Nothing personal, it's just business. That's how Netflix put it when asked why they did not pick up the groundbreaking series Marvel's "Agent Carter" when it was cancelled by ABC earlier this year, much to the dismay of the loyal fans who stood by Peggy Carter. Shortly after the cancellation, fans were up in arms, signing a petition to bring it to Netflix, one that the streaming company considered, but eventually turned down. The petition gained 128,000 signatures.
The cancellation of Marvel's "Agent Carter" was palpable since the latter part of season 2 was airing. The show ended in a way that it was able to wrap things up between Peggy and Agent Sousa (Enver Gjokaj), (spoiler: they totally made out in the season finale) but left audiences with one cliffhanger. Now, thanks to ABC (and in part, Netflix), fans and viewers will never get to know who was out to kill Jack Thompson (Chad Michael Murray).
Marvel's "Agent Carter" was indeed promising, because not only did it feature a female lead as a hero, but because she did her job without teh fanciness of what audiences have grown used to: the magic of Thor, the superpowers of Hulk, or the shiny, deadly gadgets of Iron Man. Although she does occasionally get a hand from Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) and his inventions, it still boils down to Peggy's inherent skill and wit to get her out of sticky situations. This, however, was not enough for Netflix to pick up the show.
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos told Entertainment Weekly that the company was "looking for truly original brands to own," as if Peggy Carter, one of Marvel's best heroines, was not original enough. He added that they already have "Jessica Jones" and other Marvel content, which is why they had to pass on "Agent Carter."
Sarandos added that the show is still currently airing worldwide, which makes it harder for Netflix to distribute the title. It would come down to network deals and contracts, and it was something too messy for them to get involved with.
Hayley Atwell, who stars as Peggy Carter, will return to ABC, however, when she stars in "Conviction" later this year.