Since its creation in 2019, Disney+’s collection of original content could be best described as mixed. Though the streaming service has built its library on the shoulders of some of entertainment’s most beloved properties — Star Wars, Pixar, Marvel Studios — many of its original television shows have flown under the radar orearned mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. For every breakout hit like Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Disney+ has released even more titles that prompted shrugs from subscribers.
When it first launched, Disney+’s strongest asset appeared to be its access to Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but even then, the streamer has produced varying results. The shows made specifically for these franchises have earned both praise and criticism in equal measure; while several titles have won over fans and scored critical acclaim, others have struggled to drum up significant interest and match the heights the properties are known for. In the former category are some of the best shows Disney+ has released: <em>WandaVision</em>, <em>Andor</em>, and The Mandalorian. All have smartly expanded their respective universes and pushed the boundaries of what they’re capable of.
The very best in this arena, though, remains the two-season Marvel effort Loki, for several reasons. According to FlixPatrol, the series ranks No. 5 on Disney+’s TV chart as of September 30 in the U.S., keeping the sci-fi standout in the spotlight ahead of Avengers: Doomsday.
‘Loki’ Is Character-Driven Sci-Fi Storytelling at Its Best
Tom Hiddleston‘s portrayal of Loki, the dastardly god of mischief who toes the line between villainy and heroism, has long been a fan favorite within the MCU, stretching all the way back to his first on-screen appearance in 2011’s <em>Thor</em>. Up until the creation of the TV series Loki, the character was kept to supporting status for the adventures of his frenemy/adopted brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth), meaning his eponymous show was a fascinating creative opportunity to explore a personality audiences were deeply familiar with, but had only earned a surface-level depiction thus far.
Which MCU Character Is Your Best Friend?
Steve Rogers · Tony Stark · Peter Parker · Shuri
Pick where you meet, what they text you at two in the morning, what they hand you on your birthday and what the two of you keep arguing about. Four very different people are waiting on the other side: the one who never leaves, the one who is exhausting and worth it, the one who replies in four seconds flat, and the one who will roast you and then fix your life.
Steve Rogers(Captain America)
Tony Stark(Iron Man)
Peter Parker(Spider-Man)
Shuri(Black Panther)
01
Where do the two of you meet?
Nobody in this universe makes a friend somewhere normal.
02
Your phone lights up at two in the morning. What does it say?
You find out what kind of friend somebody is by what they send at that hour.
03
It is your birthday. What do they hand you?
The present is never really about the present.
Whereas other Disney+ shows haven’t always lived up to their ambitious premises, Loki‘s creative team, led by head writers Michael Waldron and Eric Martin, made the most of the opportunity they had before them. Episode 1 wasted no time in digging into Loki’s psyche, having the version of the character who stole the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame revisit all of his biggest MCU moments to date. It used meta storytelling to question and expand the kind of person Loki was, and from there, the series threw him intoa sci-fi-heavy plot that was bolder than anything the MCU had previously attempted.
Starting with a thread where Loki was recruited by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to hunt down a variant of himself, the series gradually wove a bigger tapestry that defined the MCU’s multiverse and asked deeper questions about free will and individuality. Loki comes face-to-face with numerous versions of himself, thus forcing him to examine what truly makes a Loki while traveling across time and space to hold a splintering multiverse together. All the while, Hiddleston got to show the true breadth of his talents by revealing every side of his character: the funny, the mischievous, and the vulnerable. The character-first approach to a thorny sci-fi premise made fora deeply compelling watch that highlighted all the things Disney+ could achieve if it used its resources properly.
Every Element of ‘Loki’ Serves To Make It Stronger
As the title suggests, Hiddleston and his character were biggest drawing points butLokihad so much more to offer than a single person. The cast was filled with strong performers capable of holding their own opposite Hiddleston such asOwen Wilson as dedicated TVA agent Mobius M. Mobius andSophia Di Martino as renegade Loki variant Sylvie. It even featured recent awards contendersKe Huy Quan andWunmi Mosaku in solid supporting roles.
The talent extended beyond camera as well.Lokidrew praise forKasra Farahani’s retro-futuristic production design andNatalie Holt’s layered epic score. At a time when streamers were often criticized for allocating massive budgets for shows that didn’t seem to use them wisely,Lokilived up to notion that streaming sci-fi projects could have cinematic scope while telling thoughtful long-form stories. As all Marvel shows it had ample CGI but also managed feature several practical sets making it one of best-looking MCU projects to emerge in while.
It also wasn’t afraid get little odd. This show introduced alligator version its title character gave Loki romantic connection with essentially himself. To this day,Disney+ hasn’t released another show likeLoki, and it remains high-water mark for streaming service. Even sci-fi fans with little interest wider MCU can find things appreciate from its standout rendering planet on verge destruction its game-changing reframing multiverse. With Loki set return MCU this year’sAvengers: Doomsday, one can only hope his next appearance lives up impressive standards last.
Lokiis available stream on Disney+.
