The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been expanding in recent years. Projects like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Loki have branched out into the multiverse and taken fans to new worlds. But none of those projects have accomplished that quite like What If…?.
The second season of Marvel’s What If…? builds off of the first, which saw heroes plucked from various universes to create a team of heroes to save the multiverse. This new season gives us nine brand new stories with some of our favorite characters and explores a wide variety of genres for another wildly fun Marvel adventure.
First off, let’s start wit the fact that What If…? once again perfectly executes what is really a brilliant premise. Exploring stories from throughout the multiverse allows for the this series to play around in different genres with each episode. It is nearly impossible to watch every episode of this series and not enjoy at least one because there is something for everyone. Whether you enjoy action, comedy, horror, mystery or anything in between, there’s an episode that touches on that. And it’s very likely you will enjoy most, if not all, of them because each one is told expertly.
And then there’s the added thrill for Marvel fans of never knowing what character might pop up next. And on top of that, even when we do see a beloved character, we never know exactly what their motivations will be in this particular universe. It’s truly unpredictable and that is a fun wrinkle to throw into a cinematic universe that is often criticized for being formulaic. Plus, how can you not enjoy something that allows you to spend some time with Howard the Duck?
The art is another big hit for this series. The unique animation style makes for some stunning visuals that will have you pausing to examine a scene, much like you would with a great comic book panel. The action sequences, in particular, are often breathtaking and in some cases surpass their live-action counterparts.
And speaking of live-action counterparts, this season once again sees many of your favorite Marvel actors returning to voice their respective characters. Karen Gillan, Michael Douglas, Hayley Atwell, Kurt Russell, Chris Hemsworth and Sebastian Stan are just some of the big names reprising their roles. And even when the original actors don’t return, the replacements that step in do a phenomenal job. Specifically, Mick Wingert’s Tony Stark deserves some praise as he does an admirable job filling the massive shoes left by Robert Downey Jr.
And even with this series departing from the typical Marvel story and getting out into other universe, it still includes all of that familiar Marvel charm. While some stories are heavier and darker than others, they never get away from that fun that we expect Marvel to deliver. Every episode, whether it’s a spy thriller or a film noir, still throws in at least a couple laugh out loud moments.
Overall, the second season of Marvel’s What If…? might actually manage to surpass its predecessor. Each episode will keep you on the edge of your seat either in suspense or just because you’ve been laughing so hard. Dozens of your favorite characters show up and are either once again voiced by a familiar actor or a replacement who does a great job. And while it certainly feels different from the typical Marvel project, it still hits all of those notes that make Marvel as successful as it is. If you’re a Marvel fan, this is of course a must-watch. And if you’ren ot a Marvel fan, there’s at least one episode you’ll enjoy anyway.
New episodes of Marvel’s What If…? season 2 will debut daily between now and December 30 on Disney+.