Take Me Home

Though we met Riri Williams in the underrated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we didn't dive deep into who she was as a character.

Here, we get to find out what makes Riri special. She's her own thing, she isn't Tony Stark or Shuri, she is from a poor background and didn't have the resources both Stark and Shuri inherited.

Looking forward to see the rest of the show. It feels like this show has something to say and I think we will have fun time getting there.

Jim Rash was a fun deep cut for a returning character, but mostly excited for the excellent Anthony Ramos to flex his charm as The Hood.

I really wanted to like Ironheart. As a huge fan of the Marvel universe, the concept of a new superhero emerging usually excites me. I appreciate that superhero stories blend science fiction with a touch of the fantastical; the appeal lies in that delicate balance between the unbelievable and the grounded.

However, Ironheart pushes the boundaries too far. The show introduces Riri Williams as a genius who, seemingly overnight, creates a sophisticated, AI-guided flying suit while still in school. This feels far too accelerated and undermines the very premise of a "superhero business" like Stark Industries. It's one thing for a hero to be exceptionally gifted, but when they can replicate, in a dorm room, what takes immense resources and years of development for multi-billion dollar corporations, it breaks the suspension of disbelief essential to the genre.

I honestly don't know what I'd change to improve the episode - the cast are pretty good so far, and the setting/music/camera etc are all good, and it IS only the first episode, but it's just not lighting me up like the Netflix shows did. In fact, it's probably the least exciting opening episode to a Marvel show so far for me. I'm not gonna stop watching it or anything, but yeah it's a slow start compared to what came before it.

Come to think of it, my lack of excitement COULD be because I have no prior knowledge of any of the characters aside from a very fleeting meeting of The Hood somewhere in the comics? Either way, I'm interested, if not excited, to see what the rest of the series has in store...

Definately that wasn't a good way to introduce the characters. The protagonist's motivations are poor and goofy, unfortunately. The dialogues are poor as well. This doesn't like a super hero story to me. It seems like the showrunner of this show forgot all the events from Wakanda Forever here. They could give a better motivation for the protagonist and give her a better heroic profile. The place, or city, is nice and the photography seems to be good. The legacy of Tony Stark is not honored here in my point of view. I thought the protagonist was going to build her story on Tony's legacy, but that didn't happen.

Alright, let's talk Ironheart Episode 1. I'm just going to say it: I'm genuinely impressed. As someone who's usually pretty hard on Marvel's small-screen ventures, this premiere, "Gifted," actually grabbed me right from the start.

Riri Williams is just fantastic. Dominique Thorne brings this sharp, relatable energy to her. Seeing her navigate MIT, deal with grief, and then casually build a suit of armor in her dorm room? Iconic.

It's got that classic Marvel genius vibe, but it feels fresh. The pacing was on point, the setup for the main conflict with The Hood feels genuinely intriguing, and I appreciate that they're really leaning into the tech and innovation aspect without getting bogged down in too much exposition.

Now, it's not perfect. There were a couple of moments that felt a touch rushed, and I'm still waiting to see if the supporting cast gets enough room to breathe. But honestly, these are minor quibbles for a premiere.

For once, a Marvel TV show premiere has me genuinely hooked. I'm actually looking forward to seeing where this goes and if it can keep this momentum up. Definitely a promising start!