There has been no shortage of Marvel live-action comic book adaptations, both on the big screen and small screen, in recent years. Ranging from the Cinematic Universe to some of the other questionable franchise visions, like Inhumans and Iron Fist, the comic book giant has managed to dominate the entertainment industry for the last ten years. The newest kid on the block, Marvel’s Runaways, is a port of the beloved comic book series of the same name by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, but with a sparkling new twist. From the creators of popular teen dramas like The OC and Gossip Girl, the 10-episode super-heroic show, which was originally intended as a film, focuses on the everyday (and not so everyday) problems of being a teenager in the modern world of social media and parental angst. What’s more, unlike the comic book, the show’s creators have decided to delve a little deeper and focus on the parents’ side of the story too. Watch now »
What’s it about?
Imagine Stranger Things, The Breakfast Club, Gossip Girl and the X-Men all neatly rolled into a single show. That’s how the show’s creators, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, describe it. Unlike other Marvel TV shows that have focused solely on the titular superhero saving his or her city, Runaways, which has an 82% critics score and a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, promises to be something different by leaving the capes and masks behind. Instead, set in contemporary Los Angeles (posh neighbourhoods and beaches), it tells the coming-of-age story of ordinary teens (well, some of them are not so ordinary) who discover that their parents are baddies who are part of an Illuminati-like group that sacrifice humans. “Everyone thinks their parents are evil. What if yours really were?”
Runaways features a staggering cast of 16 series regulars, each with their own set of problems. The complex teens, however, take centre stage. Expect lots of sarcasm, emotions, romance, angst, awkward teen stuff and, of course, heroic behaviour. Alex (Rhenzy Feliz) is the highly intelligent leader of the group. Molly (Allegra Acosta) is an orphan who discovers that she has superhuman strength. Gert (Ariela Barer) is a sarcastic feminist who discovers that she has a telepathic link with her genetically engineered dinosaur named Old Lace. Karolina (Virginia Gardner) is a blissful church girl, which might only be a veil for her true identity. Chase (Gregg Sulkin) masquerades as a dumb jock but is actually a tech whiz. And, finally, Nico (Lyrica Okano) is the Wiccan goth of the group. The casting of the kids is spot-on and most of the characters look like their comic book counterparts.
Why you should watch it
The beauty of the show’s unique concept is that many teens probably already think of their parents as supervillains who enforce curfews and other tedious rules. However, for this set of teens, that’s not merely just a metaphor. Together, they face very dangerous situations that force them to rely on each other and create their own family-of-choice. Beyond that, they also have to deal with surviving high school and all the troubles it brings (this includes serious issues like substance abuse and date rape). Superhero heroics and high school drama have always existed in perfect harmony, both on screen and in the comic books, and it works really well here. After all, sometimes real life is scarier and more difficult than fighting giant mutant creatures from space. Sometimes the real villains are bullies, morally corrupt teachers, bad parents, and your ex-girlfriend.
Also, did I mention the show has a velociraptor? And the CGI delivers.
Natasha Collier tonight
Yeeesss
lol filling out those diversity quotas there like one would expect
They did the same shit with that awful power rangers film.
No Muslim Transgenders.. thought Marvel will get by the times.. its 2018 SMFH
Wow this comment in 2018 in my home country.
My home too, pal
The world is diverse *shocker* ??
Your comment makes no sense
Have you even read the comics? If you had you’d know that Marvel got it absolutely right. The comics were as you say “diverse” way before it was even a thing. If you don’t know what to say or if you only have half the information either sit down and shut up or educate yourself…
Pretty much spot on
I love how silly you look now :)
This is by far the best Marvel series made so far … nothing to do with quotas Tyrone … just watch it … absolutely phenomenal storyline
Best Marvel series made to date …
Tyrone clearly hasn’t read Runaways. Why do people feel the need to bring race into everything. Pretty amazing show, enjoyed every moment of it.
It’s a really good marvel series this I enjoyed it when it came out and found it much better than all the other marvel series and also have you read the comic their not trying to fill out any diversity quotas Tyrone their sticking true to the books also just watch it you will enjoy it just don’t expect anything really great from it if I had to rate it I probably say 7 out of ten
Most of the characters are highly annoying.
It’s so-so. I’ve read the original comics the show os based on and they’re way more likeable
Bruh I was so excited when I saw the series is coming out and immediately regretted watching the pilot
Yup. I watched the first 5 eps and gave up in disappointment. It can’t even touch the comics
I actually enjoyed the whole show, but the changes made were odd.
It felt like, in the last episode, the series actually started and they replaced magic with technology. That was unfortunate
Finished
Thought I’d give it a go a few nights ago, immediately binged the entire season.
Definitely Marvel’s best TV series.
Hannes Harvie
Eh. It was okay
I love it!
I’ve watched the whole series, when does the new series start?
Nothing has been confirmed yet. Should be towards the end of the year or early next year.
I loved these comic books so fucking much and then I watched this series and was so disappointed
yip….just cos the name MARVEL sells they they dont need to write better scripts and use better CGI….this looks like something that will air on SCI-FI channel
Kimbley Natalie Mahabeer
No we don’t – we don’t at all… show shoulda been called Stay At Homes
Come to think of it,.? they only ran away towards the end of the season.
I’ve seen season one… Better than most of the marvel series… It was for damn sure better than Inhumans… It’s a total mind blast
So far the best marvel series is Legion…
It was alright. The kids were quite annoying.
I really enjoy this show. Can’t wait to watch the rest of it.
The show has great overall potential but the ending lacked excitement or suspense. The ending was lame but fitting
Crap
It’s poo
I am Superman.