The series for the MCU’s newest title character, Wonder Man dropped earlier this year. It tells the story of Simon Williams as he navigates the Hollywood scene in an attempt to land his dream roll. His secret: that he has super powers in a world that mistrusts them. In this episode we discuss the first season of this new series. We talk about the portrayals of Simon and his friend, Trevor Slattery. We examine the plot and and get into our feelings of how the series is paced, its themes are developed, and whether it serves the characters. Along the way we also debate the merits of how the series depicted actors, daily life in the MCU, and the role of a super-powered individual in society. We also question the role of the Department of Damage Control and what its exact mandate is supposed to be.
Our five-minute controversy this time asks if selling the MST3K franchise to Shout Studios was the right move for the franchise.
This week Stephen, Daviorr, and Nate join the cast.
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For decades the Muppets have been entertaining audiences all over the world. More expressive than most puppets, the Muppets connect with audiences on a deeper level than many similar creations. Combined with talented muppet performers and fun character concepts, it’s no wonder that the Muppets have entertained widely varying audiences for so long. In this episode we take a deep dive into the Muppet concept. We talk about our favorite Muppet characters. We discuss our favorite Muppet scenes. We also get into the reasons why people still enjoy the Muppets. We end by debating where we see the Muppet concept going in the future.
We discussed the Gargoyles in episode 265, but there was such interest in this topic that we had to do it again. Many years ago someone told Nathan that men and women view Gargoyles differently, but would not explain to him how, so we decided to do an experiment. Last time the women told us what they thought of Gargoyles. This time the men speak. Along the way we discuss favorite characters, favorite stories, and what makes Gargoyles unique and interesting. We also talk about the proposed live action reboot of Gargoyles and what we think of the idea. We get a lot of data, and we want to know from YOU if you think that our two panels view Gargoyles differently and what you think that is.
Phase Five of the MCU completed this year. The phase was unique in that it had more content than prior Marvel phases. In this episode we take a deep dive on Phase Five. We discuss our favorite parts of this portion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We debate the perceived drop in quality among fandom and whether we think that there’s any merit to those arguments. We also discuss where these arguments are coming from. We also give our opinions on what we know is coming in Phase Six as well as speculate on what we think is coming that hasn’t been announced yet.
Gargoyles debuted in 1994 as part of the Disney Afternoon – a programming block of Disney Animation aimed at children just getting out of school. The series provided complex multi-episode stories with complex characters that was rare for children’s animation. In this episode we take a look back at Gargoyles from a female perspective. We discuss the complexities of the stories and the most impactful moments. We talk about our favorite characters and the phenomenal vocal work that went into them. We also delve into the mythologies and stories that were used as the basis for so much of the series. We end with discussions of Gargoyles in other media and if we’d ever like to see a live-action film version of the series.
Ironheart was the final installment of Marvel’s Phase Five. Delayed and extended by Covid as well as the writer’s and actor’s strikes, Phase Five of Marvel felt like it took significantly longer to complete than the previous phases. In this episode we review the character of Ironheart. We talk about what we each knew about the character before this and how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever handled the introduction of her character. We examine her place in the world and how the series handles her race, gender, socio-economic status, and her potential. We discuss her motivations and how her background informs her decisions. We also talk about the series’ endpoint and whether or not we each feel that it’s fitting for the character and satisfying narratively. Along the way we get into street-level magic, villainous vibes, making iron suits overnight in a garage, and the culmination of something fans have been screaming for since 2021.
The What If..? series was a surprise hit from Marvel. Distinguishing Marvel Animation in a way that the company had not managed previously, the series boasted high quality animation and intriguing storylines that pushed the boundaries of the MCU. In this episode we explore the third season of the series. We discuss the individual episodes and what each meant to us. We talk about the characters and how the various alternate scenarios influenced them. We also get into our overall sense of the story, whether we thought that the final two episodes were a worthy resolution, and and whether we’d like to see the What If concept make a comeback.
Agatha Harkness took the MCU by storm with her debut in WandaVision. It wasn’t long before Marvel announced that there would be a series featuring the character in Marvel’s Phase Five. In this episode we talk about that series, Agatha All Along. We discuss the characters and themes and how well they are woven into the story. We opine on some of the creative choices in this series and how it connects to other parts of the MCU. We wrap up with our predictions for where Agatha may show up next.
Echo was a surprising addition to the Phase Five lineup. While the other characters in the MCU were characters with significant followings, Echo was a relatively minor character from the comics. However, due to a strong showing in the Hawkeye series, Alaqua Cox’s character was allowed to star in her own series with ramifications for Daredevil: Born Again. In this episode we review the Echo series. We talk about the connections to Hawkeye, Daredevil, and the prior Netflix series of Defenders characters. We discuss the depiction of the characters, what we think of the performances, and whether we’d like to see Echo show up again in the MCU.
The first season of Loki was one of the most popular Marvel series on Disney+. It only made sense for Marvel to do a second season. In this episode we review the Loki series. We discuss the plot and whether all of the elements work. We talk about unusual performances and new characters. We also get into the Jonathan Majors controversy and how this may have effected this series as well as what we think it means for the MCU storyline moving forward.