ABC will fly with the full season of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

ABC says it will run with a full season of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” The first three episodes of the Marvel superhero show pulled in enough young males to rival NCIS.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.:opened as TV’s highest-rated new drama in nearly four years despite being broadcast in a tough 8 p.m. time slot.

ABC will run a 22 episode season for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. after it pulled in the network’s biggest drama debut in four years. 12 million people watched the opening episode on Sept. 24.

“Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) was created by Joss Whedon, who headed Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Serenity, along with Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen. This is the first full broadcast season for Joss Whedon since The WB’s fifth and final season of Angel concluded in 2004. “Dollhouse”ran for two short seasons on Fox. S.H.I.E.L.D. is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and runs along with the Marvel movies.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is third new fall show to get a pickup. “Sleepy Hollow” was renewed by Fox for a 13-episode second season and NBC giving The Blacklist a full season.