What If...? Season 2's Rotten Tomatoes Score Set A 2023 Marvel Record - But Does It Matter?
Following a turbulent year for Marvel's film and television projects, the studio got the Christmas present it's been hoping for with Season 2 of "What If?..." The animated anthology, which sees alternate timelines of major Marvel Cinematic Universe events play out within the multiverse, is one of the few Marvel shows to receive a second season following its Disney+ debut in 2021. And the wait seemed to be more than worth it for viewers.
"What If?..." Season 2 sports a hearty 92% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 83% audience rating. These numbers are pretty significant for Marvel this year, as the studio has not had it easy with critics as of late. While "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" and "Loki" Season 2 were well-received with an 82% Tomatometer each, other projects such as "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania"' (46%), "The Marvels" (61%), and "Secret Invasion" (53%), fared far worse. The latter series' finale, "Home," hit new lows for the MCU with its 7% score.
Thankfully, "What If?..." Season 2 has achieved the very opposite, becoming the MCU's highest-rated project of the year. Daily Beast critic Nick Schager praised the show for diverting from the hefty interconnected storytelling that has turned some viewers away from recent MCU entries, stating, "Witty repartee, swift and concussive super-combat, and inventive scenarios are this MCU spin-off's strengths, at its most confident and engaging when liberated from obligations to devise, and develop, its own intricate intertwined mythology." However, such an approach is not the only thing Marvel can learn from the critical success of "What If?..."
Should Marvel go more into animation?
Fans having to catch up with the slew of movies and television shows in Marvel's Phase 4 and 5 installments are less invested than ever, which hasn't been helped by the franchise doing little to challenge its storytelling, character, and tonal beats. However, "What If...?" Season 2 proved to be an exception to the rule, taking a more breezy approach to its narrative that doesn't require as extensive a viewing backlog.
But potentially even more significant than how "What If?..." is told is how it's presented. As the MCU's first animated project, the show introduced a new visual flair to the franchise, with Season 2's animation considered an improvement over its predecessor. Future MCU films and shows could greatly benefit from this, as each new entry can experiment with styles and ideas that complement their respective stories.
If you need any proof of its effectiveness, look no further than Sony's animated "Spider-Verse" films. The dynamic style present in both 2018's "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and 2023's "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" elevated what could be achieved in a comic book movie, helping them achieve critical acclaim and set new industry standards. Perhaps even more notably, the artistry of the "Spider-Verse" saga has gotten butts in seats. "Across the Spider-Verse" earned over $690 million at the box office and even beat "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" as the year's third-highest-grossing domestic title.
As audiences turn away from conventionally presented blockbusters of the past, the MCU needs a drastic change to win audiences back. But with the limitless possibilities presented by animated projects such as "What If?..." and the upcoming "X-Men '97," the franchise has the potential to stand out from the crowd yet again.