With the Inhumans series premiering at the end of the month and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D returning for its fifth season in September, one of the executives at ABC took the time to talk about the differences between the network's MCU series compared to their shows on streaming service Netflix.

Marvel Studios' expansion beyond the big screen to the small has gone in two very different directions. With Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Agent Carter, and presumably the upcoming Inhumans series, ABC has aimed for shows that are more general audience based, with the typical action, humor, and big MCU tie-ins that fans of the franchise have come to expect. With Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, Netflix has allowed Marvel to use the streaming service for darker, bloodier, and more mature stories in their own corner of the MCU.

With such a stark contrast between the two types of shows, audiences typically wonder how these series are even in the same universe at all. At a Television Critics Association conference, ABC president Channing Dungey talked about the difference between the ABC side of the MCU and the Netflix side while promoting Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Inhumans, specifically citing the tone of the shows and how they are perfectly placed in their respective networks:

"So what I would say about that is, look, I am a fan of the Marvel shows, and I think that some of what they are doing the work on Netflix is fantastic. The tone and the style of some of the Netflix shows, it’s not a very ABC tone or style. I don’t think that those shows would work as well on our air as they do work at Netflix, and I think that the right home for those shows is there. For those of you who are fans of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” that show has continued to grow creatively every season, and I feel like last season, Season 4, was its strongest creatively yet. I am very excited for what we have planned for Season 5."

The different outlets for the MCU to expand is beneficial in diversifying the kind of content that they can create. The movies, while often exhilarating and grand, are typically all-age affairs with a lot of the faces that even the most casual person may recognize. This is where your heroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, and Hulk operate, saving the world from massive threats. There are other threats in the world besides Ultron and Thanos, however, and that's where these other series come into play.

For four seasons, Agents. of S.H.I.E.L.D. has not only been able to tie-in story lines to the fallout of the major MCU movies but also explored more obscure corners of Marvel Comics for the hardcore fans. The show has introduced lesser-known characters and concepts on a smaller budget but maintained the atmosphere of the main films. The Netflix shows exist for the grittier heroes of the Marvel universe to get their hands dirty; with the limited restrictions, Punisher can blow people to pieces and Luke Cage can have rough sex with Jessica Jones. It's nice to see that these two types of shows can co-exist under the same roof, giving fans the best of both worlds.

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Source: Channing Dungey