“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” premiered on Disney+ on March 19. According to an article on Marvel’s official website, it was the most watched series premiere in the history of Disney+. This seems to be very high praise since we’re talking about the same streaming service that
has enraptured fans with shows like “The Mandalorian’’ and “WandaVision.”
The six-episode series features the beloved characters of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes as they learn to cope in a post-Endgame world without Steve Rogers. Returning to their roles as Wilson and Barnes are Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan. Two other familiar faces join this cast; Daniel Brühl, as “Captain America: Civil War” antagonist Zemo and Emily VanCamp, as Sharon Carter. We got our first glimpse of Zemo in the second episode, but Carter has yet to make an appearance.
New characters in this series include Wyatt Russell as John Walker, the government-appointed Captain America; Clé Bennett as Lemar Hoskins, aka Battlestar, Adepero Oduye as Wilson’s sister, Sarah; and Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres.
The premise of this series is that Wilson has given up the shield, even after Rogers gave it to him with the intent that he would be the next Captain America. Wilson is struggling with his sister to keep the family business afloat (literally, in some aspects). And Barnes is struggling to cope with his past as the Winter Soldier while adjusting to modern life.
But if these issues weren’t enough, there is also an anarchist group, the Flag Smashers causing general chaos, who want to see Earth unified as one people. And, because of course it gets worse, the government has given the shield and the title of Captain America to Walker who, in the eyes of many fans, has yet to prove himself worthy of the honor.
What has made this series stand out to me thus far is how different it is from “Wanda- Vision.”
According to an article on the movie and TV news website, Screen Rant, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was actually supposed to premiere before “WandaVision,” but, because of the pandemic, Marvel had to switch some things around to get Phase Four started in a timely fashion.
While “WandaVision” was by no means frivolous, it was certainly much more lighthearted than “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and very different in general from much of Marvel’s other content.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” sees a return to the more classic, action-packed superhero style of content. It does make one wonder if these shows might have been received differently had they been released in the order Marvel originally intended. Another defining feature of this show is the commentary on relevant issues in America.
The first two episodes alone have already addressed racism, treatment of veterans and how worldwide catastrophes can affect people. Some eerie similarities can be seen be-tween the Blip and the current pandemic. No, we haven’t lost nearly as many people, but the economy has still been torn apart, millions displaced and we may never experience a full return to normal. Essentially, the same thing is happening in the MCU as a result of the Blip.
Then there’s the issue of how veterans are treated after they are released from service. We see Bucky, struggling to cope now that he’s lost essentially everything and receiving very little help. Maybe I’m being a bit hard on his therapist, but I really don’t think her tough love methods are working, and maybe some greater effort needs to be made in finding someone more specified to Bucky’s needs.
The racism that Sam has had to endure in both episodes has been hard to watch, but I know that that is the point. That is the world that so many people of color live in, and it’s about time we open our eyes to it. I really hope that we keep seeing these heavier themes, not just in this show, but in the rest of the MCU.
All in all, I would say this show is off to an excellent start. It’s a little hard to believe that we already have only four episodes left.
“WandaVision” certainly had its audience on the edge of their seats every Friday, and I hope that “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” becomes just as beloved.
Photo by Olivia Esselman
