Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Episodes 1 & 2 Review: With Great Power Comes a Great Marvel Show

by

The notorious wall-crawling spider-villain is back to frighten our TV sets once more! While J. Jonah Jameson’s critique of the neighborhood Spider-Man might start with something similar, I’ve always been fond of this famous weaver. He’s grown into one of pop culture’s most recognizable characters, and I can relate as a comics enthusiast myself. The Marvel Universe has seen various actors don the role, from Tom Holland to Andrew Garfield to Tobey Maguire. This time, Hudson Thames assumes the voice part in this new animated show streaming on Disney+, reprising his character from What If?

The initial two episodes of “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” have been a brilliant addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), standing out against more recent releases like “What If? season 3” and “Agatha All Along”. While I’ve been less impressed with these newer entries, the first two episodes of Spider-Man have offered a delightful respite. They’ve reinforced my belief that Peter Parker is a character you can always count on. Ever since Tobey Maguire’s portrayal in 2002, I’ve appreciated each subsequent Spider-Man film. It was a joy to see this series start off in a similar vein: depicting Peter dashing through Queens to make it to school on time.

On his debut day at Midtown High School, we delve into Peter’s early life, although it doesn’t strictly follow the main Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. Instead, it’s set in a parallel universe where he gets bitten by a radioactive spider and transforms into Spider-Man over a few months. This series offers an insight into his initial days as the superhero. Critics who prefer more grounded Spider-Man narratives may find this story appealing, as it focuses less on global catastrophes and multiverse threats, and more on Peter’s personal journey as a character.

In the timeline when Tony Stark visits Peter Parker’s room in Captain America: Civil War and reveals his early days as Spider-Man with a homemade suit, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series unfolds. This animated show highlights everyday crime-fighting adventures of Spider-Man on the streets of Queens, reminiscent of the classic, small-scale moments. It subtly references the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, such as a guest appearance from the “Do a flip!” guy from Spider-Man: Homecoming, but it tells its unique story independently.

As a die-hard fan, here’s an exciting piece of trivia I stumbled upon: Initially, this show was intended to unfold within the original Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. My beloved Spider-Man character, portrayed by Tom Holland, would have been a younger version, acting as a prequel to his trilogy. However, the creative minds behind the scene felt constrained by this setup and decided to venture into fresh territories, giving us a show that can explore uncharted realms.

In this universe, Peter Parker’s school buddy is an amazing girl named Nico Minoru (Grace Song), and he harbors feelings for his former babysitter, Pearl (Cathy Ann). To his dismay, she’s currently dating Lonnie (Eugene Byrd), the school’s football captain. But as the story unfolds, Lonnie turns out to be a complex character with depth beyond initial impressions.

One intriguing sequence featuring Lonnie delves into the casual racism he faces growing up as an African American teenager. We also get a peek into his personal life shortly after this scene.

The writing is sharp, capturing all of Spider-Man’s witty remarks as he confronts minor villains on city streets. We see amusing demonstrations of his powers while he prevents crimes, and beneath it all, there’s a familiar portrayal of the challenges faced by Peter Parker. As the notorious Green Goblin once said, Peter is trying to have it all while the world pushes him to make tough choices. Balancing school assignments, an internship, social interactions, his affection for a particular girl, and a secret identity as a masked hero has always been Peter’s biggest challenge. Marvelously, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has conveyed the turmoil of Peter’s life.

In a refreshing twist, Thames delivers an outstanding performance as the teenage superhero. One unanticipated casting decision is Colman Domingo portraying Norman Osborn. This version of the character may not match his traditional comic book appearance, but given Domingo’s current Oscar nomination for Sing Sing, it now seems a brilliant choice in hindsight. His powerful voice suits the character’s essence flawlessly, and in the initial two episodes, Domingo demonstrates his talent with limited screen time. As the series progresses, we can expect Domingo to take on a larger role as this character, and I am eagerly awaiting to see more of his skills.

Disney+ Has the Best Bundle in the Business

Sign-up today for access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+

Learn More

Instead of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man presenting an intriguing experiment, let’s say that Spidey introduces a thought-provoking scenario for viewers. A common issue with What If? episodes is the rapid resolution of outlandish ideas to fit within a 30-minute timeframe. However, this series poses an enticing question: “What if Norman Osborn had mentored Peter Parker instead of Tony Stark?” The upcoming series promises to delve deeply into this captivating premise. So far, it’s been a thrilling comic book-style ride that any dedicated Spider-Man fan should not miss.

SCORE: 8/10

According to ComingSoon’s review guidelines, a rating of 8 signifies “Excellent.” Although there are a couple of minor flaws, this rating indicates that the artwork achieves its objective effectively and leaves a lasting impression.

Read More

2025-01-31 01:40