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26. Marvel’s Runaways (Hulu: 2017-2019)

Gregg Sulkin, Allegra Acosta, Rhenzy Feliz, Ariela Barer, Virginia Gardner, and Lyrica Okano in Marvel’s Runaways
Gregg Sulkin, Allegra Acosta, Rhenzy Feliz, Ariela Barer, Virginia Gardner, and Lyrica Okano in Marvel’s Runaways Photo: Greg Lewis/Hulu

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage’s small-screen adaptation got off to a promising start with spot-on casting, including having excellent genre actors like James Marsters and Julian McMahon in the parenting pool. Teens often think their parents are supervillains anyway, and Runaways brought that essential conflict to the forefront, while shuffling its superpowered Breakfast Club-like cast (nerd, goth, golden girl, jock) through common adolescent experiences. But as the show’s three seasons stretched on, Runaways settled down from its fugitive lifestyle and had trouble finding villains who could rival the kids’ own parents (Elizabeth Hurley’s scenery-chomping, thigh-high-boot-wearing Morgan Le Fay was a poor substitute), deflating a lot of the momentum from the series. But it ended on a high note; the season-three series finale was a time-travel episode back to high school, offering both a flashback to Runaways’ glory days and a reminder of the show’s untapped potential. [Gwen Ihnat]

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