"X-Men '97" is part of a fairly light slate of Marvel TV shows and movies this year. Marvel's 2024 lineup includes only a handful of TV shows and just one movie - "Deadpool & Wolverine". So it was a bit eyebrow-raising that one of the only Marvel properties this year was not even part of the MCU.

Yes, that's right. The show is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon. Instead, it is a hybrid of reboot and sequel, following in the footsteps of the popular X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s. Given the flatness of Marvel's recent shows and movies, the show's revival simply seemed like a shameless nostalgia play.

But nostalgia play or not, the show works. Sure, the show's intro theme song hasn't changed since the original cartoon in the 90s, but who cares if the episodes are some of the best TV work Marvel has produced in years? Yes, it helps to have seen the original show, especially while watching Episode 1 of this new show. But by the end of episode two, the show has settled into a rhythm and stands on its own as enjoyable television.

I am not alone in thinking that "X-Men-97" does nostalgia justice. As of this writing, the show has a 100% fresh rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences not far behind at 90%. The show is not perfect, but it is a good show and probably the best Marvel show since "Loki" Season 1. Here's why.

Spoilers for the first two episodes of "X-Men '97" follow

A lot of blatant nostalgia is evident in the first two episodes of this show. As noted, the themes remain the same as they were decades ago, and many of the original voice actors are back. The animation style has been updated slightly, perhaps the show's biggest weakness, but it too remains relatively unchanged. Rogue still speaks in a ridiculous manner, and Logan, aka Wolverine, still says "bub."

But the show already stands on its own. At the end of the first episode, Magneto makes a surprise appearance. The development spoiled by the trailer? Well, ...... Yes, but it still works, and is exactly what one would expect from a top-notch TV drama, not a reboot of a children's animated show.

In fact, the entire Magneto character arc for the first two episodes was from Prestige TV. I doubt this will be one of my top shows of 2024 (although not impossible!). ), this rendition of the famous X-Men villain may well be one of my favorite TV characters of the year. In the second episode, we get to hear plenty of his monologue. It's a show-stopping performance.

Again, there are flaws and bumps you might run into. The beginning of the first episode may be jarring to X-Men newbies, as there is a lot of stuff they are expected to know at the beginning. Nevertheless, as things progress, the show will explain things to you and bring you up to speed. Also, for those who don't like this style of animation, even Magneto's brilliance may not be enough.

However, if you are tolerant of not necessarily knowing everything that is going on and have no problem with the animation style, this Disney Plus Original is definitely worth watching. You'll want to keep watching the rest of the first season, which consists of 10 episodes.