It would seem that, despite saying he doesn’t want to cast too many veterans of his older shows in S.H.I.E.L.D., Joss Whedon's not above the idea if he finds the right fit for the role. So welcome Angel’s J. August Richard’s to the team, at least for the pilot.
Richards’ role is being kept classified for now, which fits with the modus operandi for this embryonic series. A lot about the new Marvel show is under wraps at this point, including whether US network ABC has decided to green light an actual series based on that first episode. While it would appear to be a no-brainer given the impact of those big-screen Avengers, the US TV industry is a hard place to second guess, a land where good shows die on the vine and moronic behemoths lumber on for years.
Still, despite Whedon’s history with shows struggling to stay on, it’s a fair bet that Marvel and Disney will get this one moving. And its title? That’s another matter, as Entertainment Weekly is reporting an ABC webpage showing the name Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., which seems unwieldy to us, but may not be the final choice. And there’s an equally unofficial description to be found too. Read on…
"Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) returns to the worldwide law enforcement organization S.H.I.E.L.D. He puts together a small, highly trained, team of Agents to tackle the cases that haven’t been classified yet, the new, the strange and the unknown. That team consists of straight arrow Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), an expert in combat and espionage; pilot and martial artist Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen); and brilliant if socially awkward scientists Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). They’ll be joined by civilian new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet).
Prepare for an epic adventure that showcases the hope and wonder of the human spirit. This is a world of Super Heroes, aliens and the unusual – of action, spectacle and world spanning stories. The show will speak to the human condition through the lens of our very human, non-powered S.H.I.E.L.D agents – that together we are greater than we are apart, and that we can make a difference in the world."
We'd guess there will also be chuckles. And death. But not Coulson. Coulson LIV... Sorry. Got carried away as usual.