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What If…? Episode 1 Review (Spoiler-Free)

After the popularity of the previous 3 original Marvel shows, Disney+ has put a lot of pressure on itself. Loki finished only a few short weeks ago, and now it’s time for their next show to shine – What If…? (henceforth referred to as What If). Now, whilst the rest of the shows have been live action, What If is taking a different approach. In a move that gives the show a comic book feel, all the episodes are animated. This feels appropriate for the roots of what Marvel always was, but is somewhat out of place in the MCU. After all, What If is canonical in terms of the multiverse, so it’s hard to make that association in my mind seeing as the style is so completely different, not just due to being animated, but also in the fact that it seems to be aimed at a slightly younger audience.

The MCU has always felt like it was aimed at adults, but made accessible for younger viewers. However, What If reminds me more of sitting down and watching cartoons on a Saturday morning as a kid. It takes me back to those days of Spider-Man and Batman: The Animated Series. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I enjoyed those cartoons for a reason. But it does mean that it feels more like a show aimed at kids, but accessible to adults too. I’m sure younger fans of the MCU will adore What If, but I’m not sure that it will be as enjoyable to adults when compared to the epic splendour of a show like Loki.

This review won’t contain any spoilers that weren’t shown in the trailer.

Characterisation

One thing I did like is that despite the change in direction, the characters still felt the same. I’d become so used to Steve Rogers as Captain America, that I forgot he used to be so weedy. But the thing is, even without the muscles, he’s a courageous man who’s loyal to a fault. And Peggy had always seen that in him. It was actually great to see her have the chance to be the hero herself. Watching their dynamic was really special, and it was a reminder that Steve was ahead of his time. Whilst pretty much everyone else around Peggy was a misogynist, Steve had always treated her with respect. And seeing that respect continue when she became Captain Carter was brilliant.

I liked that they kept the original actors to be the voice actors for most characters. It’s a shame that they couldn’t have got Chris Evans to play Steve, though. You could hear the difference when he spoke, but I’ll admit that the voice actor they chose was very talented. They really tried their best to make the characters feel like real people. It was great to see faces we recognised from Captain America: The First Avenger experiencing new situations. They acted just how you’d expect them to, and it was very impressive writing to make it so believable. It was great to see the parallels between this episode, and the original plot. I was thrilled to see that Peggy and Steve still had that sweet chemistry. We also got to see more of Bucky, and Howard Stark, who were great on screen.

What If...? Episode 1 Review, Captain Carter's British suit
It was really cool seeing a British design on the suit and shield.

Graphics and Audio

I thought that the animation style they chose was brilliant. It was your classic comic cartoon, but with more defined lines and detailing. You could tell it was high quality animation, and the transitions were really decent. It didn’t just look like sequential stills, like other cartoons are sometimes guilty of. There were some really fantastic fighting scenes that showcased just how powerful Peggy had become, and these were paired with epic scores. There was also a great montage of Peggy fighting whilst old timey music played over the top, which I thought was a clever way to remind people of the war-time setting.

The problem was, much as I did like the art style, there wasn’t a single scene that I didn’t feel would have been better in live action. A car flip is always cool, but it’s so much cooler with a real car. Watching two animated characters fall for each other is adorable, but not as powerful as seeing real people. Despite the excellent characterisation that I’ve already mentioned, it’s hard to relate to cartoons. I understand the creative choice they’ve made with the What If series, I’m just not a big fan.

I did think the use of colour throughout was really effective. I especially loved the opening, which showed the MCU characters we know and love. There was a space theme going on which alluded to the multiverse, and it was really cool. There was intense music playing over it, but at reduced volume, which worked really well. I think that the opening of any show sets the tone for what to expect, and this one definitely built the hype.

Overall

There wasn’t really anything that I disliked about the episode, but there also wasn’t enough that I liked. It was decent, but it didn’t get me excited in the same way as the other shows. With Wandavision, I was always on tenterhooks desperate to see what would happen next. With The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, I felt really attached to the characters and plot. When I watched Loki, I was always intrigued, and loved learning more about the TVA. But with What If, it just feels like a fun way to spend my time. I know that I should feel excited about the possibilities for the multiverse, but I simply don’t. I think the animated style puts too much distance between the scenes and the viewers.

Captain Carter alongside Steve as the HYDRA Stomper.
I’m glad that Steve still got to be a hero, even without the super serum.

I’ll definitely keep watching each week, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it, but right now I’m not hooked. Perhaps other episodes will stir more emotion in me, but I’d be surprised. I love the idea of Captain Carter, and I feel like this should have been the storyline that I cared about the most. I’ve always been a fan of Peggy, and I still am, but it wasn’t enough.

How about you, what did you think of the episode? Join the discussion over in our Facebook community!

What If...? Episode 1

7.2

Verdict

7.2/10

Pros

  • Talented voice actors
  • High quality animation style
  • Pacing was decent throughout

Cons

  • It would have been better as live action
  • Didn't feel aimed at adult fans
  • I found it hard to get excited watching it

Melika Jeddi

Hi! I'm Melika Jeddi, a content writer and aspiring author. I've created Screen Hype to share my unique brand of entertaining articles with the world, and to create a fun space that everyone can feel a part of :)