Loki - Disney+ (***Spoilers***)

Gbear

I really enjoyed the episode 3.

Falcon was a bit piddly and not a whole lot of note happened. There was a lack of real characters other than Zemo. Wandavision promised much but ultimately ended with people flying through the air shooting lasers at each other, and the quirk was just for its own sake rather than really contributing to the story.

This feels tighter, the cast is better, Tom Hiddleston would have chemistry with a houseplant, but he bounces well off everyone, and the most recent one was good solid entertainment.

I was waiting for the other foot to drop the whole episode, and I felt genuine tension, which I haven't in most of this Marvel stuff (including the films). I presume there's going to be some kind of switcheroo but I think it'll feel earned.

Hopefully this is them starting to get into their stride. Although I was optimistic before and ultimately felt a bit blue balled by the previous two shows.

gmisk

Ep1 I enjoyed, Ep2 terrific, Ep3 was a dip for me...it felt like a really big budget Dr who episode...I will stick with it, it's a damn site more interesting than falcon and the winter soldier at least.
I did enjoy the little details....like Loki not wanting to travel backwards on the train.
Definitely agree there is some type of switcheroo/projection thing.

The Phantom Pain

I think I've figured out why this show isn't working for me. Not every remotely interesting character deserves their own franchise.
Loki is known for his banter and cheeky nature but that works in small doses. When the entire runtime is just made up of talky scenes about stuff we already know or can deduce it drags. Probably would like it more if I binge it.

Bacchus

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

I think I've figured out why this show isn't working for me. Not every remotely interesting character deserves their own franchise.
Loki is known for his banter and cheeky nature but that works in small doses. When the entire runtime is just made up of talky scenes about stuff we already know or can deduce it drags. Probably would like it more if I binge it.

Surely if you binge it, you're getting even larger doses of Loki banter and cheeky nature :pac:

twinex

I think they’ve made a right mess of lokis’ character as the show has gone on. I can accept that he’s a fish out of water and a little unsure initially…but where is the cunning, the nigh on invulnerability (hulk beating) and his unwavering superior confidence\intelect?
And when some of you said it was like a Dr Who episode, the nail couldn’t have been hit cleaner by a hammer. I mean the Sylvia character was taken straight from the bbc, right?

Bacchus

twinex wrote: »

I think they’ve made a right mess of lokis’ character as the show has gone on. I can accept that he’s a fish out of water and a little unsure initially…but where is the cunning, the nigh on invulnerability (hulk beating) and his unwavering superior confidence\intelect?
And when some of you said it was like a Dr Who episode, the nail couldn’t have been hit cleaner by a hammer. I mean the Sylvia character was taken straight from the bbc, right?

The greatest trick the devil played is making you believe he isn't there.

Or something like that. I'm expecting a big "here's how I played you all, all this time reveal" towards the end.

twinex

Bacchus wrote: »

The greatest trick the devil played is making you believe he isn't there.

Or something like that. I'm expecting a big "here's how I played you all, all this time reveal" towards the end.

Me too, but as it stands it will only reinforce my dissatisfaction with the show. I expect it but it should be handled more deftly by a many thousand year old "God" of mischief, by which of course I mean the scriptwriters. They’re messing this up.

Warbeastrior

twinex wrote:

I think they’ve made a right mess of lokis’ character as the show has gone on. I can accept that he’s a fish out of water and a little unsure initially…but where is the cunning, the nigh on invulnerability (hulk beating) and his unwavering superior confidence\intelect? And when some of you said it was like a Dr Who episode, the nail couldn’t have been hit cleaner by a hammer. I mean the Sylvia character was taken straight from the bbc, right?

Exactly. And don't forget, this Loki is literally only after nearly beating the Avengers in New York.

That Loki was a lot more cunning and cut throat than the one we're seeing.

The Phantom Pain

Bacchus wrote: »

Surely if you binge it, you're getting even larger doses of Loki banter and cheeky nature :pac:

It's more about the fact that the weekly schedule means I'm getting that without any payoff for the plot. I like how long it took to reveal the grand plan in WandaVision because I found the individual episodes enjoyable in themselves due to how well they riffed on classic sitcoms. With Loki, however, I am less interested in the small moments and all the talky, talky and just want to get to the point already. I don't like waiting episode to episode because the individuals episodes themselves are not winning me over.

fritzelly

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

I don't like waiting episode to episode because the individuals episodes themselves are not winning me over.

This is the problem with following the network TV ethos - generally every show was episodic and the odd cliffhanger, it's only recently where a whole season of a show was like one massive movie which Loki could be - the show doesn't jump around, it's following one narrative
When it's a single story I prefer to digest those shows in one or two sittings, other shows where there maybe an over arching premise I don't mind taking my time
Weekly episodes was a big problem with Wandavision, Falcon bored me the whole way thru pretty much, but would love to binge Loki
But Disney has to make sure you don't cancel after your free trial...

GSPfan

The Phantom Pain wrote: »

It's more about the fact that the weekly schedule means I'm getting that without any payoff for the plot. I like how long it took to reveal the grand plan in WandaVision because I found the individual episodes enjoyable in themselves due to how well they riffed on classic sitcoms. With Loki, however, I am less interested in the small moments and all the talky, talky and just want to get to the point already. I don't like waiting episode to episode because the individuals episodes themselves are not winning me over.

I don’t recommend you watching Lost. That was about 8 seasons of talky talky and they never reached a satisfying point at the end of it.

Spolier Alert.

GSPfan

fritzelly wrote: »

This is the problem with following the network TV ethos - generally every show was episodic and the odd cliffhanger, it's only recently where a whole season of a show was like one massive movie which Loki could be - the show doesn't jump around, it's following one narrative
When it's a single story I prefer to digest those shows in one or two sittings, other shows where there maybe an over arching premise I don't mind taking my time
Weekly episodes was a big problem with Wandavision, Falcon bored me the whole way thru pretty much, but would love to binge Loki
But Disney has to make sure you don't cancel after your free trial...

I gotta say I’m ok with weekly releases. Gives me something to look forward to each week, and the buzz after every episode is great. You don’t get that if it’s all dumped at once.

The Phantom Pain

GSPfan wrote: »

I don’t recommend you watching Lost. That was about 8 seasons of talky talky and they never reached a satisfying point at the end of it.

Spolier Alert.

I did watch Lost and it only had 6 seasons. I binged it though so wasn't as annoyed and I actually did in enjoy some of the seasons even though it became apparent they were making it up as they went along.

plastic glass

Latest episode was pure muck. Wtf happened? First 2 episodes were great. I know they have to play a bit with their characters to ensure they are “up against it” but they have pretty much destroyed the Loki character in 1 episode by making him a bumbling idiot. Loki is an Asgardian, highly intelligent with magical abilities who went toe-to-toe with some of the most powerful characters. His limitations in the 1st episodes was well done and well explained but all of a sudden he meets a female version of him who it seems is also a bit of an idiot and he is as useful as a chocolate teapot. Thor 3 hinted at this with Loki when on the planet run the grandmaster but this was funny and grandmasters power and unpredictability was evident with Loki obviously playing a long game.

The variant Loki is a terribly written character and the actress is even worse. The chemistry between the 2 is also pretty bad. I don’t even get why or how she is a variant. She seems to have very little in common with him with the exception of the same name and fondness for wearing horns. We are told she is a variant but nothing really shows she is.

The episode really suffered from the lack of Owen Wilson and as somebody said was like a poor episode of dr. Who.

I though Falcon and winter soldier despite having 1.5 good episodes was a blip. Not I’m not so sure. Maybe they can pull it back and this episode was just filler.

GSPfan

plastic glass wrote: »

Latest episode was pure muck. Wtf happened? First 2 episodes were great. I know they have to play a bit with their characters to ensure they are “up against it” but they have pretty much destroyed the Loki character in 1 episode by making him a bumbling idiot. Loki is an Asgardian, highly intelligent with magical abilities who went toe-to-toe with some of the most powerful characters. His limitations in the 1st episodes was well done and well explained but all of a sudden he meets a female version of him who it seems is also a bit of an idiot and he is as useful as a chocolate teapot. Thor 3 hinted at this with Loki when on the planet run the grandmaster but this was funny and grandmasters power and unpredictability was evident with Loki obviously playing a long game.

The variant Loki is a terribly written character and the actress is even worse. The chemistry between the 2 is also pretty bad. I don’t even get why or how she is a variant. She seems to have very little in common with him with the exception of the same name and fondness for wearing horns. We are told she is a variant but nothing really shows she is.

The episode really suffered from the lack of Owen Wilson and as somebody said was like a poor episode of dr. Who.

I though Falcon and winter soldier despite having 1.5 good episodes was a blip. Not I’m not so sure. Maybe they can pull it back and this episode was just filler.

How was it just filler….. it was an episode designed to introduce us to Sylvie. Seems pretty important in the context of the show to know a lead character that was a mystery up to this episode.

EltonJohn69

Was t just me or was the green screen very noticeable in this episode ?

GSPfan

GSPfan wrote: »

How was it just filler….. it was an episode designed to introduce us to Sylvie. Seems pretty important in the context of the show to know a lead character that was a mystery up to this episode.

Which would be well worth an episode if this was a 22 episode 1st season. But, this is six episodes of a well established Loki, which is probably a one and done effort.

PsychoPete

Thought episode three was pretty poor, enjoyed the first two episodes. I know we are only three episodes into loki but the three marvel series we've gotten so far have been fairly poor overall I think

Gbear

Warbeastrior wrote: »

Exactly. And don't forget, this Loki is literally only after nearly beating the Avengers in New York.

That Loki was a lot more cunning and cut throat than the one we're seeing.

He didn't have much to do with it. He, a god, organised opening a portal on a low-tech world, having been given an Infinity Stone. He then proceeded to get blown up by a guy with a bow and arrow, and then mercilessly thrashed by the Hulk.

Loki has always been a failure, so I don't see what's objectionable about him not being all-conquering here.

FunLover18

I get that this is Loki from Avengers so he is definitely meant to be still slightly evil and power hungry but let's not forget "Puny god". Even in that movie Marvel weren't afraid to undermine him and make him look slightly bafoonish. Loki has always been someone who is both too clever for his own good but at the same time not as clever as he thinks he is.

I also wouldn't rule out the possibility that we aren't seeing the full picture.

pixelburp

Yeah, I'm not up to speed with episode 3 but Loki has always been played as a Dunning Kruger character, someone who vastly overestimated his own intelligence and sway over people. Mostly as a way of getting around a lingering inferiority complex. I wouldn't buy into any plans within plans mind you, no way we should let ourselves get burned again by the MCU TV series.

Gbear

pixelburp wrote: »

Yeah, I'm not up to speed with episode 3 but Loki has always been played as a Dunning Kruger character, someone who vastly overestimated his own intelligence and sway over people. Mostly as a way of getting around a lingering inferiority complex. I wouldn't buy into any plans within plans mind you, no way we should let ourselves get burned again by the MCU TV series.

I think the difference from what we've seen so far is that Loki doesn't appear to need it, unlike Wandavision. It has much better fundamentals as a show.

It's a "it'd be great if..." situation, vs, "I assume it's going to be... because if it's not, what's the point of this show?".

ziedth

twinex wrote: »

Me too, but as it stands it will only reinforce my dissatisfaction with the show. I expect it but it should be handled more deftly by a many thousand year old "God" of mischief, by which of course I mean the scriptwriters. They’re messing this up.

Exactly, in a way you can't win.I'll be annoyed if they have turned him into some kind of bumbling idiot but equally if there is some kind of "oceans 11" reveal at the end showing how he played everyone I'll be annoyed it was so obvious there was a plan because he was being a bumbling idiot.

I like the show so I can't complain too much its just not the angle I maybe would have picked. Eoin Wilson is a delight but unless the really pull something out of the bag it's a watchable missed opportunity for me.

Much like the other two Marvel Series before it

Sudden Valley

The third episode felt a lot like a video game level. Characters always moving location or fighting, dialogue a bit dodgy. For those saying Loki was a bit of a buffoon this episode and this is out of character, have they not seen Thor Ragnarok- he is an absolute idiot throughout. Female Loki was ok , sure not a strong character but at least has a purpose- and this show definitely needs a character like that.

pixelburp

Didn't buy into the idea this was a Dr who episode with the serial number filed off, but Episode 3 definitely had a bit of the feel of the interstitial about it; the character moments were nice but nothing to hang an episode over either - and the episode just ending fell flat, like the script had no idea how to wrap it up. For all the money on screen there has often been a lack of polish in these MCU TV shows' scripts; a bit of rambling in the structure and very stop-start. Didn't mind so much at the start, as Owen Wilson made for a great foil to Loki, but without him in this 3rd episode it only highlighted that almost haphazard structure.

Brief_Lives

Quite a hectic episode 4.... Good though..

Agent Coulson

Mid credit scene

flazio

And I thought rooting for Danyres and Jon Snow was weird.

CastorTroy

I remember thinking last week that those batons are a bit extreme. Like their first instinct is to activate them leading to multiple purges that could've been avoided.

suffering golfer

Really good... So was the TVA in episode 4 the real TVA or just an illusion within an alternative reality to play tricks on lady Loki with the real Loki casting an illusion or what?

PTH2009

Great 4th Episode but I am totally lost now

Midnight_EG

Well Ravona is linked to Kang, and we know he's in the next Ant Man, so there has to be some semblance of a link to what comes next. That mid credits scene, I reckon, is like a Soul Stone sort of place that that TVA has.

GSPfan

I am loving this show. This episode proves why last week’s episode was vital to the overall story. His love for Sylie (basically himself) has the potential to end the TVA. They needed that pit stop on Lamentis to develop a love like relationship between Loki and Sylvie.

Love it all. No idea where this is eventually going but I’m on board.

expectationlost

Loki could simply have respect for someone, thats new! they have the same parents don't they.

ziedth

I really enjoyed that. Not surprised the TVA is all smoke and mirrors but it's taken a really interesting turn

DrumSteve

GSPfan wrote: »

I am loving this show. This episode proves why last week’s episode was vital to the overall story. His love for Sylie (basically himself) has the potential to end the TVA. They needed that pit stop on Lamentis to develop a love like relationship between Loki and Sylvie.

Love it all. No idea where this is eventually going but I’m on board.

Presumably the nexus event she got taken for as a child is her falling in love with the other loki in the future?

fritzelly

DrumSteve wrote: »

Presumably the nexus event she got taken for as a child is her falling in love with the other loki in the future?

But then... oh no wibbly wobbly timey wimey

GSPfan

DrumSteve wrote: »

Presumably the nexus event she got taken for as a child is her falling in love with the other loki in the future?

I was of the opinion that the event has to happen first before they get alerted to it. Then they go to that moment and fix it. But it hasn’t been explained so I could be totally wrong on how and when they take action.

But i just thought it could have been anything. Maybe it was because she seemed like she was idolising the Valkyrie and she was going to turn out to be good, which could have made her King of Asgard and disrupted Thors future blah blah blah.

I don’t know and I’m not expecting to find out.

PTH2009

A little Easter egg

Mobius mentions Vampire's so they do exist in the MCU in some way

ziedth

ziedth wrote: »

I really enjoyed that. Not surprised the TVA is all smoke and mirrors but it's taken a really interesting turn

Once they entered the Timemasters' Hall it reminded me immediately of the Wizard of Oz reveal.

The White Wolf

PTH2009 wrote: »

A little Easter egg

Mobius mentions Vampire's so they do exist in the MCU in some way

Had to rewind and make sure I was wasn't mishearing. I've been waiting a long time for this sh1t. :pac:

I took that as they're in the business of removing Vampires as "they aren't meant to be."

Looking forward to seeing Richard E Grant as well.

Good show anyway, helps that I've marked my expectation down markedly for these Disney Plus shows.

Bacchus

Not sure about that one. It was grand... it just didn't engage me as much as I hoped it would after spending episode 3 essentially building the relationship between Loki and Sylvie. It felt like another episode of setting things up.

With all the theories about how they'd escape, I found the "oh there they are affecting the timeline in a scenario where we've established it is IMPOSSIBLE for them to affect the timeline" a bit lame. How could they create such an extreme branch when they were seconds away from death. Also, I'm still not clear on how the variants can be so extreme when the TVA snips the branch as soon as it deviates. Sylvies line about her finally causing enough of a change to get their attention is a weak explanation. How could Loki being a different sex NOT have affected the timeline for 7 years, while during Pompeii, Mobius was afraid to try even something incredibly small to see if it caused a branch. Also, why not correct it at the point she was born or conceived? That's where the variation happened.

The Timekeeper reveal was too obvious. There was just something off about the design that looked staged/faked. I guess it's interesting to find out who the real person behind the curtain is... I guess?

Killing Mobius was a shocking moment, I quite like that character and his journey so far. But based on the mid-credit sequence it's safe to say he's not really gone. The mid-credit sequence btw was the best hook the show has had so I'm looking forward to where that goes in the last two episodes. I assume he's on some sort of Loki variant "dimension" and will swindle his way back to the TVA.

The worst part of this show is the fighting IMO. It's just not great. It's very mundane action. At least there's not much of it.

The time cell was a neat idea, and broke Loki quite well to help him progress a bit more from where he was in Avengers.

Bacchus

Bacchus wrote: »

Not sure about that one. It was grand... it just didn't engage me as much as I hoped it would after spending episode 3 essentially building the relationship between Loki and Sylvie. It felt like another episode of setting things up.

With all the theories about how they'd escape, I found the "oh there they are affecting the timeline in a scenario where we've established it is IMPOSSIBLE for them to affect the timeline" a bit lame. How could they create such an extreme branch when they were seconds away from death. Also, I'm still not clear on how the variants can be so extreme when the TVA snips the branch as soon as it deviates. Sylvies line about her finally causing enough of a change to get their attention is a weak explanation. How could Loki being a different sex NOT have affected the timeline for 7 years, while during Pompeii, Mobius was afraid to try even something incredibly small to see if it caused a branch. Also, why not correct it at the point she was born or conceived? That's where the variation happened.

The Timekeeper reveal was too obvious. There was just something off about the design that looked staged/faked. I guess it's interesting to find out who the real person behind the curtain is... I guess?

Killing Mobius was a shocking moment, I quite like that character and his journey so far. But based on the mid-credit sequence it's safe to say he's not really gone. The mid-credit sequence btw was the best hook the show has had so I'm looking forward to where that goes in the last two episodes. I assume he's on some sort of Loki variant "dimension" and will swindle his way back to the TVA.

The worst part of this show is the fighting IMO. It's just not great. It's very mundane action. At least there's not much of it.

The time cell was a neat idea, and broke Loki quite well to help him progress a bit more from where he was in Avengers.

Yeah, the reason for rescuing them was very lame. And in one or two scenes when Sylvie was fighting in the background we could see Tom (the actor) going through the motions of pretending to fight.

Richard E looked deliciously ridiculous

It was my favourite Loki so far. I only realised yesterday that Ep 3 was way shorter than the other eps.

Stone Deaf 4evr

I wouldnt normally consider myself jaded, but I feel that none of the marvel tv shows have hit their true potential.
Indeed, the fan theories are a great deal more entertaining that the actual shows themselves.
Its like we get a constant trail of breadcrumbs towards what could be really cool - (im looking at you, fake quicksilver) and then we get completely blueballed by mundane and expected reveals. (the timekeepers, sharon carter).
Its like they have a huge tapestry of interesting stories and characters, yet go down the most mundane route they can.

Penn

I barely even saw Richard E Grant the first time I watched it, as eyes were drawn to Kid Loki with the baby crocodile, plus the black Loki holding a hammer. But just opened it there again to have a look at him and noticed one of the ruined buildings in the background looks like Stark/Avengers Tower. Be interesting to see where they are. Also signals that Mobius might be alive somewhere too.

Really liked the episode overall though. I enjoyed B-15's turn, the scene with her and Sylvie was very understated. I think they did a good job of showing how it isn't love between Loki and Sylvie, but more so that Loki just wants to help her and be there for her, because he knows how alone he feels which means she must feel it so much worse. Sif was a good choice for the cameo in the time loop prison, because even though it was a bit of a nothing event, her words cut deep and spoke to Loki's needlessly self-destructive tendencies, and how he's the architect of his own loneliness.

I'm guessing the Timekeepers reveal means

it's Kang The Conquerer pulling the strings, and rather than a sacred timeline, he's manipulating a timeline that helps him win or do whatever leads into AntMan & The Wasp Quantumania.

The Marvel shows in general, I've really enjoyed. None of them wildly spectactular, but WandaVision and Loki especially are allowing the MCU to give us something a bit more unique. I don't think they've hit the heights of the best seasons of the Netflix Marvel shows (particularly Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Punisher), but they haven't been nearly as bad as some of the others (particularly Iron Fist, Iron Fist and Iron Fist).

FunLover18

Penn wrote: »

I barely even saw Richard E Grant the first time I watched it, as eyes were drawn to Kid Loki with the baby crocodile, plus the black Loki holding a hammer. But just opened it there again to have a look at him and noticed one of the ruined buildings in the background looks like Stark/Avengers Tower. Be interesting to see where they are. Also signals that Mobius might be alive somewhere too.

Presumably this is a Thor varient, not a Loki one.

Penn

FunLover18 wrote: »

Presumably this is a Thor varient, not a Loki one.

Yeah I did notice he didn't seem to have any kind of horns on his outfit like the others, but also the hammer wasn't Mjolnir, maybe doesn't have the same enchantment etc. The idea of variants means anything could have happened so I'm kinda just presuming they were all variants of Loki.

Edit: Was browsing Twitter after posting this and a tweet from IGN says that character is credited as 'Boastful Loki' https://www.ign.com/articles/loki-variants-episode-4-who-was-at-the-end?taid=60dcfaa864bb4f0001303ef3&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Manual&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook

CastorTroy

Bacchus wrote: »

The time cell was a neat idea, and broke Loki quite well to help him progress a bit more from where he was in Avengers.

There's only so many times you can tolerate getting kneed in the crotch. For me 1 is likely the limit.

Gbear

expectationlost wrote: »

Loki could simply have respect for someone, thats new! they have the same parents don't they.

Loki's an Ice Giant baby. Sylvie is perhaps actually the daughter of Odin and Frigga?

So it's like banging your step-sister.

Brock Turnpike

Enjoyed last night's episode. I've enjoyed the series overall. It has held its appeal far better than TFATWS. Looking forward to seeing how the last two episodes end the story.