I have a couple of items for you this morning from the world of television involving two comic book based TV series: ABC has released a lengthy full synopsis for the second season of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Netflix has announced they've acquired the rights to FOX's upcoming Gotham series.
We'll start with the Marvel series first before getting into the details of the deal Netflix has made with FOX. But if you haven't seen the first season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. yet, you're going to want to avoid the season two synopsis below.
Check it out:
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns for a dynamic, action-packed second season, with newly appointed Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) – now the keeper of the secrets — charged with rebuilding and restoring government and public trust in S.H.I.E.L.D. in the wake of the events of "Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier," where it was revealed evil Hydra agents had infiltrated the organization. Ever since the existence of super heroes and aliens became public knowledge after the Battle of New York, the world has been trying to come to grips with this new reality. Agent Phil Coulson, who had died at the hands of Loki during the battle, was resuscitated and brought back into action, assembling a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division). S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mission: to protect those who cannot protect themselves from threats they cannot conceive.
But the biggest threat was growing from within, as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s old enemy, Hydra – a dangerous extremist group Captain America fought against in World War II – had secretly infiltrated and infected the organization at the highest levels. Once revealed to the public, S.H.I.E.L.D., including Coulson and his team, was discredited and made to look like the enemy. The world now views S.H.I.E.L.D. as untrustworthy, and it's Coulson's job to change that opinion.
After helping to thwart Hydra, Coulson was appointed as Director and tasked with rebuilding the agency. This won't be an easy job to accomplish with the majority of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents either killed, secretly working for Hydra or free agents. Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), expert pilot, martial artist and longtime friend, will continue to look after Coulson in the wake of the mysterious etchings he's been carving into walls. What do these etchings mean, and can Coulson be trusted? Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), highly trained in combat and espionage, was found to be a Hydra mole and a traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D. and locked up away from the world and his former teammates. But this isn't the last we've seen of him… After being left to die in the middle of the ocean by Ward, Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), brilliant engineer, and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge), genius bio-chemist, found a way to escape their watery grave. But all did not go well for Fitz, who was left in a coma and may never regain his full cognitive functions; a devastating blow to Simmons. And computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet), now a full-fledged S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, discovered her origins as a 0-8-4 — an object of unknown origin – and that her parents were considered "monsters." Could Skye have darkness lying dormant inside of her? Also joining Coulson's core team is Lance Hunter (Nick Blood), a dashing mercenary sharp shooter with a quick wit. Since he didn't rise up through the ranks, does he have an ulterior motive for helping out the team?
Who can Coulson trust?
Meanwhile, Deadline is reporting Netflix has bought the rights to Gotham, and the first season will be released on the streaming service after it finishes airing on FOX. This is the first time the rights to a series has been purchased by Netflix before a single episode has aired, and the rumor is the deal is worth $1.75 million per episode. Gotham will likely be available on Netflix in September 2015, which is also when many expect the second season to premiere on FOX.
Some weren't impressed with the pilot for Gotham (JoBlo.com's Alex Maidy gave it a 6/10), but clearly Netflix expects big things from the new FOX series.
Season two of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will start airing on ABC on September 23, 2014, and Gotham will debut on FOX on September 22, 2014.