Sci-fi series savagely branded ‘soulless’ by critics – but fans feel differently

Critics have taken a hatchet to a new Disney Plus sci-fi series, branding it soulless and boring, but not everyone is on the same page. 

If you’re a fan of the MCU and were scrolling through social media this morning, it’s very likely you’ve seen the first reactions to Ironheart.

Set after the events of Wakanda Forever, the show follows genius gadgeteer Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) as she teams up with the mysterious Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos) in the hope of scraping together enough cash to build a new suit of Iron Man-style armour. 

However, Parker isn’t what he seems, and before long, Riri finds herself torn between the mystical and the mechanical. 

Critics have watched all six episodes of the new Marvel TV show, and while they can’t publish full reviews yet, they have been allowed to share their thoughts on social media. 

And sadly, it seems a portion of those who write about the cape and cowl crowd for a living aren’t overly impressed with what the series offers. 

@HopeSloop admitted on X that ‘Ironheart is really fun at times but feels (in my humble opinion) like it’s desperately in need of a soul.’  

‘The magic vs. machine theme is conceptually intriguing, but feels like it’s lacking here,’ she continued. ‘I’m ambivalent because I didn’t hate any part, but I didn’t love anything either.’

@TheHollywoodhandle wrote: ‘#Ironheart have some fun moments, but it’s never interesting enough nor does it manage to stick the landing.’

‘Bland characters and a super uninteresting plot that doesn’t know where it wants to go. A disappointment overall.’

@RenGeekness was similarly negative, telling his followers that despitehaving some ‘ideas and themes’, it ‘can’t overcome a scattershot narrative.’ 

@Mark Cassidy was also disappointed by the series, posting on X that ‘it’s not good’. 

‘It becomes obvious very quickly why Marvel decided to dump this on D+ 3 eps at a time,’ he continued. ‘Can’t fault the cast, but none of them are given much to work with.’

@ZachPope was on the fence with the series, writing that he really wanted to love Ironheart but came away ‘not feeling much’. 

‘VFX, Action, & some new additions of magic mythology to the world of the MCU stand out,’ he added. ’But the character arcs feel at a standstill by the end & don’t go anywhere.’

@DavidOpie felt similarly, claiming the show was a ‘mixed bag’. That said, he did admit that ‘the second half is much better than the first, tho (sic), especially when magic’s thrown into the mix.’

Despite some critics feeling let down, though the wider fandom seems to have enjoyed the show. 

@adamhlavac told his followers he was ‘surprised Marvel didn’t market it more’ and that ‘it starts pretty strong and gets better and better as the series progresses’.

The cosplayer @seejaylewis was also enthusiastic, writing that it was a ‘gritty, funny, and powerful show’ that ‘brings something fresh and exciting to the MCU.’

@POCculture really enjoyed Riri’s adventures, posting, ‘Ironheart is a sincere look at what the life of a teen genius superhero would be like. It’s fun & exciting but also hard & heavy.’

@FenixDKevin meanwhile wrote that Ironheart’s ‘grounded/street level feel’ was ‘a welcome change of pace from the usual world ending threats’.

Ironheart is available to watch on Disney Plus from July 25.

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