Image courtesy of Disney plus
When Disney + first announced “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” on Disney Plus Day in November 2021, there was a lot of hype. The anticipation grew in 2024 when audiences saw a cameo of a Spider-Man in the critically acclaimed X-Men 97’s season finale.
After much anticipation the first two episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are finally on Disney+ and honestly, I am not sure if this Peter Parker will make the honor roll.
As a Marvel fan and a Spidey fan I had great hopes for the show. And although not all is lost there are some Spidey issues that I believe should be addressed.
First, let’s dive into the good before going into the critiques. The animation is amazing. Marvel animation studios have continually challenged themselves and superseded with its different forms and animation styles used. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur does not look like X-Men ’97 and X-Men ’97 does not look like Spider-Man. As a viewer, the animation style is engaging, and the comic book panels make the show fun and different.
The voice acting and casting is also superb. All the characters are really likable, and developed. Peter Parker is voiced by Hudson Thames who brings his vivaciousness, and his own dose of Parker’s awkwardness.
Personally I love when shows focus more on character development and growth vs focusing solely on plot development. These characters will be fun to watch grow and develop.
Who is the Target Audience?
Overall the show isn’t bad, but the major Achilles’ heel of this series is it doesn’t seem to know who its primary audience is. And maybe I am not the primary audience, and it doesn’t resonate as much with me.
I am an elder millennial who grew up watching the Spider-Man animated series and original X-Men series in the 90s. I even cosplay Black Cat because she is one of my favorite characters from the Spider-Man universe.
The show is entertaining but it doesn’t feel like it is catered to a wide audience in the same way X-Men ’97 was. This leaves me asking the question, who is this show for?
The series has a youthful vibe, but the youthful aspect of the show feels more like older people trying to be cool and young versus authentically catering to a younger audience.
There is also not enough differentiation between this Peter Parker and the MCU Peter Parker.
The series is clearly set in 2024, or 2025. There are influencers in this universe and a TikTok type of social media presence. But it’s not clear what universe this Peter Parker lives in. We’re clearly not in the 616 because 616 Peter Parker is Tom Holland.
And while the series is taking a different turn for this Peter’s origin story—having Peter be bitten by a radioactive spider brought in by Doctor Strange—the rest of the show feels a bit like a repeat of the MCU Spider-Man movies.
Given that we are in a different universe the writers have the flexibility to be more creative to have new and different characters and stories. It doesn’t have to be the same origin story we already know.
There are also some inconsistencies in the character of Peter Parker.
Peter Parker is supposed to be a brilliant kid. He’s accepted into a high school for “geniuses” yet when he is out doing his vigilantism, he seems to not understand how physics works.
In a scene in episode one, we see Spider-Man confront a group of bullies threatening to beat the face of an influencer with a brick. Peter Parker Grabs that brick with a thwip from his spider web and slams it into one of the bullies’ heads.
Peter Parker would know that throwing a brick to someone’s face could potentially harm them and it goes against who he is and how he acts.
But it’s only been the first two episodes. There is a lot of hope for the rest of the season. Norman Osborn voiced by Colman Domingo will be a great mentor turned villain. And we all know a show is as good as its villain.
My hope is that the inconsistencies of the show will be resolved. For now though “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” has one strike but it’s not in detention yet.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man airs Wednesday’s on Disney Plus.
All images are courtesy of Disney Plus