I’m sure you’ve heard by now about the tv renewals and cancellations for next season. It’s usually not a big concern for me, though I’m always happy to hear when a show I enjoy is coming back. And, of course, certain ones being cancelled is always an annoyance. But this time around there seems to be a bit of a trend that could become a problem.

ABC shut down two female-led hero shows, Agent Carter and Marvel’s Most Wanted, and Supergirl was technically cancelled by CBS but got a last minute rescue from the CW (where it should have been all along anyway). CBS also decided to pass on an updated Nancy Drew show (though it’s still, supposedly, being shopped around).

Yes, ratings play a role in what gets renewed and that is the reason they’re citing for Agent Carter. It’s interesting, considering Supergirl’s ratings tanked too (in only its first season), but CBS used the excused that the show is too expensive to shoot. I haven’t hidden the fact that I didn’t like Supergirl much, so I’m not surprised by the ratings. Hopefully the CW will hire better writers for the next season and make the plots less focused on female competition.

As for Agent Carter, I don’t think ABC gave it a proper chance in season two. It was badly promoted (if anyone noticed the promotions at all) to the wrong audience. They kept focusing on the Marvel and superhero angle, but the show was never about superheroes. It needed to be marketed as a period espionage piece. And yes, having Hayley Atwell front and center in the ad campaigns was great, but it was also a quick way to cut a chunk of the potential audience. Though she was the star, it was closer to an ensemble show and that should have been promoted more. But at this point, all I can say is fingers crossed for the Netflix campaign.

But losing Marvel’s Most Wanted bothers me more because I really wanted to see a show featuring Mockingbird. Yes, she’s a superhero, but her on-screen portrayal has been more of the action spy variety (which is also what her new comic series focuses on). She is a superhero more in the super soldier sense, but uses her talents to infiltrate “bad guy” organizations. And the show was going to follow her and Hunter as they tried to stay off the radar (if you want Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. you know why). Another strike for getting some strong female characters on the small screen.

And though it’s not a show I would have watched, hearing why CBS passed on the Nancy Drew crime drama is enough to piss anyone off: “the pilot tested well but skewed too female for CBS’ schedule”. “Too female”? What the hell does that even mean?! Is a show with a strong, smart female lead not supposed to appeal to females? Are women supposed to simply drool over another NCIS spinoff and be happy there might be a female agent on the show occasionally? This from the network that shows Mike & Molly, 2 Broke Girls and Big Bang Theory!

This doesn’t all come down to “girl power”. It comes down to being inclusive and representative. When half the population is female, why does only 20% (or less) show up as a lead in major network shows? And many that are there, are horrible role models! That’s why we need strong, smart women who make difficult decisions with ethics and morals in mind. But there is good news for geeks. Two fantastically written female-led shows, though on the summer schedule, Killjoys and Dark Matter are back on SyFy. And we’re getting a second season of Jessica Jones (eventually) on Netflix. Plus Orphan Black is still going strong on BBC America. So apparently, you need to go to cable to find good female-led action dramas.