Streaming services expand Marvel鈥檚 universe

As the world turns towards streaming services due to the lack of movie theatre attendances, Marvel鈥檚 launch of streaming services on Disney Plus has been very successful, with 鈥淲andavision鈥 and 鈥淭he Falcon & The Winter Soldier鈥 as the two biggest streaming series in the US right now. The miniseries served as an aftermath story to the “Avengers Endgame”, allowing Marvel fans to indulge further in the lives of these characters.聽

SUB Headline: Wandavision聽

Rating: 5/5

Word count: 185

 

Marvel鈥檚 first television miniseries 鈥淲andaVision鈥 was released on Jan. 15 2021. The eight-episode miniseries follows the life of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) after 鈥淎vengers: Endgame,鈥 where she is shown living in a suburban neighborhood with the supposedly dead Vision (Paul Bettany).聽

 

The series, which is a combination between sitcom and action, follows in the style of American classic television in the 鈥50s, 鈥60s, 鈥70s, and 鈥80s, allowing the audience to experience the evolving of the characters and neighborhood post-war. Although Wanda is living her ideal life outside of the superhero life that she had previously, she struggles to understand that her meddling with reality could cause a lot of chaos. Throughout the series, Wanda鈥檚 confusion increases as she struggles to find her true identity.聽

 

Overall, I was impressed by the production of 鈥淲andaVision鈥 as new supernatural characters, villains, and storylines were introduced into the extended universe, which I did not think was possible after the huge success of 鈥淎venger: Endgame.鈥 As Marvel produces action-based films, the franchise has definitely taken a brave step forward in sprinkling the elements of sitcoms in their first ever miniseries.聽

 

SUB Headline: The Falcon & The Winter Soldier聽

Rating: 4/5

Word count: 179聽

 

鈥淭he Falcon & The Winter Soldier,鈥 the most-watched series premiere in its opening weekend, was released on March 19, 2021. The six-episode miniseries joins Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) on their adventures after the events of 鈥淎vengers: Endgame鈥 in which Steve Roger (Chris Evans) hands his shield to Sam.聽

 

The miniseries follows Sam鈥檚 journey in which he is hesitant about taking the mantle as the next 鈥淐aptain America.鈥 We see Sam donate the vibranium shield to the Captain American Exhibit in Washington鈥檚 Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, where the government then reveals the new Captain America, upsetting Sam as he believed that nobody could replace Steve. The audience also discovers that Bucky has been struggling with his past and his sins, causing him to go on missions to take down HYDRA, a terrorist organization that experimented on Bucky with the super soldier serum.聽

 

Generally, I enjoyed watching 鈥淭he Falcon & The Winter Soldier鈥 although the miniseries was relatively less captivating to watch than 鈥淲andaVision.鈥 Although the series had the highest views in the opening weekend, the action-packed series lacked the uniqueness 鈥淲andaVision鈥 had.聽