<P> In August 2012, ABC ordered a pilot for a show called S.H.I.E.L.D., to be written by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen, and directed by Joss Whedon . On April 6, 2013, ABC announced that the show would be titled Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and it was officially ordered to series on May 10, 2013 . Jed Whedon, Tancharoen and Jeffrey Bell act as the series' showrunners, while Clark Gregg reprises his role from the films as Phil Coulson . The series was renewed for a second season on May 8, 2014, a third on May 7, 2015, a fourth on March 3, 2016, and a fifth on May 11, 2017 . </P> <P> The first season, which premiered on September 24, 2013, aired episodes that directly relate to events in the films Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier . The revelation in Captain America: The Winter Soldier that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been infiltrated by Hydra had a huge impact on the series . Regarding the synergy the show had with addressing events from the film, Loeb said, "It's an extremely unique experience that doesn't exist anywhere else out there in the entertainment business ." The second season, which premiered on September 23, 2014, introduces Inhumans to the MCU, ahead of their own television series . Additionally, a recurring plot point in the first two seasons involved the body of a member of the Kree race, who play a significant role in Guardians of the Galaxy . The third season, which premiered on September 29, 2015, introduces the concept of the Secret Warriors, with new Inhuman characters inspired by the comic of the same name, as well as Life Model Decoys . The fourth season, which premiered on September 20, 2016, sees Robbie Reyes / Ghost Rider introduced to the MCU, and ties to the second season of Agent Carter and Doctor Strange . The fifth season is scheduled to premiere on December 1, 2017 . </P> <P> In the first season, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Maximiliano Hernández, Titus Welliver and Jaimie Alexander all reprise their roles as Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Jasper Sitwell, Felix Blake, and Sif, respectively, from previous MCU films and One - Shots . In the second season, Alexander and Smulders return, while Hayley Atwell, Neal McDonough, Kenneth Choi, and Henry Goodman also reprise their roles as Peggy Carter, Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan, Jim Morita, and List, respectively, from previous MCU films . In the third season, William Sadler reprises his role as Matthew Ellis from the MCU films, and Powers Boothe recurs as his previously unnamed The Avengers character, Gideon Malick . </P> <P> In 1946, Peggy Carter must balance the routine office work she does for the Strategic Scientific Reserve while secretly assisting Howard Stark, who finds himself framed for supplying deadly weapons to enemies of the United States . Carter is assisted by Stark's butler, Edwin Jarvis, to find those responsible and dispose of the weapons . Carter eventually moves from New York City to Los Angeles to deal with the threats of the new atomic age in the wake of World War II, gaining new friends, a new home and potential new love . </P>

When is the defenders set in the mcu