MCU: All 11 Marvel Disney Plus shows ranked from worst to best
9. What If…?
What If…? was a huge step in a new direction for Marvel. We’ve had plenty of animated Marvel TV shows before but the nine-part Disney Plus series was the first animated outing to be produced by Marvel Studios (and we already know now that it won’t be the last).
What better concept for the animated series than an adaptation of the similarly titled Marvel Comics series that focused on alternate outcomes and realities for many of our favorite characters. The TV series used the same concept but it based its story on the MCU versions of the characters, showing us what could have happened if Captain Carter became the First Avenger instead of Steve Rogers, if Doctor Strange lost Christine and went down a dark path to bring her back, and if T’Challa became Star-Lord.
Not all of What If…?‘s first season shone as bright as its strongest episodes, but it did produce some amazing half-hours of TV and tell a cohesive story that built towards an exceptional finale, introducing the concept of the multiverse into the MCU at a time when it’s more important than ever. It did, however, improve a great deal throughout its second season, and we can't wait to see what the third and final one throws our way either!
8. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
It goes without saying that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was one of the most eagerly-anticipated of the MCU Disney Plus shows. Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes were already one of Marvel’s most enjoyable double acts, and the fallout of Avengers: Endgame set the stage for a poignant but ambitious adventure we were all ready to see.
The show delivered on that front to an extent, giving us all of the above and much more. However, this is the show that struggled most with pacing, leaving many of us wondering if it would have worked better as a movie. It succeeds with the story that it tells, yes, but the six-episode format sees it drag on a little in its first few episodes before it finally hits its stride halfway through.
The show shines brightest when it tackles real world issues, having important conversations about racism in America and PTSD, as the spectre of Captain America’s legacy looms over all of it. Its finale is also a standout moment, giving Anthony Mackie’s Sam the spotlight (and shield) he deserved at the end of the thrilling episode. And Mackie’s buddy chemistry with Sebastian Stan carried the show, as the pair were always easy to watch, even when the story was moving too slowly.