Board 8 > MCU General 15 - Loki S2, The Marvels, Echo

(+) Yeah! (+)

Captain Carter 2 was kind of a better Black Widow than Black Widow.

Just finished the Hela episode of What if Season 2. Two episodes left I think.

The quippiness is painful in this one. Hela quips, Black Widow quips, Kahhori quips. Maybe season 1 did this too but I find it pretty annoying. Some decent ideas and the animation is cool but feels like a bit step back from Season 1.

I thought that was easily the best episode of Season 2! Cate Blanchett helped. Overall Season 2 was decent, about as good as Season 1 but it never hit either the same highs or the same lows.

Also watched the first episode of Echo. It was good! A shame Marvel/Disney seemed to have no confidence in it. Definitely hurt its chances of finding a wide audience.

Can't say I'm wowed by Echo 1, can't help the disinterest how much recap is in the first half knowing we only have 5 eps, and where it's not recap, well, I don't really care about that mission for Kingpin until the moment Daredevil popped up because I really don't care about the goons she's working with. A lot of starting in on the backstory that after a while I thought huh, is this show going to take place pre-Hawkeye?

Half-ways it finally feels like the actual show starts and well it's introducing the locals but yeah just minor setup... and then it ends with a trailer. was that really needed? I'm already watching the show, I don't need to see so much of the few episodes to come. Like oh I see a train incident right after this character said he wouldn't help Maya with the train thanks preview

also whoop the first minute I kept double-checking that I was on the right show

eh. at least happy to seen Graham Greene, didn't know he was involved

Echo was fine, not a favorite but not the worst. I was surprised it was only 5 episodes, with something like a 3ish hour total runtime. Maybe makes a little more sense why it was dropped all at once.

I liked that it was smaller scale than many of the other Marvel shows. I also liked that they could just show blood and be a little more gory. There's a death in the 3rd episode that's kinda brutal, not that they didn't spoil it with the end of episode 1 trailer...

Favorite scene has to be the Daredevil cameo in episode 1. I really enjoyed the cinematography of the fight, and how they tried to make it a one take.

Not sure what to make of the ending. Did she actually "heal" the violence in Kingpin? That seems unlikely but she did something to him.

Episode 2 of What If? S2 was better, and I also enjoyed episode 1 of Loki S2.

would this have been better as a movie? quality-wise only, obviously an Echo movie would bomb in theaters

ZenOfThunder posted...

would this have been better as a movie? quality-wise only, obviously an Echo movie would bomb in theaters

I think that's a question that can be aimed at a lot of the D+ shows.

With Echo, I think the amount of content they had would have fit a movie. But I worry they would have tried to make things "bigger" and I liked that this was smaller scale (another reason it'd bomb in theaters aside from the "who's Echo" factor). Best example would be the last episode, where I'd worry they would have actually had a big brawl between Kingpin's men in the vans and suddenly powered up townspeople, rather than what they did.

I liked episode 3 of What If S2 the best so far, but I feel like the point of divergence was rather weak and at first I was rolling my eyes at the Die Hard pastiches. Good character work (particularly regarding Happy and Hammer and maybe Agent Hill) and the superhero twists helped to elevate it above a mere homage to Die Hard in the end.

What If season 2 beated. The last episode felt like watching a kid play with action figures. I know the premise of What If lends itself to fan fiction but this just felt dumb to me.

Overall I didn't like it! Moving on to Echo now.

So what's the concensus on Echo? I hate that I'm not just watching every show now but dear lord Secret Invasion was that bad, first show I actually disliked

Lake Bell does a shockingly good ScarJo impression in What If

it feels weird being behind on MCU shows when I used to watch them on premiere like every time. I'm only 3 episodes into What If and nowhere close to starting Echo

Finished Episode 6 of What If? Season 2.

Overall, pretty good. I really liked Season 1 and this one is better. Season 1 has the higher highs (Strange and Ultron still easily the best), but Season 2 takes the premise more interestingly. I'm especially glad to see people long gone in the MCU like Fishburne, Rockwell, and Goldblum return.

Echo 2 & 3 down and it's getting better. #2 was pretty charming with Biscuits lol, then pretty good fight in the 3rd.

it's not amazing or anything but if it keeps like this I'm fine. ngl episode 1 I was worried about it not even reaching the Secret Invasion bar for me (not that I hate SI as much as most people), but I'm not that concerned now even if my expectations are mid.

Tbf Goldblum already reprised his role in the previous season.

Seems like confirmation that Pedro Pascal has been cast as Reed Richards.

Filming for Fantastic 4 was delayed until later this year and Pascal has dropped out of "Weapons" to accomodate the scheduling change.

https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1745351410395303963

Wonder why they aren't sticking with John Krasinski as Reed Richards.

I think that was always just intended as a nod to the fan casting.

LightningStrikes posted...

I think that was always just intended as a nod to the fan casting.

I always gathered they wanted him, but he wouldn't do it without his wife, and Emily Blunt hates the idea of superhero movies. Which is a shame because she'd be a great Sue Storm.

Interesting since she would have been cast as Black Widow had she not been contractually obligated to star in Gulliver's Travels back in 2010. She has probably made out well overall though.

Enjoying Echo so far.

Being a fan of Reservoir Dogs adds some fun to the show with all the shared actors.

Enjoying Echo so far

Being a fan of Reservoir Dogs adds some fun to the show with all the shared actors.

You mean Reservation Dogs? This definitely made me more excited to start Echo; Reservation Dogs is easily one of the best shows of the decade

Haha yes I did mean Reservation Dogs.

We are at 5 shared actors that were at least recurring characters in Res Dogs (Big was already in Hawkeye so that one isnt new, but I watched Res Dogs after Hawkeye so still fun for me). Including one of the main group.

I swear Zahn McClarnon is the go to for just about every Native character out there. Not that I'm really complaining though

Johnbobb posted...

I swear Zahn McClarnon is the go to for just about every Native character out there. Not that I'm really complaining though

Oh 100%

If Hollywood needs a middle-aged native man he is the first call. And if they need an older man it's Graham Greene.

Echo beated.... last two eps ehh. 4 doesn't feel like much happens but Kingpin talk

I heard the finale was weird, caught off-guard that it's only a half hour but whatever in the first half I was enjoying it..... but then yeah I see what everybody means oof, the side-goons about to slaughter the town felt very disconnected and failed so easily it's like "what's the point?". Kingpin vs Maya was goofy af, big power-reveal moment and............... what happened? What did she actually do??? He's still a nutter.... and the resolution was literally a sharp ass cut from Kingpin asking WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME to Kingpin suddenly entering his car, wtf???? I mentioned earlier in this topic the bizarre What If 2 Peggy episode cut but that was just an awkward fight scene whatever, this is the climax of the whole show and they just cut and leave???? HUH?

Episodes 2 & 3 were cool, and I found the small-town setting very charming... but they really didn't know what to do with this show and it's so weird. I feel like this could've just been a single episode with the Special Presentation branding they used for Werewolf By Night.

also yeah Daredevil was totally just marketing bait lol, like with how short it is you get the picture that there's nothing to fit him in but it's pretty blatant. I remember every episode of people waiting for his appearance in She-Hulk and that absolutely lived up to the hype - that's not what Echo is though. Which is fine tbh, it's just the marketing bait that's funny.

Reservation Dogs has to be one of the most confusingly named things ever, up there with Outer Wilds/The Outer Worlds

Reservoir Dogs has She-Hulk star Tim Roth! Whose character in the movie is even a fan of Marvel Comics to boot.

Jeff Goldblum made episode 4 of What If S2 a delight.

Echo beated, I thought it was quite good. Ending was a little weak but far from the worst. Episodes 3 and 4 were my favourite. It obviously got very heavily cut down, its quite apparent in some scenes, but the fact that it managed to be still coherent and entertaining despite that just gives Secret Invasion less excuse. Overall it was at its best when it was going into Choctaw culture, when it was a down to earth crime story and when it was a familial story and at its worst when it was being typical Marvel. It would place around the middle of the Disney+ shows in my opinion.

I think I liked the Captain Carter episode the best of S2 so far. Might have just not liked her utilization in episode 1 of the prior season along with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Oh, I mostly liked that one but I cant help but feel that making Melina the villain fundamentally misunderstands the themes of Black Widow. Or maybe it understands them perfectly? It was a surprising decision I guess.

Well if anything it was inverting them since Captain Carter led to more roles for women in all walks of life.

Finally caught up with MCU content.

What If S2 was ok. I also didn't really like how it's becoming the Captain Carter show, but there were a few episodes that were good. Kahhori's episode was probably my favourite of the season.

I thought Echo was good. Minor gripes with the last episode and how some of that played out but otherwise it was an interesting and different from the other shows.

https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1747140707536736711?s=20

FFS there has to be a way to do a budget She-Hulk show. Whatever they spent entirely too much money on was probably not worth it.

PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

FFS there has to be a way to do a budget She-Hulk show.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/c0989edf.jpg

BlackDra90n posted...

What If S2 was ok. I also didn't really like how it's becoming the Captain Carter show, but there were a few episodes that were good. Kahhori's episode was probably my favourite of the season.

definitely agreed about the Captain Carter show aspect, like damn

I'm totally OK with it becoming a full on Captain Carter show.
Captain Carter > Captain America

The issue with Captain Carter in the MCU is that every character moment revolves around Steve. It's a bit old at this point.

every captain in the mcu sucks

maybe if they were better they'd get promoted

Captain FFD

um excuse you I was a sergeant

My in-depth review of Echo:

It was fine. I can't muster up any strong feelings for or against. I think first episode was clearly the best (except for the muddy CG stuff at the beginning). D'onofrio is once again good, though I'm not sure how many times Marvel can return to this well. Certainly not deserving of all the "Viewer Discretion Advised / Rated M for Mature" nonsense, which was clearly a marketing ploy.

i feel like there were only 2 fight scenes in the entire show

Them studio announcing it as THE FIRST MA RATED MARVEL SHOW was definitely a marketing ploy, Sydney Freeland said they just made the show the way they wanted to do it and got the MA rating. They werent deliberately going for it.

Wasn't a fan of the Hela banished to Earth episode, outside of another strong performance by the lead. Then again I didn't like the first Thor or Shang-Chi movies either.

Also, I know I was laughed at for suggesting that Black Panther is what truly cemented the MCU as a pop culture juggernaut...my key word is CEMENTED. Obviously the first Avengers was huge, but then the second and third Hunger Games movies outgrossed every MCU movie released in their respective years...kinda funny given The Marvels getting curbstomped by another Hunger Games movie.

At the very least I feel like people were generally talking more about Hunger Games in 2013 and 2014 than the MCU. And then Star Wars in 2015-2017.

LMS gonna LMS lmao

Sorry, outgrossed them DOMESTICALLY. Should have clarified that.

I only found out today that Mockingjay Part 1 had a higher domestic gross than both of the MCU's 2014 releases.

That's common knowledge, LMS. Seriously, where is your head at?

you guys wanted him back, you got him