Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. continues its torturous dance on the renewal bubble this week with some data that is good news and some data that is bad news. As always, we here at MCU Exchange will try to give you all sides of the issue so you can stay informed on the latest on the fate of Marvel’s first foray into television.

Let’s start with the good news. The L+7 ratings for the first episode since return from hiatus and the kickoff to “Agents of Hydra” storyline are in. As was true throughout most of this season, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is (almost) in a class all its own for these ratings, which factor in all viewers who watch within seven days of release. Viewers increased 114%, meaning viewership more than doubled over that first week. That number is not as good as a few weeks earlier in the season, but it’s still significant. ABC’s Designated Survivor is the only other network show that added 100% or more. It also brought overall viewers to the highest level since January, and better than almost all of the “LMD” story pod.

Now the bad news. For several weeks the show had been building it’s live audience, growing from a 0.6 to a 0.8. There was some reason for hope that the show would build up through the last month. This week, however, the show settled back down into a 0.7. For those cheering a resurgence in the ratings, this was an unfortunate slip. Now the reality is that in the end, it may not make a ton of difference. The show has posted L+7 numbers higher than those described above (growing by as much as 133%) so once DVR views come in this episode could be roughly equivalent to that of April 4th.

For those who find all the numbers distracting, the situation remains pretty steady. The live numbers are poor, the L+7 increase is great, overall viewers are thus decent, and rumors continue to swirl that ABC will keep the show for a season 5. Most recently, TVbytheNumbers has said that things are looking positive for the show. As they put it:

Its ratings are barely above replacement level, and it’s essentially a vestigial part of the larger Marvel universe at this point. Still, the Bear foresees a return for “Agents of SHIELD” next season…It seems exceedingly unlikely that it will run for a full season. With “The Inhumans” already picked up for 2017-18, it seems likely some sort of split schedule is in the works for ABC. That will help “SHIELD” ease its way out gracefully, or at least semi-gracefully…Were ABC and Marvel not corporate cousins, “SHIELD” would likely have been done by this season, if not sooner. You can thank (or blame) the gods of synergy for its continued life, one that will probably last one more season.

That analysis should give fans hope for a fifth season of some kind, but also comes with a negativity many fans don’t like. The idea that this show will survive despite its ratings and because of its unique role at Marvel and ABC is something we’ve been saying here at MCUExchange since last year.

Sources: TVbytheNumbers L+7, Live, and “Cancel Bear“