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Falling on ABC’s ‘SHIELD': Marvel Drama Dropped by Double Digits With Each Passing Season

by Tony Maglio | August 14, 2020 @ 12:22 PM

Seven-season series was relegated to summer in 2019 and came to a quiet conclusion on Wednesday

Come back with your shield — or on it, the Spartan saying goes. ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD,” which started with great ratings promise seven seasons ago, managed to do both with its series finale on Wednesday.

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The ABC drama, which exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, got off to a heroic Nielsen start back in 2013. Since then, the show has declined by double digits on a percentage basis each season in terms of both TV ratings and audience size, before ultimately limping across the finish line this summer.

In the end, which arguably came one or two seasons too late, “SHIELD” averaged Nielsen ratings that placed it in the company of other lackluster performers, like fellow current ABC series “What Would You Do?” and the network’s recently wrapped “The Genetic Detective.” Those two are both unscripted shows, which are considerably cheaper to produce. (The much-anticipated, effects-heavy pilot for “SHIELD” cost an eye-popping $12 million, the New York Times reported at the time.)

Also Read: Univision's Cool, Cool Summer: How Network Has Obliterated Ratings Trends

For a direct scripted-drama comparison, summer reruns of NBC’s “Chicago” shows having been averaging the same rating among adults 18-49, which is the age range most coveted by advertisers, as original episodes of “SHIELD.”

If we include the entire Nielsen season to-date, “SHIELD” ranks a paltry 151st in the key demo on broadcast television, and 177th in total viewers. It’s important to reiterate here that, in general, summer is significantly lower rated than the rest of the year.

We’re also awaiting a few weeks of delayed-viewing statistics for “SHIELD.”

But still, the standing for “SHIELD” is pretty bad. What’s good about “Agents of SHIELD” has been its critical reception. The show has a 95% “Fresh” rating among critics on RottenTomatoes.com. It has a 90% rating among “top critics,” and an 89% standing among audience members. While Metacritics’ roundup ascribes a lower critics’ rating to the show, a 74, that website’s user scores are exactly the same as Rotten Tomatoes, just on a different scale.

Also Read: ABC Settles for Primetime Ratings Tie With Telemundo on 'Agents of SHIELD' Series-Finale Night

Below are the “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” demo ratings and total-viewer statistics, by season, according to Nielsen. We’ve crunched the numbers on the annual declines for readers.

Season 7 averages could rise a bit — especially in the more granular total-viewer tally — when the past few weeks of delayed viewing gets factored in. All of the early Season 7 episodes and the numbers for Seasons 1-6 are inclusive of one week of DVR viewing.

Ratings (18-49)
Season 1: 3.1
Season 2: 2.8 (-10%)
Season 3: 2.2 (-21%)
Season 4: 1.6 (-27%)
Season 5: 1.2 (-25%)
Season 6 (Summer): 0.8 (-33%)
Season 7 (Summer): 0.5 (-38%)

Total Viewers
Season 1: 8.520 million total viewers
Season 2: 7.460 million total viewers (-12%)
Season 3: 5.784 million total viewers (-22%)
Season 4: 4.396 million total viewers (-24%)
Season 5: 3.702 million total viewers (-16%)
Season 6 (Summer): 3.261 million total viewers (-12%)
Season 7 (Summer): 2.294 million total viewers (-30%)

Fall TV 2020: All the Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows - So Far (Photos)

Fall is in full swing, but not much has changed since this summer with many people still staying at home as much as possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Luckily, dozens of new and returning shows are premiering this autumn to keep you company. TheWrap has rounded up all the dates we know -- so far -- for Fall TV shows' debuts. We will continue to update the list as more become available.

For the purposes of this gallery, we've designated Sept. 1 as the beginning of fall rather than the official Sept. 22 start, since "Fall TV" is sure to be more loosely defined this year.

Also Read: Winter TV 2021: All the Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows – So Far (Photos)
ABC/Netflix/HBO/Peacock
Series: "Teen Mom 2" Net: MTV Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 1 Time: 8 p.m.
MTV
Series: "16 and Recovering" Net: MTV Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 1 Time: 9 p.m.
MTV
Series: "Transplant" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 1 Time: 10 p.m.
NBC
Series: "House of Payne" Net: BET Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 2 Time: 8 p.m.
BET
Series: "Assisted Living" Net: BET Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 2 Time: 9 p.m.
BET
Series: "A.P. Bio" Net: Peacock Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 3 Time: N/A
Peacock
Series: "Raised by Wolves" Net: HBO Max Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 3 Time: N/A
HBO Max
Series: "Away" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 4 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "Noughts + Crosses" Net: Peacock Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 4 Time: N/A
Peacock
Series: "The Boys" Net: Amazon Prime Video Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 4 Time: N/A
Amazon Prime Video
Series: "Black Love" Net: OWN Premiere Date: Saturday, Sept. 5 Time: 9 p.m.
OWN
Series: "Power Book II: Ghost" Net: Starz Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 6 Time: 9 p.m.
Starz
Series: "American Ninja Warrior" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "L.A's Finest" Net: Spectrum Originals Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9 Time: N/A
Spectrum Originals
Series: "Woke" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9 Time: N/A
Hulu
Series: "Julie and the Phantoms" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 10 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "The Duchess" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 11 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "Our Cartoon President" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 13 Time: 8:30 p.m.
Showtime
Series: "Dancing With the Stars" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 14 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "The Third Day" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 14 Time: 9 p.m.
HBO
Series: "We Are Who We Are" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 14 Time: 10 p.m.
HBO
Series: "Enslaved" Net: Epix Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 14 Time: 10 p.m.
Epix
Series: "Tosh.0" Net: Comedy Central Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 15 Time: 10 p.m.
Comedy Central
Series: "Challenger: The Final Flight" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "Archer" Net: FXX Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16 Time: 10 p.m.
FXX
Series: "Departure" Net: Peacock Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 17 Time: N/A
Peacock
Series: "The Great Pottery Throw Down" Net: HBO Max Premiere Date: Thursday, Sept. 17 Time: N/A
HBO Max
Series: "Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 18 Time: N/A
Hulu
Series: "Pen15" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 18 Time: N/A
Hulu
Series: "Ratched" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 18 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "World's Funniest Animals" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 18 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW
Series: "L.A.'s Finest"* Net: Fox Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 21 Time: 8 p.m. *Broadcast debut of Spectrum Originals series' first season
Fox
Series: "Filthy Rich" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Monday, Sept. 21 Time: 9 p.m.
Fox
Series: "The Masked Singer" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 23 Time: 8 p.m.
Fox
Series: "I Can See Your Voice" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Wednesday, Sept. 23 Time: 9 p.m.
Fox
Series: "Utopia" Net: Amazon Prime Video Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 25 Time: N/A
Amazon
Series: "A Wilderness of Error" Net: FX Premiere Date: Friday, Sept. 25 Time: 8 p.m.
FX
Series: "The Simpsons" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 27 Time: 8 p.m.
Fox
Series: "Bless the Harts" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 27 Time: 8:30 p.m.
Fox
Series: "Bob's Burgers" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 27 Time: 9 p.m.
Fox
Series: "The Comey Rule" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 27 Time: 9 p.m.
Showtime
Series: "Family Guy" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 27 Time: 9:30 p.m.
Fox
Series: "Fargo" Net: FX Premiere Date: Sunday, Sept. 27 Time: 10 p.m.
FX
Series: "Weakest Link" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Sept. 29 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Gangs of London" Net: AMC+ Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 1 Time: N/A
AMC
Series: "The Salisbury Poisonings" Net: AMC+ Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 1 Time: N/A
AMC
Series: "Monsterland" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 2 Time: N/A
Getty
Series: "Emily in Paris" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 2 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "Undercover Boss" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 2 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Warrior" Net: Cinemax Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 2 Time: 10 p.m.
Series: "Saturday Night Live" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Saturday, Oct. 3 Time: 11:30 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Pandora" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 4 Time: 8 p.m.
Series: "The Good Lord Bird" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 4 Time: 9 p.m.
Showtime
Series: "Britannia" Net: Epix Premiere Date: Sunday Oct. 4 Time: 9 p.m.
Epix
Series: "The Walking Dead: World Beyond" Net: AMC Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 4 Time: 10 p.m.
AMC
Series: "Soulmates" Net: AMC Premiere Date: Monday, Oct. 5 Time: 10 p.m.
AMC
Series: "Swamp Thing"* Net: The CW Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6 Time: 8 p.m.

*Broadcast debut of DC Universe series' first season
DC Universe
Series: "Ellen's Game of Games" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6 Time: 9 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Next" Net: Fox Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6 Time: 9 p.m.
Fox
Series: "Devils" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 7 Time: 8 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Coroner" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 7 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Supernatural" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 8 Time: 8 p.m.
The CW
Series: "Connecting..." Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 8 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "The Outpost" Net: The CW Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 8 Time: 9 p.m.
The CW
Series: "The Right Stuff" Net: Disney+ Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 9 Time: N/A
Disney+
Series: "The Haunting of Bly Manor" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 9 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "Fear the Walking Dead" Net: AMC Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 11 Time: 9 p.m.
AMC
Series: "The Bachelorette" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Tell Me a Story"* Net: The CW Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13 Time: 9 p.m.

*Broadcast debut of CBS All Access series' first season
The CW
Series: "The Amazing Race" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Sistas" Net: BET Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14 Time: 9 p.m.
BET
Series: "Star Trek: Discovery" Net: CBS All Access Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 15 Time: N/A
CBS All Access
Series: "Helstrom" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 16 Time: N/A
Hulu
Series: "Grand Army" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 16 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "Shark Tank" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 16 Time: 9 p.m.
ABC
Series: "America's Funniest Home Videos" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 18 Time: 7 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Supermarket Sweep" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 18 Time: 8 p.m.
Getty
Series: "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 18 Time: 9 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Card Sharks" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 18 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Unsolved Mysteries" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Monday, Oct. 19 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "The Voice" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Monday, Oct. 19 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "The Goldbergs" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 21 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "The Conners" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 21 Time: 9 p.m.
ABC
Series: "black-ish" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 21 Time: 9:30 p.m.
ABC
Series: "The Queen's Gambit" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 23 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "The Undoing" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 25 Time: 9 p.m.
HBO
Series: "This Is Us" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27 Time: 9 p.m.
NBC
Series: "American Housewife" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Oct. 28 Time: 8:30 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Superstore" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Oct. 29 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "The Mandalorian" Net: Disney+ Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 30 Time: N/A
Disney+
Series: "The Good Doctor" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Monday, Nov. 2 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Two Weeks to Live" Net: HBO Max Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 5 Time: N/A

HBO Max
Series: "Young Sheldon" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 5 Time: 8 p.m.
CBS
Series: "B Positive" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 5 Time: 8:30 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Mom" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 5 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Braxton Family Values" Net: WE TV Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 5 Time: 9 p.m.
Getty Images
Series: "NCIS: Los Angeles" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 8 Time: 8:30 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT
CBS
Series: "NCIS: New Orleans" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 8 Time: 9:30 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT
CBS
Series: "Moonbase 8" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 8 Time: 11 p.m.
Showtime
Series: "Dash & Lily" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Tuesday, Nov. 10 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "A Teacher" Net: FX on Hulu Premiere Date: Tuesday, Nov. 10 Time: N/A
FX on Hulu
Series: "Chicago Med" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Chicago Fire" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11 Time: 9 p.m.
NBC
Series: "S.W.A.T." Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Chicago PD" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11 Time: 10 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Station 19" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 12 Time: 8 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 12 Time: 9 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Grey's Anatomy" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 12 Time: 9 p.m.
ABC
Series: "The Unicorn" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 12 Time: 9:30 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Alex Rider" Net: IMDB TV Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 13 Time: N/A
IMDb TV
Series: "Doug Unplugs" Net: Apple TV+ Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 13 Time: N/A
Apple TV+
Series: "The Blacklist" Net: NBC Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 13 Time: 8 p.m.
NBC
Series: "Gold Rush: White Water" Net: Discovery Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 13 Time: 9 p.m.
Discovery
Series: "The Crown" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 15 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "The Reagans" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 15 Time: 8 p.m.
Showtime
Series: "Murder on Middle Beach" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 15 Time: 10 p.m.
HBO
Series: "The Neighborhood" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Monday, Nov. 16 Time: 8 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Bob Hearts Abishola" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Monday, Nov. 16 Time: 8:30 p.m.
CBS
Series: "All Rise" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Monday, Nov. 16 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "His Dark Materials" Net: HBO Premiere Date: Monday, Nov. 16 Time: 9 p.m.
HBO
Series: "Bull" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Monday, Nov. 16 Time: 10 p.m.
CBS
Series: "NCIS" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17 Time: 8 p.m.
CBS
Series: "FBI" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "FBI: Most Wanted" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17 Time: 10 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Big Sky" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "For Life" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Wednesday, Nov. 18 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Jersey Shore Family Vacation" Net: MTV Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 19 Time: 8 p.m.
MTV
Series: "A Million Little Things" Net: ABC Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 19 Time: 10 p.m.
ABC
Series: "Animaniacs" Net: Hulu Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 20 Time: N/A
Hulu
Series: "The Pack" Net: Amazon Prime Video Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 20 Time: N/A
Amazon Prime Video
Series: "Black Narcissus" Net: FX Premiere Date: Monday, Nov. 23 Time: 8 p.m.
FX
Series: "Saved by the Bell" Net: Peacock Premiere Date: Wednesday, Nov. 25 Time: N/A
Peacock
Series: "The Flight Attendant" Net: HBO Max Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 26 Time: N/A
HBO Max
Series: "Virgin River" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 27 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "SEAL Team" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Wednesday, Dec. 2 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Stillwater" Net: Apple TV+ Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 4 Time: N/A
Apple TV+
Series: "Selena: The Series" Net: Netflix Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 4 Time: N/A
Netflix
Series: "MacGyver" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 4 Time: 8 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Magnum P.I." Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 4 Time: 9 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Blue Bloods" Net: CBS Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 4 Time: 10 p.m.
CBS
Series: "Shameless" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 6 Time: 9 p.m.
Showtime
Series: "Your Honor" Net: Showtime Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 6 Time: 10 p.m.
Showtime
Series: "Pennyworth" Net: Epix Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 13 Time: 9 p.m.
Epix
Series: "The Expanse" Net: Amazon Prime Video Premiere Date: Wednesday, Dec. 16 Time: N/A
Amazon Prime Video
Series: "The Stand" Net: CBS All Access Premiere Date: Thursday, Dec. 17 Time: N/A
CBS All Access

1 of 146

Here’s when 145 broadcast, cable and streaming series debut and come back

Fall is in full swing, but not much has changed since this summer with many people still staying at home as much as possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Luckily, dozens of new and returning shows are premiering this autumn to keep you company. TheWrap has rounded up all the dates we know -- so far -- for Fall TV shows' debuts. We will continue to update the list as more become available.

For the purposes of this gallery, we've designated Sept. 1 as the beginning of fall rather than the official Sept. 22 start, since "Fall TV" is sure to be more loosely defined this year.

Also Read: Winter TV 2021: All the Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows – So Far (Photos)

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Tony Maglio

TV Editor • tony.maglio@thewrap.com • Twitter: @tonymaglio

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