Runaways Marvel’s Runaways General Discussion

[chamber-music]

I watched the first three episodes. The show is enjoyable enough so far.

There is a lot more focus on the parents than there was in the comics which is to be expected. The show is fleshing out the the pride and we see things from their point of view which we didn't so much in the comics.

The parent's are a lot less generic evil bad guys and more conflicted about the evil actions they take.

The show is also feels a little darker than the comic in certain ways.

 

[Dr. Evil]

So for those that watch the show at this point, has there been any references to the rest of the MCU?

 

[chamber-music]

So for those that watch the show at this point, has there been any references to the rest of the MCU?

Not that I've seen.

 

[Smilodon]

Loved the first three episodes. This feels very much in the spirit of the original Runaways whilst still adding some more of that OC-flair. I like the added focus on the parents, fleshing them out and giving them some complexity.

This is much better than the last several Netflix installments plus AoS/Inhumans. Can't wait to see more of it. The teens have great chemistry.

 

[Starcat]

The first three episodes have been great. I'm glad we are getting more focus on the parents. When I heard James Marsters was cast, I was hoping he'd get some good material, so I'm happy with his role so far. All the kids are perfectly cast and have good chemistry with each other. I'm looking forward to everything coming up.

 

[legendkillin]

So for those that watch the show at this point, has there been any references to the rest of the MCU?

I haven't seen any. It doesn't feel like it is in the MCU though.

 

[legendkillin]

First three episodes were good, I came into it with no expectations. I don't have a favorite kid character but none are terribly annoying. I like Marsters too so I will stick with it.

 

[Pokkle]

I haven't seen any. It doesn't feel like it is in the MCU though.

There was WHIH News at the end of episode 3.

 

[Yowza]

I like the series so far.

My general impression:
Regarding the critical observations made by the reviewer from Collider (as well as few other commentators sprinkled here and there echoing similar sentiments), I feel they're more predictions on how things will go by end of season 1 and how things start at beginning of season 2 as I'm not concerned by what I've seen so far. Sure some more action at some point but impressed by dinosaur visuals so having faith in this regard.

Also, actors actually all do a great job and have good chemistry. The depth seems to be layered on so until story beats get repeated over and over again, criticisms about characters being shallow I don't agree with. Episode 3 took things further and questions on how quickly they run away aren't at all valid as the teens reactions this episode as well as investigation show they're not simply living in denial but trying come to terms with what they've witnessed. Relations with each other and the world around them seem to be developing as well.

Something noticed with Hulu as was about to login:
-Seems to have changed to free month for no commercial now or pick free month with limited commercial. Can also do 1 week free of "HuluTV" (can check device availability bit easier now as well as channel availability too).

-Also HBO and Starz add-on will available for laptop device in near future.

-Looks like the webpage has been streamlined a bit more to make it easier read through options. You can now put your zipcode in to see what channels "HuluTV" will offer in your area (AMC disappointed not on here but can still watch some selected shows with basic HULU 7.99 plan just can't stream channel live). According to device availability seems able to use this HuluTV option with a laptop device as well now.

Basic Hulu "Marvel" section:
-Complete 2 seasons Agent Carter make me wonder if will pick up at some point (shows currently on air put up on Hulu week to week usually taken off month's later but seems bunch of stuff put back up all at once).

 

[Mike Murdock]

I have to say Hulu's format makes for a very solo viewing experience. At least with Netflix, you binge it all at once and emerge to talk about your collective experience Or with regular TV, you all can watch it at the same time on TV. Hulu has the weekly experience, but we're all watching it at different times during the day so it's not appointment viewing.

 

[DrCosmic]

Having read the comic, and seen how huge a breath of fresh air it was kinda ruins this show, which is the opposite of fresh air. It is every bit the character-lite secret-fest that infests the CW, and the format begs for more dynamic creative unction.

We rarely see these kids all together, their relationships have devolved largely into a 1) will they won't they and 2) a love triangle with a tagalong little sister to round out the group and to cherry on top this little less interesting version of a comic book storyline, the "Runaways" of Marvel's Runaways are not the six young people, but the sacrifices of the PRIDE. There is no more clear a declaration of "we have missed the point and appeal of this property" than repurposing the title to focus away from the main characters.

There are things I really like about the show. Diversifying the Pride and checking on their internal politics, with some ambivalence, that's pretty cool. I think the opening titles are absolutely genius, foreshadowing the powers of the team the same way the MisFits titles did, but even more subtly and creatively. That person deserves an award, who developed those. I think the show gives great nods to the comics and does some smart compression, dropping the Hayes/Hernandez's, but still keeping them in the story, shifting the Gibborim to something a bit more easy to comprehend and show visually on television, and generally it's just a competently made show.

I get what the Collider viewer was talking about with the lack of focus, and I mostly agree. The relationships are what make these shows work, and these relationships are largely uninteresting. Super strict Alphas and Betas in most relationships, a largely inconsequential affair, and huge disconnects and lacks of interplay.

I think the show will end up 'fine', however when shows find themselves missing the point of what they're adapting and being so dedicated to their less interesting vector, the second season that no longer carries the power of the property, but only of the first season, usually fizzles. Right now, Ruanways isn't building a foundation... they're building a house of cards, and once it falls... the magic of the show falls with it.

 

[Steelsheen]

ok so ep 4 is an improvement for the first three eps, which is a good thing as i was close to dropping it. also it got lucky that i watched this when i usually would do some catching up eps and the Gifted didnt air this week

I think the opening titles are absolutely genius, foreshadowing the powers of the team

thanks for the tip

 

[Mike Murdock]

Great interview with the show creators on Uproxx

There are major spoilers through the first three episodes, a relatively minor spoiler about something in the future (hinted at in the title of the article), and a fairly in-depth discussion about how the comic is different so some spoilers about the comics. It's a very good insight into how the show is designed and how it progresses.

 

[Surfer]

I am really enjoying Runaways so far. I thought Episode 4 was really good. Does anyone know how many episodes are in the season?

Surfer

 

[psylockolussus]

Six more to go.

 

[CaptainWagner]

Great interview with the show creators on Uproxx

There are major spoilers through the first three episodes, a relatively minor spoiler about something in the future (hinted at in the title of the article), and a fairly in-depth discussion about how the comic is different so some spoilers about the comics. It's a very good insight into how the show is designed and how it progresses.

[BLACKOUT]"Marvel television has a policy, which is no magic." [/BLACKOUT] This ticks me off, SO much. The show is great, but it's so incredibly obnoxious that the powers that be at Marvel TV are forcing this sort of BS. If this really does cover all their television properties, I guess there goes all hope of getting Midnight Sons on Netflix. And also further kills the "It's all connected" idea.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Not really. Both the TV side and movie side have approached magic in similar ways. Both The Ancient One and Ghost Rider drew their power from another dimension. Loki uses sufficiently advanced technology that looks like magic. This appears to be that. I mean, scientific explanation or not, the Staff of One behaves like magic.

I do think they could keep it vague and unexplained, but a [blackout]no magic rule[/blackout] isn't killing interconnectivity. Particularly with Runaways, which stands apart to begin with.

 

[Yowza]

It's a wonder quality shows can come out, as some of the people at Marvel comics seem to really get in the way with rules and overly aggressive input. $$$$ and sway towards mediocrity seems to be a hard hurdle to get over too often.

 

[metaphysician]

Not really. Both the TV side and movie side have approached magic in similar ways. Both The Ancient One and Ghost Rider drew their power from another dimension. Loki uses sufficiently advanced technology that looks like magic. This appears to be that. I mean, scientific explanation or not, the Staff of One behaves like magic.

I do think they could keep it vague and unexplained, but a [blackout]no magic rule[/blackout] isn't killing interconnectivity. Particularly with Runaways, which stands apart to begin with.

Um, no. Bluntly, this is just plain wrong. "Drawing from other dimensions" does not make magic somehow not-magic. Nor is what Loki does not-magic. More importantly, the TV shows have outright had chi-powered martial arts gained by fighting a dragon, and mystic resurrection powered by ground dragon bone. To argue that even just Marvel TV does not already have magic is ludicrous.

 

[Mike Murdock]

And the same seems true of this so far as well. Making snow appear out of thin air after wishing for snow is magic. But it might have a scientific explanation.

 

[Scarecrow_King]

The science-perceived-as-magic explanation is ********. I've always hated it, and always will. It's for people who don't have the guts to delve into the really weird parts of continuity, so they hand wave it away.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

The science-perceived-as-magic explanation is ********. I've always hated it, and always will. It's for people who don't have the guts to delve into the really weird parts of continuity, so they hand wave it away.

Does the fact that there is a scientific explanation make it any less weird? For some reason in the HP universe whenever a person with specific characteristics waves a specific kind of object (wand) in a specific way and says some specific phrase it produces a specific effect. That means there must be some kind mechanism behind it that could somehow be explained by science. That doesn't take away that they can make things fly or shapeshift or produce lightning bolts out of nothing. That doesn't mean that it's not magic. That doesn't mean you can't still do crazy physics breaking things with it. If magic is a system seperate from physics in that world, everything can just be like it is. It also doesn't need to be explained in detail how it works. But just because it can be studied (as has been shown by Doctor Strange), doesn't mean it can't be really weird.

 

[Scarecrow_King]

Does the fact that there is a scientific explanation make it any less weird? For some reason in the HP universe whenever a person with specific characteristics waves a specific kind of object (wand) in a specific way and says some specific phrase it produces a specific effect. That means there must be some kind mechanism behind it that could somehow be explained by science. That doesn't take away that they can make things fly or shapeshift or produce lightning bolts out of nothing. That doesn't mean that it's not magic. That doesn't mean you can't still do crazy physics breaking things with it. If magic is a system seperate from physics in that world, everything can just be like it is. It also doesn't need to be explained in detail how it works. But just because it can be studied (as has been shown by Doctor Strange), doesn't mean it can't be really weird.
.

Yes, it does. Being able to explain WHY something happens makes it science, not magic. How something happens and why are different things.

Just for an example: If I'm a sorcerer, I know I if wave my hands a certain way and say some words, I understand that it will open a portal to Dimension X. But why does it do that? The ability to answer that question (or not) determines whether it's magic or science.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

Yes, it does. Being able to explain WHY something happens makes it science, not magic. How something happens and why are different things.

Just for an example: If I'm a sorcerer, I know I if wave my hands a certain way and say some words, I understand that it will open a portal to Dimension X. But why does it do that? The ability to answer that question (or not) determines whether it's magic or science.

But doesn't the fact that waving your hands like that has that effect mean there IS a reason why it does that? Regardless of whether you specifically or even humanity as a whole is capable of explaining that at this point, doesn't take away that there is a reason that could in theory be explained, thus making it subject to science. What you seem to be saying is that magic is science we don't understand yet, and that's okay as long as that's not pointed out directly and we will never live to see people understand it.

 

[Scarecrow_King]

But doesn't the fact that waving your hands like that has that effect mean there IS a reason why it does that? Regardless of whether you specifically or even humanity as a whole is capable of explaining that at this point, doesn't take away that there is a reason that could in theory be explained, thus making it subject to science. What you seem to be saying is that magic is science we don't understand yet, and that's okay as long as that's not pointed out directly and we will never live to see people understand it.

Nope, I'm saying that magic is something that we will never be able to understand completely. Magic should be unexplainable, forever. No matter how much time someone spends trying to understand why it works.

Otherwise, yeah, it's just science. Which is boring, and homogenizes the sci-fi/fantasy genre.

I'm perfectly capable of suspending my disbelief enough to accept that magic just happens without a definable explanation of why.

A good illustration of it is the Waid/Ringo run of Fantastic Four. Reed tries to apply his scientific mind to magic, and fails.