You Should Be Watching: X-Men ’97
Nostalgia is a hell of a thing and as others in my specific age group grow up companies are feasting on it. As I sit here on my couch I can see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Wars toys that are new but made to look exactly like the ones I had as a kid. Similar products exist for Masters of the Universe, G.I. Joe, Ghostbusters, and on and on. We have adult money now and companies want it. So it takes a fine eye to spot where there is a genuine passion for these properties and things we grew up with and what is leeching off that nostalgia.
The 90’s X-Men animated series is held in a very high place for many. It was rad, it pushed boundaries for a Saturday morning cartoon, and low-key did more to teach us about acceptance and society’s nasty history with others who are different, than many others did. X-Men, Batman the Animated Series, and Spider-Man were the holy trinity and why many of us like comics. Well, Disney is bringing it back, and not just bringing it back but picking it right up where they left off. They have tried to replicate the style and brought as many of the original voice actors as possible back. So with many in that audience spread widely across the social spectrum, with us jaded and sometimes beholden to our nostalgia of a simpler time can they get it right?
Well, it’s of course subjective, some who seem to have forgotten everything the original show taught us have already labeled it “woke” and how you could miss the pretty blatant source material from the 90s is one thing but largely the show puts in the effort to continue the soul of the original. Its a fine line of trying to capture the look but at the same time if you go back and watch those episodes they very clearly were working with a smaller budget. So where do you mimic the look but with higher values? Where does a shot maybe not looking polished fit the theme and where do we need to show off? Again it is going to be different for everyone but I’ll say when the show decides it wants to show off it looks absolutely stunning. The impressive shows of powers and the trademark shades and shadows just look great. The flashes of Scotts blasts, the lightning from Storm, Magneto’s fields, it all looks so great. Then there is the subject matter, it definitely is targeted toward an older audience but considering the original show really pushed the envelope in its Saturday timeslot I think it fits perfectly. Plus kids these days watch some pretty heavy stuff anyway.
Most of the core team are back but they all get some great moments to shine. Wolverine is rarely a focus in the first few episodes but considering he is so overly exposed in other properties it was nice to see Cyclops and Storm be heavy focuses and get to really show off their powers. Scott gets some great action shots and is firmly the leader of the team. Something recent movies have kinda said in passing but never with him having authority or being in a position we buy as a leader.
The show plays like a modern-day superhero drama but in the backdrop of a format and style we all resonate with. It is a great combination and the story on its own is dynamic, well paced and engaging. I really think they nailed walking that fine line. X-Men always were different than the modern-day MCU, while they may get treated differently they are often celebrated and called heroes. The X-Men are never afforded that treatment and often have to swallow a lot of hate to do what is right with no thanks. I enjoy exploring back in that world.
Oh and yes, the OG theme song is there in all its glory.
