Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. executive producers Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon discussed with The Hollywood Reporter the criticism and challenges the show has faced in its first season. The Hollywood Reporter has had fromer S.H.I.E.L.D. comic book artist Jim Steranko recap each episode and he has been very critical of the show. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns to ABC tonight (4/1) and will air seven episodes in a row.
Here is an excerpt from the interview:
Fifteen episodes in, what’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far?
Whedon: We’ve learned so many different lessons. A first-year show has so many growing pains and we’re happy we’re getting the kind of season where we feel like we’re really hitting our stride both in terms of the stuff we’ve played in early and storywise coming to head and also just in terms of getting everybody in production, on stage and in the room on the same page. There’s a learning curve no matter what the show so there’s been a lot of lessons.
Tancharoen: We’ve learned what works and what doesn’t and we’re sticking with the stuff that works. It’s an eight-day shoot and we knew from the outset that there were a lot of eyes on the show with very high expectations. People were expecting to see a Marvel movie every week. With the reality of our accelerated post schedule, we are living up to that standard as much as we possibly can. In the beginning, we may have tried to apply too much to an episode. Now we understand the right balance that we need of scale as well as story and quiet moments in between. That is what our show is about: real people living in this extraordinary world. We’ve found how to lean into that; to show the same great universe as you see in the movies, but through a different lens.