The cast and producers of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD appeared today at PaleyFest, where a very enthusiastic audience of fans saw the next episode — my full review will run the night it airs, but it’s a very fun and eventful installment to be sure — before a Q&A with the panelists.

They've Got Longterm Plans

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD: "End of the Beginning" Photos 22 IMAGES

The Cast Can't Help You with Secrets

Expanding the Universe

Tea With Loki

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Here’s some of the highlights from the panel:Executive producer Jeph Loeb said it was very specific that they called the next episode "End of the Beginning,” and noted repeatedly it would air right before Captain America: The Winter Soldier opened, with the next episode airing just a few days after Cap opens. He also acknowledged fan complaints about the scheduling of the show, bringing up, to a lot of cheers, that the final seven episodes of Season 1 will air over seven weeks, with no more interruptions.Loeb's fellow EP Jeffrey Bell said they actually have some very longterm plans for the series, not only saying they know where Season 2 would go, but, “We know where we want Season 3 to end… and we know which character will still be alive, because this is a Joss Whedon joint.”The cast joked about how little they know about what’s to come, with Ming-Na Wen ("Melinda May") observing, “This whole season has been jaw-dropping surprises,” adding, “They don’t tell us anything… Marvel is SHIELD!”When it comes to Skye’s secrets and what it means that she’s an 0-8-4, Chloe Bennet laughed that she’s constantly calling Marvel, as she does more research on the comics and what the possibilities are, saying the conversations are basically, “Am I this?” “Nope.”“Am I this?” “Nope.” Or, getting more direct on theories, she exclaimed, ““It might have to do with the Kree!?”, while stressing she hasn’t been told the answer.There were several audience questions about the possibility for Agents of SHIELD to introduce more characters from the Marvel Universe - and also if the show might crossover with the upcoming Marvel Netflix series. Loeb remained coy, saying, “We’ll see. I’m in favor of what makes fans happy.”Added Clark Gregg ("Phil Coulson"), “Marvel doesn’t leave a lot on the table. They make the most of what fans want. They listen to that.”Asked what Marvel characters they’d like to see on the show, Gregg replied, “I’d like to see Rocket Raccoon on there… or Scarlet witch. I’m not picky,” while Maurissa Tancharoen said her pick would be Squirrel Girl.Some very funny moments occurred when the SHIELD cast talked about the actors from the Marvel movies. At one point, while discussing fan theories on the show, Ming-Na Wen (who hasn’t been shy about her Chris Hemsworth crush) said, with a grin, “I want Skye to be the love child of May and Thor - and then you flashback to those scenes.”Later, the cast were asked if there was a character from the films they’d most love to share a scene with. Elizabeth Henstridge said it would be Loki, elaborating that she’d love them to, “have a cup of tea and chat about his dad issues,” to which Clark Gregg couldn’t resist saying, “You know, I’ve been n a scene with Loki. Somehow I think you’d have a different result.”Things got even more amusingly jokey when Bennet, commenting on Henstridge’s wish to be in a scene with Loki, said, “I just wanna watch while that happens.” When a few people laughed at the kinda-sorta insinuation, Bennet exclaimed, “Not like that! Well, maybe…”