There have been some major Marvel Cinematic Universe shows on Disney+, but how do they stack up against each other?
When Disney+ was launched in 2019, the company saw it as a way to expand its franchises for the small screen. Star Wars got the treatment first, with The Mandalorian becoming a sensation and establishing a new wave of Star Wars lore.
The MCU followed with the producers using the Disney+ shows to not only take a chance on new stories and characters but lay seeds for storylines that would be used in the movies. There has been the drawback of needing to know about these shows in order to enjoy some films, as well as the classic problem of some series stretching things out too much.
Yet, the MCU has done its best to make its pilots compelling and draw viewers in, just as the first issue of a comic book should. From the poorest to the best, here's how every MCU Disney+ pilot ranks to show which ones got viewers going from the start and which failed to live up to expectations!
13. Secret Invasion: "Resurrection"
Arguably, the biggest letdown of all the MCU shows, Secret Invasion had serious potential. The shape-changing Skrulls infiltrating Earth should have been a thrilling adventure with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury facing them down. The opening scene showed promise as we're reintroduced to Talos, Maria Hill, and Fury dragged back into things.
However, the slow pacing of the episode hurts it, as well as showing Fury an old man, not the butt-kicker we wanted. Then, of course, there's the ending with the death of a major character that's meant to be shocking but instead comes off as lame and unneeded. This pilot sadly set the tone for one huge letdown of an MCU show.
12. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: "A Normal Amount of Rage"
She-Hulk has been a divisive series with as many detractors as fans. The first scene sets the tone right off as Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) turns right to the camera to explain to the audience how she became a Hulk. The pilot has fun with the classic "origins episode" storyline as we get flashbacks to the accident giving Jennifer her powers.
It also shows how different Jennifer is, mastering her abilities fast amid verbal and physical clashes with her cousin Bruce. The comedy is broad, and it hits us over the head a bit too much with Jennifer's feminist message. Yet Maslany shows she has the role well in hand and has a fun fight at the end, so it's hardly the worst start to an MCU show.
11. Echo: "Chafa"
The most low-stakes of the MCU shows has a great start with a big fight scene that includes a cameo from Charlie Cox as Daredevil. However, the episode lags with too much time explaining her backstory to those who may have missed Hawkeye and that strange supernatural connection to her family.
Alaqua Cox's performance is good for highlighting the show, and the promised return of the Kingpin offers more spark. Yet this pilot can seem too slow-paced at times for some viewers and lacks the "have to watch the next episode" magic. Maybe that's a good reason why Disney+ released the whole series at once to make up for a weaker opening episode.
10. Hawkeye: "Never Meet Your Heroes"
The opener for this pilot was wonderful, setting up Kate Bishop's journey. We get flashbacks to Clint Barton saving her life during the events of the first Avengers film, explaining why Kate latched onto him as a role model. The opening credits feature animation showing Kate training herself over the years and then using her archery skills to be a would-be heroine.
Clint himself is shown adjusting to his family returning and the guilt of what he did during the five years of "the Blip." We get levity via the wonderful Rogers musical and the holiday setting provides a wonderful vibe. While the actual meeting of Kate and Clint seems a bit rushed, it's a strong start to this terrific buddy adventure that became an MCU favorite.
9. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: "New World Order"
There have been arguments that TFAWS should have been a movie, not a TV show. The pilot is still quite good, with Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson quickly showcased as an action hero while Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier wrestles with his dark past. Sam's wish to be his own man rather than pick up Steve Rogers' mantle is well handled, as is his desire to connect to the world.
The episode is beautifully shot with great choreography and a story that offers sharp social commentary with the introduction of the Flag-Smashers. The final scene introducing John Walker as the new Captain America is a great capper to this important step in the MCU.
8. Ms. Marvel: "Generation Why"
What wins you over on this pilot is the lovely vibe of the property. The Khans instantly feel fleshed out as believable characters, and their culture and world shine nicely. The best part is how Iman Vellani nails Kamala from the start. She's just like the comic book character with her humor, her Captain Marvel worship and love of superheroes, and her exuberance is infectious.
The slow buildup and differences in her powers may mar it a bit, yet the final sequence of Kamala's powers coming to life and saving others is beautiful. More than other MCU shows, this feels like a real series, not just an extended movie, and the energy offers pure fun, which is something the MCU can use a lot more of.
7. Agatha All Along: "Seekest Thou The Road"
One of the most imaginative beginnings of any MCU series, Agatha All Along opens like a moody crime drama you'd see on Netflix. It even has fake opening credits down to being inspired by a Danish show. Agatha Harkness appears to be a cop investigating a murder with Aubrey Plaza's FBI agent. She's still in her "Agnes" persona that Wanda Maximoff left her in at the end of WandaVision, but a more "true crime" version, if you will. Then Agatha regains her memories with Kathryn Hahn revisiting a number of the character's stylish looks from WandaVision in the process.
Hahn's wicked persona sparks the pilot along with the mystery of Teen and what Rio wants. The inventive way the series brings back Agatha combines with Hahn's performance to make this a magical pilot and a journey fans would want to take.
6. What If?: "What If…Captain Carter Was the First Avenger?"
The MCU's first animated series has the same setup as the comic it's based on. The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) narrates these looks at alternate worlds where events took a different turn. That starts with one where, rather than Steve Rogers, it's Peggy Carter who becomes a super soldier with Hayley Atwell once more magnificent in the role.
Rather than just copying the first Captain America film, the episode addresses how a woman in the 1940s would have to fight harder to be accepted and how Peggy has a different arc, yet still ends up in the future. The animation is beautiful, and Atwell is terrific at making the show's premise work perfectly for viewers.
5. Moon Knight: "The Goldfish Problem"
Moon Knight has been winning more fans now than when it premiered because of how daring and different it was. Its pilot established that, as we see nervous museum worker Steven Grant with Oscar Isaac's performance winning over viewers with his effortless charm. You can't help but be entertained by his role as he wrestles with odd events and sleepless nights.
The car chase scene is fantastic, as is the arrival of Khonsu, which is a truly scary sequence. We get Ethan Hawke as the villain and ending with the classic Moon Knight costume on display. Raising plenty of questions while giving Isaac one of his best roles, it's a pilot that knows how to grab the viewer early.
4. Loki: "Glorious Purpose"
As a fan-favorite MCU show, Loki got the ball rolling from the opening scene, reintroducing Tom Hiddleston's god of mischief and escaping his fate in the first Avengers film. Seeing him easily captured by the TVA is one thing, but the episode is excellent, showcasing Loki slowly realizing how out of his league he is against a bureaucracy so powerful that they treat the Infinity Stones like office paperweights.
Owen Wilson's Mobius clicks right off the bat and while the flashbacks can slow down the pace (even the one revealing Loki was B.D. Cooper), the pilot continues to work thanks to how addictive Hiddelston's performance is. Once more, Loki was a character fans loved to hate and then just loved, with his pilot going a long way toward making him a hit.
3. Daredevil: Born Again: "Heaven's Half Hour"
The long-awaited return of the Man Without Fear was more than worth the wait. The opening of the show is a stunner as a night out leads to a brutal fight between Daredevil and Bullseye, most of it filmed in one long take. That culminates in a shocking character death and a time skip to make it clear to viewers to expect the unexpected.
Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio slide into their roles of Daredevil and the Kingpin like they never left with a great talk between them. The ending of Fisk being elected mayor of New York as Matt prepares for a difficult court case, makes it feel like the Netflix series never ended, and a fittingly gripping opening for a dark drama.
2. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: "Amazing Fantasy"
Given the daunting task of a new spin on Spider-Man, this animated show did a great job of making the classic origin feel fresh - especially since the Marvel Cinematic Universe skipped over it. Now, it's not technically canon to the MCU's primary Earth, but it does exist in the MCU's multiverse, so we're counting it. The differences to the storyline are shown pretty early on as Peter gets his power not from a classic lab accident/spider bite but from an encounter with Doctor Strange. There's also a new circle of friends with Lonnie and Nico.
The animation is terrific and it's wonderful seeing Peter learn about his powers and his first forays into crime-fighting with the requisite quips. The final scene of Peter finding Norman Osborn waiting for him shows this is not your usual Spider-Man story and makes viewers want to see just what other differences are coming our way.
1. WandaVision: "Filmed Before A Live Studio Audience"
It's only fitting that the first MCU Disney+ show has the best pilot. From the start, it's not what the audience expects as we're thrown into what looks like a classic 1950s black-and-white sitcom with a studio audience. Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and a human Vision (Paul Bettany) live in domestic bliss and a misunderstanding as they get ready to host a dinner party.
There's quirky next-door neighbor Agnes (Kathryn Hahn), some Wanda magic, Vision singing, and comedy…and then it gets weird as we're taken out of the scene with near-death and Wanda healing the guy. It makes us wonder what the heck is going on, what world this is, how much control Wanda has and an irresistible mystery that makes this show the MCU's best.