Thomas Tobutt

[⭐️51%] Whilst initially surprising with how real it’s characters, interactions and exploration of culture felt, in the end Ms. Marvel (2022) still manages to fall below MCU standard with poor writing and some of the worst special effects the franchise has seen. It is clear that this show is more aimed at a younger audience, and it may work for them however watching it like any other Marvel project, it feels a lot cheaper. In the opening two episodes, before the focus shifted to the powers, Ms. Marvel (2022) worked well with diving deep into Kamala and her family’s culture, dynamic, age difficulties and her relationship with her friends. Iman Vellani played the character well, she was very charming in her first role, standing out as one of the best parts of the show. It starts strong and then fades out, with the quality severely dropping as the show went on. The villains of the show were some of the weakest the franchise has seen, and they lead to some confusing moments. Ultimately Ms. Marvel (2022) was designed for an audience younger than what it has appealed to thus far, and while it may work for them, it doesn’t for many.

[⭐️86%] Having now reestablished the Daredevil characters and plot lines back into the MCU, Season 2 thrives in carrying on what had previously been set up. Drawing in parallels to real life current affairs, Daredevil: Born Again (2025-) hits close to home. The display of corruption and injustice within the legal system is as obvious as ever, leading to the minority taking action. Where slight issues had emerged within the first season from rewrites, Season 2 irons out those creases and provides a more cohesive narrative that builds upon the previous episode. From that come strong performances from the usual suspects, bold and engaging directions for characters, and of course the typical thrilling action. Despite facing similar issues throughout their onscreen rivalry, Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock’s indirect battle feels unique within Season 2. Their individual sacrifices and losses lead to flaws and betrayal of their ethics, crafting an extra layer of allure. Daredevil: Born Again (2025-) steadies the ship in its second season, with past tonal inconsistencies being removed. The show and its characters feel firmly rooted in the MCU, without needing to draw in aspects from the wider universe. The show feels well and truly inline with its original run, with plenty of qualities from the past returning in satisfying fashion.

[⭐️81%] Following such intense momentum that the previous season concluded with, Invincible (2021-) had a shaky start to its fourth season. By struggling to balance its characters and story progression, it isn’t until halfway through the season till we begin to recapture the same magic. With a much more condensed focus on specific characters, Season 4 provides some of the shows most impactful moments, through personal development and fractured dynamics. Furthermore, the intimate environment of focus generates thrilling action that will leave your jaw on the floor. Both visually and narratively, you are immersed once the season gains its momentum from the introduction of new antagonist, Thragg. His intimidating demeanour is spread amongst the protagonists, setting up a climactic final few episodes which don’t disappoint. Season 4 is slightly different to what viewers would be used to, with several series regulars pushed to the side in the second half. Whilst certainly disappointing, it does make sense for the narrative, and allows for others to gain strong development. Nolan carries on his redemption arc, forcing him into an intimate environment with his complicated family. The repercussions of his previous actions are still felt, wisely stretching out his road to full-redemption, rather than instantly redeeming himself. The usual compelling dialogue, captivating animation and brutal action sequences remain from the past seasons, yet Season 4 feels different. After a rocky first half, the focused storytelling and introduction of the menacing Thragg leads to some of the strongest moments in the entire series.

[⭐️69%] Season 3 sees a slight return to form for Jessica Jones (2015-2019), with the inclusion of a traditional villain allowing for the series to fully return to its private investigator roots. Whilst not the series best, Gregory Sallinger does enough as the season’s antagonist to force Jessica into to a constant battle of wits, strength and legalities. Plenty of corners are cut to ensure that the momentum and tension remains, even if logistically the writing feels inconsistent. The residue of the issues that plagued Season 2 remain, with frustratingly stupid character decisions damaging the general perception towards them. Despite several lifelines for redemption, both Trish and Malcolm’s character development steers them further into dislikability. Whilst Season 3 massively improves upon its predecessor, the large gap in quality still remains between this and its first season. Several issues are fixed to allow for more urgent storytelling and tension, yet the frustrating characters and flawed writing is still present.

[⭐️75%] In a time where a show like Stranger Things (2016-2025) has thrived through its ensemble charismatic young cast battling against an evil entity, IT: Welcome to Derry (2025-) carries on that trend which was initially started in its two previous movies. The events of this series take place well before those of the films, meaning that new storylines and characters are needed to fill the high standards of what came before. The same unsettling yet mysterious tone remains as creepy occurrences unfold throughout the entire season. Bill Skarsgard’s return as the popular Pennywise is ultimately postponed throughout most of the season, however once he arrives in full he showcases how much of a menacing figure he is. The season’s strongest moments do stem from his physical appearance as Pennywise, as other CG forms underwhelm, similarly to those of the films. Our new cast of characters are fun and do stand aside from the past ones, with specific characters gaining solid personal development and arcs. They feel true to the franchise, whilst still managing to be unique. So many qualities provide such strong execution which line up perfectly with the movies, however others do not. The government subplot sticks out like a sore thumb and can ruin momentum in plenty of areas. For such an atmospheric and creepy series, that addition feels silly and over-the-top in what is otherwise a consistently solid first season.

[⭐️37%] After real life controversies, Scream (2015-2019) steered itself in an entirely new direction and ultimately started from scratch. The new direction failed to replicate the enjoyably simple tone that those previous seasons captured, by replacing the characters and plot lines with extremely dull versions, alongside poor acting. Whilst the original mask returns, the quality does not as the immensely generic narrative fails to offer any inch of quality, past performances from Keke Palmer and Tony Todd. Characters are as generic as possible, with none of them helping themselves through unnecessarily suspicious activities. Because of this, it is hard to nail down who is responsible for the killings, however once revealed it is extremely baffling. The decision to go in a new direction was ultimately the downfall for a series which initially had a cult following with its first two seasons.