Absolutely blown away by this to be honest. Probably Marvel's most unique and daring project they have ever done, and it's played so wonderfully straight that I can't help but adore it. Whether or not the sitcom elements work for you personally will all depend on your familiarity with them, as well as your tolerance for slow build storytelling, but overall this is really damn good stuff and proof Marvel knows exactly what they are doing and have for years.
It helps that the sitcom stuff is genuinely amusing and wholesome, with both Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany turning in pitch perfect performances that wonderfully emulate the style of old school sitcoms from the 50s, which will likely evolve as the show continues on. And even with the great writing on hand, something is really off and feels icky about a lot of it on purpose - the fake commercial in the middle in particular is creepy as hell and serves to demonstrate just how quickly this show grips you. Fantastic stuff and I cannot wait for more.
Pardon my language, but holy fuck.
Easily the best episode yet, and for the sole reason of being an emotional wallop mixed in with some truly stellar visuals and ideas. Doctor Strange has always been one of my favourite characters in the MCU for the sole reason of that he is magnificently flawed - he is arrogant, unable to accept failure, and ridiculously human in his emotions. This episode puts that at the forefront by showcasing a Strange who goes to the dark side in his unwillingness to accept the death of Christine (whose relationship with Strange is done better here then in his own movie oddly enough) and the consequences that lend from that.
It's this emotional center that puts it a league above the other episodes with only maybe the T'Challa episode reaching those heights, and if anything proves that Multiverse of Madness, which is getting closer and closer, is a film to be extremely excited for.
So far, even into it's second episode, WandaVision doesn't let up. There is so much to love here, and the impeccable ways it finds to not only homage classic TV but also set up all of the elements of the mystery. If anything, WandaVision seems to be leaning far more heavily into psychological thriller then I ever anticipated it will - far slower paced then most Marvel fare but just as compelling thanks to the sheer likability of the cast.
And even then, it still works as a sitcom! The gags? Hilarious, particularly Vision's little gum side plot which is simply genius. As a fan of old school TV, this show is hitting all of the right buttons while also adding in just the right amount of menace. And the transition to colour marks the first time we really get to see what the show's intentions really are. Fantastic stuff again.
Absolutely gonna be in the minority here, but really goddamn loved this one. It's not perfect - it really does feel like a random, odd detour this early in the season - but in terms of more standalone episodes this is easily the best one they've done. It's a bonkers, wild ride of an episode with some genuinely fantastic humor, as morbid as it can be sometimes. Everything with The Child is fantastic here, probably his best showing in terms of both humor and personality. It's also a great showcase of the family-esqe relationship that they have been building over the course of the show, and it's heartwarming while also keeping it light in spite of the life or death scenario.
Outside of that, the effects work here is spectacular, especially the puppetry. The spider sequence at the end is also wonderfully creepy, feeling like something in line with the inside the asteroid sequence from Empire Strikes Back or even the Rathars chase from The Force Awakens. This entire episode felt like Star Wars in the best way possible, even if it was a little out there and skippable in terms of the main narrative. I loved it.
A whole lot of nothing for about 35 minutes and then it ends. The Book of Boba Fett had a lot to prove and sadly I don't think it really managed to prove all of it here, particularly from a story perspective. There is stuff to like here - Robert Rodriguez's vision, for one, which is clearly noticeable in the very From Dusk till Dawn atmosphere, as well as continued recontextualization of the Tusken Raiders - but overall this is vapid in the ways that The Mandalorian's worst moments tended to be. However, this time it's stretched over the course of an entire episode and lacks the beating heart of Pedro Pascal and Grogu to carry it through.
I'm curious to see where they go from here because frankly I can't see a whole lot of places to go. I have zero idea what Fett's overall goal here is, and while I'm sure it will be revealed in future episodes, I can't help but think that, as a pilot, this does a piss poor job of making me wanna continue watching. I like the aesthetic, and of course Ming-Na Wen is a treasure, but this better pick up and fast.
The thing I love the most about WandaVision's finale, and what some people aren't gonna like, is how straight forward it actually turns out to be. In the end, WandaVision was a show about grief and loss, and both Wanda and Vision were at the center of it. Because of that, the show wisely foregoes sudden reveals or shocking revelations in favour of emotional catharsis. And yes, while one answer in particular could be seen as a cop out, personally I think it was a wise decision to instead simply skip over it and instead hone in on the things that really make this show tick.
And both of the climaxes for Wanda and Vision turn out to be smaller conversational scenes amidst the more fantastical battles (which are standard Marvel fare, meaning very fun and well shot) - Paul Bettany in particular kills it here and the promise of seeing more of him is tantalizing. And yes, seeing the Scarlet Witch fully unleashed is worth the viewing alone, a moment and look ripped straight from the comics in the best way possible.
The five stages of grief brought forth in tangible form. Wanda's journey through her own trauma is as compelling as it gets - the kind of backstory that isn't exposition but necessary character drama. Probably some of the best written stuff to come from the MCU in awhile (a franchise that has had much better writing then most blockbusters), letting the audience feel her trauma and sadness from the core of her experiences rather then just a brief throwaway line. And they don't screw around either - Wanda is the one responsible here, in a very "House of M" esqe moment that feels earned and deepens her character.
Lots of other great stuff here too. Kathryn Hahn is still stellar as Agatha, and her opening scene in Salem is a highlight as it introduces us to the concept of witches in the MCU, while the mid-credits scene is a fantastic reveal of who the big final threat is likely to be. So far the show continues to be one of the MCU's finest offerings and I can't wait to see how it all ends.
Let's get the elephant out of the room now - Gina Carano needs to go. Her acting ability isn't exactly the best, sure, but combined with being the worst performer on the show she's also an awful person in a franchises whose modus operadi since 1977 has been one of inclusion and tolerance. And it's a shame too cause Cara Dune is a great character who has a ton of potential - a recast would do wonders.
Outside of that obvious, glaring frustration, this is another great episode, and one that showcases Carl Weathers' ability to direct action and puppetry extremely well. He treats his episode with a light touch, going along for the ride with a healthy dose of humor for good measure. All of the plot dumps and questions the episodes raise seem to indicate we are heading into Episode IX setup, which may divide some fans but I appreciate the sequel trilogy love (and other Legends love at the end of episode) just as much as original trilogy and prequel trilogy. Overall another solid entry in a much better season.
Trauma and abuse brought forth into physical form. Marc Spector isn't so much broken as he is simply been through hell and back, and Steven Grant is his coping mechanism, his way of allowing himself some peace in a world that seems to hate him. Asylum seeks to understand, not to fix; Marc's problems aren't gone by the end of the episode, simply that he has come to terms with his reality and has begun his search for "balance" in a way.
Moon Knight is strong in the same way that WandaVision was in that it takes these grand superhero operatics and seeks to use that as a tool to explore various ideas and the human condition, and while WandaVision is firmly cemented in grief, this show is more concerned with the complicated origins of mental illness. This is probably the darkest the mainline MCU has gotten (this isn't counting the Netflix shows of course) and while there was a fear that it wouldn't work with the rest of the universe it not only fits right in but also manages to carve out it's own identity - it still feels like it's own thing which is an impressive feat considering how entrenched much of the MCU is together. Easily my favourite episode of the show thus far.
Wow. Loki, it's in final episode of the season, completely upends the entire MCU in a way that it's not only relevant but also genuinely shocking and inspired. It's also a fitting ending to the story arc of the season, one based around the ideas of free will, agency, determinism, and identity - so it makes the main culprit of the TVA ends up being a man whose very fear of the free will of his own variants is what drives the acts of the show. Jonathan Majors steals the show here as "He Who Remains", though comics fans will know him more as the legendary Kang the Conqueror, who is clearly being set up as the next big bad of the MCU post-Thanos, and if his range and performances going forward are as good as here I can't wait.
The rest of the episode is equally as fantastic as well. Sylvie's arc comes to a clever and satisfying wrap up with tantalizing implications for the next season, Renslayer is being setup as a major player going forward, and the ending itself being an absolute killer cliffhanger. Top tier stuff from a top tier show.
The most impressive thing here is how Rick Famuyiwa took a character from one of the weaker episodes of the show, turned him around, and immediately made him one of the best things about the show to date. This is an episode with a surprisingly strong emotional pull - probably necessary as the lack of Grogu means the usual father/son dynamic is gone. Instead, it's really about a former Imperial coming to terms with what he did, what happened to him, and his eventual redemption. It's fantastic stuff, and Bill Burr, who I'm not usually a fan of, does some truly stellar work performance wise.
Speaking of improvement, holy crap Rick Famuyima. Famuyima has always been a great director (Dope was proof of that) but his Mando work was mixed up until this point. Always well directed, sure, but his second episode was weaker then usual for the show, but here he steps it up. What a fantastic display of action chops! Overall really impressed by this episode, probably one of the best of the entire show. This season is on fire right now.
Friggin excellent from top to bottom. Bryce Dallas Howard absolutely kills it from a directing perspective, and after this episode and her strong showing last season I'm really hoping she takes on a movie job at some point cause she has some real talent behind the camera. The visually gorgeous episode might have some of the most striking imagery of the show yet, and some of the camerawork is the closest since The Last Jedi in recapturing that magic of the original trilogy.
And while I was worried this season would be simply using EU characters as nothing more then fanservice, the way the show uses Bo-Katan is genuinely inspired and clever. And having Katee Sackhoff reprise her role in live action only adds to that, and seeing her in a sci-fi show again brings back memories of watching the excellent Battlestar Galactica. And anything that reminds me of that isn't a bad thing.
Ever had a meal that, on paper, sounds really amazing and delicious, but when you actually have it you realize it's a bunch of pieces that just don't go together very well? That's turning out to be The Book of Boba Fett, and so far this episode, the admittedly cool sounding "From the Desert Comes A Stranger", is the prime example of that to a tee. There is good here, but it's in fleeting moments. Appearances, mainly, and specifically story ideas that never get the chance to actually breathe. There is so much concern with table setting for other shows here that it forgets the story it was originally telling - would l love to see some of this? Absolutely! Just not in this show, and because of that everything just feels so lifeless and pandering.
And outside of one bravura scene involving a returning alien character, most of the setup here is fundamentally broken in a way that's really disappointing. Dave Filoni's direction is too languid and slow to make a lot of it work (this could have really used a Rick Famuyima), and the entire subplot of the episode seems to hint at a reset for a character that would make the end of Mandalorian Season Two pretty pointless. I don't know, I don't like being this negative on Star Wars but this was rough to sit through, especially knowing we have one episode left with no time to wrap it up. This is a mess.
Still really great, though lacks the tight pacing of the first episode in favour of a slower burn character study of our major players. This isn't a bad thing though - if anything, this was sorely needed as we get to see how each character responds to the outside world and their reasonings for being in the games. Park Hae-soo ends up being the highlight performance wise in that regard - with his mountains of debt and numerous criminal charges, it's easy to see how the system has warped and manipulated him.
Hell is the perfect title for this particular episode since, as the show even states , "Inside is hell, but outside is torture". Society's consistent disregard for the well beings of those that are disinfranchised has forced them into this position, and as the pieces fall into place, you realize the truth. You can't simply leave the games - you either play or die.
Just keeps getting better and better. The addition of more Loki variants allows for Journey Into Mystery to have some great tongue in cheek moments as the ridiculous nature of it's own premise starts to bleed into the show itself. There's an alligator variant for crying out loud (and he's a good boy), so clearly the writers here are aiming to be as creative as possible with the possibilities. And thankfully, they still manage to keep the story focused on the development of the Loki we do know, as well as Sylvie who we've gotten to really love over the course of the show.
And from a technical perspective, wow this ruled! The effects work here is nothing short of spectacular, Natalie Holt's score is tremendous (might be the best MCU score all things considered, sorry Ludwig), and Richard E. Grant absolutely steals the show as Classic Loki. With only one episode to go, I'm curious on how this will all wrap up, but considering the track record so far my hopes are high.
The shield is stained with blood. The iconography permanently tainted, though was it always to begin with? One of the best things about this episode is that very discussion - whether or not the shield of Captain America, and his very presence, is even worth keeping around. And after the end of this episode, the answer might very much be a hearty "no" as we see John Walker lose it. It's a bone chilling sequence that's up there as quite possibly the most brutal scene in the MCU outside of the Netflix shows - just a haunting image in general, and a jaw dropper of a moment that showcases just what this series is capable of.
And what a fantastic episode overall to boot! Karli continues to be an engaging, complex antagonist, Sam and Bucky's dynamic is wonderful, Zemo continues to be a blast, and Wyatt Russell gives the performance to beat here. The action also continues to be amazing from top to bottom, some of the best in the MCU and more proof of Derek Kolstad's strong ability in writing action sequences. Just spectacular stuff.
A sudden change into the more standard Marvel fare that many were expecting this to be at the start, but honestly the groundwork laid by the first three episodes made this all the more worth it. And like the best of the MCU, it's grounded in character work first and foremost, with exposition coming second. The cold open is one of the best sequences in the show yet, showcasing the effects of The Blip in more detail and expanding on what Spider-Man: Far From Home only hinted at, leaving Monica as the heart of this episode and making a hell of an impression.
And of course, as a Marvel fan, it was really nice seeing the little things back again. Jimmy's little card trick, Darcy's direct knowledge of CBM, S.W.O.R.D. itself - it rewards longtime fans while also endearing us to these characters again. And when the curtain is pulled back here, Marvel jumps into straight psychological horror again and it's done very well here. Looking forward to even more.
Absolutely shocked that this episode isn't higher up on "best of" lists for the show. "The Beach" is phenomenal, and not just for it's odd, wacky, "let's try something new" tone - it's also a fantastic character study of the show's main antagonists by putting them in the spotlight and giving them a chance to shine. Obviously Zuko is the focus here, specifically centered on his own feelings of isolation and anger that have been festering for so long. It's surprising that Azula of all people is the one to help him get out of it, and while Azula herself remains as deliciously evil as ever it's also nice of her to get some development beyond that as we see just how unable to function in society she actually is, making her character tragic in a way. Both Ty Lee and Mai get important development too, particularly Ty Lee whose feelings of wanting to be noticed finally explain her own willingness to help Azula.
Of course, it helps that this is just a really funny episode overall. Azula trying to woo a boy is hilarious, Zuko and Mai's antics are relatable, heartwarming, and also very funny, and the entire volleyball scene is a laugh riot. And while they aren't in it that much, Team Avatar's encounter with the now revealed Combustion Bender. Amazing stuff all around.
The first truly stellar episode of the show, Rookies is the kind of bold, radical episode that it's pretty shocking it aired so early in this show's run. It's a risky move to have an entire episode dedicated to basically the grunts of the universe but it pays off wonderfully, particularly in retrospect. The unique personalities of the clones really shine through in this episode and their likability make the eventual demise of several of them hit all the harder. The sacrifice at the end of the episode here is pretty intense for a show airing at it's timeslot and the lack of punches pulled is impressive to say the least.
It also helps that the oppressive tone of this episode, with the commando droids being a bigger threat and the entire outside of the moon out to kill them, makes this a tense watch. The lack of movie characters also means anybody here is fair game, and the causalities of war are shown in full force here. This is just stellar stuff and one of the best episodes of the early show.
Now where was this Geno Studio all this time? Granted, their work on the excellent Golden Kamuy is no slouch, but the animation here, which is consistently stellar, is some of, if not their current, best work, and I especially love the small details. This feels like a Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli film in a lot of ways - from it's aesthetic to it's themes to even the film grain and somewhat shaky camera that brings to mind old cell animation. It's a visual feast, and while the anthro lead character isn't gonna do it for everybody I like her design quite a bit and she's a really fun character.
It also helps that it doesn't go the easy ending here, implying that it's gonna be the long haul - the dark side is seductive and this episode shows how powerful that seduction can actually be. And yet another killer lightsaber design to boot, between this and The Village Bride I am clamoring for a katana esqe blade in canon that isn't the Darksaber. Excellent.
We were gonna reach a boiling point for Clint and Kate at some point, and having it here is probably the smartest choice they could have made. While not a lot of progress is made on the overarching mystery (outside of confirming some small details), the real treat is all of the strong, strong character work being done here for pretty much the entire cast. Clint in particular I think stands out here as the real treat - the PTSD of his time as Ronin, as well as the death of Natasha, still cast a shadow over the entire series and I love how the show is making that the main emotional hook for him to overcome here.
Just as interesting too is how the show continues to handle Kate, whose naive attitude towards crimefighting and lack of planning is starting to really backfire. The final argument that occurs, a hot kettle of these two opposing arcs clashing with each other, really works because of that, and the action scene that proceeds it - which features a wonderful four way battle including a really great surprise - uses that backdrop for strong emotional beats and great choreography. Cinematography is aces as well here. Still absolutely in love with Hawkeye, and with two episodes left to go I'm eagerly awaiting what they have next.
Continuing to confirm my theory that everything involving Wakanda is leagues above everything else in the MCU, this is a big improvement over last week's disappointing outing, even if the show continues having problems pacing itself. This is a big concept to do in 30 minutes - one that involves literally removing one of the MCU's biggest characters from the equation entirely - and while it does a great job in setting the stage, once the stage is set, it just... stops. This is a shame too cause the concepts explored here are really cool and fascinating, and like some prior episodes clearly needed more time to breathe.
Still, the good stuff is damn good here. Killmonger is one of the MCU's best villains and here we get another glimpse into just how good his planning, manipulation, and intelligence is. And just like in Black Panther, you can't help but root for him despite his obvious lust for power here, even if it's with extremely noble intentions. I do wish we got a more interesting, longer conversation between him and Rhodey about their differences in ideology, but the short runtime is once again to blame there. Still though, enjoyed this quite a bit.
"They will never let a black man be Captain America".
The scene between Isaiah Bradley and Sam Wilson is quite possibly one of the MCU's best scenes they've ever done, and an easy contender for one of the best scenes in any superhero property. It hits hard in a way that's timely considering events over the past couple of years, and even then the words he says ring uncomfortably true. Things HAVEN'T changed and that's the saddening thing about it all. So it's all the more inspiring when Sam does go to take up the mantle once and for all, albeit probably under different circumstances.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg here in terms of the good stuff. John Walker is a hell of a villain, and the opening fight is brutal, bloody, and one of Marvel's most raw fistfights in terms of pure visceral action, and it's fantastic. Bucky's development reaches a new direction with the idea that he is more then simply a vessel for killing, and his talk with Sam showcases Stan and Mackie's great chemistry. And of course, in a surprise role, Julia Louis-Dreyfus steals her scene with ease - though considering her talents that was to be expected. The best episode of the show yet, and with one more left to go I'm excited to see how they stick the landing here.
"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" continues to take it's time in regards to setting the stage. Here most of the pieces are in play outside of a couple of outliers, so going forward I suspect we'll really get into the meat of things. For now though, the show's slow pace is my favourite part of it - letting these characters breathe and interact has been the highlight of the MCU since the beginning and now that Bucky and Sam are officially together the banter can start. And it's good banter! Both revealing in character while being amusingly witty, it's a balancing act the show pulls off extremely well.
But really, the social commentary is what I'm here for. The MCU has struggled in some of it's other entries in that regard (though when it nails it, it really nails it i.e. Black Panther), but this is definitely one of the more reflective and introspective ones in that regard. The scene with Isaiah Bradley in particular deserves notice in that regard, not only for bringing in some great elements from the comics but also showcasing the lengths the government has gone to downplay the role that black people had in many of their conquests. The Flag-Smashers as well are coming into their own as compelling antagonists, helped by a wonderfully casted Erin Kellyman. Great stuff.
If the first two episodes were all buildup, then "The Sin" is the climax. A propulsive, gorgeously shot firefight that is the best of Star Wars. What these three episodes have lacked in story they've made up for with depth of character and emotional weight - particularly with The Child itself. The connection is strong, and even though our lead has no face we know what he is thinking. We know his dilemma. And we know the consequences of that.
Deborah Chow, despite being a relative newcomer to big budget filmmaking, clearly has a knack for this, and this bodes well for her eventual Obi-Wan miniseries on the platform. Her action scenes are stellar, and the way the story moves is easily the best of the three episodes so far. The strongest episode of the series to date.
Masterpiece. The moment the show went from a great cartoon to a fantastic one, one fully in control of it's own vision and material. It's a knockout of an episode, fully embracing the musical nature of prior episodes and finally go full fledged, full on music based. It's a musical episode ABOUT music, about how it shapes us, reinvents us, and expresses our full desires. It also helps every musical beat is an all-timer - a collection of songs and tunes so good that it's impressive that they kept this up for another 3 seasons without breaking a sweat.
The actual story here too really works. It's another character based episode, which is where the show really shines, and how both plots connect not just in universe but thematically is really great - and of course, the finale is a show stopper. What an episode!
I don't hate Jar Jar Binks as much as the rest of the Star Wars fandom seems to, as I understand his place in the grand scheme of the story and why he was created in the first place. And while The Phantom Menace isn't my favourite film by any stretch of the imagination, there is an earnest sincerity to how it portrays him, something that this episode sorely lacks. Ahmed Best is back and does a great job here, but there is a cynical attitude towards him that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's like the writers were forced at gunpoint to write an episode about him and it's really bizarre.
Still it's saved by a strong setup. Padme and Nute Gunray's rivalry goes all the way back to the beginning of the prequels so having that be the anchor point is a good tie in, Onaconda has a solid if short arc, and Rodia is very pretty to look at. Overall the episode mostly works as a forgettable, if somewhat enjoyable, diversion into the better episodes of the arc but it's a shame everything is rooted in this cynicism.
Not good! You can clearly tell this was made super early in the show's development cycle, from the weaker animation then normal to the strange directorial choices, as well as the really electronic, guitar heavy music that doesn't fit the rest of the show. It's clearly trying to experiment with a bunch of different ideas but it doesn't fully work, particularly narratively as it feels incomplete a lot of the time. The basic premise is simple enough (R2 is missing!) but the episodic nature of the episode doesn't help when itself is already part of an episodic arc.
The biggest strike against this episode though is the fact that characters feel almost like different people here. Anakin is much more along the lines of his early Episode 2 characterization which doesn't work, Ahsoka is naive to a fault, and Obi-Wan feels too overbearing. In a lot of ways this feels like that it's an episode from a younger skewing version of the show that never made it to air, and while it's not the worst thing ever it's certainly a below average episode of the show.
One of my favourite things about Star Wars is how it can range from pure kid friendly fantasy to dark, horrific depictions of war , sometimes within scenes. Rising Malevolence is a perfect example of this, and after a more kid friendly episode like the last one, this episode heads straight into dark territory with a struggle to survive against impossible odds. General Grievous was always a difficult character to place in Revenge of the Sith as he had been around for a while in-universe but his short screentime is more there as a brief obstacle. Here though we get to see just why he's the leader of the Separatist army as his forces rip through Plo Koon and his men. I wish we got a bit more of it as after his initial assault he's mostly just yelling orders but for those first 5-6 minutes, the dark reds of the cinematography and his assault are thrilling stuff.
And yeah, let's talk about Plo Koon. He's the beating heart of this episode, one of the better non-lead Jedi the show has to offer thanks his personality and design being so unique in the context of the rest of the Council. His compassion for the clones really shows the difference between both sides of the conflict, and while Anakin and Ahsoka get great moments here, particularly Ahsoka with bond with Koon, it ends up being him and his undying loyalty to his men that is a highlight. Great stuff overall!
After some of the big emotional beats that permeated all of last episode, Hawkeye decides to step back and focus on another character in particular this time around - specifically that of Yelena Belova, the standout from Black Widow this past summer and her experiences during and after The Blip. In fact, Natasha's ghost is felt throughout this entire episode, and while it's called "Ronin" it's clear that Jonathan Igla and his writing staff is more interested in how somebody like Barton became the Ronin rather then the persona itself. Grief has been a consistent theme throughout Phase 4 and here it's clear that grief, once again, is what propelled Clint to do what he did and continues to rule over his entire life. Both him and Maya are two sides of the same coin in that regard and their scene together (plus a great action beat) is an easy highlight here.
But yeah, this is Yelena's episode to lose, and her interactions with Kate are the easy standout here. Florence Pugh is great as per expected, and while this episode doesn't shine visually or even camerawork wise like some of the prior episodes it's got some strong writing. Really love Yelena's almost nonchalant attitude towards talking to somebody who was fighting her just a couple of hours prior, and her comedic timing is impeccable here. The reveal at the end is also a gamechanger, not just for the show itself with our new mastermind unveiled but also for the rest of the MCU as the possibilities of who can show up and when has officially changed - let me tell you, I nearly screamed. Top tier stuff once again from Marvel.
