Marvel’s Runaways review, episode 4: The stars are coming out tonight
By Thomas Bacon
Marvel’s Runaways is shaping up to be their best show yet.
When it comes to Runaways, Marvel is striking a careful balance. On the one hand, they’re working hard to ensure the series feels remarkably comic-book-accurate. On the other, they’ve adapted the plot Brian K. Vaughan’s first series. That gives the show a fresh, innovative style that means there are plenty of surprises for all viewers — even if you know the original comics.
The episode kicks off with a stunning intro sequence, as we flash back in time to Amy’s death. It seems to be a case of teen suicide, but Nico — freshly aware of her parents’ murderous habits — now believes otherwise. She’s convinced that the ‘rents conspired to cover Amy’s murder. It doesn’t seem likely, given Tina’s continuing grief, but it does act to create further divides between the parents and their children.
Meanwhile, other secrets are being revealed. The Karolina / Chase subplot is a major one in this episode, with Karolina learning that Chase saved her from being raped back in Episode 1. Deciding to trust him, she takes a risk, and removes her bracelet once again. As a result, we get a stunning light show that will be familiar to fans of the Runaways comics. Meanwhile, Molly and Gert have a wonderful encounter with Old Lace. Let’s just say ‘Princess Powerful’ nearly winds up duking it out with a dinosaur!
The plot of Marvel’s Runaways is tremendous fun, and it really helps that the show has gathered together a remarkable group of actors. This time around, Ariela Barer’s Gert Yorkes is a little bit less severe than in the first three episodes. She’s mellowing due to the fact she’s rebuilding friendships, and that subtle character arc is really effective. Surprisingly, the members of the Pride are just as interesting a group of characters. Brigid Brannagh and Kevin Weisman get their chance to shine in this episode, and they pull off the roles with skill and aplomb.
The test of any superhero show is how it handles its powersets. So far, we haven’t seen much evidence of magic and mystery in Runaways. But things are heating up, and this episode gives us a full-on light show from Karolina. It’s absolutely stunning, and very much reminiscent of Christina Strain’s classic designs. Meanwhile, Molly continues to be a real scene-stealer, and the brief tussle between Molly and Old Lace is tremendous fun.
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The one problem is that, four episodes into a ten-episode series, things are moving fairly slow. It’s beginning to look as though Season 1 will end with the kids finally becoming the “Runaways” they were always meant to be.