Opinion: Marvel Has Struck TV Gold Amid the Pandemic

Despite the past failures of Marvel’s television programs, their release of WandaVision alongside the announcement of Loki and other shows has been met with astonishing praise and incredible reviews. Coming amid the coronavirus pandemic, it has taken many fans by surprise.

With the spread of the coronavirus, Marvel and other media companies have been forced to halt production of several projects, which have resumed since then. However, the release of mobile-streaming platform Disney+ by Marvel’s parent company has forced the comic giant to rethink their approach to television. Nearly all of Marvel’s past shows, like Agents of Shield or The Inhumans, have been canceled due to either poor ratings or reviews, a stark difference from their movies. To prevent a similar disaster during a time where streaming dictates success, the company has brought their television wing under the control of Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios and the producer of the MCU. It signals a shift from treating their shows less as isolated programs and more as miniature movies that share a larger universe.

Hoping to reform their television landscape, Marvel has been pouring significantly more money into their new projects, unlike in their previous approaches. Critics have gushed over the quality of the sets and costumes along with the camera work and star actors. The directors of their enormously successful movies have also been listed to work on these shows, giving a previously failed department a fresh breath of air. In order to keep generating interest, Marvel had broken up these shows into weekly episodes, forcing hooked audiences to keep on returning for more. WandaVision has been wildly successful with this new model and Loki has generated equal expectations without even premiering. With Marvel announcing a new line of shows for both the present and distant future, the company hopes to change the face of streaming for years to come.