Rant #962: Agents of Tease

I hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day.

We did, as we had a houseful of people, a big hero as the main dish, and everyone seemed to have a fine time.

Anyway, my wife and I have made it a habit to generally stay away from the TV networks and their programming.

We watch a few shows--she more than me, as I am usually preoccupied with sports--but we don't watch too much, because, quite frankly, what is on network TV today is utter trash that pales in comparison to what was on 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago.

But we do watch ABC's "Once Upon a Time," a two-season Sunday night staple about the citizens of Storytown, a mythical place where fairy tale characters live in today's world, having been banished from their own land by an evil witch's curse.

(If you haven't yet seen this show, don't ask. Put out by the people who gave us "Lost," this show, too, is as convoluted as its predecessor, but it has a certain charm that is intriguing.)

Well, we watched the season finale last night, and that was all fine and good, but that is not why I am writing this Rant.

During a commercial break for this show, a short teaser was run about a new ABC show for the fall season, something called "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

If you are an old comic book collector like I am, and if you are a current move goer, which I am occasionally, you know that this teaser, which lasted maybe a minute, was far more exciting than this 60-minute episode of "Once Upon a Time."

"Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." is evidently going to be a TV show based on the organization which had its place in Marvel Comics during the 1960s, and has been revived in the Marvel superhero movies of the current time.

See what viewers saw at http://www.youtube.com/user/ABCNetwork?v=G5ODnz78XTI.

I think "S.H.I.E.L.D." first premiered with the character of Nick Fury way back when, but in the past 50 years, with real-life coverups and other derring-dos with real governmental organizations, this was revived in the movies, and played out very well in "The Avengers" film, which made oodles of money last summer.

Actor Clark Gregg reprises his role as Agent Phil Coulsen in the TV show, overseeing this secret law enforcement agency.

The problem is, Coulsen died in "The Avengers" film, so how will he be resurrected?

Will the movie be a prequel to what happened in the film, or is Coulsen actually not dead?

More importantly, will Marvel's stable of superheroes, including Iron Man and the Hulk, turn up on this show?

Just based on the promo, ABC could have a big hit series in the fall, or this could fall flat on its face, but let me tell you, it perked up my ears a bit, as usually during the commercials, I have to prop myself up to even pay attention to them.

But this one got my rapt attention.

If this is how the Marvel Universe is extending itself--and now that ABC is owned by Disney which owns the Marvel franchise, it evidently is doing just this--then it was pretty genius of them to promo this concept during TV's reigning high-concept fantasy show.

But I bet it took lots of people unawares, and yes, it threw me for a loop.

I guess we will just have to wait until the fall to see how this plays out.

I will see you next on Wednesday, as tomorrow, I am busy with business related to my son's education.

See you in two days.