After a long, three-month wait, the next highly anticipated Disney+ Marvel series has arrived. “Moon Knight’’ premieres Wednesday, March 30 (the day before this article will be published), promising to be a mixture of horror and action as the audience delves into the fractured mind of main character Steven Grant, portrayed by Oscar Isaac.
With the next major Marvel event set to unfold, it is only fitting to ask just which Marvel Disney+ original series has been the best so far. The past year has seen five of these series released in full, some of them good and some of them great. In honor of “Moon Knight,” today I will count them all down from worst to best with some light spoilers.
5. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”
The last thing you would want to call anything Marvel-related is “basic,” but “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is best described as such. The series follows Bucky and Sam in the wake of Sam Wilson’s retirement from Captain America at the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” as they team up once more to fight a mutant terrorist group while they both struggle with their pasts and the legacy of Cap’s shield. While the series explores some very interesting characters at times, the arcs of John Walker as Captain America and Zemo’s redemption are the biggest highlights of all, it often fails to actively move the plot forward in an interesting and captivating way. In particular, the fifth episode, “Truth,” just may be the worst episode of any Marvel Disney+ series so far with how much nothing happens in it. While a fun watch, it’s tougher to recommend this one compared to its peers due to how much less interesting it can be.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
4. “Hawkeye”
“Hawkeye” is a continuously fun series that perfectly introduces Hailee Steinfield as the bubbly Kate Bishop. One part action and one part mystery, “Hawkeye” finally puts the spotlight on its namesake with a perfectly grounded performance from Jeremy Renner that takes a deeper dive into how the retired superhero deals with his past actions and the blowback from his time as Ronan, which was briefly explored in “Endgame.” Spoiler alert for those who haven’t yet seen the series, but I can’t not mention the reemergence of Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova from “Black Widow,” a character that I hope continues to be used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, while I definitely enjoyed the actions and characters in this series, I felt as though some of the conflict was predictable and too drawn out, although the plot twist with Kate’s family was well executed. The absolute butchering of Kingpin is also another glaring weakness of this series. Yet despite its flaws, “Hawkeye” is an extremely fun binge watch that I would recommend.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
3. “WandaVision”
My most hyped series of all the ones originally announced, “WandaVision” certainly delivered on its mysterious premise, masterfully mixing many different eras of television sitcoms to create one of the most captivating viewing experiences in 2021. In many ways a tribute to some of the most important sitcoms of all time, the ability to recreate each of their vibes so accurately speaks to the talents of director Matt Shakman. The performances of Paul Bettany and especially Elizabeth Olsen manage to capture the essence of these sitcoms perfectly while remaining in character and perfectly handling the depths of the show’s reality. While the best moments come inside the bubble, the government plot is also very captivating and enthralling. However, the real star of the show beyond a shadow of a doubt is Agatha Harkness, portrayed perfectly by Kathryn Hahn in a star-making performance that leaves me hyped for “Agatha: House of Harkness.” All in all, a genre-blending spectacular that lets its cast show their full acting ranges with more plot twists than the trailer implies.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
2. “What If…?”
This may be a slightly hot take, but I absolutely ate up “What If…?” I have always loved hypothetical scenarios like those present in the series, so the plot definitely catered to my interests. Putting that aside, however, one will find perhaps the most bingeable series in the Marvel Disney+ catalog. While the ideas explored may be the biggest element that draws in viewers, I found the overarching plot of the Watcher and his ethical dilemmas to be extremely interesting. This is a series best to be watched fresh going in, as the way it unfolds is so well executed it is insane. I will say, however, that “What if … Dr. Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” is maybe my favorite episode out of every Marvel Disney+ series.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
1 “Loki”
Paradigm shifting. “Loki” might just be the most profound Marvel creation to date. I feel as though anything I say regarding it may ruin the viewing experience of this masterpiece, so I recommend watching it as soon as possible.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
There is my ranking of the Marvel Disney+ exclusives. Where “Moon Knight” will fall in these ranks remains to be seen, but if it lives up to the promise of the upper echelon of some of its peers it could be incredible.