Pop Culture Pick: Ms. Marvel

A new hero emerges. But can she succeed?

Image Credit: Disney+

Welcome to Pop Culture Pick, a catch-all for subjects I want to highlight outside of the usual weekly Weekend Watch columns. In this edition, I welcome Marvel’s newest hero. Follow James on Twitter: @jamwhite

Even with its well-established track record for entertaining movies, Marvel’s TV output has had a slightly less impressive hit ratio. And I’m not counting the mixed fortunes of the pre-MCU versions.

That said, many of the company’s Disney+ shows have been impressive – from the enchanting WandaVision to the fun Hawkeye. And even lesser efforts, such as the muddled The Falcon And The Winter Soldier have had their moments.

I’m relieved to report, then, that Ms. Marvel, the newest offering from Kevin Feige’s team is, in the first two episodes at least, firmly in the win column.

We’re introduced to Kamala Khan, a teenage Pakistani American living in Jersey City and possibly the biggest fan of the Avengers. She vlogs, she draws, she cosplays and, as noted by more than one person, she’s given to drifting off into flights of fantasy. Obsessed with the possibility of attending the first-ever AvengerCon, she also must deal with schoolwork, planning her future, and passing her driving test, the latter of which she fails hilariously in the show’s opening segment. Then there’s the family heirloom sent by her grandmother that blesses (and maybe curses) Kamala with powers she couldn’t have dreamed of. Which brings out one of the series’ central themes: if you’ve wanted to be a hero, how do you handle having the ability thrust upon you when you barely feel like you’ve got a handle on your hormones?

This series needed the right performer at its centre and in newcomer Iman Vellani, it found her. A huge Marvel fan herself, Vellani brings mountains of appeal to Kamala, making her feel real and relatable at every turn. She’s surely got a big future ahead of her, and it’s perhaps no coincidence that she’s already shot a role in a future MCU movie.

And it’s not just Vellani’s show. Matt Lintz makes a great foil as Kamala’s best friend Bruno, while Yasmeen Fletcher is likewise watchable as fellow friend Nakia, always ready to undercut cultural tensions. Zenobia Shroff and Mohan Kapur are note-perfect as Mr. and Mrs. Khan, more than simply the strict mother and easy-going dad.

Among the other smart moves – a common theme with the shows that work – was hiring people who truly connect to the material. Writer Bisha K. Ali, who was also on the Loki writing team – was the perfect person to guide Kamala Khan’s adventures, and to pair her with Sana Amanat, who co-created the character for Marvel Comics, was an inspired idea. Though there have been tweaks to Kamala’s powers, at her core, she’s still the loveable, empathetic character that fans enjoyed on the pages.

And then there are the directors. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who most recently made Bad Boys For Life are completely unleashed here. They crafted the first and final episodes, with the initial offering establishing the show’s tone, energy and artistic style. Pumping life and energy into every frame, the duo channels the Ms. Marvel comics to create a visual palette that pops off the screen, full of quirky uses of everyday signage to display, for example, Kamala’s text exchanges with friends.

Like stories such as Shang-Chi, this takes a culture and foregrounds it, yet never forgets to make the story universal at the same time as the specific elements give it true power. Here, Kamala’s upbringing adds plenty to her coming-of-age tale, yet most people will be able to relate to tricky teenage issues and having disagreements with their parents.

It’s always a question as to whether the Marvel shows will resist falling into some common traps of the genre – but even if we’re destined for a big villain showdown, I have a feeling Ms. Marvel will hold on to what works. And, for now, at least, it’s refreshing to have a show that, while it is steeped in Marvel lore, hasn’t felt the pressure to act as an advert for an upcoming movie (though given Vellani’s future in The Marvels, that may change down the road).

Skewing younger than some of the other Marvel series, it’s still a total delight and brings a fan-favourite character to screens with confidence and charisma.

The first episode of Ms. Marvel is on Disney+ now. New episodes will drop every Wednesday. I’ve seen the first two.