ABC will consolidate its tired looking dance competition Dancing with the Stars into one solitary evening next season, opening up its Tuesday schedule for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D an exciting new project from Avengers director Joss Whedon. The move was announced to advertisers at the Lincoln Center on Tuesday (May 14, 2013) after ratings for 'DWTS' continued to fall.

Sharing continuity with the Avengers franchise, 'Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D' revolves around the character or Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) who oversees many of the division's field operations. Whedon has already confirmed Coulson is alive in his character, despite his apparent death in The Avengers movie. Elsewhere, Ming-Na Wen plays Agent Melinda May, an ace pilot and weapons expert, while Brett Dalton plays Agent Grant Ward, a talented but asocial man in his early 30s. Chloe Bennet plays civilian recruit Skye, a computer hacker described as "bubbly and goofy."

A pilot written by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen (and directed by Joss Whedon) was given the green-light in late 2013 and filmed in early 2013. After seeing it, ABC immediately ordered a series on May 10, 2013.

The big-budget series is a potential risk for ABC, though it boasts a fine pedigree and anything is better than Dancing With The Stars, right?

Joss WhedonClark Gregg
Joss Whedon [R] Once Again Teams Up With Clark Gregg [R] For Marvel Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D