The Main Issue With Each MCU Phase 4 Entry (So Far)
7. What If... ? - The Series Does Very Little With Its Intriguing Premise
The animated adaptation of the fabled comic storylines was highly anticipated due to its intriguing concept and possible implications for future stories. The notion of seeing beloved characters in unfamiliar settings or watching storylines unfold in an unexpected manner initially seemed like a slam dunk, but this was not the case.
The nine-episode storyline did little more than the bare minimum with the concept of the multiverse. While it was interesting to see the likes of Star-Lord T’Challa and the Watcher come to life, most of the series’ episodes (especially 3, 5 and 7) were lacking in clever writing or emotional impact.
In addition to this, the tonal balance in some of these episodes (the zombie episode in particular), repetitive plot beats took away (Killmonger's constant double-crossing) and bare-bones story (Captain Carter's tale resembling Steve's to a fault) served as unwanted distractions from the series' exploration of alternate realities.
To be fair, the series had shortened episodes (and was shorter overall by one episode) so it is possible that season 2 will rectify its predecessor’s issues and deliver more fleshed out stories by the time it is completed.