After the initial wave of Avengers film, people started wishing that Marvel had the Fantastic Four film rights, so that they could apply the same MCU formula to the first family in comics. Years later, Disney obtained those rights as part of their overall acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Fantastic Four: First Steps is the result. For this episode we dive deep into the story. We talk about the characters, the choices that were made in the depictions, and how we feel those resonate. We debate some of the story decisions and how well those worked for us. We discuss whether origin stories are necessary, the pros and cons of shorter films, and how we think that this movie will fit into the overall MCU storyline. Give it a listen and let us know what you think!
This week’s Five-Minute Controversy asks what we think of Nintendo’s unasked for announcement that Peach and Mario are not a couple but just “very good friends”.
This week Stephen, Michael, and Page join the cast.
Show Notes:
Nintendo says Peach and Mario are “just good friends”
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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. 
Thunderbolts* was one of the risky ventures that Marvel puts out from time-to-time. Featuring a cast of supporting characters from previous films and series, the story catapults several characters to prominence while doing a fair amount of Marvel world-building and character development. In this episode we go over Thunderbolts*. We talk about the plot of the film and how well it works as a bridge between phases Five and Six. We discuss the characters and how they’re utilized within the story. We also give our opinions on whether this story feels like it has “homework”. We’ll also get into that asterix and whether we think that Marvel dropped the ball on the marketing. 
Marvel’s Runaways adapted a relatively unknown but also fairly recent comic book concept for the small screen. The story followed the children of super villains who ran away from their parents and become heroes. In this episode we take a look at the final season of the series. We discuss the plotlines and how well this final season wrapped up the plot of the series. We talk about the depiction of the world and whether or not this all takes place within the MCU. We also get into the characters both established and new, such as the villain, Morgan le Fay, played by Elizabeth Hurley. We also debate whether we’d like to see these characters again.
Legion was one of two TV series that Fox produced while owning the X-Men license. The story followed David Haller, the son of Professor Charles Xavier; his struggles with mental health; and his development as one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. The series was told from the point of view of this unreliable narrator which sometimes lead to strange visuals and editing choices. In this episode the cast discusses the third and final season that focused on time travel and the consequences of various characters’ actions. Along the way they talk about the various characters, what they think about the use of time travel in this season, mental health and how its depicted in the series, and whether or not this is a satisfying ending for the series. 
The Marvels was the last MCU film of 2023. Combining plot threads from Captain Marvel, WandaVision, and Ms. Marvel, it created a crossover storyline to begin preparing the MCU for its next big event. In this episode we look at the movie and discuss whether it worked as a sequel for the various properties that came before. We’ll also talk about how the plot worked for us and what we think of the characters and how they were used. We end by going over where we think the storyline is going for the MCU and these characters. 
Hot on the heels of Disney’s announcement of Moon Knight blu-ray and 4K UHD sets, The 42cast brings you it’s review of the titular Marvel hero. In this episode we delve into Moon Knight’s comic origins, the changes made in later years, and the various changes made for the Disney+ series. We’ll discuss the use of Disassocative Identity Disorder and how well the series handled that and the broader conversation around mental health. We also talk about the characters, plot, and how well we think the performances worked. Along the way we’ll also debate the merits of the CGI, when you can use the unreliable narrator trope, and whether this series segues into a broader storyline within the MCU. We also give our opinion on what we’d want from another season of the show. 
Jessica Jones was a popular series as part of Marvel’s “edgy” series developed for Netflix. The series can currently be found on Disney+. In this episode we take a look at Jessica Jones season 3. We discuss the evolution of the characters and and the development of themes that extend back to the beginning of the series. We talk about the overall plot of the series and what we think of the various decisions made by the writers. We also discuss the end of Marvel’s Netflix line as a whole and whether we’d like to see any aspects of it come back in the future. 
Cloak & Dagger was one of the projects produced by the old Marvel TV group. In the days before Disney+, Marvel TV produced many hits including Agents of SHIELD and the six Marvel Netflix series. Out of all of those projects that received multiple seasons Cloak & Dagger seems to have been left behind. The two season series ran on the Freeform cable network. Following the adventures of Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson the series seemed to be pitched towards a younger audience, but that didn’t keep them from compelling storylines. In this episode we look at the second season of Cloak & Dagger. We discuss the series’ evolution, and how we felt the characters and plots were handled in the season. We also talk about what we would have liked if there had been a season 3. 
Black Panther was a tremendously successful film. Showcasing Afro-futurism within the MCU it became a cultural touchstone for people of African descent and those who weren’t, allowing them to bond over their shared delight at this fresh take on a superhero story. In this episode we talk about the sequel to Black Panther, Wakanda Forever. We touch on the tragedy of Chadwick Boseman’s passing and debate whether they made the right choice not to recast the role. We discuss the new characters introduced, how well they serve the plot, and where we think that we’ll see them in the future. We also talk about links to other franchises, the stellar performances, and that surprise end reveal.