Last night, ABC announced a lot of great news for Marvel fans. Both “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Agent Carter” were renewed for another year. But there was one casualty: the S.H.I.E.L.D. spin-off starring Mockingbird (Adrianne Palicki) and Hunter (Nick Blood) is dead in the water.
Considering even fans like myself were questioning the need for TWO shows starring S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, this isn”t too much of a surprise. However! Perhaps now ABC will be looking for another Marvel property to acquire and bake into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Lucky for them, I happen to have this handy list of Marvel lore just begging for the small screen treatment!
#1. Stark Industries
Place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Any time you see Black Widow with a new piece of tech on her suit, or Captain America with a new outfit, or Hawkeye using new arrows, it was created by the cogs in the wheel of Stark Industries.
Show Concept: Set in an office made of regular old humans. Weekly plots are two-pronged. On the one side, the team is trying to create a new piece of technology, or figure out a genetic mutation, or put out a fire started by the Avengers. On the other side, the interpersonal relationships between the staff (scientists, administrators, researchers, etc.) evolve and are explored in-depth. Some people excel at their jobs, some are in it for the money, some are resigned to a desk job, and at least one is borderline incompetent.
Elevator Pitch: “The Office” plus “The IT Crowd” only with more explosions.
#2. Nova Corps
Place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Located on Xandar – the planet Ronan was trying to destroy in “Guardians of the Galaxy” – the Nova Corps keep the peace and explore parts unknown. Basically they”re an intergalactic police force with superpowers gifted to them by the Nova Force energy field/living supercomputer.
Show Concept: With thousands of inhabited planets, the Nova Corps never know where they”ll be called to next. All they know is if it”s time to call them in, the local police force can”t handle it. Monster-of-the-Week format with an over-arcing thoroughline each season holding it together. Perhaps involving the knowledge Thanos is up to something but no way to prove it.
Elevator Pitch: “Star Trek” with a dash of “Cops.”
#3. The Runaways
Place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: The children of supervillains, the Runaways were ignorant to their parents deeds. They thought the group was getting together every summer for non-nefarious purposes. When the truth comes out, the kids turn on their folks and run away to become heroes.
Show Concept: The team – Alex Wilder, Nico Minoru, Chase Stein, and Gertrude Yorkes – witness their parents commit ritual murder. Realizing they”re not human, the show follows the kids as they try to scrape by on the streets and find out the secrets of their origin. Each season ends with the “removal” of one of their parents from the equation. (Different from the comic but gives the series legs).
Elevator Pitch: “My So-Called Life” meets “Kill Bill.”
#4. Nine Realms
Place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Humans live in Midgard. The Norse gods live in Asgard. But there are seven other planes of existence. Each one full of fire demons or elves or trolls or the dead.
Show Concept: Who doesn”t want to watch Sif rampage through the Nine Realms? Loudly disillusioned with the way “Odin” is running Asgard, Sif is exiled from her home. Picking up her buddy Valkyrie, the women make for the Rainbow Road and adventure and glory in parts unknown. Whether saving a baby fire demon or cutting down a Light Elf leader gone rogue, each week brings a new adventure.
Elevator Pitch: “Xena: The Warrior Princess” in space.
#5. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
Place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Cousin to Bruce Banner, Jennifer Walters was a lawyer long before she was a gamma-irradiated She-Hulk. In some versions of the lore she”s permanently in her “Hulk” form and in others she can swap at will. What remains the same is that Walters retains her personality even when she”s green.
Show Concept: Superheroes get sued. A lot. What with the wanton destruction and the aggravated assault. When that happens, Jennifer Walters steps in to defend heroes in a court of law. Diametrically opposed to the dark and gritty “realism” of other street level heroes, She-Hulk would temper each case with humor and a disastrous personal life.
Elevator Pitch: “Boston Legal” meets “Ally McBeal” with superheroes.