| Genre: | Superhero Comedy |
| Composer: | Guy Michelmore[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 52 |
| List Episodes: | List of Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episodes |
| Editor: | Fred Udell |
| Runtime: | 22 minutes |
| Network: | Disney XD |
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. is an American animated television series based on the superhero character by Marvel Comics. The series premiered on August 11, 2013, on Disney XD as part of the Marvel Universe block, and ended on June 28, 2015.[2] [3]
The story is told from the perspective of an online reality show created by Rick Jones to foster public acceptance of the Hulk as a hero and not a monster. The "show" is filmed by robotic flying cameras that accompany the Agents of the Supreme Military Agency of Super Humans (S.M.A.S.H.) everywhere they go, resulting in humorous vignettes and visual gags throughout each episode.
Hulk, She-Hulk, Red Hulk, A-Bomb, and Skaar come together as the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. to tackle threats that no other superheroes can face. The Agents of S.M.A.S.H. have their base near the town of Vista Verde (where Bruce Banner first became Hulk) and often face various threats with a recurring one being from Hulk's archenemy Leader (who holds the key to Skaar's origin).
In Season Two, upon their return to Earth following their fights with the Kree and the Skrull, the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. are hunted by S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military (which now have Hulkbuster technology) following the incident caused by the Leader's Agents of C.R.A.S.H. After proving their innocence, the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. will later have to deal the Leader traveling back in time to alter history, followed by an invasion led by the Supreme Intelligence and the Kree Armada in the wake of the incarceration of Ronan the Accuser.
See main article: List of Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episodes.
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. was unveiled at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con.[7] Pre-production was outsourced to Karactaz Animation of Wellington, New Zealand.[8] Film Roman was contracted to produce.[9] Before it aired, writers Paul Dini and Henry Gilroy were confirmed to be writing for the series. Supervising Producer Cort Lane described the series as, "a great story about a great group of characters who have a really interesting family-style dynamic. It's very funny, with just the most amazing voice cast."[10] On July 26, 2014, Disney XD renewed the series for a second season.[11]
On July 12, 2015, Stephen Wacker, Vice President of Marvel Animation confirmed that the series had ended after the second season.[3]
The series premiered on Teletoon in Canada on January 10, 2014,[12] and on Disney XD in Australia on April 13, 2014.[13] on Citv in the United Kingdom.
Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave the show's premiere a "Mediocre" score of 5.8 out of 10, panning the show's reliance on variations of the same slapstick gags and breaking of the fourth wall, which came at the expense of dramatic weight. Schedeen surmised that this material was targeted to an audience of boys age 6–12, and stated that the material could have been catered to an all-ages audience that included adults as well. Schedeen summarized the show as "a disappointing new addition to Disney XD's growing Marvel lineup."[14]