Marvel’s Disney+ shows almost always have trouble finding their footing. The first few (WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki) all pushed the boundaries of what superhero TV could be, but dropping in the middle of the night on the East Coast didn’t help them dominate water cooler conversations like the movies did. Disney eventually fixed the release times for its original content, and the episodes started to feel more like events. Echo got the short end of the stick, with the show dropping all of its episodes at once, but Marvel Studios learned a lesson. It’s taking a different approach with Ironheart, which dropped its first three episodes on Disney+ on July 24.
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Ironheart, which follows young genius Riri Williams after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, takes some big swings in its first batch of episodes. Most aspects of the show are firing on all cylinders, but a few need fine-tuning before everything wraps up in Episode 6.
1) Right: Putting Riri Williams in Tough Spots
Compared to the movies, Marvel Studios’ shows can feel like a walk in the park. The stakes aren’t all that high, and the villains leave a lot to be desired. Ironheart bucks that trend by having its titular hero struggle and do shady jobs to make ends meet. The end of Episode 3, in particular, sees Riri come face-to-face with her mistakes and enter a situation she will have to work hard to escape.
2) Right: Making The Hood a Complicated Villain
On paper, the idea of a bad guy wearing a magical hood that gives him incredible abilities sounds pretty ridiculous. Parker Robbins has a code, though, and he uses his garment to take from the rich and provide opportunities to the poor. Ironheart teases in its first three episodes that The Hood is getting some help, but he doesn’t seem totally on board with his master’s decisions, which is more than a lot of evildoers can say.
3) Right: Differentiating Chicago From Other MCU Cities
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has visited Chicago a few times in the past, but Ironheart is the first time it has taken center stage. Riri returns to her hometown after getting kicked out of MIT and isn’t all that happy about it. She’s still dealing with childhood trauma, and it’s hard to be around figures from her past. However, all the colorful characters make the city feel alive in the same way New York City does in so many MCU projects.
4) Right: Giving Riri a Unique Co-Pilot
Iron Man always had an AI entity in his suit while flying around. Well, Riri follows in his footsteps after learning about AI in Wakanda, creating N.A.T.A.L.I.E., which is modeled after her late friend Natalie Washington. Having a personal connection to her AI makes Riri’s life harder, but it helps the story out tremendously, with N.A.T.A.L.I.E. acting like the angel on her creator’s shoulder.
5) Right: Having Joe McGillicuddy Be a Legacy Character
When Joe McGillicuddy shows up in Ironheart, he seems like a one-and-done character who’s just going to give Riri some tech and get out of dodge. That doesn’t end up being the case, as Joe turns out to be Ezekiel Stane, the son of Iron Monger. Zeke is becoming obsessed with the idea of upgrading his body, which never ends well but makes for great television.
1) Needs to Be Better: The Hood’s Supporting Crew
The Hood runs a tight ship, only bringing in crew members that he believes have potential, and anyone who disappoints him wrong doesn’t last long. Unlike Robbins, however, his colleagues aren’t all that complex. Ironheart needs to do a better job of fleshing them out, especially with Josh gone.
2) Needs to Be Better: The Evil Villain Teases
Every episode of Ironheart teases that The Hood isn’t really the one in charge. He keeps his cloak in a mysterious chamber and communicates with someone who’s not in the room with him. There are plenty of rumors about who The Hood’s master is, but no matter which comic character the show is bringing to life, it needs to reveal them sooner rather than later because the breadcrumbs are getting stale fast.
3) Needs to Be Better: The Inevitable Finale Fight
The action in Ironheart hasn’t been an issue yet, but it feels like every Marvel Disney+ show falls flat on its face in the last episode when the hero and villain throw hands. The only way for the show to avoid that fate is to get ahead of things and have Ironheart and The Hood duke it out a couple of times. That way, the final confrontation doesn’t have everything on its shoulders.
Ironheart is streaming on Disney+.
How do you feel about Ironheart‘s first three episodes? What do you think the show can improve on before it ends? Let us know in the comments below!
