As a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I was beyond excited when Marvel and Disney announced that they would be creating several TV series set in the MCU that would focus on the universe’s supporting characters. The shows would follow the events of Avengers: Endgame and bring us into MCU’s Phase Four. It was enough to convince me to get a subscription on Disney’s then-upcoming streaming service, Disney+.
After release dates were pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 finally came and gave us the first Marvel show, WandaVision. Over the next twelve months, Marvel pushed out nonstop episodes and content. In total, there were five shows released that year and, of course, I have my favorites. So, here is my definitive ranking of all 2021 Marvel shows from least to most favorite.
- Loki
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Words cannot explain how hyped I was when the show’s first trailer was released. Neither can they describe my disappointment once the show finished. Loki promised us a time-traveling adventure starring the god of mischief, but it never lived up to its potential. The plot raised questions about free will, the multiverse and life altogether but left most of them unanswered. Then there was the weird ‘selfcest’ subplot that, while technically fitting for someone as narcissistic as Loki, just felt out of place. The only highlight of Loki’s season finale was the introduction of a new big villain that will surely shake up the MCU’s future projects.
- what if…?
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What If…? is a show that answered that exact question: what if? What if Peggy Carter received the super serum instead of Steve Rogers? What if T’Challa was Star-Lord? What if Odin never adopted Loki? I enjoyed watching it every week, though I never felt connected to the show. Each episode was fun, but it wasn’t the highlight of my week like with the other series. Since it’s the series least connected to the MCU we’re familiar with (though it might tie into the multiverse concept more than we think), I wasn’t as excited to explore the universes of What If…?
- hawkeye
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The creators of Hawkeye did justice to Clint Barton by making me, and plenty of others, fall in love with him. His dynamic with Kate Bishop and the eventual inclusion of Yelena Belova, a character introduced in Black Widow, tied everything together. Not to mention, the show’s decision to portray the mourning process of both Clint and Yelena following the death of Natasha Romanoff, Black Widow, added to the emotional depth. The show was everything a Marvel project should be. It made me laugh, it made me cry and, most importantly, it made me excited for what’s to come.
- the falcon and the winter soldier
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Fact: Sam Wilson and James “Bucky” Barnes have the best relationship in the MCU. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier proves that. I always loved watching Bucky’s interactions with Sam in the films, more than I did with him and Steve. To have six episodes dedicated to them was a dream come true. On top of that, the show tackles America’s race issues pretty fairly while still keeping up with the MCU’s typical tone, as we see Sam Wilson, a black man, take on the mantle of Captain America.
- wandavision
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I yearn to feel the same way I did when watching WandaVision in real-time. I’m not sure if it’s because everyone was so excited for more Marvel content, but the internet blew up with the release of every episode. Twitter was filled with theories, TikTok was bombarded with jokes and Instagram was packed with fan edits. In the age of streaming, it’s been a long time since the world collectively stopped to watch a TV show. And rightfully so. Watching Wanda Maximoff’s mental breakdown over the episodes was heartbreaking and exciting at the same time. The show kept me hooked with every second, and it brought Wanda to the forefront of the MCU, solidifying her as the strongest Avenger.
Though I have strong feelings, both bad and good ones, about the shows Marvel graced us with in 2021, I’m grateful for all of them. After an entire year without our favorite superheroes and villains, we were brought back into the MCU with a new Marvel release almost every month. These five shows have changed Marvel forever, proving that films aren’t the only way to tell their stories. There are plenty of shows that will follow suit in 2022, including Moon Knight and She-Hulk, and I can’t wait to see if these shows will live up to the standards the first five have set.