The ABC Television Network has renewed Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a third season, and given the period drama Agent Carter a second season.  The S.H.I.E.L.D. series, which spun-off from Joss Whedon’s megahit movie The Avengers, has never been a huge ratings hit, but it has been a solid performer averaging a 1.5 rating in the key 18-49 demographic on Tuesday night, a number that swells to 2.8 (about 7.3 million viewers) when DVR viewings are included.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, ABC has also renewed Agent Carter, a spin-off from the first Captain America film that had an eight-episode run in January and February during the mid-season break of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.   The period drama won critical acclaim and posted a S.H.I.E.L.D.-like 1.8 rating in the key demo.

The news is not so positive for another Marvel spin-off TV series (see "Marvel Developing 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' Spin-Off" and "Leads Cast for 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' Spin-Off"), which, according to Deadline, "is not going forward."  The spin-off was supposed to feature two popular new characters who were introduced in Season 2 of S.H.I.E.L.D., Lance Hunter (played by Nick Blood), and Barbara "Bobbi" Morse aka Mockingbird (Adrienne Palicki).