The show came from producer Joss Whedon, the man behind not just Buffy the Vampire Slayer but the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers.
The series built upon an existing Marvel brand, promising storytelling overlap between the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and an expanding universe of superhero films.
Yet Agents remains a tough sell for audiences. Could Tuesday night’s emotional installment help change that?
The episode featured plenty of high drama, including a life and death struggle with one of the show’s recurring characters. The show also included a commercial for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the first sequel to that star-spangled film starring Chris Evans.
That welcome blast of synergy, and a few more to come, might matter to the series’ future.
Next week, Jaimie Alexander’s Lady Sif of Thor: The Dark World fame will appear on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.The following week, ABC will air a new documentary giving audiences a peek at The Avengers: Age of Ultron as well as other Marvel movies.
It could be enough marketing juice to push Agents into a second season. That’s what super friends are for.