Moon Knights weekly releases are ruining the Disney Plus show for me

Date:
Fri, 15 Apr 2022 12:00:39 +0000

Description:
Weekly releases rip my enthusiasm for Moon Knight to shreds - here's why

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Were now halfway through the first season of Moon Knight on Disney Plus , and theres a lot to be said for the show. Packed with thrills, chills, and blood spills, this unique Marvel TV show has me hooked.

However, its proving to be divisive for Marvel fans and reviewers alike, with some heralding the Marvel Phase 4 projects fascinating plot and creativity as one of the best Marvel TV shows to date ( ourselves included ), and others feeling that its distinctly lackluster.

Im sitting somewhere between both camps. The show is right up my alley as a lover of Egyptology, superheroes, and Oscar Isaac. Sure, it took me a while
to get into the first episode, but by the end, I couldnt help but eagerly await its next instalment.

With great anticipation I reached for the remote, instinctively going to hit the next episode button only to remember that Disney Plus does not release these Marvel shows in their entirety. A week flew by but, despite my excitement from the previous week, I felt unusually lukewarm about the idea
of watching the second episode. Still, I soldiered on, once more finding that it took me a while to settle in before the episodes latter half had me back
on board the hype train.

It wasnt until the same thing happened again this week that I realized its
not the show itself thats making me switch off between episodes its the release schedule thats ruining Moon Knight for me. Gimme more

As we highlighted in our review, Moon Knight foregoes much of the typical origin story narrative were used to seeing, steamrolling ahead to introduce high-level concepts that you are forced to grasp as quickly as Steven, one of Marks dissociative identities, does.

Alternating between rapid, fast-paced scenes with information overload and a slow-burn mysterious story thats unveiled before viewers, Moon Knight creates a rich narrative overflowing in intrigue but its also a lot to retain over the course of a week. I struggled to stay awake at points too, Steven. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

For me, it just doesnt work what Disney has done is effectively take all of the pacing, the stylisation, and the drama of Marvel movies and similarly-styled Netflix shows and try to retrofit these elements into a traditional TV show structure.

This may have worked for WandaVision but, in my opinion, that shows success was largely built on how it parodies traditional TV (and sitcoms in particular). The protagonists are already known to the average viewer of the show, too likewise for Loki and Falcon and the Winter Soldier . We know
these characters very well from their other Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances, so theres more space to focus on the storyline.

On the other hand, the Netflix Marvel shows, all of which released in their entirety and are now available to stream on Disney Plus, married this character development, world building, and anticipation so well because they werent constrained by traditional TV release schedules. They were able to capture the richness that comic book origin stories provide and extend this across their numerous episodes, which can be enjoyed at the viewers leisure. Patience is a virtue

A weekly release schedule isnt without its merit, of course. Crucially, its reducing the flood of spoilers for major plot points. Sure, theres still plenty out there, but at least youre far less likely to find out how a show ends before youve even started it.

Its been a problem for Netflix since they established the new age of binge-watching culture. Some viewers have the time to sit down and blast through an entire season where others dont Stranger Things stands out as an example of a show where some fans have suffered such a spoiler-filled fate.

Weekly releases also give shows a lot more time to breathe and find their crowd, which is important for a show like Moon Knight that leans on a lesser-known hero. As a show, it's a breath of fresh air, but it wont be for everyone, so a longer release cycle allows uninterested viewers to drop off
at a more natural cadence.

Plus, shows dropped in their entirety can generate a huge level of hype which then dies down after a few weeks. For something like Moon Knight, this would render it far less likely to catch the attention of potential fans outside of hardcore Marvel viewers. Apple TV Plus shows , such as the critically-acclaimed Severance, have earned huge success based on their
weekly episodic releases; its word-of-mouth style promotion helping it to
gain a mass following with each new entry. Why, then, cant something like
Moon Knight succeed in a corresponding manner? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

So, why are Disney and Marvel sticking to this weekly release strategy? Well, since they first announced the move in 2019, it has likely been as a way to retain customers.

When the platform launched, there was considerably less content on it. Its been a way, then, to ensure that in their first few months of business;
theres a reason for people to keep their subscriptions active. Now, thanks to various acquisitions and a regular stream of new content, thats not the case, but Disney seems to be sticking to its guns with its streaming services
weekly episodic releases.

Is this the real issue here regarding weekly releases on Disney Plus? Not necessarily. As weve seen, theres plenty of justification for weekly
releases, but if thats the approach Disney and Marvel will continue to take, maybe theyshould have reconsidered the cadence and pacing with which they wrote the storyline, and shifted away from some of the very cinematic
elements theyre leaning on to carry the show.

Of course, theres always the option to wait until all of the episodes have been released, but if you have as much FOMO as I do, that's a tough call so
I guess Ill see you all on Wednesday for the next episode.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/moon-knights-weekly-releases-are-ruining-the-di sney-plus-show-for-me/


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