Major spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2.

Daredevil: Born Again has been one of my most anticipated Marvel projects since it was officially announced in May 2022. A lot has happened in the near-three-year period between said reveal and its release, though, including a creative overhaul of Born Again's story and the 2023 Hollywood strikes that had me wondering if my faith in it was misplaced.

I need not have worried. Based on its two-episode premiere, Daredevil: Born Again is an unflinching, worthy successor to Netflix's Daredevil TV show that honors what came before, and drives Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk's stories forward in unexpected ways.

The devil reincarnate

Season 4 of Daredevil in all but name, Born Again picks up where the fan-favorite Netflix series ended. Murdock (Charlie Cox), Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson's (Elden Henson) newly established law firm appears to be doing well, and the group continue to frequent their local haunt – Josie's Bar – after a long day of fighting for those in dire need of legal aid.

Seeing Cox, Woll, and Henson again was like being reunited with three of my best friends. Their chemistry is a large part of what made Daredevil such a compelling watch, so I was delighted to see that their camaraderie hasn't lost an ounce of its unmistakable magic.

The ease with which the trio slip back into their roles makes it all the more baffling that, until Born Again's creative troubles surfaced in October 2023, it was initially going to be a pseudo-sequel to, rather than a direct continuation of, Netflix's TV adaptation that didn't acknowledge Murdock's closest allies. This group, as well as the returning Wilson Fisk (the always-scene-commanding Vincent D'Onofrio), is the primary connective tissue between the Netflix show and its Disney+ follow-up. It's heartening, then, that Marvel brought Woll and Henson back into the fold, allowing for the resumption of their on-screen dynamics with Cox, and each other.

That makes what follows, which was first teased in Born Again's official trailer, all the more heart-breaking. A heart-pounding 10-minute segment, which includes a terrifically choreographed 'oner' sequence involving Daredevil and returning villain Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) that replicates Daredevil's expertly-crafted action set-pieces, such as the infamous hallway scenes, is as soul-crushing and incredibly violent as you'd expect.

Prior to its release, I worried that Page or Nelson weren't long for this world after leaked Born Again images had me fearing for the fate of one of these beloved characters. Nothing could prepare for me, though, for the emotionally blind-siding events that results in one of their deaths and, in the wake of such a tragedy, sees the other leave New York for pastures new. I've spent so much time with this trio across multiple Netflix shows, and now here in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), so it's not an exaggeration to say I was left feeling incredibly hollow over the dismantling of this tight-knit group.

Necessary as that tragic moment is to move Matt Murdock's story forward, it pains me that the trio's reunion is not only such a short-lived affair, but also that we'll never see them share the screen again.

I appreciate that Born Again represents a new era for The Devil of Hell's Kitchen – after all, he's officially part of the MCU now. His character evolution and the introduction of individuals who enter his orbit notwithstanding, though, I wish the series spent more time with Murdock, Page, and Nelson as a collective. It would have further helped to bridge the gap between one of the best Netflix shows and its sequel, and largely suppress how jarring some aspects of episode 1's first 15 minutes are from an editing perspective. I'm glad that Born Again's creators course-corrected to include Page and Nelson, and I enjoyed (if that's the right word) its unapologetically tear-jerking opening. However, even I'll admit that, compared to how the rest of episode 1 plays out, the scenes that comprise its prelude don't blend or flow naturally as they could.

Letting the devil out

Following that devastating curtain-raiser, episode 1 jumps ahead 12 months to reveal that Murdock has opened a new law firm with fellow attorney Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) and retired from the crimefighting life. He's also started dating Heather Glenn (Margarita Leveiva), a friend of McDuffie's and a therapist, so Murdock is slowly and positively moving on from the events of a year earlier.

Or so he thinks. Following his own traumatic experiences in Hawkeye and Echo (it's not imperative that you watch these shows and/or Daredevil before Born Again, but it helps if you do), Fisk is not only back in New York but running to become to its new mayor, with a campaign built on the promise of cracking down on the city's vigilante contingent – and it's a race the fearsome former crime lord who went by the name of Kingpin wins.

It's a triumph that inevitably puts Fisk on a collision course with Murdock – and Born Again doesn't make us wait for the first deliciously spine-tingling and suspenseful meeting between the pair since Daredevil's explosive season 3 finale. At Murdock's behest, the arch-rivals convene for a spur-of-the-moment get-together at a diner before election night. It's utterly absorbing to see these two sides of the same coin verbally and mentally spar in a cat-and-mouse game while their anger, plus their resentment for each other, simmers just beneath the surface. On this evidence, I suspect their grip on their new holier-than-thou facades won't last for long.

Different though their ideologies are, these broken men share similarities outside of their disdain for one another. That much is evident through the common ground they now share in wanting to clean up New York's crime-infested streets, but it's further highlighted by the personal struggles that they face. Individually, Murdock continues to be plagued by the loss of his best friends, while Fisk's marital problems with wife Vanessa (Ayelut Zurer) laces their now-fraught dynamic with an appetizing tension, and humanizes Fisk in a way that the Netflix show rarely did. The parallel journeys they embark on in an effort to bury their pasts, and to try and quell the internal conflict raging within, is the mutual cross they bear, too.

It's this stimulating character development that allows Born Again to cement itself as a narrative extension of its forebear, and empowers it to expand into new storytelling territory. One of my biggest fears with this Marvel Phase 5 project was that it would simply rehash character arcs and story beats from the Netflix show – and given the high regard that Daredevil is held in, that wouldn't have been out of the question. Color me relieved, then, that Born Again courageously drives Murdock and Fisk's singular and joint stories forward in a refreshing manner.

New blood

Born Again's supporting ensemble also adds an original flavor to proceedings that fleshes out the street-level corner of the MCU. James' McDuffie, Leveiva's Glenn, and Clark Johnson's private investigator Cherry challenge Murdock's deeply held black-and-white worldview with a zestfulness and toughness that suggests Murdock will have his hands full professionally and personally.

Where Fisk is concerned, the immediate stand-out is Michael Gandolfini's Daniel, an astute boot-licker who quickly ingratiates himself with Fisk to set up what I expect to become a lively surrogate father-son dynamic. The introduction of Genneya Walton's B.B. Urich, an investigative reporter and daughter of Ben Urich (you know, the journalist that Fisk murdered in Daredevil season 2), who wastes little time in questioning Fisk's motives, lays the foundations for a particularly tasty side story too.

There are parts of Born Again's two-episode debut that don't work as well as the newcomers who join Cox and D'Onofrio on the cast roster. At times, its visual effects and green-screen application is incredibly janky and noticeable, while the overuse of Zack Snyder-style slow-mo shots is largely immaterial to the feeling that certain scenes try to evoke.

I also found some of the camerawork to be off-putting, not least in Born Again's attempts to take a page out of The Bear's playbook with its creative exterior shots. I can see the appeal of – cliched as this is to say – trying to make New York itself a character in the show but, unlike the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Hulu show, it feels redundant here. That said, I enjoyed the old-school filming techniques employed for B.B. Urich's on-the-ground reporting, which actually serves a storytelling purpose.

My verdict

"I like to think I… we have evolved", Nelson says to Murdock and Page just minutes into Daredevil: Born Again's first episode, and I feel like there isn't a more apt description for Marvel Studios' latest small-screen endeavor.

It's more evolution than revolution but, some niggles aside, Born Again is an absolutely terrific continuation of Netflix's adaptation that, much like its eponymous hero, dares to be brave and is handsomely rewarded for it. It walks the fine line between familiarity (its grounded nature and high-stakes storytelling) and innovation (propelling its character-led, drama-filled narrative forward and seamless MCU integration), with an aplomb that few show revivals have managed.

If its first two chapters are anything to go by, and if the seven that follow are as good or even better, Daredevil: Born Again won't just be one of the best Disney+ shows ever created, but also an all-time Marvel Hall of Famer.

Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2 are out now. New episodes release weekly (NB: episodes 5 and 6 will be simultaneously released on March 25 (US) and March 26 (UK and Australia)).

Every generation has what they'd consider to be the definitive Spider-Man animated series. From the 60s original and 90s-era Spider-Man to more recent fare like 2008-09's The Spectacular Spider-Man and the ongoing series Spidey and his Amazing Friends, few superheroes have starred in as many animated projects as Marvel's iconic web-slinger.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (YFNSM) is the latest contender for the wallcrawler's best TV show crown. As a big Spidey fan, the first of six Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV shows that'll arrive on Disney Plus in 2025 was always going to interest me, regardless of how good or bad it was. Marvel Studios' first animated Spider-Man offering, though, is far better than I expected it to be. It's not as spectacular as last year's universally adored X-Men 97 – and there's one major reason why, which I've dedicated an entire portion of this review to. Nevertheless, it's a largely pleasing reimagining of the legendary superhero's origin story, vast cast of supporting characters, and unmistakable corner of the Marvel universe that most Spider-Man fans will enjoy.

With great power...

Story-wise, you know the drill by now: nerdy high-schooler Peter Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider, develops superpowers, and vows to protect New York City from criminals (superhuman or otherwise) while dealing with the trials and tribulations of being a teen.

YFNSM, though, puts a somewhat unique spin on Spider-Man's creation. This iteration of Peter Parker (Hudson Thames) gets bitten by an irradiated arachnid that appears to hail from another dimension. Indeed, it arrives in this universe – i.e. one of the MCU's many parallel timelines – via a sling ring portal made by Doctor Strange as he battles a Shathra-inspired symbiote (just two of an immeasurable amount of Marvel cameos and references in this show, FYI). The 'spider from another reality' plot device isn't dissimilar to Miles Morales' superhero origins in Sony's Spider-Verse movies. YFNSM doesn't copy that film series' take on Spider-Man's inception but, spoilers notwithstanding, we don't learn about the spider's origins until the season finale. Even then, it's a semi-original plot twist that some viewers might work out ahead of time.

YFNSM's setting is vital for the other changes woven into its fabric. It was originally designed as a story that was canon in the MCU, and there are many signs that confirm this. Whether it's the subtle shades of Tom Holland's MCU-based web-slinger in Thames' take on Peter and his superhero alias, or sections of episode 9's climatic fight that mirror the final, fraught set-piece in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, YFNSM was clearly intended to be a Spider-Man: Homecoming prequel show.

For reasons outlined by Marvel's Head of TV and Streaming Brad Winderbaum, though, the decision to reshape it into an MCU-adjacent project means it's not beholden to the journey that Holland's Spidey has gone on so far. And, honestly, it's all the better for it. Unshackled by the MCU's often weighty history, YFNSM has the creative and narrative freedom to simultaneously pay homage to the silver age of Spider-Man comics, and reinvent the stories and characters that defined his early crimefighting years.

Take the remodeled dynamic between Peter and one of his most iconic villains Norman Osborn (the excellent Colman Domingo), for example.

Just as Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark/Iron Man was to Holland's wallcrawler in the MCU, YFNSM positions Osborn as a role model for Peter to look up to and develop a compelling surrogate father relationship with. Heck, Peter and Norman's initial meeting is a near-perfect recreation of Holland's Peter's MCU introduction in Captain America: Civil War, which is another indicator that YFNSM was originally designed as an MCU TV show.

But back to Peter and Norman. Their dynamic not only becomes a central component of season 1's primary plot but also keeps you guessing about the seemingly duplicitous Osborn's true intentions. Is he using Peter to achieve his own goals, or does he actually want to mentor him? It's a question I constantly asked throughout this season and one I still struggled to fully answer as episode 10's end credits rolled. Nonetheless, it's a mentor-mentee relationship that I'm excited to see more of in YFNSM's already confirmed second and third seasons.

Creative deviations like this help to differentiate YFNSM from other Spider-Man animated shows. Before my fellow webheads start frothing at the mouth, though, I'm happy to report that it doesn't neglect the core essence of what makes Peter Parker such a relatable character.

Indeed, the hallmarks of what makes a great Spider-Man story are not only here, but gratifyingly placed front and center of YFNSM's core narrative and various subplots. This universe's Peter is as wracked by self-doubt, guilt, and internal pressure as other iterations of the character have been, so Spider-Man devotees can rest easy that YFNSM retains the heart and soul of what makes its eponymous hero one of Marvel's most popular and enduring individuals.

There's an abundance of teen-based melodrama where the series' supporting cast is concerned, too. Like X-Men 97, there's a real soap opera vibe to YFNSM, whose storylines play out across multiple episodes. It also tackles as many hard-hitting topics as its animated sibling and, surprisingly, even takes a page out of X-Men 97's playbook with the thematically dark places it occasionally goes to. Episode 7 is a particularly sinister chapter that suggests YFNSM isn't as family-friendly as it initially looks.

That said, YFNSM doesn't lose sight of being fun. Sure, some of its humor comes across as corny, but that's in keeping with Spidey's eye-rolling and/or smile-raising quips, and Peter's socially awkward demeanor, from the comics. Thames has a great time bringing both aspects to life, too; YFNSM's star imbues his take on Peter and his superpowered alter-ego with a charm and likeability that's not unlike Holland's.

If there's one area of plot-based improvement the Disney Plus show needs to make moving forward, it's exploring the various character dynamics in more detail. Season 1 spends too much time bouncing Peter off of a few too many characters, which doesn't leave room to examine his closest relationships. Indeed, it sacrifices its exploration of these dynamics to give equal billing to a Lonnie Lincoln (Eugene Byrd) led narrative. While it was important to season 1's overarching plot, it could've been trimmed down to accommodate, say, the gratifying odd-couple friendship between Peter and Nico Minoru (Grace Song).

Animation angst

But now to address the elephant in the room: YFNSM's animation style. Responding to fierce fan criticism about its 3D cel-shaded approach, showrunner Jeff Trammell exclusively told me "I love our look – I think it grows on you" but, having watched the entire first season, that's something I can't fully agree with.

Before I get into that, I do want to say its delightfully retro art style, which is heavily inspired by legendary Marvel illustrators Steve Ditko and John Romita Jr, looks fantastic. It really makes certain scenes pop with its bright color palette, ink pen-based shadow gradient, clever use of comic paneling, and the iconic 'Kirby krackle' to evoke the feeling of a "moving comic book", as Trammell has previously claimed. The addition of comic book-style covers that make each episode feel like the next edition of a comic series, plus an ever-evolving intro sequence, are equally wonderful.

Try as I might, though I couldn't get over YFNSM's jarring animation. There's a sluggishness and clunkiness to character movements, such as lip-syncing the dialog to their mouths, that makes it feel like keyframes are missing or weren't factored into the animation process. A perfect example of how ungainly it can be is during a gang-based fight sequence in episode 5. Characters throw punches or duck and dive in such janky fashion that it distracts from what should be an entertaining and high-stakes set piece.

There are times when the animation feels fluid, especially in later episodes when more polish has been applied, but such instances are few and far between. The sad reality is that YFNSM just isn't visually appealing from an animation standpoint. Sony's Spider-Verse movies, including the series' most recent entry Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (one of the best Spider-Man movies, in my view), did an immeasurably better job of creating a "moving comic book" animation style with real panache and verve.

It's not the only issue I had with YFNSM's aesthetic. By design or not, a higher-than-expected number of scenes and sequences feel devoid of life. Whether that's down to static background characters or, in the worst cases, empty backdrops, YFNSM regularly feels uninhabited. Considering it's set in the bustling metropolis that is New York, there's no excuse for its depiction as a periodically abandoned cityscape.

As much as I praised the use of comic book page paneling to help tell the story, it's used less and less as season 1 progresses. Early episodes indicate it'll be a key creative component of the series but, bizarrely, YFNSM adopts an increasingly frugal approach to what could've been one of the show's artistic lynchpins.

My verdict

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a fun-filled, bold, and occasionally menacing reimagining that honors the superhero's 60-years-and-counting legacy. It riffs on classic and more recent moments from all corners of the superhero's multimedia library in a largely satisfying manner. However, I suspect some Spider-Man purists will be irked by what they consider unnecessary creative deviations from his source material.

If YFNSM's animation style wasn't such an eyesore, I would've rated it more highly than I did and, despite my other minor quibbles, strongly argued its case for a spot on our best Disney Plus shows list. I'd still recommend it as a pretty amazing series but, given the problems I've outlined, it's not as spectacular as it could've been.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's first two episodes are out today (January 29). Episodes 3 to 5 arrive on February 5, episodes 6 to 8 air on February 12, and episodes 9 and 10 launch on February 19.

Every generation has what they'd consider to be the definitive Spider-Man animated series. From the 60s original and 90s-era Spider-Man to more recent fare like 2008-09's The Spectacular Spider-Man and the ongoing series Spidey and his Amazing Friends, few superheroes have starred in as many animated projects as Marvel's iconic web-slinger.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (YFNSM) is the latest contender for the wallcrawler's best TV show crown. As a big Spidey fan, the first of six Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV shows that'll arrive on Disney Plus in 2025 was always going to interest me, regardless of how good or bad it was. Marvel Studios' first animated Spider-Man offering, though, is far better than I expected it to be. It's not as spectacular as last year's universally adored X-Men 97 – and there's one major reason why, which I've dedicated an entire portion of this review to. Nevertheless, it's a largely pleasing reimagining of the legendary superhero's origin story, vast cast of supporting characters, and unmistakable corner of the Marvel universe that most Spider-Man fans will enjoy.

With great power...

Story-wise, you know the drill by now: nerdy high-schooler Peter Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider, develops superpowers, and vows to protect New York City from criminals (superhuman or otherwise) while dealing with the trials and tribulations of being a teen.

YFNSM, though, puts a somewhat unique spin on Spider-Man's creation. This iteration of Peter Parker (Hudson Thames) gets bitten by an irradiated arachnid that appears to hail from another dimension. Indeed, it arrives in this universe – i.e. one of the MCU's many parallel timelines – via a sling ring portal made by Doctor Strange as he battles a Shathra-inspired symbiote (just two of an immeasurable amount of Marvel cameos and references in this show, FYI). The 'spider from another reality' plot device isn't dissimilar to Miles Morales' superhero origins in Sony's Spider-Verse movies. YFNSM doesn't copy that film series' take on Spider-Man's inception but, spoilers notwithstanding, we don't learn about the spider's origins until the season finale. Even then, it's a semi-original plot twist that some viewers might work out ahead of time.

YFNSM's setting is vital for the other changes woven into its fabric. It was originally designed as a story that was canon in the MCU, and there are many signs that confirm this. Whether it's the subtle shades of Tom Holland's MCU-based web-slinger in Thames' take on Peter and his superhero alias, or sections of episode 9's climatic fight that mirror the final, fraught set-piece in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, YFNSM was clearly intended to be a Spider-Man: Homecoming prequel show.

For reasons outlined by Marvel's Head of TV and Streaming Brad Winderbaum, though, the decision to reshape it into an MCU-adjacent project means it's not beholden to the journey that Holland's Spidey has gone on so far. And, honestly, it's all the better for it. Unshackled by the MCU's often weighty history, YFNSM has the creative and narrative freedom to simultaneously pay homage to the silver age of Spider-Man comics, and reinvent the stories and characters that defined his early crimefighting years.

Take the remodeled dynamic between Peter and one of his most iconic villains Norman Osborn (the excellent Colman Domingo), for example.

Just as Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark/Iron Man was to Holland's wallcrawler in the MCU, YFNSM positions Osborn as a role model for Peter to look up to and develop a compelling surrogate father relationship with. Heck, Peter and Norman's initial meeting is a near-perfect recreation of Holland's Peter's MCU introduction in Captain America: Civil War, which is another indicator that YFNSM was originally designed as an MCU TV show.

But back to Peter and Norman. Their dynamic not only becomes a central component of season 1's primary plot but also keeps you guessing about the seemingly duplicitous Osborn's true intentions. Is he using Peter to achieve his own goals, or does he actually want to mentor him? It's a question I constantly asked throughout this season and one I still struggled to fully answer as episode 10's end credits rolled. Nonetheless, it's a mentor-mentee relationship that I'm excited to see more of in YFNSM's already confirmed second and third seasons.

Creative deviations like this help to differentiate YFNSM from other Spider-Man animated shows. Before my fellow webheads start frothing at the mouth, though, I'm happy to report that it doesn't neglect the core essence of what makes Peter Parker such a relatable character.

Indeed, the hallmarks of what makes a great Spider-Man story are not only here, but gratifyingly placed front and center of YFNSM's core narrative and various subplots. This universe's Peter is as wracked by self-doubt, guilt, and internal pressure as other iterations of the character have been, so Spider-Man devotees can rest easy that YFNSM retains the heart and soul of what makes its eponymous hero one of Marvel's most popular and enduring individuals.

There's an abundance of teen-based melodrama where the series' supporting cast is concerned, too. Like X-Men 97, there's a real soap opera vibe to YFNSM, whose storylines play out across multiple episodes. It also tackles as many hard-hitting topics as its animated sibling and, surprisingly, even takes a page out of X-Men 97's playbook with the thematically dark places it occasionally goes to. Episode 7 is a particularly sinister chapter that suggests YFNSM isn't as family-friendly as it initially looks.

That said, YFNSM doesn't lose sight of being fun. Sure, some of its humor comes across as corny, but that's in keeping with Spidey's eye-rolling and/or smile-raising quips, and Peter's socially awkward demeanor, from the comics. Thames has a great time bringing both aspects to life, too; YFNSM's star imbues his take on Peter and his superpowered alter-ego with a charm and likeability that's not unlike Holland's.

If there's one area of plot-based improvement the Disney Plus show needs to make moving forward, it's exploring the various character dynamics in more detail. Season 1 spends too much time bouncing Peter off of a few too many characters, which doesn't leave room to examine his closest relationships. Indeed, it sacrifices its exploration of these dynamics to give equal billing to a Lonnie Lincoln (Eugene Byrd) led narrative. While it was important to season 1's overarching plot, it could've been trimmed down to accommodate, say, the gratifying odd-couple friendship between Peter and Nico Minoru (Grace Song).

Animation angst

But now to address the elephant in the room: YFNSM's animation style. Responding to fierce fan criticism about its 3D cel-shaded approach, showrunner Jeff Trammell exclusively told me "I love our look – I think it grows on you" but, having watched the entire first season, that's something I can't fully agree with.

Before I get into that, I do want to say its delightfully retro art style, which is heavily inspired by legendary Marvel illustrators Steve Ditko and John Romita Jr, looks fantastic. It really makes certain scenes pop with its bright color palette, ink pen-based shadow gradient, clever use of comic paneling, and the iconic 'Kirby krackle' to evoke the feeling of a "moving comic book", as Trammell has previously claimed. The addition of comic book-style covers that make each episode feel like the next edition of a comic series, plus an ever-evolving intro sequence, are equally wonderful.

Try as I might, though I couldn't get over YFNSM's jarring animation. There's a sluggishness and clunkiness to character movements, such as lip-syncing the dialog to their mouths, that makes it feel like keyframes are missing or weren't factored into the animation process. A perfect example of how ungainly it can be is during a gang-based fight sequence in episode 5. Characters throw punches or duck and dive in such janky fashion that it distracts from what should be an entertaining and high-stakes set piece.

There are times when the animation feels fluid, especially in later episodes when more polish has been applied, but such instances are few and far between. The sad reality is that YFNSM just isn't visually appealing from an animation standpoint. Sony's Spider-Verse movies, including the series' most recent entry Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (one of the best Spider-Man movies, in my view), did an immeasurably better job of creating a "moving comic book" animation style with real panache and verve.

It's not the only issue I had with YFNSM's aesthetic. By design or not, a higher-than-expected number of scenes and sequences feel devoid of life. Whether that's down to static background characters or, in the worst cases, empty backdrops, YFNSM regularly feels uninhabited. Considering it's set in the bustling metropolis that is New York, there's no excuse for its depiction as a periodically abandoned cityscape.

As much as I praised the use of comic book page paneling to help tell the story, it's used less and less as season 1 progresses. Early episodes indicate it'll be a key creative component of the series but, bizarrely, YFNSM adopts an increasingly frugal approach to what could've been one of the show's artistic lynchpins.

My verdict

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a fun-filled, bold, and occasionally menacing reimagining that honors the superhero's 60-years-and-counting legacy. It riffs on classic and more recent moments from all corners of the superhero's multimedia library in a largely satisfying manner. However, I suspect some Spider-Man purists will be irked by what they consider unnecessary creative deviations from his source material.

If YFNSM's animation style wasn't such an eyesore, I would've rated it more highly than I did and, despite my other minor quibbles, strongly argued its case for a spot on our best Disney Plus shows list. I'd still recommend it as a pretty amazing series but, given the problems I've outlined, it's not as spectacular as it could've been.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's first two episodes are out today (January 29). Episodes 3 to 5 arrive on February 5, episodes 6 to 8 air on February 12, and episodes 9 and 10 launch on February 19.