I’m endlessly fascinated by the different streaming services and their release strategies. We’re all familiar with the Netflix model of dropping everything all at once, something even they don’t commit to all the time. There’s also the “drop 2 or 3 episodes and then go weekly” model that Prime Video and Apple TV+ are fond of. By far the strangest method that has popped up recently is Disney+’s weekly release of 3 episodes at a time. Andor pulled this off by having each chunk represent a year in the titular hero’s life. Evidently, they did not design Marvel’s latest, Ironheart, with this plan in mind. With only 6 episodes, it feels more like an awkward dumping of a series that took a long time getting to the screen.
Ironheart originally wrapped production in 2022 with a lengthy post-production process hampered by both the writer’s strike and a creative overhaul with Marvel Television. None of this hinders the show’s overall quality, but it gives the impression that those in charge aren’t too invested. Much of the first episode reintroduces us to Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), the titular hero. Kicked out of MIT, Riri returns to her hometown of Chicago and struggles to reconnect with her family and the trauma she left behind. She soon teams up with enigmatic criminal The Hood (Anthony Ramos) to make ends meet. Things only get wilder from there.
While Ironheart suffers from the same pacing problems that plague many of these MCU TV series, it feels distinct thanks to the way it melds various genres together. There are elements from heist movies, supernatural horror, and family dramas all blended with the standard superhero fare. It’s an odd combo that the show pulls off with ease. The biggest thing holding the program back is how overstuffed it feels at times.
With only 6 sub-50 minute episodes and a cast of over a dozen, it’s nearly impossible for everyone to feel truly developed. The most glaring example is with The Hood’s crew, a group of “cool” criminals who are all defined by what they can do. There’s a knife guy, a hacker, and twins who are also the muscle. They have names, but that’s about it. Even Ramos’ Hood feels like little more than your standard Marvel villain. A guy doing evil things for nebulous reasons.
Where the show really excels is with Riri. Thorne is electric and helps sell even the show’s corniest moments. The relationship between Riri and her deceased best friend Natalie (Lyric Ross) provides the show with its heart and helps make our lead someone worth rooting for. A surprise turn from Alden Ehrenreich as a mysterious arms dealer also helps raise the emotional stakes. Ehrenreich is a fun addition, and his scenes with Thorne are the show at its absolute best.
Ultimately, Ironheart succeeds despite itself. There are too many characters and too much story for everything to land. When the show is hitting though, it brings to mind the best parts of the MCU. This series seems to be the last of the old Marvel Television model, judging by how quick they were to dump this onto Disney+. If that’s the case, at least they went out on a great note.
Ironheart is currently streaming on Disney+.