AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. returns to television this Tuesday in case you’ve not seen the massive advertising campaign from ABC, Disney, and Marvel. Since the first season has released on blu-ray and DVD a few weeks ago, you can be sure I’ve been obsessing over all the details.

As many of you know, season 1 was Marvel’s first foray into live action TV series and an attempt to tie a show into their Cinematic Universe (Avengers films and so forth). It was a rocky start with a slow build and near lackluster characters caused many viewers to drop off. However, after the sporadic airing schedule evened out and the show tied into CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, things got much better. By the final episode, we were treated a show that was intriguing, mysterious, and had its own voice.

With season 2 starting up this week, we know the show has a lot to live up to and appears to be working hard to deliver the goods. From all the big name casting choices, such as Lucy Lawless (Battlestar Galactica), Adrianne Palicki (GI Joe 2), Adrian Pasdar (Heroes), Patton Oswalt and more, SHIELD seems to be increasing their budget to get some some more actors involved. Not only does this mean we could get some better acting, but also some darker stories. First reviews are saying the premiere episode called “Shadows” is really proving how much stronger the show has become.

Lastly, with no Marvel films releasing until May 1, 2015, the show doesn’t rely on a late season payoff again. We’re hoping there’s an AGE OF ULTRON tie-in at the end of the season, but until then the show can be what it needs to be. It also has a solid release schedule this year to make room for AGENT CARTER at the halfway point. Expect around 10-11 weeks straight of episodes followed by 8 weeks of Peggy’s adventure, then 11 more weeks ending in the Spring. We’re excited.

Enjoy the press release from Marvel and ABC below and show up at 9 PM now on Tuesday nights on ABC to catch Coulson’s SHIELD and his agents of nothing.

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“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?

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons and Nick Blood as Lance Hunter.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” was co-created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, who also serve as executive producers along with Jeph Loeb and Jeffrey Bell. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Television, and is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound.

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Source: ABC