How will Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 wrap up its alien-invasion adventure, and what madness is store for season 7?
Between Coulson’s mysterious doppelgänger, an extended takedown of Silicon Valley culture, and several forays into drug-fueled psychedelia, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 has already treated fans to a wild, if strangely paced rollercoaster. But as the story launches into the back half of its 13-episode run and pivotal new characters hit the scene (we’re looking at you, Izel) we can’t help but wonder how this will all wrap up.
Executive producer and show runner Jed Whedon has an… interesting way of answering that question.
“Season 6 will not end in a satisfying way,” he says. The conclusion, Whedon promises, will be “a big question mark.”
Wow, okay. Emphatically noted, and anxiety-viewing-mode engaged. But according to the cast at least, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has the aftermath of this “unsatisfying” ending well in hand.
Clark Gregg, currently animating Coulson’s mysterious doppelgänger Sarge, is enthusiastic about the series’ ongoing re-imagination of its own limits. “I don’t think any season has been weaker than the one before it,” he says. “I feel like it’s continually evolved… and made a hell of a great thing” out of underused corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“We do it in season 6,” Gregg says, “and oh my God, we do it season 7!”
Gregg’s co-stars Chloe Bennett and Jeff Ward heartily agree.
“I have to say season 7 is going to be extremely fun,” Ward tells Hypable. “It’s incredible. I really love season six but seven is my favorite since I’ve been here, for sure.”
Bennett is more succinct: “[Season] 7 gonna actually break your minds,” she promises.
Specific details on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7 are extremely scarce, though Head of Marvel Television Jeff Loeb confirms that the story will span 13 episodes. On the question of tone, Whedon suggests that the adventuresome, rule-breaking spirit that powered much of season 6 will carry over into season 7.
“Over the years, we’ve stepped out of our comfort zone a couple of times,” he says, with “stories that were outside our normal form of storytelling. And we love those so much, so I think in these next two seasons, we try to do a lot more of that — episodes that are different than what you’ve seen.
“In season 6 and 7, we don’t think there are risks we shouldn’t take,” he continues. “So it frees us up as writers to just think of anything and know that they’ll be willing to play it, and that hopefully the audience will like it.”
According to Loeb, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s renewal for season 7 was at least in part inspired by the creative direction of season 6.
“ABC in particular looked at 6 and was like, “It’s as though you guys have found another wave of energy, and so let’s go do that. Let’s do some more,”” he recalls. “And that was just a complete surprise, because we really thought, well, we had six and it’s 13 [episodes.] Okay, we’ll just wrap it up and that will be that. They went, “No, actually. Do more than that.””
The creative team is remaining emphatically silent on the specifics of what fans can expect in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 7. But Whedon did offer a grin when the idea of a musical episode was suggested — a particularly tempting proposition, given that he and co-showrunner Maurissa Tancharoen are skilled composers and lyricists.
“I’m not making any promises,” he says, “But anything’s possible!”
The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 finale airs on August 2.