Marvel may be ruling the box office, but things are also going very well for them on the smaller screen. Not only do they have several exciting new TV shows on the way based on Iron Fist, Cloak & Dagger and the Runaways, but their current shows just continue to improve. Over on Netflix, DaredevilJessica Jones and Luke Cage have all been massive hits and are gearing up for The Defenders. Meanwhile, Inhumans are about to head to ABC, joining Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

After a rocky start, the show has developed its own rich mythos and carved out an exciting niche in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Its most recent episode may be its most bold yet, with the producers and writers having crafted an exciting new status quo involving the virtual world known as the Framework. This alternate reality gave us a flurry of intriguing cliffhangers during the climax of "Self Control," setting up a new world where Hydra holds power and leaving the door wide open for a slew of characters to return.

Even before fans started trying to solve the mysteries of the Framework, however, there's been a long-running theory involving Fitz. He's recently begun opening up about his absentee father, and given the paternal relationship Dr. Radcliffe has with the young agent, many have wondered whether they're related. Sadly, when EW asked co-showrunner Jed Whedon, he shot the idea down:

“They’re both Scottish, and we’ve discussed it at length. Truthfully, there’s no one better to play his dad than John Hannah, but no, Radcliffe is not his father.”

Fitz and Radcliffe from Agents of SHIELD

While it's a shame the theory has been debunked, it is interesting that Whedon and the other creatives have still discussed it; it's not hard to imagine the writers and producers of the show coming to a similar conclusion as the fans based on the similarities between the two characters. That Fitz and Radcliffe already share a father-son bond may in fact be why they ultimately decided against it; that relationship made it all the more heartbreaking when Radcliffe betrayed the team, but could make a father reveal a bit contrived.

Still, there are plenty of twists left to come in the remainder of SHIELD's fourth season. We already know that Brett Dalton will be returning, and another agent who's long been dead may be alive inside the Framework as well. On top of that, Whedon recently teased the return of Graviton and other past villains, so SHIELD Season 4 is shaping up to be a real love letter to longtime fans. The show may not be returning until April, but we're likely to get a lot more little tidbits of information in the coming weeks.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 continues April 4 @ 10 p.m. on ABC.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

Next: What to Expect When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 Returns