X-Men '97 (2024-present)
Before I start talking about, this isn't a review. I will not be discussing anything too major. I will try to be as spoiler free as humanly possible. This really picks up right where the original X-Men show ended. This might be the new cartoon tread now. Let's make a sequel show many years after the original run. But title it with a particular year as a reference.
There's so many great shows that ended on cliffhangers. I think most of them in some way actually. The fact they gotten most of the original cast as well as the iconic theme song for this mind blowing!!! This is technically a reboot but also finishing what that show started. The original show aired on Fox a little over three decades ago.
Now this new sequel show streaming directly on Disney+. Which also has three more X-Men cartoon shows as well as most of the X-Men movies. As a kid, there were two particular mutant super hero teams I loved with an passion. X-Men and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, still a huge fan of both teams. I also should point the episode length is increased from twenty to thirty some minutes.
The final episode of the episode nearly forty minutes. But that's the final part of a three episode story arc. The original show had a lot of story arcs played out in two episodes. It wasn't often when one in three episodes was done. This felt like somewhat like the final season of Samurai Jack. Which also had a similar, shorter time gap from Season 4 to Season 5.
Samurai Jack became a notably darker story by this point. You can tell as faithful to the original animation. They did modernize parts of it to better fit the overall theme. This is the case for X-Men '97 staying very true to the original X-Men show. I know someone going to possibly mention X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men.
Which still stands among the worst X-Men shows. Technically we can say that's the worst because it got canceled after just one episode. Even the anime X-Men show had twelve episodes. Despite that being rather unfaithful to the source material. Where it stands right now I can safely say it's notably better than Wolverine and the X-Men show.
It's on the verge becoming better than X-Men: Evolution show. I don't want to sell X-Men '97 too high then it starts not being great anymore. It's a worthy competitor to the original X-Men show. This first season is a step into the right direction. This could cause Marvel Animated Universe from the 90s to return fully.
Currently there are talks about Marvel doing Spider-Man '98. Although it should've been incredibly obvious before that statement. Such a concept should've already been in the works. I can't puzzle why it took one particular moment, I'm not revealing which one. Although many websites already spoiled it, started the talks for that Spider-Man show.
Personally, if any of those Marvel cartoon shows should get a direct continuation. Other than Spider-Man and X-Men, I felt it should be The Incredible Hulk cartoon show. Sure I could've easily picked Iron Man cartoon show for a few reasons. I don't think what they had in that Iron Man show would work for this.
Maybe Silver Surfer if they do just right. The original Silver Surfer cartoon show had some impressive animation for it's time. The Incredible Hulk Season 2 was too different from the first season. Nine out of ten times, everyone going to pick Season 1 over Season 2. Most of these connected shows involves super hero teams.
We already getting that the best possible way through the X-Men. It's always possible for more crossover in Spider-Man '98 as well. I do think if they revamp parts of that Hulk show. She-Hulk wasn't done justice much within these shows either. This one could end up being a huge surprise to people. Indirectly, some people quickly remember the more famous live action Hulk show.
I don't think calling this The Incredible Hulk '97 would be good enough. No I felt change the title more than that to Hulk and She-Hulk Rampaging Adventures. I know that's cheesy but it would be a much better title as well as more directly telling you what the show is about. I don't think the current way how Warner Brothers is doing things going to answer back with bringing back the DC Animated Universe.
They were very quickly to cut both Arrowverse and DC Extended Universe's support off last year. X-Men '97 was a huge risk especially to the big fans of the original X-Men show. If they could pull this off then why not give us another Hulk cartoon show? X-Men '97 felt too perfect to the original X-Men show.
This show absolutely nails everything it sets out to do. Easily, one of my favorite new Disney+ shows to date. As a kid who grew up with the original X-Men show. I was constantly over joyed how damn good this show was. I am about to say something some people might not like. This has to be the best X-Men adaptation I seen in a very long time.
It quickly made up for a few not great live action X-Men movies. Yes I'm looking you right in the eyes, X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Look I know I previously criticize the hell out of that X-Men movie. It's kinda embarrassing Fox screwed up the Phoenix so badly twice in X-Men movies. X-Men '97 is a worthy successor that many fans would enjoy.
Before anyone going to say the original X-Men show wasn't this serious. Yes it was, they weren't even afraid to get borderline racism in that show. The final episode of that alone is clear proof. They truly went the distance to make this a truly amazing show. If I recall, this also made in the same location as the original X-Men show too.
For me, every single minute watching this quickly brought back nostalgia. I felt like very happy to be an X-Men fan for many years. I didn't even think the day the show would eventually return like this. You can bet it came back screaming X-Men right in your faces like loud noises at IMAX threaters. You can tell they really took their time making it just right before releasing any episodes.
I'm not going to criticize it for an season having ten episodes. Just one episode was already enough to make me happy again. This also would be a great way for newer X-Men fans to get into the franchise too. I am deeply impressed how they went about this. Especially with some people having ridiculously high expectations, it somehow met em.
X-Men '97 is something that's going to change the world. In more ways than most people even begin to realize. I could see TMNT 1987 cartoon getting a similar treatment or one of the other TMNT shows. Although they previously done crossover episodes a few times. I rather have shows that do this than completely change the newer reboot versions.
I will be brutally honest here seeing Powerpuff Girls, Tom & Jerry and DuckTales to a degree. Those reboots are absolutely nothing like the original cartoon shows at all!!! Officially there's now three types of rebooting classic cartoon shows. This may get a little confusing for those reading this to follow. I will make sure to do my best to describe em down below...
1. Reboot cartoons that's toning things down
2. Bringing back classic cartoon shows for more shows after a few cancelations
3. Shows like X-Men '97 act as a direct sequel to those shows after many decades passed.
Simply repacking classic cartoons doesn't count
A good example of number 1 is hands down Powerpuff Girls. Originally it was a super hero team show that used to be quite popular back in the day. It technically has two different reboot shows. Powerpuff Girls Z being this weird Sailor Moon style anime show, I don't recommend it. Then the newer show with the same name as the classic one virtually no super hero stuff at all.
The same show also changed some women's appearances to not offend the female audience. I felt to some degree as a man that's going a little too far as well as could be seen possibly as sexist too. A good example of number 2 would be Family Guy. I know a lot of people don't like it for a lot of reasons. I always enjoyed the show despite how offensive it was.
This show got brought back twice from DVD sales as well as a higher viewer count on other channels. Which also briefly allowed King of the Hill to air it's last few episodes on Adult Swim. Fox went against their argument to not air those episodes since they wanted the show off the air. It's kinda funny now because that show coming back.
Mike Judge previously brought back Beavis & Butt-Head for a third time. Again that's a different streaming service, Paramount+ in this case. They don't change much after returning in some form. Then again the second run for Beavis & Butt-Head missed the point of being the actual show on MTV 2. For most part, those shows are still worth revisiting in some way.
I don't even need to do number 3 because this entire blog all about it. X-Men '97 is a great X-Men show many people need to sit down then watch. You don't even need to watch the original X-Men cartoon prior. Although doing so you will know exactly how X-Men '97 going to begin. In all honestly, this show deserves every praise it's been getting.
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