Cancellation
Arguing for the renewal of the series for a third season following its low viewership, Ryan said that "letting the show die would be a serious mistake, for the network and for the bigger Disney-ABC conglomerate...These days, entertainment properties have to be viewed not just through the lens of their ratings (admittedly weak for Agent Carter). They have to be evaluated within the context of the overall value they bring to any entertainment colossus, and what Agent Carter adds to Disney-ABC is simply too valuable to give up ... [bringing] something different to the company's superhero portfolio." She suggested if ABC did not renew the series for broadcast, that it should explore other opportunities, such as debuting on its online Watch ABC app, or being sold to Netflix, where "fans of super-heroic storytelling already flock to" and Agent Carter's "status as a period piece—which may have harmed it on broadcast—could be a real draw for Netflix viewers". Ryan also felt Marvel "could copy what CBS is doing with Star Trek" by creating a subscription service for a monthly fee, where consumers could access Marvel's films and televisions shows "as well as premium exclusives like a third season of Agent Carter". Ryan concluded, "A third Agent Carter season could help solidify Marvel's standing not just with female fans, but with everyone who appreciates excellent and adventurous storytelling."
In March 2016, Fazekas said the producers felt "bad" about the chances for a third season due to the series' low viewership, adding she "would love to see it live on, even if it's in some other form, digital or whatever. I doubt that there's a Netflix play for it." She also added that ABC wanted some sort of conclusion to the series, and so the writers and producers would find a way to conclude the lingering plot threads in some form if the series was not renewed. On May 12, 2016, ABC canceled the series.
Loeb stated in August 2016 that he did not understand the cancellation, as "there were no conversations" regarding the series' future between ABC and Marvel, with the latter simply receiving a call from ABC saying Agent Carter was canceled. He added that since the networks decide what content they would like from Marvel Television, "if someone wants to call and say, 'We want a two-hour Agent Carter [film special] for May 2017,' boom. We'll put together the greatest Agent Carter movie we can." Atwell added that she was also not part of the conversation to cancel the series and called it "a network political thing" since ABC wanted her to headline the more "mainstream" drama Conviction "to get their ratings up" instead of staying on Agent Carter, which Atwell felt had gained a "cult following". After speculation regarding a revival for the series by Netflix, chief content officer Ted Sarandos stated the streaming service passed on reviving Agent Carter because it is "looking for truly original brands to own and in that Marvel space we already have" original Marvel series. He also added that due to existing international broadcasting "deal complexities" for the series, Netflix would not have been able to air Agent Carter globally, as "some of those output partners still had it on the air, so they would argue its covered by their output [deals]. Unfortunately, it was a business decision more than a creative one."
When the series was canceled shortly after the release of Captain America: Civil War, in which Carter dies, Meagan Damore of Comic Book Resources felt that "for all intents and purposes" Carter had "effectively been phased out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe", and the universe had subsequently lost "a wonderful role model and...inspiration" to fans of the character and series. Damore lamented the fact that the second season's cliffhanger ending had been left unresolved, and that viewers would never get the chance to see Carter's "happy ending", despite knowing she gets one, leaving the character's "fate unfulfilled, languishing in the obscurity of 'what could have beens'". She also noted that Marvel had now lost "the opportunity to show several prominent MCU events, not the least of which is the founding of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and added that despite making "leaps and bounds for women in the MCU, the same [could not] be said for people of color", wishing the series had addressed Asian American women like Hazel Ying Lee, one of 38 Women Airforce Service Pilots who died in the line of duty, or Black women like Harriet Ida Pickens and Frances Wills, the first two Black members of the United States Naval Reserve.
