The Runaways (Marvel/Hulu)

[Christopher]

I gather that they released the first three episodes this week and will be releasing one per week thereafter. Does anyone know, will the episodes stay up, so that one can sign up with Hulu for a free trial and binge them all at the end, or will they stop being available after a certain period?

 

[Guy Gardener]

It will stay up as long as people keep watching.

It may fail horribly, and vanish immediately, but that is unlikely.

 

[Venardhi]

I gather that they released the first three episodes this week and will be releasing one per week thereafter. Does anyone know, will the episodes stay up, so that one can sign up with Hulu for a free trial and binge them all at the end, or will they stop being available after a certain period?

Their other originals have become part of the standard catalogue. I don't expect that will change.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Well, this had to take a backseat while I caught up on Punisher, Crisis on Earth X, and Agents of Shield, but I finally had a chance to catch the first two episodes.

They did take some liberties with the story, but the spirit of it is there and all the characters are instantly recognizable in both personality and character.

Can't wait to watch episode 3 and 4.

 

[Reverend]

I'm enjoying it so far, though it does feel as if they're dragging their feet before the whole thing where they actually run away.

That said, in the comics it felt a little too sudden, so perhaps they want to set the pieces before flipping the board. I do dig the whole "living with the enemy" vibe, so it's working OK so far.

 

[kitik]

I've made it through the first 4 episodes over the past week or so, and let me just say that I LOVE THIS SHOW!!

Still have some catching up to do obviously, but I love the music, I love the visuals, I love the setting, I love the setup of the parents, and the characterizations and plot are both coming along great!

And let me just add one more time: I LOVE some of the music selections! Moody and perfect.

Hell, even the changes made from the comic seem to have had an extremely positive impact on the show.

 

[gblews]

I started watching this show on my daughter's recommendation. I knew nothing about the story and had never read the comic. In an age where shows produced by streaming services look like movies, this show looks like a television show. The acting, so far, is CW level (except for James Marsters, who I just realized is playing Victor).

But it is an intriguing story so far and I'm sticking with it. The dinosaur seems really random, but I'm sure that's due to my ignorance of the subject matter.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I've been meaning to post my thoughts about this, but keep forgetting. Six episodes in, and I'm still really enjoying it. It is both a very faithful adaptation of the source material, and yet isn't slavish to it.

One of the changes in Molly, other than her age, is that her parents were killed when she was very young under mysterious circumstances. She was adopted by Gert's parents and the two were raised as sisters. Not only does this declutter the already big cast, it lends a little more mystery to the source of Molly's powers. Obviously, Molly Isn't a mutant in the show, so that brings up a lot of questions as to the source of her powers. I have a feeling that Gert's parents know the answers to those questions, as they seem to also know what happened to Molly's parents.

Instead of Chase being a dumb jock who uses tech created by his father, they made him a smart jock who creates his own tech. Somehow, I find this to be a more interesting variation on the character.

Gert's parents aren't time travelers, and Karolina's parents aren't aliens, and the Staff of One seems to be simply advanced science (which, of course, is what magic is supposed to be in the MCU.)

But, despite the changes, the show looks and feels like The Runaway should feel, and all the characters are true to who they're supposed to be.

I just wonder when they are going to, you know, run away? I have a suspicion that they're not going to actually run away until the end of the first season. If I recall correctly, that would have the first season more or less adapting the first 6 issue arc.

Interestingly, there has not been a single reference to the larger MCU whatsoever. This show could just as easily exist in its own universe and no one would be the wiser.

 

[kitik]

All caught up. Love the show, and it's really developing at a wonderfully pleasant pace. No need to rush to any sort of conclusion, but it certainly doesn't plod along either. Every little scene feels worthwhile.

I'm liking the appearance from Doctor Doom. He's playing his role well.

Interestingly, there has not been a single reference to the larger MCU whatsoever. This show could just as easily exist in its own universe and no one would be the wiser.

Until they arrived at the gala.

But yeah, I've noticed that too. And boy, the show isn't the lesser for it at all, is it? Injecting any of the larger MCU into it would almost ruin the perfect little world they've built for themselves.

 

[Reverend]

But it is an intriguing story so far and I'm sticking with it. The dinosaur seems really random, but I'm sure that's due to my ignorance of the subject matter.

Yeah, it's kind of random in the comics too but makes at least a little more sense since Gert's parents are actual time travellers, not stoner biologists.

Indeed while they're certainly being faithful in a lot of ways, the whole tone of the comics is a little different. While on the show the parents are portrayed as being ambitions and corrupt people that got themselves tangled up in some weird cult, in the comics they're much more straight-up supervillains and "The Pride" is their cartel that basically rules the criminal underworld in LA and credited for being the reason why all the other supervillains (and by extension, the super heroes) stick mostly to the east coast. They don't tolerate competitors on their turf.

 

[kirk55555]

But yeah, I've noticed that too. And boy, the show isn't the lesser for it at all, is it? Injecting any of the larger MCU into it would almost ruin the perfect little world they've built for themselves.

I think its more likely that Runaways would hurt the MCU by appearing in it. Better to keep the tween crap self contained. Its already ruined probably the only adaptation of the great Runaways comic, no reason to stink up the MCU as well. Plus, this way the Staff of One gets to stay a magic staff in the MCU, which isn't much but its a bit of a silver lining. Maybe in a decade they can introduce the real Runaways to the MCU, complete with young, mutant Molly and the actual comic version of The Pride.

 

[Turtletrekker]

@kitik -- there was a reference to the MCU at the gala? I must have missed it. What was it?

 

[FPAlpha]

Read the comics when they were initially released and really liked them though i doubt the show would go full on comic book source material as that would be too strange for TV

I like the slow approach, showing the kids slowly discovering their powers bit by bit instead of cramming it all in in the pilot and then have them run away.

I've been meaning to post my thoughts about this, but keep forgetting. Six episodes in, and I'm still really enjoying it. It is both a very faithful adaptation of the source material, and yet isn't slavish to it.

One of the changes in Molly, other than her age, is that her parents were killed when she was very young under mysterious circumstances. She was adopted by Gert's parents and the two were raised as sisters. Not only does this declutter the already big cast, it lends a little more mystery to the source of Molly's powers. Obviously, Molly Isn't a mutant in the show, so that brings up a lot of questions as to the source of her powers. I have a feeling that Gert's parents know the answers to those questions, as they seem to also know what happened to Molly's parents.

Notice the flashback scenes in the 6th episode with the Pride gathering for the first time, there was a second african american couple that hasn't appeared yet in the show so my guess is that they got killed off somehow and for some reason and that their kid is Molly.

Also a Spoiler for one character based on the comics:

Spoiler

Alex, in the comics, is a traitor and working with the Pride/his parents and i think when they tried to break into the office last episode and Alex miraculously "guessed" the correct passwort it may be a hint to his ultimate reveal because you just can't guess a password on the first try so he had to have it and most likely it was given to him for exactly this reason.

 

[kitik]

This week's was an intense episode. The secrets are coming out, and the players are positioning themselves for the showdown.

Shocking ending, but I have to admit that I'm loving all the attention this show has been giving to the parents.

there was a reference to the MCU at the gala? I must have missed it. What was it?

Not the gala itself, but when their arrival was announced by a familiar looking driver. The Watcher-wannabe was the first real Marvel reminder on the show.

You know what, after typing out this brief post, I just realized: The Pride are totally in contention for "best Marvel villains". Certainly helped by the huge amount of screentime they've received, but they've really been great.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Finally! Old Lace in action!

 

[Turtletrekker]

Only one episode to go! Everyone is geared up and everything is set up for the big finale next week vs the 'rents.

Another deep hole? Am I the only one who thought that the truck wouldn't hit the bottom until next episode?

I love the bit where Alex that they should call themselves The Runaways in honor of all The Runaways that their parents killed, and everyone knocked it down as being too morbid. If they only knew what was coming up...

 

[Xerxes82]

I just can't get into this. As an adaptation, it's too much about the parents. As pure entertainment, it's too cliche and poorly written.

I'm also amused that they decided to adapt The Runaways, and the kids never actually run away. Well, I suppose technically Molly has. But the rest, nope, let's just stay at our expensive Brentwood mansions. The comic has an undercurrent of abandoning privilege to do the right thing. This show is just about a spoiled rich idiots. Who never runaway. One assumes that's coming at the end of the first season I suppose.

Definitely won't be back for a season 2. Such a monumental disappointment. It joins Inhumans and Iron Fist on the short list of complete MCU flops. But at least we got a new comic volume out of the deal, and that has been delightful. Carefully crafted to serve the characters in a way this adaptation just isn't.

 

[Reverend]

I think we're now at the point where they actually run away, since IIRC this looks an awful lot like the confrontation that precipitated their running in the comics, it's just taken them a while to get there.

Honestly, as much as I liked the comics, I'm really appreciating some of the liberties they've taken. I like not being 100% sure I know where everything is going and the added depth to the main antagonists is quite welcome.

 

[FreezeC77]

I think in some ways the tv version of these super-privileged kids is more realistic than the comic versions.

Like when Alex was arguing with his Dad and was all "I'm gonna go sleep in the guest house".

I think the dino is gonna die soon. Seems like to avoid effects they are hiding it a lot.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I like the slow burn before the actual running away and the added depth to the parents. It's true that the kids took off much earlier in the comics, but consider the fact that Marvel/ABC/Hulu are looking long term on this. They want, and will likely get, multiple seasons to develop the story. Therefore they can't let all of the story's dramatic beats come all in the first season. You don't really want to move past the PRIDE too quickly because that is the meat of these kid's story. The Runaways comic was a truly special thing when it started, being called "The most original thing Marvel has done in 30 years". However, after the resolution of the PRIDE storyline and the departure of the parents from the story, Runaways became more of "just another super-hero book" than something truly unique.

And a down side of the comic was that we never really saw any of the kid's family lives before they so abruptly abandoned them. As a result, the 'Rents very quickly descended into mustache-twirling territory. It's the nature of the comics beast. In comics, ten issues requires ten months of attention from readers. You got to get the kids, and the story, on the road or lose your reader's attention.

However, on television, these 10 episodes are dropping over eight weeks. There's no reason not to expand on "the parents" before they become "the 'Rents". Show us what the kids lives are like. Show us what the kids are abandoning. Show that the parents, despite the horrible things they've done, truly love the kids and the kids love the parents. This just makes the ultimate "running away" that much more emotional for the kids, the parents and the viewers.

As for Old Lace, I don't think that they are going to kill her. I think that they are waiting for her dramatic moment. Just like Daredevil S1 with Matt's costume and S2 with his billy-club, ya gotta save something for the finale.