Once Netflix started rescuing formerly canceled fan-favorite TV shows like Arrested Development and Longmire, it perhaps unwittingly became the scapegoat-ish target for fans to cry out to when their favorite series have been put to pasture. Such was the case when ABC decided to drop axes on Agent Carter after two seasons, as fans rallied for the streaming service to add Hayley Atwell's badass from the past to their burgeoning Marvel programming for Season 3. But it didn't happen, and Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos offered up two reasons why. Here's one.
We're looking for truly original brands to own, and in that Marvel space we already have [original comic book shows]. So that was mostly why.
As you might imagine, this is the far more frustrating answer to hear, since it implies that there is a specific number of Marvel shows that Netflix needs to run at full capacity. Sure, Netflix is where Marvel gets to go a little extreme on dramas like Daredevil and Jessica Jones - and you can't tell me the in-development Punisher series won't go bananas - which makes it more difficult for a sunshine-heavy spy drama like Agent Carter to fit in. But one would think that a built-in audience would supersede fitting in, and one would be wrong in this case, apparently.
Not that having too many comic book series in its original programming library is the entirety of Netflix's reasoning for passing on Agent Carter Season 3. Speaking with EW, Ted Sarandos also pointed out that there are issues with how the drama is able to air globally.
They also have some output deal complexities. So when you pick it up, being able to pick it up globally is difficult even after it's canceled. Some of those output partners still had it on the air, so they would argue it's covered by their output [deals]. Unfortunately, it was a business decision more than a creative one.
So...I guess now fans can start writing up petitions for some of those output partners Sarandos talked about to give up their deals, so that Netflix would have guaranteed global streaming rights to Season 3. It would all be for naught, since the whole Marvel side of things was also mentioned, but at least everyone could say they ruined other people's abilities to watch Agent Carter around the world. Wait, that's not a good thing.
Now that we know why Netflix never put forth the effort to bring more Agent Carter to audiences, is it time to give up on the possibility altogether? Or do we maybe allow Atwell to get on with her new ABC drama, as well as Dominic Cooper with Preacher and everyone else in the cast and crew, and then agree to reconvene in our Season 3 efforts a year or two down the road? A shame either choice is available, really.
