Ranking The MCU Series So Far
Since Loki season 2 premieres tomorrow at 8p CT/9p ET, I thought that I would do what many outlets/people do to get clicks; make an arbitrary ranking that means zero for most people but somehow makes everyone online angry and shout at you that you don’t know what you’re talking about followed up with insults lobbed at you and your entire family… or as the internet likes to call it, a Wednesday.
Now I need to preface this ranking with a couple of things. Firstly, I’m not including I Am Groot, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, or Werewolf by Night. Yes, they connect to the MCU and all three are great in their own ways (Werewolf by Night being my favorite among them, we heart Ted a.k.a. Man-Thing here) but they don’t fit this list as they’re not full season series.
Lastly, my criteria really boils down to how much I enjoyed each show. I know, very deep and scientific way of doing things. I mean, I did enjoy most of the series listed. Some of them just didn’t hit as much for me as some of the others listed. Well, I say that, but there is one on this list that’s neither enjoyable nor rewatchable so let’s get to that one and kick things off with this totally scientific MCU series ranking!
9. Secret Invasion (2023)
Secret Invasion is arguably the weakest MCU entry to date.
What was presented to be an espionage spy type thriller similar in tone to Captain America: Winter Soldier ended up being a convoluted mess of a story that felt more concerned with shock value of character deaths and supposedly “surprising” reveals. Even with stellar performances across the board from Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Oliva Coleman, and Don Cheadle to name a few, nothing could save Secret Invasion from falling flat. The at-first very interesting villain becomes a MacGuffin craving one. What did the killing off of [redacted] and [redacted] really do for the story? The action sequences are ok but nothing overtly memorable (don’t get me started on the final fight). I gave this show the benefit of the doubt at first because of the strong performances but the cracks became so glaring and so baffling that it became a frustrating watch each week. If you want to read more of my thoughts on Secret Invasion, check out my written review here on Thoughts from a Nerd, or listen to a full breakdown that I did with special guest Alicia Gilstorf of Tell-Tale TV did on Issue 496 of Comicast.
8. What If…? (2021)
Marvel Studios’ first foray into animation was a serviceable and for the most part an enjoyable ride. The series did give us one of the best pieces of MCU content to date with episode 4’s “What If… Doctor Strang Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” Plus, the introduction of Star-Lord T’Challa was a welcome one. Where the series falters for me is when it becomes an interconnected story. To me that defeated the purpose of telling “what if” stories in the first place. The whole point of “what if” scenarios are that you get to tell wild stories putting characters and story elements together that you probably never see. That tool is not used nearly enough in the first season. The series limits itself as well by adhering to the stories we’ve seen from the MCU previously. Animation is a playground where you can let your imagination run wild. I hope they push the envelope and embrace wild, imaginative storytelling in the 2nd season.
7. Hawkeye (2021)
Hawkeye has a lot going for it. From the extended time with Clint Barton and his family, the beginning of a new Hawkeye/Black Widow relationship with Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova, Echo commanding the screen, a fun Christmas setting, a hilarious group of villains (Tracksuit Mafia), and of course Lucky the Pizza Dog. All of those things work very well and are some of the highlights of the series. All that being said, I gotta be honest, Hawkeye just didn’t resonate with me as much as some of the other shows. The goofiness of the final fight took me out of the finale completely, the Tracksuit Mafia kept appearing like enemy characters spawning in a video game. A LARPing Hawkeye was funny but looking back, I feel like that time could have been better spent elsewhere considering the small episode slate they had. Of course, the return of Kingpin was cool but the character felt so different that it was a hard adjustment for me. Maybe a season 2 can rectify some of my problems with the first season but we’ll see if they ever do a season 2. *shoulder shrug*
6. Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
This was my most anticipated series heading into the age of MCU/Disney+ shows. Falcon and the Winter Soldier didn’t end up being the best thing but it did succeed by not being afraid to dive into some socially relevant topics. I loved getting to spend time with Bucky and Sam, no matter if it was a quiet character driven moment or an action-packed sequence, the pair bounced off each other so well. The onscreen chemistry between Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan really made this series work. The Isaiah Bradely element to Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the other standout part. Carl Lumbly was absolutely incredible and captivating every time he was on screen. The show falters though with some questionable storytelling decisions made in regards to Sharon Carter, the Flag Smashers, and John Walker. I also can’t help but wonder whether this show would have been better in the long run had it focused on a sole villain. Spreading things out so much I think hurt more than helped.
5. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is just pure fun. It had me laughing all through its run. While the other shows follow a certain formula in terms of introducing the hero, the hero getting their superhero suit, fighting the villain, etc. She-Hulk does things completely differently and I think that’s what makes this show such a standout. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is not about a hero learning how to use their powers to fight crime. It’s about Jennifer Walters, played brilliantly by Tatiana Maslany, learning how to work and live her normal life with powers. She has no desire to go stop a bank robbery or fight a super-villain. No, she wants to go home, curl up on the couch after a long day with a bowl of ice cream, and peruse TV or a dating app or 2. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law isn’t for everyone but that’s the point. Also, the finale might be the best finale of any MCU show to date by taking arguably the biggest creative risk out of any of these series.
4. Ms. Marvel (2022)
Iman Vellani is absolutely wonderful as Kamala Khan. She is one of the best additions to the growing roster of MCU heroes. She nails the superhero superfan flawlessly. Kamala learning to control her powers while at the same time balancing school and her family is where the show really shines. If Ms. Marvel was only focused on Kamala’s day-to-day life, I would be all about it especially if her family is involved. What her relationship with her family brings to this show is a big part of why this series is so unique. The closest comparison in regards to the family element that I can think of is this year’s Blue Beetle. The villain and the villain's motivations are the weakest part of the show so that hinders it a bit but the rest of the series is so strong it was easy for me to overlook and appreciate it. Iman Vellani is a true star that we all need to keep an eye on because her future is bright as Kamala Khan.
3. Moon Knight (2022)
Out of all the titles I think I’ve rewatched Moon Knight the most. Partly because we did a live discussion about the show back at Comicpalooza 2022 but also because I just really dig this type of show. Oscar Isaac’s performance as Stephen Grant/Marc Spector might be one of the best performances the MCU has seen. The way he’s able to go back and forth between the different personalities almost effortlessly is incredible. And to make them feel distinct from the other by creating different mannerisms for each is amazing. Then you throw in a great performance from Ethan Hawke, a breakout performance from May Calamawy who steals scenes left and right, and the voice of F. Murray Abraham as Knonshu and you have a great mixture for a dynamic, keep you guessing show. Moon Knight isn’t perfect, but the high points outweighed any of the faults the show had for me.
2. WandaVision (2021)
There’s a strong chance that we as an audience will never have a viewing experience for Marvel/Disney+ shows quite like WandaVision. No other show on this list had people guessing and theorizing so much week to week. From “it’s Mephisto” to the wild predictions for the aerospace engineer WandaVision really had me saying some absurd theories. While many of those theories didn’t come to pass, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. It was a fun ride through and through. Elizabeth Olsen was absolutely amazing and deserved way more awards consideration for her performance. Same with Paul Bettany, they were tremendous in each episode. The comedy is balanced beautifully with gut punches of emotion sprinkled throughout. Say what you will about the finale, sure it’s not necessarily the best but I found the show overall to be so enthralling that I could easily overlook that. I really could have WandaVision number 1 after a rewatch or two honestly. Plus, Kathryn Hahn being Agatha Harkness was perfect casting, she ate up scenes and was brilliant in the role. She had me and everyone else singing “It was Agatha All Along!” so that’s an automatic win in my book. It’s also as the kids say “a banger” and “slaps” I’ll stop before the youth yeet me off the internet. When WandaVision hit TV screens, it released at the right time, the MCU needed to have a tone setter for the new age of MCU movies/series we were entering. WandaVision delivered that in a big way.
1. Loki (2021-Present)
Back in 2022, I argued for Moon Knight to be the best MCU/Disney+ show. Then I argued for WandaVision but… man Loki is so good and my favorite of the series so far. I had such little faith heading into the show too. I doubted because Loki’s arc had come to the end in Infinity War, my thought was, do we really need to bring back the character? When it was confirmed that the 2012 version of Loki from Endgame will be the focus of the show, I was ok with it but again didn’t see the need to rehash the character. I thought it would just be misadventures of Loki in time. I was so wrong. Loki episode 1 had me hooked and removed a lot of my fears from the jump. Introducing the TVA was a brilliant move to acknowledge the past but at the same time set the stage for interesting future stories. Getting a sped-up character arc for Loki was nicely done. Tom Hiddleston delivers, he truly has mastered the character at this point. It’s weird, it’s fun, it’s compelling, and a really engaging show that relies on quieter character driven moments rather than big action set pieces. You also have Sylvie, Mobius, Ravonna, and more that all have compelling stories. I can’t wait to see where they all go next in season 2.
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