Loki

Season 1 - 8/10 Season 2 - 9/10

Below is my review for season 2

Wow. Seriously wow. I know everyone seems to have some sort of an opinion on the MCU now, but when it boils down to it, they’re a production company,  just because a number of projects have been bad, it doesn’t represent what each project will be like. Putting your project in the hands of competent creatives who care about what they’re making and have a vision for the project is the most important element and it’s something that I felt emanating out of every episode this season.

As a massive sci-fi fan, I really wasn’t expecting this season to become one of favourite pieces of sci-fi media, but here we are. The lengths this show goes to with playing around with time was so fun. At the end of each episode I felt myself theorising where the show would go, and was shocked when the next episode went in a completely unexpected direction. 

Really, if anything, this season is a testament to creatives caring about the project they’re working on. The writing this season by Eric Martin was some of (if not) the best in the MCU. The way they managed to simultaneously wrap up a 14 year arc in a satisfying way not only in the context of this show but the character at large, and also provide a satisfying conclusion to the show without the context of the larger MCU was so impressive.

The direction of the show was unlike anything I’ve seen in the MCU. Focusing on practicality and grounded filmmaking despite the larger than life story they’re dealing with, was so refreshing for sci-fi, it reminds me of sci-fi made in old Hollywood. Honestly from the first episode I was in love with the visual style of the show, the camera operation in particular was so beautiful. The slow takes, long zooms and handheld feeling gave the show so much character, alongside the beautiful production design and vintage feeling of both the sets and cinematography used.

One of the biggest reasons this show worked as well as it did was Tom Hiddleston. My lord, perhaps the best performance in the MCU. He’s up there with the best of the best. You feel his character going on a journey in each instalment you get with Loki but I really did love the work he did here. Having to overcome such a massive time obstacles but also learning and gaining a deeper understanding of who he is and learning the value of people around him. It makes the ending all the more tragic and really all the more satisfying for people who’ve been on this journey with him.

Really could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this season, inclusion of Ke Huy Quan, the insane achievement of Natalie Holt making the most flexible score in MCU history and making it feel like it’s own project and just the direction of the season. Feels like a fitting ending, after so long he found his glorious purpose