ABC said on Thursday that it has granted Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a full season order. The news shouldn’t come as a surprise as, despite its recent ratings dip, it is still among the top-rated new shows of the 2013-2014 TV season so far.
ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee confirmed the news in a statement. It is the first Marvel Studios television series and counts The Avengers writer/director Joss Whedon as co-creator, along with Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon.
When SHIELD premiered on Sept. 24, it earned the best debut for a new drama since 2009. It was watched by 11.9 million viewers and earned a 4.6 18-49 rating.
However, its previous two episodes dropped in the ratings. This week’s episode earned 7.72 million viewers and a 2.8 18-49 rating. Still, it was the top-rated show in the Tuesday 8 p.m. timeslot, earning bigger ratings than CBS’ NCIS and the first hour of NBC’s The Voice.
SHIELD is the second new show of the current season to earn a series order. Fox has already ordered a second season for Sleepy Hollow.
Even though ABC has SHIELD to kick off Tuesdays, the rest of its Tuesday line-up is in need of help. Comedies The Goldbergs and Trophy Wife have not been able to hold on to the SHIELD lead-in audience and Lucky 7 has already been cancelled. ABC is now airing Scandal repeats at 10 p.m.
image: ABC