[7.3/10] I liked the first half of this supersized episode better than the second. In the first half, there’s a pretty simple goal and pretty straightforward escalation.
Peter runs into Groot and needs to translate his message. He can’t do it himself so he goes to Miles for help. The duo still can’t figure it out, so they go to Avengers Tower and meet Iron Heart. The three of them end up having to fight off AIM to save the little arboreal tike. They enlist the help of Dr. Strange, and have to square off against Baron Mordo who also wants Groot and is working with AIM. Big battle ensues.
Sure, it’s not the most groundbreaking plot in all of creation, but it makes sense and there’s plenty of room for character interaction, comedy, and action, without the thing feeling overstuffed. I’ll admit that I got a little tired of the broad comedy of Peter trying to hide Groot from Aunt May and Mary Jane(!), but a lot of the Groot-based humor was cute, and the banter was on point here.
I also liked Peter and Riri bonding a bit. Their similar backstoires of having lost someone and having difficulties making friends both within and outside the superhero world makes them a good pair. The show does a nice job of introducing her powers and personality (including a not-Tony Stark A.I. for her suit), and finding good reason for her and Peter to uncover some common ground.
The Groot chase and rescue is solid, as is Miles going to hunt down Dr. Strange. And the ensuing battle in Central Park between Strange and Mordo is a good one, with much of the fun iconography of the dueling wizards while our usual heroes disable AIM.
But from there, the whole thing starts to feel overstuffed and mishmashed. Peter and Riri run into the Amadeus Cho version of Hulk, who is pretty annoying here. I get that he’s supposed to be kind of a douche, and the show spendest the fainted amount of time trying to explain why, but between his superior “gotta be leader’ attitude and his silly looking MMA get up, he’s a character I could have done without.
The episode also belabors a science vs. magic point that doesn’t have much real intrigue or payoff. I suppose the contrast is supposed to be that Mordo is teaming with the Scientist Supreme to create abominations, which only leads to bad things, whereas Dr. Strange and Miles work together to blend science and magic and succeed, but it’s a pretty weak parallel.
There’s also the whole friendship/leadership shtick with Peter, Riri, and Amadeus. There’s the midlest amount of payoff when Riri gins up the gumption to ask her fellow heroes if they want to hang out together outside of saving the world, but the episode doesn’t do much to dramatize a bond forming in part two, particularly with Amadeus, so it feels more like it comes out of nowhere.
There’s some entertaining enough bits. The tree golems are pretty mild as antagonists go, but their spooky voices and flaming heads give them a little something. As cheesy as a victory strategy as it is, I can’t help but appreciate the goofiness that comes from Groot wanting ice cream, and that frozen treat desire not only transferring to his evil mutated clones, but being the means by which the heroes defeat him.
And hey, we get another tease for the Venom brigade arising, replete with a short cameo from Star Lord. I’ll admit that I don’t really watch the other shows in this universe, so I don’t know if it’s been set up at all, but it’s still a neat idea.
Overall, this one spins out into a less interested and overstuffed second half, but the early part does some good introduction for new young heroes, and brings in movie versions of some familiar characters well.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-05-20T23:10:16Z
[7.3/10] I liked the first half of this supersized episode better than the second. In the first half, there’s a pretty simple goal and pretty straightforward escalation.
Peter runs into Groot and needs to translate his message. He can’t do it himself so he goes to Miles for help. The duo still can’t figure it out, so they go to Avengers Tower and meet Iron Heart. The three of them end up having to fight off AIM to save the little arboreal tike. They enlist the help of Dr. Strange, and have to square off against Baron Mordo who also wants Groot and is working with AIM. Big battle ensues.
Sure, it’s not the most groundbreaking plot in all of creation, but it makes sense and there’s plenty of room for character interaction, comedy, and action, without the thing feeling overstuffed. I’ll admit that I got a little tired of the broad comedy of Peter trying to hide Groot from Aunt May and Mary Jane(!), but a lot of the Groot-based humor was cute, and the banter was on point here.
I also liked Peter and Riri bonding a bit. Their similar backstoires of having lost someone and having difficulties making friends both within and outside the superhero world makes them a good pair. The show does a nice job of introducing her powers and personality (including a not-Tony Stark A.I. for her suit), and finding good reason for her and Peter to uncover some common ground.
The Groot chase and rescue is solid, as is Miles going to hunt down Dr. Strange. And the ensuing battle in Central Park between Strange and Mordo is a good one, with much of the fun iconography of the dueling wizards while our usual heroes disable AIM.
But from there, the whole thing starts to feel overstuffed and mishmashed. Peter and Riri run into the Amadeus Cho version of Hulk, who is pretty annoying here. I get that he’s supposed to be kind of a douche, and the show spendest the fainted amount of time trying to explain why, but between his superior “gotta be leader’ attitude and his silly looking MMA get up, he’s a character I could have done without.
The episode also belabors a science vs. magic point that doesn’t have much real intrigue or payoff. I suppose the contrast is supposed to be that Mordo is teaming with the Scientist Supreme to create abominations, which only leads to bad things, whereas Dr. Strange and Miles work together to blend science and magic and succeed, but it’s a pretty weak parallel.
There’s also the whole friendship/leadership shtick with Peter, Riri, and Amadeus. There’s the midlest amount of payoff when Riri gins up the gumption to ask her fellow heroes if they want to hang out together outside of saving the world, but the episode doesn’t do much to dramatize a bond forming in part two, particularly with Amadeus, so it feels more like it comes out of nowhere.
There’s some entertaining enough bits. The tree golems are pretty mild as antagonists go, but their spooky voices and flaming heads give them a little something. As cheesy as a victory strategy as it is, I can’t help but appreciate the goofiness that comes from Groot wanting ice cream, and that frozen treat desire not only transferring to his evil mutated clones, but being the means by which the heroes defeat him.
And hey, we get another tease for the Venom brigade arising, replete with a short cameo from Star Lord. I’ll admit that I don’t really watch the other shows in this universe, so I don’t know if it’s been set up at all, but it’s still a neat idea.
Overall, this one spins out into a less interested and overstuffed second half, but the early part does some good introduction for new young heroes, and brings in movie versions of some familiar characters well.