I know, I know. The Marvel burnout is real. Believe me, I feel it too. But if you’re only going to watch one thing from Phase 4 (and Phase 5), I highly recommend you watch the animated, time-bending, multiverse series, What If…?

I first got into the MCU in 2020. We were all stuck inside, I was working a job I hated, and I felt like I wasn’t using my Disney+ account enough. I needed an escape. And what better escape than to dive into the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? I started to log the films on my brand new Letterboxd account (check out my MCU tag to see my ratings) and dove into this hyper fixation head first. 

I was eager to start watching the very first MCU shows on Disney+ in the beginning of 2021. This was the first time I would be watching something Marvel with my fellow fans! I was so excited. For those of you who *didn’t* stay up until 4am to watch every episode (you’re smarter than I am), WandaVision was the first Disney+ exclusive show. Then came Falcon and the Winter Soldier, then Loki. AND THEN! 

Season 1 of What If began airing in August of 2021. After keeping up with three complex shows over eight months, plus the Black Widow movie, I believe I speak for a lot of MCU fans when I say that I was a little tired of keeping up with these complex stories every week. I saw that the show was animated and thought “huh, that’s cute!” and didn’t worry too much about not keeping up. Plus, Hawkeye came out only three months later, so my focus was pulled back to the MCU with the promise of Hailee Steinfeld. 

The years went by, the MCU kept releasing shows, and the ratings went down. The critics got harsher. The fandom started to turn. Many things had changed, except one. I still didn’t feel like I was using my Disney account enough. 

I’m someone who is notoriously late to watch popular shows. The Queen’s Gambit? Eh, I’ll watch it next year. The Bear? Let’s catch up on the first two seasons right before season 3 comes out. Moon Knight, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel? I did watch them all, but at least three months after their finale aired. I don’t know why I do this, my brain is weird. 

Cut to July 2024, nearly THREE YEARS after the first season of What If aired. I finally decided, you know what, I should check out what this show was really about. After all, the late Chadwick Boseman did win a posthumous Emmy for his voice work in the first season. It can’t be bad. 

Oh, it’s definitely not bad. 

I write a lot about animated shows on this blog. I love adult animation. I’ve been a Simpsons fan my entire life and Bob’s Burgers is another great love of mine. I strongly believe that adult animation should be taken more seriously by society in general. And What If is a fantastic addition to the genre. 

The main plot of each episode is to show us what would have happened if one key component of a classic MCU tale was different. What if Thor were an only child? What if Christine died in Doctor Strange? What if Ultron had won the battle? What if a zombie apocalypse occurred? I love this concept. I think it’s super fun and keeps the audience on its toes. 

What If stars Jeffrey Wright (fun fact: I saw him the first time I went to a taping of Late Night with Seth Meyers!) as the all-knowing Watcher. He’s the narrator of the series and has taken a vow to never interfere in any of the universes that he watches. He watches heroes prosper, worlds die, and people die, all at the same time. He’s a fascinating character and Wright was an absolutely genius casting choice. His voice is smooth and wise. As the show goes on, we reveal more of the Watcher’s personality. Wright inserts humor into the character, along with anxiety and panic. I was thrilled to see that he was nominated alongside Boseman for an Emmy in 2022. 

If I had to choose a second main character of the series, I would have to say it’s Agent Peggy Carter, played by her live-action actor, Hayley Atwell. The very first episode is titled “What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?” and shows us what would have happened if Carter had been given the supersoldier serum instead of Steve Rogers. It’s a great episode and Atwell is an expert at playing Carter by this point. As the series goes on, Carter pops up time and time again. The writers of the show seem to love Carter, and I can see why! She’s reliable, witty, and strong, and a great use of the MCU’s move towards “girl power” in the 2020s. 

I think it’s important to note the voice actors in the series. Nearly every character we’re familiar with is voiced by their life-action actor. You have: Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson, Dominic Cooper, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Favreau, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong, Paul Rudd, Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett… the list goes on. It’s great! However, lots of live-action actors didn’t come back. Josh Keaton voices Steve, Mick Wingert as Tony, and Lake Bell as Natasha, just to name a few. I’m totally fine with this. My theory is every live-action star was offered to voice their character for the animated series and either accepted or denied the offer. I don’t blame those who didn’t come back, especially those who have left the franchise on screen. 

There are some really great episodes in the two available seasons of What If. “What If… Zombies?!” is probably the fan favorite from season 1. We get to watch the surviving Avengers battle to save the universe from a zombie apocalypse – very The Last of Us coded. It’s super fun, and it features Peter Parker! I mean, what else could you want? 

Whether you’ve been lukewarm on the MCU as a whole, have never watched one of the Disney+ shows, or didn’t even know that What If existed, I think that any Marvel fan could find something to enjoy in this series. The animation is impressive, the voice acting is great, and the storylines come together for an epic finale each season. 

What If… you watched What If…?