Loki’s got time on his hands
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has always played life fast and loose. The God of Mischief often takes his mischief to the next level and even can be considered evil. When Loki discovers he’s been targeted by the Time Variance Authority, he learns that his time-altering actions have become universally problematic…but he isn’t the only Loki creating issues. Recruited by Agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), Loki finds himself an agent (or at least an advisor) to the TVA…the best way to capture a Loki is with another Loki.
Loki—Season 1 is a Marvel Comics television series that is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following Falcon and the Winter Soldier which also premiered on Disney+, the show tied in events of the MCU movies. The six episode series was released from June 9, 2021 to July 14, 2021 with a second season already greenlit.
Tick Tock, ya don’t stop!
I watched WandaVision religiously when it was released. I even stayed up to watch the last episode to avoid spoilers and the likes…but I found the last episode kind of disappointing and falling into some of the MCU traps. I started to watch Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but it never hooked me initially. I watched the first episode of Loki, enjoyed it, and then decided to wait for the rest of the series to drop to binge it. Loki feels different than the previous two MCU entries on Disney+, but it also has a few of the similar issues. A ******spoiler alert****** is in effect for the rest of the review.
WandaVision attempted to do its own thing but ended up being a typical superhero fighting a super-villain with almost identical powers. Loki feels tonally more like a TV series than WandaVision, but it too has some pacing issues. The Time Keepers and the introduction to the whole TVA in the first episode was solid, along with the introduction to Sylvie…then the show lagged. Episodes three and four were both a bit slow and lacked the pep and spice of the initial episodes…and when it is only a six episode season; that is problematic. The “Journey Into Mystery” episode brought Loki back up to speed and provided weird and wild fun that the series needed…and then it lagged again in the final episode of the season which feels less like a season cliffhanger and more like a bridge to the next season. The whole season feels like set-up for future MCU and Season 2 rather than its own entity.
Do it…please? Just give me one “wow”
What does save Loki from being a wash-out is the energy and fun of Tom Hiddleton. Hiddleton has created a character that feels both original and in line with the original Marvel character (something that is very tricky to do as any raging fanboy might point out online). Hiddleston’s Loki is not only too smart for his own good, but he’s bitter and at the same time sentimental. It is a bit of a cliché, but he just needs a good hug…and Hiddleston has made the character actually sympathetic instead of pathetic in that sense. Loki does a lot of wrong, but he often does things right.
Give me more classic Loki…he knows how to fake his death
The season surrounded Hiddleston with a likeable cast. Hiddleton and Owen Wilson work well together. The relationship has been described as an Eddie Murphy-Nick Nolte 48 Hrs type of relationship with Wilson trying to rein in Loki whose impulsive actions might create waves, but aren’t always the best move…he also is challenged with actually liking the guy he’s supposed to be guarding. Sophia Di Martino is also good as the female variant of Loki (which also creates a world of psychological puzzles since Loki is in love with himself…which on point with Loki). I wanted more from the Gugu Mbatha-Raw Ravonna character, but suspect next season will increase her involvement, and I also hope for more screentime for Wunmi Mosaku. I’m not crazy about Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains (aka Immortus), but the character can be tweaked if he is the Kang the Conqueror (or Iron Lad or Rama-Tut or the Scarlet Centurion or if they decide to bring in Nathaniel Richards through his origin). The scene stealer of the season has to be Richard E. Grant who gets to play the classic Loki in the Void.
Visually, Disney+ goes all out (and this helps the movie-less gap created by COVID-19). You can put Loki next to the other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and they stylistically blend together. The world of the TVA is sleek and cool but it also has a retro style that feels like it fell out of Bioshock. You get a couple glimpses of it but it would be nice if there was another trip back to the real Asgard in season 2. The show does luck out in its storytelling in that it mostly takes place in offices and fortresses…thought the outside sequences also are good.
How it’s going Alligator Loki will have a 3 season deal on Disney+
Since the series deals with time jumping, alternate realities, and deleted timelines, there was a lot of opportunities for hint drops and cleaning up the MCU timeline. Part of the problem with making MCU movies is that the cast eventually ages out of them. This creates a need for a continuous influx of new versions of characters which honestly works out better in movies than in the comics. Loki could have actually done more with the alternate realities (it runs the risk of becoming gratuitous if it had), but does drop hints about vampires and with infinite timelines being created the series What If? really comes into play…along with the introduction of mutants and the Fantastic Four…but you do get Alligator Loki and a cameo by Throg: The Frog of Thunder.
Loki—Season 1 is a good set-up series, and it has moments of greatness. If you consider it a six hour movie, it is kind of dull. If you consider it a TV series, only about half or two-thirds of it really keep the momentum going…which as mentioned isn’t necessarily setting a high bar considering it is only six episodes. Despite this, Hiddleston brings you back and I look forward to seeing what he continues to do with the character…especially since he now knows how to slip away from Thanos (a rumor that existed from his death in Infinity War). Bring on more of the God of Mischief!
Loki—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Glorious Purpose”
1.1 Glorious Purpose Release Date: 06/09/21
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has never been accused of being good…now he’s being accused of being a criminal by the Time Variance Authority. Taken in after the Battle of New York, Loki is accused of corrupting the Sacred Timeline. Assigned to Agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), Loki learns that his unique skills are needed by the TVA and that he’s on the hunt for a criminal…himself.
“The Variant”
1.2 The Variant Release Date: 06/16/21
The God of Mischief is now a pencil pusher for the TVA. Tasked with finding his variant, Loki makes a discovery about how the variant is hiding from the TVA. With a location pinned down, Mobius and his team are moving in the Loki variant…but they might not have the element of surprise they expected.
“Lamentis”
1.3 Lamentis Release Date: 06/23/21
The variant reveals her name is Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), and Sylvie has plans of her own against the TVA. When she and Loki become trapped in an apocalypse scenario on the planet Lamentis-1 in 2077, escaping may mean Loki and Sylvie will have to work together…and Loki could find out a secret about the TVA.
“The Nexus Event”
1.4 The Nexus Event Release Date: 06/30/21
Events on Lamentis-1 lead to Loki and Sylvie’s capture and as prisoners of the TVA, Loki could find that his only hope could be to convince Mobius or B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) told to them by the Time Keepers might not be the truth. Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) has her own ideas how to silence Loki and Sylvie.
“Journey Into Mystery”
1.5 Journey Into Mystery Release Date: 07/07/21
Loki is trapped in the Void at the end of time and finds himself allied with other Lokis (Jack Veal, DeObia Oparei, Richard E. Grant). With a beast called Alioth defending the only potential exit to the Void, Loki and his allies must discover a means out, and the secret behind the TVA might be waiting on the other side.
“For All Time. Always”
1.6 For All Time. Always Release Date: 07/14/21
Sylvie and Loki have escaped the Void and now are in the presence of He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), but even in a locked down timeline, not everything may be as it seems. He Who Remains has a warning for Loki and Sylvie, and if they complete their mission to shut down the TVA, something worse might rise in its place.
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