17. Marvel’s What If…? (Disney Plus: 2021-)
The original Marvel Comics What If…? series was hit and miss, and too often featured unnecessarily depressing Hamlet-style endings. The MCU/Disney+ version is far more uplifting while maintaining the “anything’s possible” feel from the comics. Lushly animated, the two seasons of What If …? quickly prove it’s more than just an alternate-universe anthology series. Jeffrey Wright as the mysterious Watcher is a surprisingly effective series lead—imagine Rod Serling’s narrator from The Twilight Zone suddenly involving himself in the action. Disney Plus doesn’t skimp on the budget, so every episode features performances from major MCU stars, including Michael B. Jordan, who gifted viewers with a return engagement as Black Panther antagonist Killmonger. [Stephen Robinson]
