Why do I think Marvel TV Shows are better than their films?
I will give a hint: it has to do with storytelling!
Let me start by admitting that I have never been a big superhero fan. Even though one of my favourite movies as a child was The Incredibles (2004), I have always found this type of storytelling to be very repetitive.
Don’t get me wrong, they are a fun watch and I do believe there are some exceptions — such as the first Spider Man (2002), or the Dark Knight Trilogy (2005) — but in general they have always felt forgettable, and I couldn’t care less for their characters and stories.
However, lately, something has changed. With the hype around MCU’s new show, Wandavision (2021), I decided to give the super-heros another chance. And to my surprise, I really enjoyed it!
Chapter 1: Do I like super-heros now?
I was really excited by this discovery, but also very much confused! How could I not care for these characters in the movies, and yet love them in the show?
With this question in mind, I started to reassess my relationships to super-hero media, and then it hit me: I have enjoyed, or even loved, most TV or internet series MCU has released over the years!
I was dumbstruck! How could this be, what did these shows had that made me enjoy them, that the films didn’t?
And then, a revelation: these TV and internet shows that I loved and enjoyed, they were all genre stories!
Chapter 2: Genre Storytelling
Now I know why I like The Incredibles so much!
When I realised that, all the puzzle pieces fit together. Because, unlike their movies - that relied on super-hero tropes - MCU’s shows went out of their way to create different types of narratives, using genre and classic movies as references.
Just to give an example. Jessica Jones (2015–2019) tells the story of a failed superhero who works as a private investigator in New York. She has a problematic relationship with her family, an abusive ex boyfriend and a dangerous appreciation for alcohol.
Now, let’s think about it. A troubled protagonist, investigating the undergrounds of a lawless and violent city? If I had no idea this was a Marvel product, and only read the premise , I could assume this was a noir flick!
By now you might be thinking, “But Lívia, this show is for adults and the movies have a younger audience, of course they will be more straightforward!”. To that I say, fair enough. However, there’s another example I would like to bring to the table.
In 2015 Marvel’s Agent Carter was released. The show told the story of Peggy Carter, a secret agent — with a tragic back ground — trying to navigate the complexities of a post IIWW life, the rampant sexism women had to face in the workforce after men returned from the war, and, of course, the threats of an impending Cold War.
Look, you can not tell me this was not targeted towards a younger audience. Maybe not children, but definitely teens. And yet, the show doesn’t shy away from the fact that it is an old timey espionage movie. The lighting and soft focus they chose to frame Peggy, the technicolour treatment given to the entire show and, of course, all the conflicting characters and plot twists!
Okay, so now we know that even though both shows discuss superhero related themes, they are unabashedly genre stories, with all of their particular tropes. Yet, this does not answer my question: why do these shows seem to resonate more than the movies?
Chapter 3: Conflict equals empathy
Well, I have a theory, but bare in mind this is just my point of view.
I believe that when removed from the superhero genre, these characters have a lot more room to grow. Now that they are not bound to follow a “good vs bad” morality, these characters are able to make much more interesting choices. Questioning whether having powers is a good thing, what is their role in society or even if they still want to be a hero!
In other words, these characters feel more like us, humans, not just some perfectly unreachable role model.
Look, I know MCU fans will come after me. And look, you don’t need my validation to think these movies are great, just like I don’t need anyone’s validation to enjoy the Twilight Saga. But I honestly believe that if we allowed for superhero movies to go beyond what we expect of them, we would have much more interesting stories to tell.
Now it is up to you, what do you think about MCU shows? Do you prefer them to the movies? Let me know in the comments!
