3 years ago

@jordyep No we enjoy the episodes. They are interesting takes on how things could have happened. They are interesting by themselves, IMO, so either all of us that are enjoying the show are insane, or you are just projecting your preferences and assuming everyone has the same interest in this kind of story that you have.

3 years ago

@jordyep The purpose of "what if" is to have creative fun. That's always been the purpose of the comic book "what if" series as well. We watch it because, you know, it's fun.

3 years ago

@jordyep <br /> <br /> &gt;Just putting a twist on existing lore and calling it a day isn’t enough to hold my attention for 30 mimutes, nor any sane person, I imagine. <br /> <br /> You gotta take a step back and be more chill. Just because you aren't enjoying it doesn't make everyone else insane for liking it. It's 30 minutes of entertainment. We've two episodes in at your review. We've gotten pretty much everything the trailers and posters promised. How much were you expecting from an anthology animated spin-off?<br /> <br /> &gt;Projects are always supposed to function as an isolated piece of art<br /> <br /> I'd argue (a) there's a lot of projects that would counter that argument and (b) there's no reason this anthology series couldn't stand alone.<br /> <br /> But to answer the questions, you imply but ask poorly, I think at the very minimum the scope of the show so far is not unlike "How It Should Have Ended" but more professionally done. It's purely just for fun with zero stakes (so far). It's been over 20 movies and numerous TV shows depending on how you count it in the span of 18 years. It's been a relentless pace of almost an entire generation of film after film after film. In between which we've had shows that work and shows that didn't and shows that work again and in all of that we've never had anything meta like _What if..?_ It's a time filler that knows it's a time filler. It can certainly be interesting on that level alone. It's _The Twilight Zone_ with superheroes complete with it's Rod Sterling stand-in with Jeffrey Wright. They are one-time stories you don't really have to remember. For the most part it was that way when these alternate universe stories started in the comics too.

3 years ago

@wolfkin I expect to be entertained? You can make an anthology series without making it feel like boring filler, just look at _Black Mirror_. The great episodes in that show actually leave a lasting impression. Also, I pretty much agree with everything you said in the second half, but that’s exactly what works against the series in my opinion. Yes, it’s throwaway filler, which is why a 30 minute format is way too long (and the HISHE format works much better). I just expect a lot more out of a show like this. Something like stakes, drama, or maybe delve a little deeper into how the characters would be different given their new situation. Just do something interesting, besides giving me the occasional chuckle. Riffing on the existing lore is fun for a few minutes, but it gets stale and boring if it has nothing else to offer.

3 years ago

@jordyep No man, we are just asking "What if...?". Joking aside, yeah, they don't have a deep connection to the lore, they are just fun little twists on what we already have. They do "What if..?" series in the comics too. They don't go anywhere, just short little stories. So I would say there are plenty of people who like it.

3 years ago

@wolfkin And I would further argue that a project does not really need to stand on it's own, that's a personal expectation, not a truth set in stone. There are projects that are part of a larger projects and should be considered as such. <br /> <br /> From where I'm sitting, "What If" is part of a larger TV project that includes WandaVision, F&amp;TWS, Loki whose purpose is to redefine/introduce certain concepts that would be rushed if introduced during a movie (else risking dragging the movie for too long), would feel as cheap plot devices if just introduced at the moments where they are needed, or would be far too complex for general (including young) audiences to introduce efficiently during the big movie events.<br /> <br /> So, with the above shows, we've established some background and foreshadowing for Wanda's powers, we've seen a deeper transition of Sam from Falcon to Captain America which goes beyond just picking up the suit and the shield, we've explored the concept of multiverse and timelines that deviate from "canon" as well as the multiple versions of a same character (which are not restricted to the spider-verse, and now we're getting to know who The Watcher is. <br /> <br /> I might be wrong, but I have the feeling that all these things are going to play a relevant part in Phases 4 &amp; 5, and they're going to start paying off with Eternals and No Way Home, by taking a lot of the explanation needed out from those movies because audiences will already be familiar with certain concepts thanks to the TV shows.<br /> <br /> So What If is a piece of a TV project, which in turn is a stepping stone for the MCU to go from Phase 3 to Phase 4. Talk about Russian doll projects.

3 years ago

@jordyep As I mentioned in an earlier reply, this show has it's usefulness in the grander scheme. They're about to throw a legion of elementary school kids into the Multiverse of Madness. It might not be of your liking, but that doesn't mean there isn't an audience out there that can benefit from it.

3 years ago

@ekiza You can set up future projects in a film or series, that's fine, but you need to get something out of the project itself as well. That isn't a 'personal expectation', that's how art works. Imagine being in a museum and watching a painting that only says: the next painting will blow your mind. Do you stop by and watch that painting, or do you walk to the next one? Even projects that are heavy on set up (first Harry Potter film, the new Dune, even a lot of Marvel movies like Black Panther) all have a progression that makes them work as pieces of art by themselves.<br /> <br /> I have no problem with how the other Disney + Marvel shows are conceived, that's how you're supposed to do it. The point is that when the characters from this show are introduced in a movie, the context of this show doesn't matter, because it doesn't do much besides riffing on the lore. Same character from a different universe where a few minor uninteresting alterations happened? Got it, everyone is capable of understanding that concept, we don't need 9 30-minute episodes for that. So yes, it is in fact a Russian doll project. It's probably cool for Marvel fans who are really into it, but it's bad art.

3 years ago

@jordyep What an unimaginative, cynical, incurious (who clearly has no clue about comics btw) bland person you must be. Why watch any film or series, read any book or comic, experience any story or character? If you can't answer your own question then you certainly can't answer mine, and boy that's sad, I'm sorry for your life.

3 years ago

@adonael Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment.