to get laid. A good titty-[frick] from a woman that respects them and peace will cover the land once again.

Radders - 4/14/2023, 11:08 AM

@FilmGuy7878 - still waiting for this fire to commence...looks like most people liked the show, its almost like the issue isn't female leads but badly written, agenda laden, shows and films

JDL - 4/15/2023, 5:57 AM

@Radders - I liked it quite a bit. Granted S1 was better but S2 was still very decent. Frankly I've wondered why it wasn't a bigger hit and imo it comes down it was the wrong format for the time; it was a shot as a limited series like todays D+ shows and back then that was out of the ordinary. YMMV.

Reginator - 4/14/2023, 9:48 AM

watched every episode of Agent Carter.

MosquitoFarmer - 4/14/2023, 10:23 AM

@Reginator -

Reginator - 4/14/2023, 10:43 AM

@MosquitoFarmer - prefer alcohol

WarMonkey - 4/15/2023, 7:59 AM

@MosquitoFarmer - I watched every episode and season 1 twice and yes I DO WANT a cookie, a very delicious one and I want it now!!

ElvenKingSlayer - 4/16/2023, 10:40 AM

@WarMonkey - But how many times did you watch the One-Shot?

MrDandy - 4/14/2023, 9:49 AM

Season 1 is still really good and imo should still be watched as canon given the inclusion of so many MCU characters and creators working on it.

It fell apart in season 2 when they tried to make the miniseries into a full blown series. New showrunners really couldn’t make it work.

But that first season was excellent.

CplHicks - 4/14/2023, 9:50 AM

This show was just like Deadwood, season 1 was good. Season 2 no bueno.

Radders - 4/14/2023, 9:53 AM

Sadly, if it was done today it would be another dumpster fire so I'm glad it was done when it was, so we got at least 1 great season.
Season 2 was just ok but a big step down which is probably why it didn't last - shouldn't have been moved to LA

supermanrex - 4/14/2023, 9:54 AM

i miss this show. the fifties sci fi/spy theme was excellent. i hope they do a special presentation at least to close up shop or test for interest. be cool to see agent carter meet captain carter.

gtabreaker - 4/14/2023, 9:59 AM

Never give up

Superheromoviefan - 4/14/2023, 10:01 AM

um, no
the show was mediocre at best

Vigor - 4/14/2023, 10:09 AM

Nobody asked for an Agent Carter show, but we got one, and it was pretty decent
Let's remember this when it comes to Agatha and Echo. Either show could be good. Either show could be bad. But don't judge so early. They have a story to tell, let them tell it.

In due time we will get our cyclops, gambit, iceman, rogue, etc... my kings

FilmGuy7878 - 4/14/2023, 10:33 AM

@Vigor - In due time, they might also f**k them up. But that's just me.

I really, REALLY, want them to do the X-Men right but I'm kinda losing a lot of hope they aren't gonna pull it off.

Vigor - 4/14/2023, 10:35 AM

@FilmGuy7878 - if they care about profits for the next 15 years, it would behoove them to take care when it comes to the xmen. It's just one pocket of the marvel universe but means so much to so many people. They kind of have to get it right. Matter of fact if they fail with that property, only THEN will I say the MCU might crumble

FilmGuy7878 - 4/14/2023, 10:43 AM

@Vigor - It's more than a pocket, dude. There are so many f**king mutants, it could be it's own universe. I've always been more of an X-Men guy then an Avengers guy. I just find the whole "burdened with powers" and "allegory for minorities" thing so fascinating, especially in the Claremont runs (my all-time favorite X-Men writer).

My idea for the first X-Men film is having Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Banshee II (Theresa Cassidy), Sunfire, Thunderbird (he dies at the end of the second act), and the newest member, Kitty Pryde (the story being told through her perspective) traveling to Krakoa to investigate a secret mutant colony that has been occupied by SHIELD only to learn that the island is a Omega-level mutant itself that feeds on the power of other mutants.

Vigor - 4/14/2023, 10:44 AM

@FilmGuy7878 - interesting. You want to jump right to Krakoa on the first movie?

FilmGuy7878 - 4/14/2023, 10:52 AM

@Vigor - Well, I feel like having an adaptation of Giant Size X-Men #1 is a great starting point for the MCU's X-Men. It 1. establishes them as a fully-fleshed out team/found family right as they are introduced and 2. gives an opportunity to bring in the more popular members instead of starting with the OG 5.

The reason I chose Krakoa is that I want to establish these character's personalities and dynamics (and what better way to do that then to place them on a deserted, deadly island) first before I get into the political and ethical side of their fight in the next film (which will involve the Sentinels).

Scott and Ororo's mutual respect for one another, Kitty's wide eyed wonder being grounded by Thunderbird's harsh truth, Sunfire's bigotry turned sympathy towards Kurt, Theresa's flirtatious nature coming into conflict with Kurt's ideals. There's so much fun interactions and relationships you can do with these characters and fleshing them out is the most important thing to me.

WarMonkey - 4/15/2023, 8:01 AM

@Vigor - I asked for it lol! I always wanted to see how SHIELD came about plus I love watching Hayley on the screen

mountainman - 4/14/2023, 10:22 AM

Season 1 of this show was amazing. It’s hard to say if it would do better today or not. There just may not be an appetite for a show like this to run long term.

MotherGooseUPus - 4/14/2023, 10:33 AM

Season 1 was great.. season 2, mehhh... but anything with Hayley has my attention. Also, this show is no where near as good as AoS which progressively got better and better. I truly hope some of those actors/characters make the jump to the big screen/disney + shows... Looking at you Quake, Fitz/Simmons, Mac

Boycee - 4/14/2023, 11:46 AM

Worst MCU project by far.

Fun character in the Captain America movies but the period setting (and no Captain America to play off) made it dull as hell.

Order66 - 4/14/2023, 1:56 PM

The show was mediocre at best. It’s a moot point now because the one shot is the only thing that’s canon. The show isn’t canon cause it contradicts the one shot.

Spike101 - 4/14/2023, 3:09 PM

Great show really enjoyed it and would love to see more of Peggy 😊

Batmangina - 4/14/2023, 3:44 PM

Agent Carter was pretty goddamn good actually - even more so when you consider it was a period piece.

So was Jessica Jones and THAT one was a new character who's book didn't sell for shit but it was well written and acted and the take on the Purple Man was [frick]ing brilliant.

Sorry to burst your narrative bubble.

marvel72 - 4/14/2023, 8:29 PM

@Batmangina - Season 1 of Jessica Jones was very good.

L0RDbuckethead - 4/14/2023, 5:14 PM

I enjoyed this show.

1 2

AGENT CARTER: Former ABC President Believes The Show Would Have Performed Better If Released Today

Former ABC President Paul Lee has reflected on having Agent Carter on the network, sharing his belief that the series would fare much better if it were released today. Find his comments in full right here!

AGENT CARTER Writer Jose Molina On Where Season 3 Would Have Went And The Possibility Of A Netflix Revival

AGENT CARTER & CAPTAIN AMERICA Star Hayley Atwell Is Hesitant To Reprise The Role Of Peggy Carter

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.