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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This pinned post is here to establish some basic guidelines. All of the Media Forum rules still apply.

  • This thread is for talking about the live-action films, TV shows, animated works, and related content that use the Marvel brand, currently owned by Disney.
  • While mild digressions are okay, discussion of the comic books should go in this thread. Extended digressions may be thumped as off-topic.
  • Spoilers for new releases should not be discussed without spoiler tagging for at least two weeks. Rather, each title should have a dedicated thread where that sort of conversation is held. We can mention new releases in a general sense, but please be courteous to people who don't want to be spoiled.

If you're posting tagged spoilers, make sure that the film or series is clearly identified outside the spoiler tagging. People need to know what will be spoiled before they choose to read the post.

    Original post 
Since Thor and now Captain America came out this year, I wanted to get what Tropers thought of the concept and execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Personally I love the idea and wonder why this idea hasn't been seriously tried before. It sorta seems to me like the DCAU in movie form (And well, ummm, with Marvel), and really 'gets' the comic book feel of a shared universe while not being completely alienating.

Edited by Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#124026: Dec 20th 2020 at 11:28:05 AM

I want to see The Trial of Captain America, if they can get Steve and Daredevil back for one more round.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#124027: Dec 20th 2020 at 6:20:58 PM

Ad for Wanda.

Man the bit with them having kids has me frightened.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
ClancyGardener life is a state of mind from 53 miles west of Venus Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
#124028: Dec 21st 2020 at 2:58:59 PM

Since everybody was talking about Joss Whedon a while ago, what is everybody's opinion on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Trope Editor (he/him)
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#124029: Dec 21st 2020 at 3:02:04 PM

I enjoyed it quite a bit, though it became apparent too early on that The MCU was going to completely ignore it no matter what. This was a shame because a big part of it's appeal was that it, well, took place within The MCU and created a possibility for Coulson to return to it. But, it wasn't to be.

Leviticus 19:34
EmeraldEmperor Lies and Violence! Since: Oct, 2020
Lies and Violence!
#124030: Dec 21st 2020 at 3:08:59 PM

I fucking love it, and, connected to the wider MCU or not, it's the greatest live-action tv show ever. I haven't watched Breaking Bad yet.

Technically, all he did for that show was serve as Executive Producer and co-write the pilot. Everything else was done by his brother Jed, along with Jeffrey Bell and Jed's wife Maurissa.

Edited by EmeraldEmperor on Dec 21st 2020 at 3:10:39 AM

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#124032: Dec 21st 2020 at 3:15:32 PM

Agents definitely was great, but not without flaws. It hit it's peak with the second half of Season 4.

And it definitely should have ended with Season 5, in my opinion.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#124033: Dec 21st 2020 at 3:17:29 PM

I agree on it ending at Season 5.

That was the perfect point to do it.

I'm baffled as to why they gave it another season after they'd come up with a perfectly good ending.

One Strip! One Strip!
EmeraldEmperor Lies and Violence! Since: Oct, 2020
Lies and Violence!
#124035: Dec 21st 2020 at 3:19:35 PM

Yeah, "greatest" is just me being a defensive fan. It's still pretty consistently good, if with a few flaws (in a completely unrelated topic, what a pleasant surprise it was on Friday to see Nathaniel Malick die a second time!).

[down] What do you mean, there's no way to reconcile it? It's called Insane Troll Logic and it works, goddamnit!

Edited by EmeraldEmperor on Dec 21st 2020 at 4:12:58 AM

chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#124036: Dec 21st 2020 at 4:01:56 PM

I loved Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and it's the only MCU show (aside from Agent Carter) that I bothered watching the whole way through. I thought the cast was great and there was always one or two episodes a season that really stood out as some of the best story-telling in the MCU.

I think most fans do agree on a few points though. It does take a while for the show to get going (specifically, once they're able to tie-into the HYDRA reveal in Captain America: The Winter Soldier), but I don't those episodes are bad (except the Lorelei episode). I actually saw SHIELD's tie-in to The Winter Soldier before the film itself, so I was completely blown away by the HYDRA twist when I first that episode.

Season 4 is the best season, essentially telling three distinct arcs (Ghost Rider, the LMDs, and the Framework) that manage to tell one single story across the season. Season 5 serves as a satisfying enough conclusion and you can easily stop there if you want. Season 6 is the weakest IMO, because it felt like the show didn't really know what to do once it came back, so it settled on an alien invasion story with parasitic space bats and an evil Coulson who wasn't really Coulson. And the lack of tie-in to Infinity War despite season 5 specifically ending moments before the Snap happened was infuriating.

But I found season 7 enjoyable and worked as a good conclusion too. It had a lot of fun with the many time periods they travel too, and while I felt the finale was a bit rushed and convoluted at points, the final scene was a very tender send-off to the characters and gave them satisfying endings.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed it, even if it does have some flaws at points. I still wish it was canon, even though the final two seasons make reconciling it with the films borderline impossible.

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#124037: Dec 21st 2020 at 4:15:46 PM

I too think Season 6 was definitely the weakest of the series, even more so than Season 1 (which at least became great after the Hydra-Reveal).

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#124038: Dec 21st 2020 at 5:22:24 PM

Thor: Love and Thunder is probably getting a lot buggier.

Pom "Mantis" Klementieff made an Instagram post teasing about being in Australia, where they're going to film the movie soon. So our Guardians roster in T:L&T is looking to have Star-Lord, Groot, and now Mantis.

ShadowWingLG Since: Dec, 2013
#124039: Dec 22nd 2020 at 5:19:21 AM

So we just need to watch for Sean Gunn (Rocket's stand in) and Dave to see if they are lurking around.

Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#124040: Dec 22nd 2020 at 11:07:28 AM

The fact that the Guardians actors are showing up doesn't really surprise me, because we last left Thor riding with them, and if one Guardian actor was shooting scenes, it makes sense that the rest of them would be too.

I suppose though if they are on-location, then it might mean that they have a bigger role in the upcoming movie than I would have thought.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#124041: Dec 22nd 2020 at 11:10:19 AM

Random thought about the Fantastic Four, but after thinking about how 2 main super-scientists Tony & Hank are defined by their arrogance or pride, with generally abrasive personalities.

I find it more likely that to contrast from them Reed’s personality will be made to be more nebbish & nicer especially since Reed works in a group so that by extension means he has to be more of a team player than either Tony or Hank were.

Edited by slimcoder on Dec 22nd 2020 at 12:05:30 PM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#124042: Dec 22nd 2020 at 12:01:20 PM

That's how Reed is often characterized in adaptations.

Joshbones Since: May, 2015
#124043: Dec 22nd 2020 at 12:40:22 PM

Reed's abrasiveness is different than Tony and Hank's. It's less ego, and more Reed having the worst social skills in existence. That's easy enough to differentiate him from the others.

Both adaptations brushed him up and made him more tolerable, but his usual characterization could work while not being already treaded ground.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#124044: Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:09:57 PM

I think originally in the early comics it was less about bad social skills and more about Reed being a macho take charge asshole

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#124045: Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:10:57 PM

Yeah, but it's not the 60's anymore. Better focus on other depictions now.

Wake me up at your own risk.
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#124046: Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:11:49 PM

Plus we would want Reed & Sue’s marriage to not come across as potentially abusive.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#124047: Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:12:26 PM

Just commenting that he’s already been adapted to changing times after all

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
ClancyGardener life is a state of mind from 53 miles west of Venus Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
#124048: Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:13:28 PM

[up][up] Yeah, considering that Hank and Janet Pym in the comics seemed unhealthy even before that infamous slap.

Edited by ClancyGardener on Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:13:34 AM

Trope Editor (he/him)
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#124049: Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:29:46 PM

Comics Reed ranges from vaguely antisocial to vaguely sociopathic, so he pretty much always gets turned into a dashing young version of The Professor in adaptations instead - often because pretty much no adaptation has refrained from portraying him as the The Leader (and thus The Face) of the group, even though he hasn't been in the source material for some time.

He's often kind of worse than the jerkishness of Strange or Stark or Star-Lord, because his problem isn't ego or selfishness or being a cowboy / anti-rules, so much as it's just outright lack of overt empathy.

They could probably get away with making him comics accurate, however, without losing the audience simply because the FF is an ensemble. Reed being the antisocial jerk of the group just makes him the Hulk of the group, whereas Johnny can be the likable slightly selfish cowboy, Sue can be the likable heroic leader type, and Ben can be the likable tragic Reluctant Warrior. They'll be the relatable ones, so he doesn't have to be.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:38:26 AM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#124050: Dec 22nd 2020 at 1:32:42 PM

The moment where he helped a guy who was about to commit suicide was really sweet.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."

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