Ms Marvel, in my opinion, is one of the most important TV shows to be released in recent years.
Written by Niamh Brook / July 18, 2022
Now, don’t get me wrong, I can’t see any Emmys on the show’s horizon however the power and impact this show will have could arguably define a new era of storytelling. A coming of age story centred around a young Muslim woman who just so happens to be the latest hero in arguably one of the biggest franchises in the world. This show is a huge leap forward and, perhaps, is one of the most important to date.
Representation is one of TV and film’s most powerful tools, with many of us using them as a kay method of socialisation from an early age. We use TV and film to understand not only ourselves but those around us, however, when particular groups go underrepresented, the collective lack of knowledge can have a truly damaging effect. It’s so important to tell a multitude of stories, each through different lenses in order to both educate and empower audiences.
Ms Marvel, in particular the first two episodes, took my breath away in its whole-hearted acceptance of Kamala’s culture and religion. We see her at the mosque, washing her feet and praying, we see her and her friends celebrate Eid, we see an Islamic wedding and we feature a predominantly Muslim cast. It’s a show that radiates pride in Kamala’s life and is seemingly excited to share such a rich culture with the world.
As we all know the Marvel TV shows have been rocky at best and sadly aspects of Ms Marvel seemingly follow in this trend, with two wonderfully strong episodes opening the show then halts to a snails pace for two more episodes ending with a strong yet somewhat rushed finale. Had the show been a few episodes longer, these episodes would have worked wonderfully but with only 6 episodes to play with a flashback episode that reflects on important piece of history but ultimately slows the plot felt strange when so many unanswered questions were left to explain.
Kamala as a character is a wonderful addition to the MCU and I adore her geeky, fan girl tendencies. For the most part, feels like a real teenager rather than the cringe caricature I’ve grown accustomed from other shows. I was thrilled to see Kamala struggle (a strange sentence, I know). We see her learn to use her powers and make mistakes with no mary-sue tendencies in sight! She’s a refreshing take on the hero we’ve grown accustomed to and Iman Vellani completely stole the show with her charisma and charm.
Had Ms Marvel had more episodes and attention from marvel creatives, it could have easily been one of the best Marvel properties to date. However, with the show being released halfway through the most saturated marvel year and along side Obi-wan it seems fans have let the show under the radar.
Having not properly-liked a Marvel show since WandaVison (which I still believe is one of the greatest shows of all time), Ms Marvel has reinvigorated my interest in Marvel television, being a fun coming-of-age show with cool powers mixed in the fun. But with She-Hulk next up in the line up, I fear for my interest in Marvel TV will soon drastically plummet to the back of my mind.
STAR RATING
