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Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man is a refreshingly different take about our favourite wall-crawler. And as for who are his worst enemies, it is slowly developing. Without it, I doubt I’d care about the antihero Tombstone as much. Unlike other animated series which cut to the chase, the best part concerns Lonnie (Eugene Byrd) before his fall and Miko (Grace Song) her transition. Their side stories develop along with the hero’s, but as for if they will be his amazing friends, that’s debatable.
Here, Peter Parker (Hudson Thames) is learning the ropes in what it takes to be a hero. Here, he doesn’t meet the Avengers or even get recruited. The random reference to those events from the Captain America films is just that! As for where the other superheroes are, we only catch two in action, and hear about others.
This latest also plays with the quote “Every generation has to have its heroes.” And although the debut episodes are not enough to understand why Peter must play the hero, I suspect this has something to do with his upbringing. Although moments in the later instalments suggest Uncle Ben’s advice has always been important, sadly, he passed on. But throughout the early half, he has a heart of gold. He’ll help others who can’t help themselves, including animals. He’s not facing super powered foes yet, but as everyone knows, they’re coming!
In this series, Norman Osborn (Colman Domingo) is very interested in Pete. Not only has he offered the teen an internship at his research company, but also he quickly discovers his secret! As for Harry discovering Pete’s antics by the end of episode four and decides to help, that’s never been a thing before. That’s because he has a “life debt” after Spidey saves him from muggers.
The concerns lay in how much of a “good guy” Norm is. Another major element considers Lonnie’s eventual fall from grace. From football star to gangster, this character development is the best I’ve seen to date! That’s because everyone gets to know where his sense of duty and honour belongs. When this shifts from friendship to family to leading a brotherhood of gangsters, I can’t wait for what’s next! And the best part concerns how his relationship with the boss nearly mirrors Peter Parker and Norman Osborne’s.
But the story neglects to explain who Nico Minoru (pictured above, right) is or what she does. I can forgive the storytellers because she is a rogue element. I suspect more information will be revealed about her in the next chapter. The official word is that next season won’t arrive until 2026.
That’s a shame as when the story takes place in an alternate reality, it doesn’t have to pay attention to what’s going on in MCU prime. I’d rather watch more episodes arrive by the end of the year than wait a long time. In serialized storytelling, broadcasters space out episodes over six months. A mid-season follows before continuing. Everyone goes on a break for the summer and then the next season is ready!
4 Stars out of 5
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man Trailer
Postscript:
After a second binge-watch, I like the twists offered in the final two episodes. There were a few twists which I saw coming a mile away and others not! And I have to wonder about the Stargate Norman built. While this device can allow him to do space exploration, the fact it can also visit alternate worlds is another! Although those details and Doctor Strange’s involvement connect to the MCU plans, I’d rather this series stick to being standalone. When spiders are often a solitary creature, they should remain as such!
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