TheMarvel Cinematic Universehas been pretty hit-and-miss for a while now. For fans of this iconic superhero franchise, some installments have either been a bit of a letdown or have completely flopped among the fanbase in what they aimed to do. To quote a certain Merc With a Mouth, these multiversal misses have been quite frequent, and while they tried, they have unfortunately continued to be a bit of a disappointment. But despite some rocky reception for the big screen additions, the small screen world of the MCU has had better luck sinceEndgameall around.
They haven’t all been success stories, but so far, the new decade of Marvel TV has been an incredibly entertaining journey.Eleven shows have hit the small screens of millions of homes worldwide since the beginning of 2020, and as said, they’ve been exciting to see play out. Whether it’s the dark and gritty alleys of Earth, a confusing sitcom, or a time-traveling God of Mischief, Marvel TV has taken its audiences far and wide in the last four years. But, they’re not all as well received as each other. From the lackluster happenings ofSecret Invasionto the long-awaited return of a certain Kingpin inHawkeye, they all have their strengths and weaknesses, but which stood high and mighty while the others fell flat?
11What If…? (2021 - 2024)
Created by A.C. Bradley
When you think of Disney+’sWhat If….?you’re able to’t help but think of this show as fan fiction come to life. The series, created byA.C. Bradley, looks at alternate timelines in the Marvel multiverse to see what would happen if the events in the MCU films went differently. It’s no different from what fans would do while discussing their favorite Marvel character (or any superhero character, in general), and Bradley had the great vision to recognize this and put it in TV form.
Jeffery Wright(American Fiction) narrates the series as the Watcher, and, in a bonus treat for MCU fans, most of the stars from the films come back and reprise their roles. The series ran for three seasons, which Disney+ ended in August 2024. However, for fans of the series that were itching for more, a spin-off ofWhat If…?,Marvel Zombies, is slated to premiere in Octorber of this year.
What If…?
10’Secret Invasion' (2023)
Created by Kyle Bradstreet
From early teasers,Secret Invasionseemed to have great potential, but realistically, it struggled to grip its audiences from the start. Shrouded in mystery just like its leading character, the show was set to take viewers on a new and exciting adventure with MCU veteran Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and dive further into the exploration of the Skrulls, who were introduced inCaptain Marvelback in 2017.
Unfortunately, it did not perform as hoped, and its star-studded cast and great potential weren’t enough to save it from flopping.Critics and audiences rarely agree, but in the case ofSecret Invasion, both parties were just as displeased as the other.Poor pacing, drawn-out episodes, and more held this series back from success, and many fans remain bitter about how the show was handled and where it could have gone.
Secret Invasion
9’She-Hulk: Attorney At Law’ (2022)
Created by Jessica Gao
She-Hulk: Attorney At Lawsparked anticipation very early on, thanks to its meta theme and the long-awaited return of a beloved Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. The show followed its titular character as she went about her day job as an attorney alongside her greener alter ego in another of Marvel’s fourth-wall-breaking adventures.
However, the series is one of the lowest-rated Marvel Television additions in the eyes of audiences,sitting at a mere 39% on the Popcornmeter. Yet surprisingly, critics couldn’t disagree more with a 79% approval rating. Despite some conflict onhow good or bad it was between viewers, there’s no denying it had some funny, well-written moments and did well setting up a future story for one of its supporting characters.The reintroduction of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil is arguably the most memorable takeaway from the show.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Watch on Disney+
8’Ms. Marvel' (2022)
Created by Bisha K. Ali
DespiteCaptain Marvelranking as one of the most unpopular movies within the entire MCU, its small-screen continuation is quite the opposite. Although many were unsure howMs. Marvelwould perform, given the previous movie’s lackluster reception from fans, any uncertainty dissipated as soon as the series hit Disney+ in the summer of 2022.
Ms. Marvelfollows a young teenage girl named Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), whom many fans can relate to. She’s essentially a superfan of The Avengers, primarily Carol Danvers (Brie Larson).The show took many by surprise with its impressive visual style, and it wasn’t at all hard to get sucked back into the world of The Marvels, as the show did a great job getting fans ready for the release of the new movie, despite its successor doing nowhere near as well.
Ms. Marvel
7’Agatha All Along' (2024)
Created by Jac Schaeffer
Three years after the events ofWandaVision, a somewhat unexpected character got her own spin-off show, and so far, so good. The latest addition to Marvel Television’s library came just months ago whenAgatha All Alonghit the steaming service. It’s a horror-styled series with a creepy undertone that follows a defeated Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) on a mission to regain the power she lost to Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen).
Agatha All Alonghas just wrapped up its season run, with the final episode hitting Disney+ on October 30th. It has proved itselfwell-deserved of its critical and audience praisewith its edge-of-your-seat scenes and unnerving undertone and kept its viewers wanting more with all its twists and turns.
Agatha All Along
6’Echo' (2024)
Created by Marion Dayre
Echocontinued a character’s story introduced three years earlier. The series came as highly anticipated by fans as they were excited to discover more about the titular character who had been a significant antagonist inHawkeyein 2021.
While many were excited to see the return of Daredevil in his second appearance since the untimely cancelation of his standalone show in 2018,clever sound design,impressive camera work, and incredible fight sequenceshad audiences hooked from the first episode. Viewers had no trouble connecting to the characters inEchoand were left excited for what was to come by the end of each episode. It’s not hard to see why it was so well received with all its nods to the past and exciting looks into the future.
5’WandaVision' (2021)
Pressing play on the first installment of Marvel Studios' Disney+ series' is a moment fans will remember for a long time, primarily due to the overwhelming confusion it presented. The trailers hinted thatWandaVisionwould be unlike any other show in their library so far, and they weren’t kidding. It took sometime for that confusion to subside, and to be honest, it remained present for many if not most of the episodes in some way.
WandaVisionreceived positive feedback from its fans and critics despite a questionable and seemingly unneeded occurrence here and there. As confusing as it could be, it was enjoyable to watch and see where the story would ultimately go and how it would connect to everything that had happened thus far.It remains a favorite for many fans over three years after its initial release.
WandaVision
4’Hawkeye' (2021)
Created by Jonathan Igla
2021 was a good year for Marvel fans. The Studio started its Disney+ journey,Charlie Coxmade a brief but incredibly impactful cameo inSpider-Man: No Way Home, andVincent D"Onofrioreturned as the small screen MCU’s most notoriously loved villain, Kingpin, in the fifth and final TV series from Marvel Studios in 2021.
Hawkeyeshone a light on a character who often gets overlooked in the world of Gods, superhumans, and genius billionaire playboy philanthropists, so when his standalone show finallygave him the appreciation he deservedin Christmas 2021, fans of the superhero archer couldn’t wait to see what it would entail.Emotionally powerful moments mixed with humor and great action sequences that utilize Clint’s abilities makeHawkeyeenjoyable from start to finish, andJeremy Renner’s powerful performance only solidified the place he has and will continue to hold in the hearts of Marvel fans all across the world.
3’The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' (2021)
Created by Malcolm Spellman
The Falcon and the Winter Soldierfollowed in the aftermath ofAvengers: Endgamewith a primary focus on one of the MCU’s most dysfunctional duos. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) may have had a mutual friend in Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), but the two themselves have said “I hate you” to one another more times than they can count.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldieris presented as a buddy cop duo-styled series with a down-to-earth undertone and, of course, that Marvel comedy they do so well, and it worked wonders in the finished series.TFATWShad heart and made it easy to connect with these characters that fans had come to love throughout the years. Sam and Bucky are two of Marvel’s more opposite personalities at times, but their chemistry on screen is entertaining in more ways than just their comedic bickering.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
2’Moon Knight' (2022)
Created by Jeremy Slater
Moon Knight’s new Egyptian-styled origin story had fans immediately intrigued. It was new and unique and looked like it could have a lot of potential. And it didn’t disappoint.
The show introduced the world to Marc Spectre and Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac), a man suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) who finds himself under the control ofKonshu, the Egyptian God of the Moon. Moon Knight is fun and entertaining alongside an incredibly deep, well-written, and impressively performed series. It wasn’t afraid to make audiences cry, and connecting to the protagonist was effortless. The fight scenes were incredible and how they utilized the altering personas of Marc and Steven was effortlessly depicted.But the series also focused on the importance of understanding mental health, making it all the more meaningful to its viewers.
