While theMCUis currently riding a wave of positivity surroundingAgatha All Along, its lowest-rated shows still reveal a lot about the franchise. Marvel TV shows did not strictly fall into MCU canon untilWandaVisionhit the then-new Disney+ platform in 2021. At the time,WandaVisionwas a positive sign of things to come as it remains one of thehighest-rated MCU showsto date. This prognosis has remained consistently vindicated for the most part, though a few stand-out outliers have broken Marvel Studios' winning streak in recent years.
Before the MCU started integrating Disney+ shows into its main fold, Marvel Television was leading the TV output on other streaming platforms.The canonicity of these Marvel showshas been a longstanding cause of confusion among Marvel fans until the shows produced on Netflix specifically were quietly integrated intothe MCU’s official timelineon Disney Plus. Shows likeAgents of SHIELDandInhumans, meanwhile, were never afforded the same privilege.
Marvel’s Disney+ Shows Aren’t The Only Controversial Releases
There Have Always Been Divisive Marvel Shows
The MCU has recently pivoted to a quality-over-quantity ethos that may have stemmed from a recent downturn in enthusiasm for certain shows and movies. 2023 alone saw theMCU release its worst-rated moviewithAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, its worst-rated show withSecret Invasion,and itslowest-grossing movie withThe Marvels. Thankfully, these were interspersed with the acclaimedGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3andLokiseason 2, but these weren’t enough to remove concerns.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniais particularly divisive among audiences and critics, who award it 82% and 46%, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes.
Lokiseason 2 was followed byEcho, which wasthe MCU’s first Marvel Spotlightseries in early 2024. Despite its loose connection to the beloved Daredevil franchise, this show was met with a lukewarm response from audiences. Likewise, Daredevil alone was not enough to rescue 2022’sShe-Hulk: Attorney At Lawfrom being lambasted by fans when it was released on Disney+, despite it receiving a positive response from critics. The show remainsthe most divisive MCU productionbetween general audiences and critics.Secret Invasionwas also met with marginally more praise by critics.
1
11%
42%
2
37%
66%
3
52%
44%
4
64%
78%
5
70%
60%
6
7
79%
32%
8
83%
80%
9
82%
10
84%
69%
Pre-MCU shows, meanwhile, tend to show a divide that falls the other wayamong the lowest-rated TV shows (though the same trend can be seen in higher-rated ones).Inhumansis the lowest-rated Marvel production in general according to critics, though audiences grant that unenviable accolade toShe-Hulk. Audiences also grantIron Fista respectable 66% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to critics' 37%, which places it above five other Marvel shows, includingEchoandCloak and Dagger(which sits at 87% with critics).
10 Biggest Ways The MCU’s Disney+ Shows Changed The Franchise
The MCU introduced Disney+ shows in Phase 4, making fundamental changes to the franchise and completely changing the way it tells stories.
Still, ten of the lowest-rated shows in Marvel’s repertoire prove that it’s rare for Marvel to produce generally poorly received shows.Agatha All Alongstrikes the most harmony between audiences and critics, with a single point between their given scores, and is widely acclaimed despite sitting in the top ten lowest-rated. Still, its position is indicative of another issue that Marvel faces when creating new shows.
Introducing Less Well Known Superheroes Is A Constant Marvel Risk
Lesser Known Leads Struggle To Drum Up Enthusiasm
WhileAgatha All Alonghas been widely well-receivednow, the run-up to its release saw a measure of backlash as ageneral lack of enthusiasm surrounded these relatively obscure characters. While Wiccan is arguably the most famous of the cast, his identity, while suspected, was not revealed until halfway through the series. Even then, Wiccan is far from the most prominent Marvel character, having only been introduced to Marvel Comics in 2005. Agatha, meanwhile, is a minor character in Marvel Comics and looks distinctly different from her MCU counterpart.
Billy Maximoff was introduced as Wanda and Vision’s son in 1986’sThe Vision and the Scarlet Witch, though it would be nearly two decades before he was associated with the Wiccan mantle.
TV shows tend to be where Marvel debuts its lesser-known characters, with the likes of Punisher and Daredevil being the most popular characters to debut on the small screen. This has continued into the era of MCU shows, withEchobeing an incredibly obscure character who failed to drum up much enthusiasm from the jump. The same indifference can be felt withupcoming Disney+ projectslikeIronheart, which regularly stokes negative sentiment due to the relative obscurity of its star. Still,Agatha All Alonghas proved that overall quality can quickly stifle this demur.
On the other hand,She-Hulk is a far more recognizable and established character that nevertheless failed to hit the mark with fans, despite critics lauding her first outing. It is also worth noting that her series featured the more established characters, Hulk and Daredevil. The same can be said forSecret Invasion, which starredthe most prolific character in the MCU(when discounting Stan Lee’s recurring character).
Even Iconic MCU Characters Can’t Save Their Shows Alone
Nick Fury’s Star Power Wasn’t Enough To Save Secret Invasion
BeforeSecret Invasion, seeing Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury in a solo project was a desire shared by many MCU fans. Despite ostensibly being a supporting character, his 12 appearances in MCU projects helped turn him into a firm fan favorite, bolstered by Jackson’s star power.This alone was unfortunately insufficient in changingSecret Invasion’s fate, despite Jackson’s performance drawing praise.Secret Invasionbrought greater depth to Nick Fury, especially regarding his secret relationship with the Skrull, Varra. Unfortunately, his time in the limelight suffered from poorly received writing and pacing that flew in the face of Fury’s typical shrewdness.
She-Hulk is technically new to the MCU, but the character is one of the most recognizable from Marvel Comics, making her a particularly high-profile figure among lesser-known stars of Disney+ shows.
Smart Hulk’s appearance inShe-Hulk, meanwhile, was insufficient in saving his cousin from the ire of some audiences. She-Hulk is technically new to the MCU, but the character is one of the most recognizable from Marvel Comics, making her a particularly high-profile figure among lesser-known stars of Disney+ shows. Unfortunately for Jennifer Walters, her star power alone could not fight off criticisms surrounding substandard CGI and a divisive finale. It should also be noted, however, thatShe-Hulk suffered a measure of review-bombing.
Daredevil Born Again: Everything You Need To Know
After being teased in MCU films and television shows, Matt Murdock returned to the screen for a Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again.
After establishing himself as a firm fan-favorite in an R-rated Netflix series, Daredevil now stars in one of the most anticipated upcoming MCU shows. After a long development process to ensure it lives up to expectations, the pressure is now on for Marvel. While Daredevil’s appeal may give the show a significant head start, these previousMCUshows demonstrate howDaredevil: Born Againshouldn’t rely on its charismatic lead alone.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
