X-Men '97 is the year's best-reviewed series (so far)

X-Men '97 is slicing through the competition like Wolverine on a bad day.

In what feels like a nostalgia-fueled power move, this animated revival has clawed its way to the top of the charts, scoring a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes as of last night (and it's still trucking along at 99%). That's right, folks - this show isn't just good, it's genetically superior.

It hasn't even been three months since the series blessed our Disney+ dashboards, but X-Men '97 has already taken the crown for the year’s best-reviewed TV series. And who can blame the critics? The show brings back all the beloved characters from the original 90s series, now facing a dangerous and unexpected new future. The stakes? Higher than Cyclops' hair in the morning.

With its blast-from-the-past vibe, the show taps into that sweet spot of nostalgia while still making it fresh for the newbies. Think of it like finding your old action figures in the attic, but now they’re super high-tech and can actually save the world (or at least your afternoon). The characters pop off the screen so vividly, it's like they've been sipping on some of that mutant growth hormone. And let's talk about the fans for a second. We viewers ate it all up faster than Beast at an all-you-can-eat science buffet. The series kicked off with a few early episodes that got everyone talking - from hardcore fans who have "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters" tattooed on their hearts, to fresh-eyed viewers who weren't familiar with the original X-Men animated series (and probably binged all 76 original episodes in order to watch its continuation).

With the success of the first season being worn as a medal around its neck, the show's second season is almost done baking - but executive producer Brad Winderbaum asks for patience. In a recent interview, he calms our anxious spirits with a really good point and an update on the status of the second season: "It's still an animatic phase. Animation takes so long to make, as I'm sure you know. There was a great bit about this in Invincible Season 2. They just nailed it so hard; it is the greatest. And it takes a long time.”

Not for nothing, the scene he speaks of in Invincible is hilariously accurate.

Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newbie who thinks a Sentinel is just a really aggressive parking meter, X-Men '97 is the show to watch. It’s an extraordinary return for the X-Men, packed with action, heart, and just enough nostalgia to make you feel like it's Saturday morning all over again.