From WandaVision to Hawkeye, the MCU is showing how Disney+ can influence the stories they tell, and IMDb users have a definitive favorite.
The MCU's foray into television on Disney+ in 2021 was highly anticipated, particularly given that it came after the cancellation of the MCU's range of grittier Netflix shows, including Daredevil and The Punisher, which provided a welcome contrast to the kinds of stories Marvel tends to tell on the big screen.
With their first Disney+ release WandaVision, though, the MCU established that they weren't afraid to switch things up with regards to genre and tone on this new platform, a concept that has continued to prove true with each new release, and looks to be the case going forth as evidenced by the Moon Knight trailer. This range has led to strong opinions though, and audience votes on IMDb reflect which choices viewers collectively think are working the best.
Whilst it ranks lowest of the Marvel Disney+ series according to ratings on IMDb, there are still numerous areas where The Falcon and The Winter Soldier excelled, including its focus on the Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes dynamic, keeping the show's titular heroes its stars and allowing for moments of levity even when surrounded by an expanding cast of largely new characters.
Additionally, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier's focus on Sam's complicated relationship to the Captain America mantle, and how it intersects with his identity as a Black man in America was a crucial part of his story, necessary to be explored on screen. In contrast to these successes, though, was the issue of pacing, which at times meant that moments of emotional impact were undermined in the show's hurry to get back to action sequences, or to quickly wrap up plot threads in the season's final episode.
The MCU's move into the world of animation in What If...? gave the show the freedom to explore some of its more visually-complex ideas, leading in some cases to shocking reveals about the MCU, and while Jeffrey Wright's performance as The Watcher received praise, the premises of each episode were met with more uneven success, at times not utilizing the show's concept to its fullest potential.
For example, the second episode titled "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord," showed a true deviation from the main timeline of the MCU, and successfully explored its characters, including T'Challa and Thanos, in new and compelling ways. However, episode 3, "What If... the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes," had a far more tenuous premise that didn't branch away from the main MCU timeline with as much drama or intrigue.
Marvel's most recent addition to their Disney+ MCU lineup, Hawkeye, may not be the most plot-heavy of series when compared to others released on the platform, but the relationship dynamics in the show shine through to keep it entertaining all the while, with the long-awaited arrival of Kate Bishop alongside other newcomers like Maya Lopez ensuring the strength of its cast of characters.
Hawkeye also did its job in providing Clint Barton more time to develop as a character, and though the often-overlooked Avenger didn't dramatically change in this outing, the show's often playful tone helped emphasize a different side of him. Even so, the show's reliance on Clint's past wrongdoings as Ronin to provide enemies - rather than using the series as an opportunity to establish a new villain - could be viewed as a downfall.
As the first of the MCU's Disney+ shows, there was a lot riding on WandaVision, and the series largely managed to deliver, with its brilliant use of sitcom conventions through the decades bringing both structure and mystery to the setup. After her often irregular characterization in MCU movies, the comic characteristics of Wanda the MCU got right in WandaVision were also welcome, giving actress Elizabeth Olsen the chance to shine.
WandaVision acted as a character study for its titular heroes in a manner that's been rarely seen in other MCU projects, focusing on how a person's superpowers and emotional states intersect, but balancing that drama with great comedic moments, both provided in equal measure in a terrific performance from Kathryn Hahn as Agatha. For all its positives, though, the final episode received mixed responses, due in part to its revelations around Evan Peters' portrayal of Pietro, though as evidenced by IMDb voters, this hasn't affected its overall standing too much.
A show that focuses on one of the MCU's most beloved characters was always going to have steep expectations, but Loki rose to the occasion in a series that established not only personal stakes for the character and his many variants but universe-altering ones for the whole of the MCU due to its hand in the formation of the multiverse.
The interactions between Loki and Mobius in the show's first few episodes helped to keep things fresh even as significant exposition around the TVA had to be given to audiences, while the dynamic between Loki and Sylvie also became one of the show's biggest strengths, humanizing the characters even when they were in wacky sci-fi situations. Despite it taking the top spot for IMDb voters, though, the show's choice to leave the introduction of He Who Remains until the final episode was to some an unusual decision given that he wasn't at all mentioned prior to his appearance, in a move that proved confusing for many with no prior knowledge of the character.
