After a long hiatus due to the writer’s strike, the MCU returned last February with Captain America: Brave New World. While many fans of Falcon and the Winter Soldier had high hopes for this movie, there were concerns about the use of characters from 2008’s Incredible Hulk, the minimal involvement of Bucky Barnes, and the reshoots that resulted in inserting a completely new main character in the form of Sidewinder. In this episode we take a look at the movie as a whole. We analyze the plot and the performances. We debate its impact on the MCU and what forces we believe shaped the story. We also discuss some of the thematic elements and whether or not we feel that they worked in the movie.
Due to time constraints there is no five-minute controversy this week.
This week Alli, Tom, Kori, and Gerald join the cast.
Like what you heard? Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/42cast. You can also find us on X as @42cast, Instagram/Threads as 42cast, or Blue Sky as 42cast.bsky.social. We can also be found on Pandora, Amazon Music, Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Please, leave us a review. Have a question for the Ultimate Answer? E-mail us at [email protected].
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. 
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was the first of the Marvel TV series to tie in with the MCU and it was almost the last to air before the collapse of Marvel’s TV division. In this episode we look back at the final season of the series. Along the way we discuss whether the time-travel McGuffin and callbacks to previous episodes created a satisfying conclusion to the series. We’ll talk about the inclusion of Souza, how well he worked on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and whether we felt that this was a fitting move for his character. Along the way we’ll talk about missed opportunities, the Fitz reveal, and what we all thought about the coda. 
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.
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. 
Secret Invasion was part of the second wave of Disney+ shows after the popularity of the 2021 output. Announced with Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and She Hulk, it was long assumed that this series would come out in 2022, but instead it came out in 2023. In this episode we take a look at Secret Invasion. We talk about the use of elements from the Captain Marvel film. We debate the use of AI generated images, the shapeshifter plotlines, and the advent of Super Skrulls. We also discuss the racial allegory and the acting talents on display within the series. 
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is the first attempt to do a comedy series within the MCU. In this episode we take a deep dive on the She Hulk series. We discuss how the show fits within the greater context of the MCU as well as how well it lives up to the various comic series that it’s adapting. We talk about the characters and how the story of Jennifer Walters may resonate with fans. We also address the many guest characters used by the series and how well we think that they were showcased in the series. We also get into the plotlines and what we think will matter later on. We end by discussing whether we’d like to see a season two of the series. 
You often hear that there’s too much TV to watch these days or that the market is catering to geeky interests on TV today. Yet, the 80’s saw it’s fair share of genre television for people of all ages. In this episode four people that were there (old fogeys) recount tales of the television of their youth. They also discuss whether 80’s television holds up and whether they think that modern audiences would appreciate it. They also give their opinions on various series and talk about the inevitable sequel series to discuss even more 80’s TV. 
This week we delve back into the MCU on Disney+ to talk about Ms. Marvel. Join our cast as we delve into the comic origins of these characters. We’ll talk about what works, what didn’t, and what we wish they included and didn’t. We’ll also discuss casting and performances and what we thought of the tone of the series. We’ll also debate how this works into the greater MCU, where we think it’s going, and how we think the final twist of this series will play into the advent of some new characters coming to the MCU. We’ll also give our opinions on whether the production team knows what a comic con is. 
In this week’s episode we fire up the spore drive to arrive at Star Trek Discovery season 4. In this episode we delve deep into the storytelling, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of season length, using writers unfamiliar with Trek, and telling a narrative across multiple seasons. We also talk about how much we want to see more of the bridge crew, interspecies romance, and how all the teases to former Trek plots can be so frustrating. We also opine on communication issues, season resolutions, celebrity cameos, and what we want from a fifth season.