Here’s What The Critics Are Saying About ‘Runaways’ So Far

When it comes to Marvel TV, fans have plenty of series to binge. Shows like Agents of SHIELD are on-going, and Netflix has a whole host of Marvel series under its belt. Next month, Hulu will debut its own superhero series thanks to Runaways, and reviews for the show’s pilot are nothing but good news for fans.

During New York Comic Con, Marvel TV went ahead and screened the pilot episode of Runaways for some very lucky attendees. Critics were quick to spinout their thoughts on the show, and everyone from IGN to ComicBook says the show is a winner.

Our very own Joseph Schmidt got to preview the pilot, and you can read up on his full thoughts here. He stressed Runaways fleshes out both its teenage heroes and adult antagonists in a way that helps sets up the show’s greatest clash.

“The amount of development given to the parents allows them to come across in more than one note, which will only serve to heighten the drama when the inevitable showdown between the Pride and the Runaways occurs,” he explained.

And, if you’re wondering whether Runaways is a faithful adaptation, then don’t worry. Schmidt says Hulu knows what it is doing.

“It’s surprisingly faithful to the comic book,” Schmidt wrote. “Whether you thought a plot was too ridiculous or the effects would be too expensive for a show, IT’S NOT. It’s in the show.”

If you want to check out what other critics are saying about the series, then you can read up on more reviews in the slides below!

Bleeding Cool

“There are two ways for the Marvel train to keep chugging; the first is they need to continue to put good products at least fairly consistently. The second is they need to continue to embrace variety in tone. The world of comic books holds so many different stories told through so many different creative teams spreading over every genre and then some. So it’s not that surprising that Marvel has been branching out further as more and more properties are able to make a profit off of the Marvel name alone. The next one of those properties is Runaways the first Marvel show to appear on Hulu. The elevator pitch is what’s in the headline; it very much feels like season one era Gossip Girl in LA and with superheroes in the best possible way.” – Bleeding Cool

Daily Dot

“Marvel and Hulu previewed Runaways for thousands of fans at New York Comic Con, and if the first episode is any indication, it’s going to be a completely different kind of superhero show.

Just one episode in, fans of the original Runaways will recognize plenty of homages or references to its comic book origins, and they’ll definitely recognize the beloved story within the show. And even if you’re familiar with the story, the ending will have you holding your breath with a desire to hit play.” – Daily Dot

IGN

“Marvel’s Runaways delivers a promising start with its adolescent, coming-of-age story where a group of teenagers find out their parents are super villains. Finally, a reason to be angry with your parents that doesn’t have to do with homework or chores. Sometimes the show leans a bit too much into melodrama, but otherwise it captures the essence of the excellent source material and knowingly plays to its biggest strength: it’s completely unlike anything else currently in the superhero TV genre.

Yes, DC’s Arrowverse has strong parent/hero relationships and Marvel’s Netflix shows have a flair for the dramatic, but not quite like this. The Marvel Comics series created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona that Runaways is based on won readers over not just with its juicy, shocking hook but with its rich cast of diverse, troubled teen characters.” – IGN

Newsarama

“If I had to compare the Runaways to something it would be the Marvel Netflix television shows, which yes that is a pretty tall order. The show embraces its ensemble cast to tell a story about the importance of relationships while expertly incorporating the show’s setting of Los Angeles. Hulu’s Runaways may have a few changes from the comic book, but it never forgets the essence of what made the source material so important.” – Newsarama