Words by Ashley Thieme 

Production of the mini-series has increased in the last few years, with lockdowns forcing people to stay home, cuddle up, and put the telly on. MarvelÔÇÖs new partnership with Disney+ during phase four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has seen them release six mini-series from 2021 up to now, with two more series, Loki and What ifÔǪ?, getting second seasons coming in 2023. 

WandaVision was the first series that got everybody talking on socials; even if you were not an avid watcher of every Marvel movie, you had to watch it. Weekly episodes meant that fans felt like they were always getting content. The excitement and buzz surrounding each episode took Twitter and TikTok by storm as fan theories swirled the internet. The variation in theme from episode to episode inspired by the sitcoms of different eras, in conjunction with the easter eggs left for fans, meant that it felt like more of a game, so WandaVision would not have worked as a film. The series was used as a stepping stone to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, bringing background to the villain of the story, and in this respect, WandaVision succeeded in what it was supposed to do. 

Marvel then gifted fans with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This show admittedly could have been a film, but it gave fans what they wanted ÔÇô the new Captain America. This mini-series has set up for a fourth movie in the Captain America franchise, keeping fans engaged when they couldnÔÇÖt get to cinemas, although there is a wait for the movie. So with that in mind, I really loved this mini-series as we saw the growth of a relationship between Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson (now Captain America) that fans had been waiting for. 

The Hawkeye mini-series acted as an opportunity for the baton to be handed over to a younger generation, bringing in Hailey Steinfeld as Hawkeye and a cameo from Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova. This mini-series was action-packed and seasonal with a festive touch but could have worked as a film too. At this point, Marvel knows that the fans love the weekly structure of episodes and are using that to their advantage. It is also indicative of the fact that the symbiotic relationship they have with Disney+ benefits both parties, with a new audience of Marvel fans subscribing to a monthly payment for Disney+. 

Moving into 2022, Moon Knight was the last mini-series that felt like it was achieving something. It didnÔÇÖt feel forced, and the production was unique, giving the audience background to Egyptian mythology as new characters were introduced. ItÔÇÖs past this point that it becomes clear; the mini-series is a money spinner. Ms. Marvel was aimed at a younger audience, and aside from the great representation it provided, it felt cringy primarily in comparison to the mini-series they had put out thus far. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law brought along other concerns. Many people gave up at this point, I know I did. The CGI in the mini-series was not great. When you think Marvel, you think high budget, and this was not that, which really doesnÔÇÖt work when youÔÇÖre expecting to get more shows like WandaVision. They wanted She-Hulk to be the girl bossÔÇÖ superhero, but they didnÔÇÖt hit the mark. It felt entirely forced. While initially, the mini-series put out by Marvel was exciting, She-Hulk didnÔÇÖt receive that reaction. Instead, the mini-series from Marvel feels tired.

The mini-series could be a calculated move from Marvel as TikTok takes over peopleÔÇÖs phone screens and attention spans decrease, leading to an audience that gets bored after 60 seconds. The weekly output of episodes surely combats that idea, as it seems so much easier to binge-watch an entire mini-series than it is to sit and watch a two-hour movie, much like scrolling through TikTok for hours on end.┬á