While it doesn’t seem like this show will ever have much of an impact on the MCU as a whole, its commitment to getting real MCU stars to voice their animated counterparts is what makes this show feel authentic.
Spoilers ahead – you’ve been warned.
It’s really a simple rule, but I’ve found that it’s almost always led to success: if you want your animated television adaptation of a popular franchise to go well, get the real voice actors to do the job. Disney’s done this for decades, and in every show I’ve reviewed over the past few years, it’s something that I consistently find myself appreciating. So the fact that they got Samuel L. Jackson, Chadwick Boseman, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Bettany, Evangeline Lilly, Michael B. Jordan, Don Cheadle, Chris Hemsworth, and Natalie Portman (and that’s just to name a few) to reprise their roles was extremely satisfying. It was a constant reminder that this was really part of the MCU and not just a cheap addition to the Disney+ catalogue of superhero content.
Part of the fun of this show was seeing characters we know and love in unexpected situations. Thanos ending up as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the most bizarre and fun examples that comes to mind. But what I really loved was the way the series wrestled with its own narrative structure. At first, it seems like this show is just a week-to-week look at different corners of the multiverse, but it gradually becomes clearer and clearer that the one constant is the Watcher and his commitment to his oath of non-interference. There are moments where he comes close to getting involved, but when he ultimately decides against it, you realize the seriousness with which he holds this promise. And – of course – it makes it all the more exhilarating when he finally breaks it. The final two episodes were tons of fun, even if the power levels of the characters fluctuated constantly. You kind of just had to shut up and enjoy it.
The standout characters from this season had to be Captain Carter, Evil Dr. Strange, and beardless Thor. I really admired the animation style of the show – it feels very two-dimensional at points but in a good way. I wouldn’t call this essential viewing for MCU fans, but it’s a fun set of stories and a twist on traditional week-to-week shows like The Twilight Zone.