As Ironheart debuts on Disney+, a unique chapter in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s TV storytelling has concluded. Unlike previous shows, Ironheart was produced without a designated showrunner, a practice that was common in television for many years but which Marvel Studios initially chose to avoid. Instead, the creative vision for each production was distributed among head writers and directors throughout the filming process. However, by 2022, this approach had changed, with Daredevil: Born Again, Wonder Man, Vision Quest, and other MCU shows adopting showrunners following a late 2023 overhaul. Ironheart was filmed well before these changes took effect.
The decision made by Marvel Studios executives, including Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, suggested their lack of television production experience, and it aimed to make the Disney+ series feel like the movies. However, Ironheart, much like most Disney+ MCU shows, has again highlighted that this approach was misguided from the outset. In essence, Ironheart would have been significantly more effective as a movie.
Typical MCU Shows Like Ironheart Are Structured Like Movies
In the past, popular TV shows often had to strike a balance between being engaging for audiences on a weekly basis and developing deeper, long-term narratives. Shows like “The X-Files” gradually built up intricate lore and continuous storylines, while others such as “Lost” and “Fringe” required some prior knowledge to appreciate episodes from later seasons. To cater to the general public, these productions typically followed a formula of “monster-of-the-week” or similar episodic structures. This weekly television storytelling format was designed to create self-contained plots that could be easily understood and enjoyed by viewers each week.
As a passionate film buff, I’ve noticed an interesting contrast between timeless TV dramas such as “Breaking Bad” and “The Sopranos,” where each episode tends to tell its own contained story like “The Fly” or “Pine Barrens.” On the other hand, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) shows, including “Ironheart,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Secret Invasion,” and many others, operate more like extended movies. Instead of unfolding over multiple installments with distinct storylines per episode, they focus on one grand narrative that spans across various episodes, creating a sense of continuity but often lacking the unique personality or specific plotlines that distinguish each episode.
In contrast, a masterpiece like the miniseries “When They See Us” skillfully employs time jumps to infuse each episode with a distinct and lasting character, demonstrating how narrative structure can greatly enhance the viewer’s experience.
Sadly, many MCU shows opted for storylines that could have been more impactful in a tighter, movie-length format. For example, the initial season of Ironheart faces difficulty generating genuine dramatic tension due to its repetitive cliffhanger question: “Is Parker Robbins truly malevolent?” Additionally, the heist sequences within Ironheart are paced awkwardly because they’re being extended to accommodate six episodes of a mini-series.
To put it simply, the most disappointing aspect is that final episodes of shows like “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and “Moon Knight” in the MCU are packed with climaxes reliant on computer-generated effects. These episodes, which last around 40 minutes, offer little more than a cacophony of digital mayhem after a long wait from viewers. While a short, action-packed finale within a movie can work well, an extended episode comprised mainly of noise and CG creatures fighting is a squandering of television’s creative potential.
The Tragedy of the Better, Episodic MCU Shows
As a dedicated fan, it’s quite noticeable how shows like Ironheart, along with most MCU productions, seem to be cinematic experiences squeezed into television format. However, there are exceptions, such as WandaVision, which, despite its somewhat disappointing finale, masterfully designed its first eight episodes to emulate various eras of TV history. This allowed each episode to possess a distinct aesthetic and capitalize on the nuances of television’s past and narrative style.
Loki’s two seasons, especially the first which had influences from shows like Hannibal, and its quasi-sequel Agatha All Along were praised for drawing inspiration more from Xena: Warrior Princess rather than Avengers: Endgame. Unfortunately, these highly acclaimed Marvel Studios TV series of the 2020s underscored what’s been going awry with most MCU programming on Disney+. These exceptional shows gained praise for utilizing television storytelling techniques that were lacking in productions like Hawkeye, Secret Invasion, Ironheart, and others, which seemed to be better suited for the big screen.
To improve these TV series, we could streamline their length and structure, which often feels excessive and unbalanced. Despite having strong aspects such as Oscar Isaac’s captivating portrayal in Moon Knight or Anji White’s charming performance in Ironheart, these shows fall short due to their cinematic approach that doesn’t suit small-screen storytelling effectively. As Ironheart concludes the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s phase of having showrunners, let’s hope that the era of MCU films appearing as dull TV series has also passed.
Ironheart’s first three episodes are now streaming on Disney+.
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2025-06-29 14:41