Overall Thoughts: Trippy first season has the occasional stinker episode, but remains engaging and memorable.
NOTE: Being a TV show, I have reviewed each individual episode in a couple of small paragraphs apiece. I will do my best to avoid spoilers!
Episode 1: What If...Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?
In this episode, instead of Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter is given the super soldier serum. Thus, Captain Carter emerges and the story changes dramatically!
This very entertaining premiere episode has a handful of great surprises, and even stronger moments of foreshadowing and connection to other areas of the MCU. Hayley Atwell is as strong a presence as ever as Peggy, while I'm a little surprised Chris Evans didn't come back to reprise as Steve Rogers (though Sebastian Stan did as Bucky). It's almost a bit too obvious in the vocal performance.
The twists in the story really bring Hydra full circle as an even more villainous force than they were initially in the original Captain America movie. Emotionally, it also hits the right notes, while the ending of the original movie is twisted on its' head as well. This leads to a few too off-kilter moments here and there, but it's still a very exhilarating debut episode.
Grade: A-
Episode 2: What If...T'Challa Became a Star Lord?
In this episode, by random mistake, T'Challa is kidnapped by Yondu instead of Peter Quill.
This one was really interesting, as it brought together a different Guardians of the Galaxy team that seemed to improve on the original team somehow. The characters were nicer! A lot of that, of course, has to do with T'Challa's character. And speaking of the King of Wakanda, Chadwick Boseman gives a fantastic voice performance in this episode (this season would sadly end up being the final performance of the late actor).
Meanwhile, it's also hilarious and entertaining to see Nebula, Thanos, and even The Collector in different ways than before. Some obvious winks and nods make the overall storyline even more meta. The heist is a hoot. And the animation has a few creative nods. Some random asides from Howard the Duck aside (though Seth Green does well in the voice role), in the end, this second episode is even better than the first, and is one of the best of the season hands down.
Grade: A
Episode 3: What If...The World Lost It's Mightiest Heroes?
This episode has all of the original Avengers being mysteriously murdered and taken out, by random coincidence. Or maybe not?
Episode 3: What If...The World Lost It's Mightiest Heroes?
This episode has all of the original Avengers being mysteriously murdered and taken out, by random coincidence. Or maybe not?
This episode pretty much reflects Luke Skywalker's quote in The Last Jedi, "This is not going to go the way you think." The episode carries a very interesting twist and turn of events in the last 10 minutes that leads to a villain you might not expect. Perhaps more interesting is that Tony Stark/Iron Man and Black Widow are replaced by different actors - though Lake Bell proves to be a strong double for Scarlett Johannson. That being said, at least Samuel L. Jackson returned as Nick Fury!
Some of the events that play out here are, like the first episode, a little too off-kilter. But, the overall energy remains very high.
Grade: A-
Episode 4: What If...Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?
In this episode, Doctor Strange finds himself getting into his life-defining accident that results in the loss of his girlfriend, Christine. Trying to get her back, he descends into darkness and madness.
Episode 4: What If...Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?
In this episode, Doctor Strange finds himself getting into his life-defining accident that results in the loss of his girlfriend, Christine. Trying to get her back, he descends into darkness and madness.
The first half of this episode is brilliantly written. With a strong emotional hook and a breakneck pace, we perhaps connect more emotionally to Steven (Benedict Cumberbatch is great here too) than we did in the original. However, when Strange begins to really test the limits of his powers, the story veers off-course into somewhat disturbing territory.
While the purpose serves as a cautionary tale (and set-up for later on), the episode leads to a dark and very unhappy conclusion. We also get to see more of The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) here as he slowly reveals himself. That being said, the actors give it all they've got, and the animation choices here are pretty stunning at times.
Grade: B
Episode 5: What If...Zombies?!
This episode explores what if the Avengers and the entire Earth were infected by a zombie parasite. What could happen?
This one leads to an Avengers team-up unlike any other, mixed with some Zombie horror for taste. And it's a bit of a jarring mixture that has some emotional undercurrents, but also some stuff that goes a little over-the-top. Some actors return, including a near-soundalike for Tom Holland as Spider-Man (a little surprised he didn't return here).
This episode explores what if the Avengers and the entire Earth were infected by a zombie parasite. What could happen?
This one leads to an Avengers team-up unlike any other, mixed with some Zombie horror for taste. And it's a bit of a jarring mixture that has some emotional undercurrents, but also some stuff that goes a little over-the-top. Some actors return, including a near-soundalike for Tom Holland as Spider-Man (a little surprised he didn't return here).
However, seeing Hope, Sharon, Hulk, Okoye and a few others team up leads to some strong action-driven moments, and the overall ending is very strong and has a solid twist.
Grade: B
Episode 6: What If...Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?
Jumping back in time to the first Iron Man, this episode inserts a villainous character that wins Tony's trust, Killmonger (reprised by Michael B. Jordan, who's once again terrific here).
Jumping back in time to the first Iron Man, this episode inserts a villainous character that wins Tony's trust, Killmonger (reprised by Michael B. Jordan, who's once again terrific here).
This episode re-writes the original Iron Man in a twisty and very interesting way, while connecting to the story of Black Panther in very fascinating fashion. Shuri and Pepper Potts (though Letitia Wright and Gwyneth Paltrow are MIA) play stronger roles here, and the overall unraveling mystery is nicely-written.
If there's a minor weakness here, it's that this episode replays more of what we've already seen before, rather than write something completely new. However, the way it connects both films' stories is intriguing.
Grade: B+
Episode 7: What If...Thor Were An Only Child?
Here, this episode shows how Thor might would have been very different indeed if he didn't have Loki raised alongside him, and to stop...
Grade: B+
Episode 7: What If...Thor Were An Only Child?
Here, this episode shows how Thor might would have been very different indeed if he didn't have Loki raised alongside him, and to stop...
There's a forced comedic aspect to this episode that just, doesn't work. While pretty much all of the original actors (including Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, with the exception of Rene Russo) return, the overall script and storylines are surprisingly immature for Marvel. While that may be intentional, it really doesn't set up anything that has too much ramifications for what's to come.
The jokes get old fast. Some flat-out odd, Las Vegas style decisions come into play. However, the ending does give us an ominous hint as to where we are headed. That being said, that's not enough to redeem the rest of this crazy, filler, almost unnecessary episode.
Grade: C-
Episode 8: What If...Ultron Won?
This re-imagining of Age of Ultron explores what would have happened if the Avengers were not successful at stopping Ultron the first time around, and the implications it would have on the rest of the MCU and the multiverse.
This re-imagining of Age of Ultron explores what would have happened if the Avengers were not successful at stopping Ultron the first time around, and the implications it would have on the rest of the MCU and the multiverse.
First of all, it is very obvious James Spader is NOT Ultron, which is a little annoying. However, the emergence of the Watcher as a more central character is pretty nice, as he becomes more developed. Meanwhile, more of a focus also on Black Widow (Lake Bell) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) created some much-needed moments between them we didn't seem much of in earlier films. There's also nods to Captain America: The Winter Soldier peppered in.
This episode feels like a Part 1 to a finale, as the story seems to leave on a cliffhanger here. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it lessens the overall connectivity to the first seven episodes per se. However, there's still some thrills, spills and entertaining chills to spare here.
Grade: B+
Episode 9: What If...The Watcher Broke His Oath?
This episode sees the Watcher pull together characters from previous adventures to team up and stop Ultron.
Episode 9: What If...The Watcher Broke His Oath?
This episode sees the Watcher pull together characters from previous adventures to team up and stop Ultron.
There's plenty of strong action scenes here, as well as some nice callbacks to prior storylines. Black Widow, Captain Carter, and Gamora are given strong moments, while the Watcher continues to evolve as a character. This leads to an ending that seems to rival the end of Infinity War in overall stakes, while resolving loose ends and opening the door to a few others.
Of course, there is a post-credits scene here, and it connects back to one of the episodes nicely. The only thing that doesn't work here is that Gamora's storyline prior to this event is conspicuously missing from this season (Zoe Saldana's absence is also surprising). A plot hole gap develops as a result. However, on just about every other level, this finale episode delivers.
Grade: A-
Overall Review
As Marvel dives headfirst into the Multiverse storyline, they start by using animation to give us a glimpse as to what this could look like. And it leads to a handful of altered storylines that (for the most part) manage to still entertain and engage in the way Marvel movies do best. And while there are a few headscratching changes (and a couple of unnecessary ones), there's still a lot to really enjoy here.
Grade: A-
Overall Review
As Marvel dives headfirst into the Multiverse storyline, they start by using animation to give us a glimpse as to what this could look like. And it leads to a handful of altered storylines that (for the most part) manage to still entertain and engage in the way Marvel movies do best. And while there are a few headscratching changes (and a couple of unnecessary ones), there's still a lot to really enjoy here.
Jeffrey Wright does a wonderful job providing an ominous, yet caring tone to the seemingly omniscient Watcher, while many actors return to their roles (with a few spot-on replacements, and others not so much). And the animation style really does a nice job paying homage to the characters' comic book origins.
In the end, the first season of What If...? creates a unique entertainment experience different from the MCU we all know, while still managing to create a similar level of excitement and buzz. It certainly is well worth watching for fans, and might become a cult classic of its' own.
Grade: B+
