We have already discussed how being under the wing of Disney has played in Marvel's favor in terms of media payoff. They are like the entertainment mafia. If they can't pay for it then they have built in social armor to defend their lackluster efforts by creating the narrative that if you do like what they do you are a racist, or a fascist or some other baloney. With this show the armor applies. However, it is not as bad as I feared but not great either. The acting is the CW level and writing not refined enough for an editor to have given this the green light on a Disney level production making it feel at times like a live action "Turning Red". The first episode shares some of the same plot points. Its strength is how it embraces being in the Marvel Universe. The very fact it does not apologize for being a comic book adaptation puts it above the shows and movies that do. The use of animation is also another strong suit. But these struggle to balance out where it is flawed. It might not apologize but it fails to see what made the character work and finds it mirroring Shang Chi
In her origin where to have introduced the Inhumans again would have given them a chance to reboot even softly their place, especially since the Dr. Strange Sequel left the door wide open for them to do so. Could they go back and say this bracelet was an artifact from the Inhumans? Sure, but I do not see them going that way and it is like going to be some kind of djinn magic. The diversity problem is another issue because much like Shang Chi, when you try too hard, you end up working off the worst stereotypes and playing like this is yet another American child trying to reject their heritage, which is not what they comic does Kamala embrace who she is on that side but is trying to not let her family be affected by the fact she has superpowers. Another problem is this character is so new, she lacks enough depth to her story to even have a rogue's gallery or an arch nemesis to put her against. I can see this becoming a similar problem to the one the second season of Jessica Jones faced.
It's Wonder Years meets Sabrina at times in terms of narrative. There is no real chemistry between characters which is a problem that has plagued the Marvel stuff for a minute, now nothing has really gelled aside from Spider-man since "Wanda Vision" . Even in Dr. Strange's sequel things were awkward at times with America Chavez, who is a character that would have worked in this series. God knows Chavez could not hold her own movie or series. Instead we get her high school friend and brother. The action almost nonexistent with just one scene , where she saves the day from falling props. Damn those are some high stakes to wanna make ya keep watching. With the Inhumans there would have been more threat, Marvle has tons of alien races we might still see get involved and they could always bring in someone she faced in the comics while a member of the Champions. Who know it was entertaining , but frustrating at the same time so I have mixed feelings, but not as dismal as it appeared.
