With the conclusion of Moon Knight’s run, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has now expanded to a total of six streaming series on Disney+. The MCU’s Disney+ content got off to a stellar start with the universally praised WandaVision arriving at the height of lockdown, but it’s been a rocky road since then.
Some of Marvel’s shows have been met with similar praise, like Loki and Hawkeye, while others have been more polarizing, like What If...? and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. According to IMDb users, the MCU’s streaming shows are a mixed bag.
The Best & Worst Episode Of WandaVision
Best: On A Very Special Episode... & Previously On - TIED, 8.9
Two episodes are tied for WandaVision’s best on IMDb: the fifth episode, “On a Very Special Episode...,” and the eighth episode, “Previously On.” These were both pretty momentous stepping stones in WandaVision’s overarching nine-part narrative.
In “On a Very Special Episode...,” everything starts to come together as Wanda finally addresses Vision’s suspicions. In “Previously On,” the penultimate episode of the series, Agatha takes over as the big bad and uses magic flashbacks to fill in the rest of Wanda’s heartbreaking backstory.
Worst: Filmed Before A Live Studio Audience - 7.3
According to IMDb, the worst episode of WandaVision was the first episode, “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience.” Despite a couple of hints that strange things are afoot, “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience” is more or less a straightforward sitcom episode.
There’s a hint of the world outside Westview and a couple of suggestions that the residents are being magically held hostage, but for the most part, the pilot is focused on an ill-prepared dinner party. The pared-back storytelling was refreshing after the apocalyptic stakes of Avengers: Endgame, but IMDb users didn’t appreciate the show getting off to such a slow start.
The Best & Worst Episode Of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
Best: The Whole World Is Watching - 8.7
On the whole, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier received a much more mixed response from critics than its more universally acclaimed predecessor, WandaVision. IMDb users gave most episodes of the series a mediocre score, but they received the fourth episode very positively.
“The Whole World is Watching” ends with a shocking cliffhanger as John Walker finally goes into full villain mode and beats a Flag-Smasher to death with the Captain America shield.
Worst: New World Order - 7.6
Like the first episode of WandaVision, which was similarly rated the lowest out of its series by IMDb users, the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier got the show off to a slow start.
The selling point of this series was Sam and Bucky’s “buddy cop” dynamic, but the titular Avengers don’t share a single scene in the first episode.
The Best & Worst Episode Of Loki
Best: The Nexus Event - 9.0
After The Falcon and the Winter Soldier received mixed reviews, Loki got the MCU’s streaming content back on track with some WandaVision-level acclaim. The fourth episode of the series, “The Nexus Event,” was ranked the highest by IMDb users.
This episode provided all the payoffs that fans were waiting for, including the reveal of the mysterious Time-Keepers, who turn out to be androids. In the stunning cliffhanger ending, Loki is pruned and sent to a discarded dimension full of variants of himself.
Worst: Lamentis - 7.7
IMDb’s warm response to the fourth episode of Loki came on the heels of the third episode, “Lamentis,” receiving the show’s worst rating to date (and, ultimately, the worst rating of its entire first-season run).
After two fast-paced, action-packed installments, Loki’s third episode found Loki and Sylvie stranded in a world facing an impending apocalypse. This was a fun setup, but there’s no sense of urgency. They just take a train ride and have a chat.
The Best & Worst Episode Of What If...?
Best: What If... Ultron Won? - 9.0
The reviews for the MCU’s Disney+ shows got mixed again after the positive response to Loki. The multiversal shenanigans of What If...? didn’t capture the imaginations of Marvel fans quite like the source comic did.
The first season was very hit-and-miss, with plenty of forgettable episodes and a few gems, like the highest-rated episode of the show on IMDB – the penultimate episode, “What If... Ultron Won?” – which finally made full use of the threat posed by Ultron.
Worst: What If... Thor Were An Only Child? - 6.5
IMDb’s least favorite episode of What If...? season 1 is the one with arguably the lowest stakes: the seventh episode, “What If... Thor Were an Only Child?” Thor being an only child isn’t much of a what-if scenario; he just throws a big party on Earth.
There’s a fun hero-on-hero fight scene with Captain Marvel, but this episode is mostly just a superhero-infested hangout movie that fails to take advantage of the series’ alternate universe premise.
The Best & Worst Episode Of Hawkeye
Best: Ronin - 8.5
The highest-rated episode of Hawkeye, arguably the strongest and most consistent MCU Disney+ show yet, is the fifth installment, “Ronin.” The highlight of this episode is the hilarious on-screen chemistry shared by Hailee Steinfeld and Florence Pugh.
This episode is let down by an annoying trope that’s let down a number of Marvel’s Disney+ shows: a mystery villain reveal. Hawkeye’s fifth episode reveals the Kingpin to be the big bad in lieu of developing a tangible dynamic between the hero and villain from the start (much like Agatha, the Power Broker, and “He Who Remains”).
Worst: Never Meet Your Heroes - 7.5
IMDb users haven’t enjoyed many premiere episodes from the MCU’s streaming shows. Hawkeye’s lowest-rated episode on IMDb, much like that of WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is the first one, “Never Meet Your Heroes.”
Marvel’s Disney+ shows are either having rocky beginnings or doing a great job of topping themselves throughout their run. Hawkeye is an example of the latter: the show started strong and got stronger. The premiere episode has a fun introduction for Kate Bishop and a bunch of thrilling set-pieces like the wine cellar fight and Clint’s John Wick-style return to action.
The Best & Worst Episode Of Moon Knight
Best: Asylum - 8.9
IMDb users gave positive ratings to every episode of Moon Knight, but they really got a kick out of the fifth episode, “Asylum.” “Asylum” is a visually stunning deep dive into Marc’s fractured psyche.
As it turns out, the mental institution is a representation of his own disturbed mind traveling across a mystical afterlife desert in a flying boat. Throughout the episode, flashbacks reveal Marc’s tragic backstory and the creation of his Steven Grant personality.
Worst: The Friendly Type - 7.6
It’s easy to see why IMDb users’ least favorite episode of Moon Knight was the third one, “The Friendly Type,” because it’s by far the blandest, most mediocre episode of the series.
The show became less focused on the psychological thrills as it took the audience on a journey across Cairo. Fortunately, the next episode made up for it with the notorious rug-pull.