Ironheartis the latest MCU series that has longbeenhit by controversy,with previous strikes causing delays and other bumps in the road on its way to release. However, the show’s toughest opponent, one that felt sadly inevitable, reared its head just before the show made its debut yesterday.That opponent wasreview bombers–angry and sometimes bigoted members of online communities that take it upon themselves to paste review sites with terrible scores for series they haven’t even watched.
BeforeIronheart’s opening three episodes debuted on Disney+ yesterday, the show was hit with abombardment of awful reviews, giving the show a terrible 32%audience ratingon Rotten Tomatoes.Ironheartis not thefirst series to receive this treatment, and nor will it be the last, with those doing the review bombing desperate to prove it is for motives other than bigotry, even though the shows being review bombed almost unanimously feature minorities in lead roles.
However, following the series' official debut, the quality on display was enough to overwhelm these early responses, with theRotten Tomatoes audience score having already shot to 70% in less than 24 hours. Is the show the best Marvel has ever produced? That would seem unlikely, with its critics' score of 74% fitting within the range of the likes ofShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law,Moon Knight, andLoki’s debuts. Nevertheless, it is a much better series so far than a previous 32% would suggest, with the new, level-headed score seeming much fairer.
According to Critics, ‘Ironheart’ Is a Mixed Bag
The MCU has had a tough time since the end of Phase Three, with the highs ofEndgameand others still yet to be achieved. With the introduction of Disney+, it felt that the MCU, along with other Disney-owned properties, were hit with attempts to increase quantity and sacrifice quality. In doing so, series such asIronheartseem to have been unjustly affected, with some critics left feeling frustrated with the final product. In hisreview for Collider,Mike ThomasawardedIronhearta mixed 5/10, saying, “Ironhearthad so much potential. Thorne is terrific, and the series features talented actors like Ramos, Ehrenreich,Cree Summer, andSacha Baron Cohen, but the bulk of the cast is ultimately wasted in either cameo roles or given very little to work with.” He also added:
“Ironhearthas the unusual task of not only being a spin-off toBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever,but also a legacy successor to theIron Mantrilogy, and the magic elements tie it to the likes ofDoctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. All of this Marvel baggage weighs down the plot, leading to everything feeling unsatisfying.”
Ironheartis available on Disney+ now, with the rest of the episodes airing weekly. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
