Marvel Studios is changing its approach to television, moving away from shows that feel like extended movies and focusing more on traditional television storytelling. The studio is now more focused on hiring seasoned showrunners to bring their own flair to each series than on seeing every Disney+ production as another chapter in a larger cinematic story.
Marvel Is Embracing Traditional Shows Again
‘Agatha All Along’, ‘Wonder Man’ and ‘VisionQuest’ are some of the shows that started heading in the new direction. Instead of simply dividing a movie-length story into several episodes, these projects have room to develop their characters, explore individual themes, and establish their own narrative identities.
Related: ‘VisionQuest’ Could Secretly Be Setting Up Marvel’s Next Superhero Team
This is a significant departure from Marvel’s previous approach to TV. Some of its previous Disney+ shows were based on the movie style, with episodes tightly linked together and the season almost like a single movie. That format was successful for some stories, but it also imposed restrictions on television storytelling.
‘Agatha All Along’, for instance, was able to concentrate on its supernatural mystery and character-driven narrative without having to rely on the big MCU events constantly. Likewise, ‘Wonder Man’ was a take on a different aspect of the superhero genre. ‘VisionQuest’ also allowed Vision’s story to grow beyond his previous portrayals.
Future MCU Shows Will Stand More Independently
The other key component of this shift is that Marvel is seemingly okay with its television initiatives going on their own. The studio apparently understands that keeping up with the movies can be a challenge, particularly with ever-changing release dates, bigger franchise plans, and interwoven storylines.
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This could be great news for viewers. Not all Disney+ shows have to have a future Avenger, a multiverse threat, or a direct tie-in to the next big movie. It is possible for Marvel to have a shared universe and for individual shows to tell meaningful stories.
Marvel can still maintain its shared universe while allowing individual shows to tell meaningful stories. Ultimately, audiences need reasons to watch a series beyond understanding what happens in the next MCU movie. More freedom may be just what the franchise requires.
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