Overall Thoughts: Complex and gritty MCU story is deep, character-driven and exciting, but juggles too much.
NOTE: Being a TV show, I'm breaking this series down into short reviews of each episode, followed by a few paragraphs of overview. Please keep in mind that there will be mild spoilers throughout, but I will be doing my best to avoid some of the major spoilers.
Episode 1 - New World Order
In this episode, Sam decides to give Captain America's shield (against his wishes) to the Smithsonian, while Bucky is trying to figure out how to put his "Winter Soldier" past behind him. Meanwhile, Sam is trying to also resolve things back at home, while a new group called the "Flag Smashers" start to cause mayhem in Europe.
The episode gets off to a terrific start with a great action scene. And Bucky's plotline unravels at a very emotionally-effective way. However, the episode does move at a slow pace otherwise. There was a little too much time spent in Louisiana, I'll just say. That being said, the ending does feature a startling development. One MCU character makes a surprise appearance. And Danny Ramirez is a solid addition to the series, bringing enthusiasm to the role of Torres.
In the end, New World Order might not be necessarily an attention-grabbing start, but it does its' job setting up the characters and explaining how the Blip affected them.
Grade: B
Episode 2 - The Star-Spangled Man
In this episode, John Walker (Wyatt Russell) is introduced and the government choosing him to be the next Captain America. The Flag Smashers and their leader, Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) pull off a heist. Meanwhile, Sam and Bucky visit a fairly suspicious veteran named Isaiah Bradley.
Walker's introduction as a character is fairly solid. The writers do a good job giving him a complex motivation, while adding a layer of mistrust to the overall proceedings. Russell and Cle Bennett have terrific rapport as Walker and his sidekick, Lamar. Meanwhile, the writers also do a good job developing a mysterious plot, as well as leave things hanging. The pace moves a bit faster too, and there's some much-appreciated humor as well.
Overall, a bit of an improvement over Episode 1's more mixed response.
Grade: B+
Episode 3 - Power Broker
In this entertaining third episode, Sam and Bucky turn to a former adversary for help, Helmut Zemo (an always-fun Daniel Bruhl). Following his breakout from jail, the characters head to Madripoor to find more information about a special serum creating superpowered individuals. They run into Sharon Carter (a returning Emily VanCamp), who assists in helping them trace down a Hydra scientist and some other shady traders. Meanwhile, Karli and her fellow Flag Smashers bomb a storage center.
This episode felt the smallest in overall scale. Not so much action, but more interesting production design and location cinematography touches (including an X-Men nod). There's a strong surprise at the end, and a few characters are given a bit more development than usual (even if Zemo seems to come across as a bit of a recon). On the downside, the pacing went a bit slow here again, and Walker/Lamar get shoved to the side on this adventure.
Ultimately, while I can't call Episode 3 amazing, it's still a fun and interesting installment.
Grade: B+
Episode 4 - The Whole World is Watching
With others seeking to apprehend Zemo, the trio heads into hiding while tracking down Karli and her followers. Sam attempts to reason with Karli, while Walker and Hoskins also close in on the Flag Smashers to prove their worthiness to their new roles. This all leads to a major battle that doesn't quite end the way the viewers will think its' going to go.
Out of all six episodes, this one was arguably the strongest emotionally and production-wise. Terrific acting all around, a great pace, some effective social commentary, and a stunning, unforgettable ending. Great character development, terrific callbacks to previous MCU films, and exciting action scenes. The only issue I noticed involved Sam's overall story taking a bit of a pause for this entry.
That being said, Episode 4 still moves the story forward in a way that is exciting and keeps you wondering what's going to happen next.
Grade: A
Episode 5 - Truth
In comparison, Episode 5 (which clocks in at an hour long exactly) doesn't quite hit the heights of its' predecessor. Sam's character is given much more focus here, as well as his internal and external reservations about taking on Cap's mantle. Meanwhile, the Flag Smashers plan to infiltrate a vote regarding refugees misplaced by the Blip.
Other than an entertaining opening fight, modern politics play an interesting role in this episode, as it gives a more personal context for what Sam is dealing with, as well as another character. Meanwhile, except for a solid conversation in the second half (easily one of the best scenes in the show), Bucky's overall development is shoved to the side. Meanwhile, the famous Marvel mid-credits scene makes a return, and its' a solid one. In the meantime, another mysterious character appears (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) that muddles one character's future. And, the episode once again spends way too much time in Louisiana (a thought seemingly shared by Sam's sister in the episode too).
Episode 5 does a nice job giving Sam the focus and giving him a bounce to where he ends up. But everywhere else, it doesn't quite reach the heights of the episode before it.
Grade: B
Episode 6 - One World, One People
The finale shows Bucky and Sam traveling to New York to try and upend the Flag Smashers' plan to destroy the Global Repatriation Council.
This episode was both solid and a little disappointing. Sam's new look is impressive and worthwhile. The action scenes leave you at the edge of your seat. One reveal was both expected and fairly well-executed (if left hanging in the air). And, the set-ups are surprisingly limited and succinct to allow things to reasonably conclude. However, Karli, Walker and Bucky's storylines are all forced to take a backseat and are rushed to end in somewhat unsatisfying fashion (there seems to be a noticeable gap in John's). And, Sam's speech, while nicely-written, could also end up being divisive for some.
In the end, this finale excites and thrills in almost all the right places. It wraps things up in a way that brings Sam where he needs to be. I only wish it was a little longer to give a more solid sense of closure for the others.
Grade: B
Overall Review
Out of the entire Marvel universe, I've always enjoyed the Captain America movies the most. What made them so interesting wasn't just the patriotism, action and engaging characters. Especially with its' latter two movies, the films explored the clear differences between old-fashioned and modern politics. Of course, with Steve Rogers now gone, who can take up the mantle? Well, that was answered (maybe?) in Endgame, when Sam was given the shield.
It's nice to see Sam get a nice, full-fledged story here. Anthony Mackie's Falcon is given an emotionally-compelling and believable plot that leads to a cheer-worthy conclusion (and what I'm sure will be a great fourth Cap movie!) That being said, however, while Bucky gets some great development in the first four episodes, his arc sadly gets shoved to the side in the last third. John and Karli were also equally-interesting, but also were left a bit in the dust. Never mind about another character's apparent (yet confusing) fall from grace.
That being said, this MCU series still has a lot to enjoy. There are some great action sequences. The writers include some interesting social commentary aimed at both sides of politics (similar to the last two Cap movies). There's a few nice surprises and Easter eggs. And, there are some great performances by the main and supporting cast.
In the end, Falcon and Winter Soldier might have needed one or two more episodes to fully flesh out all of its' storylines. It's this that keeps it from reaching the heights of WandaVision and some of the best MCU stories. However, it's still a exciting and thoughtful thrill ride that's worth at least a watch.
Grade: B
