Who knew it would take literal teenagers to make a Marvel show have even the slightest sense of play? There are moments in some of the recently-departed Netflix series that stick out, whether because they’re effective fights, condensed character moments, or Vincent D’Onofrio wearing cool suits—but Runaways is easily my favorite Marvel TV series, because it’s the only one where it seems like anyone involved is having fun.
There’s a lot happening in “Gimmie Shelter,” which has to set up the new status quo for the Runaways after they finally left home, establish what the kids are up to, check in with their parents, and reveal Jonah’s quasi-mole. But the episode remains, even in its heaviest moments, light and playful, which is really impressive considering everything that’s going on.
Take the shot of Molly picking up the heavy shopping cart with a dinosaur inside. Or the scene of Chase and Karolina acting like rich assholes to steal a Range Rover with the license plate “L1TCO1N.” Or pretty much everything with Darius, who pranks Alex by tricking him into think he’s going to have to kill someone (or at least clean up a body) and instead winds up painting Darius’ unborn child’s room sea foam green. (Don’t want to get paint on your nice thrift store outfit!) Darius makes a strong opening bid for best supporting character of the season—DeVaughn Nixon didn’t have much to do besides glower at the Wilders in season one, but putting him in a paternal position with Alex, including a brief version of “the talk” about interacting with cops as a young black man, has a lot of promise.
It’s nice that Alex, at least, has a parental figure, since the rest of Pride is up to their same old tricks. Frank is an idiot who gives statements to the press, calling attention to Pride’s operation. (Kip Pardue, meanwhile, was accused of—and somewhat apologized for—sexual misconduct on another set.) The Wilders brush off any criticism by literally saying “haters gonna hate” when someone suggests their men in the LAPD might not have found the kids. Except, of course, the LAPD has picked up a bunch of random teens who only loosely fit the descriptions of Pride’s kids. (This was extremely predictable but also very funny.) And the Yorkes get in a lot of excellent banter about who is going to jab Molly’s relative Graciela with a mind wipe device, only to be surprised by Tina, who murders the older woman in cold blood.
So yeah, there’s a lot happening. But throughout the episode, the script (by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage) and direction (by Allison Liddi-Brown) keep building to small moments of tension—is Alex about to get into a car with his parents, will Chase get the Fistigons back from that guy who looks like Blake from Workaholics, who is meeting Jonah—without letting any of them become leaden. We already know the answers to most of these questions (probably not, yes, Karolina), but without drawing them out and insulting the audience’s intelligence, the Runaways team makes it much easier to invest in actually feeling something when they get resolved.
By the end of the episode, the Runaways have found an abandoned mansion near Griffith Park, which will serve as their new aesthetically appealing and angst-heavy headquarters. Nico has held a Wiccan funeral for Graciela. And we finally learn who the mole is going to be this season. I appreciate how effectively the show is playing with the expectation from the comics that Alex will turn out to be a mole for Pride. Instead, Karolina is the one who sneaks out to meet with Jonah—her father—and the episode ends with her in his arms as an earthquake begins to shake the city. Uh oh!
Stray observations
- The kids talk a lot about how hungry they are, but how is Gert feeding Old Lace? I feel like a dinosaur should have to eat a lot.
- Victor is trapped in what is, essentially, a mind palace—a version of 1980s Philadelphia—while he recovers from being shot. Jonah seems to be keeping him there for ulterior purposes, which I don’t mind because I love to see my ’90s supernatural boys bicker.
- I really like that Gertie makes Molly wear a helmet even though Gert… isn’t wearing one.
- I’m your new Runaways reviewer! The most important thing to know about my perspective on this show is that I love the dads, and will be taking extra time every episode to reward a Runaways Dad Of The Day. Today’s Dad Of The Day is also my favorite Runaways dad, Dale Yorkes/Kevin Weisman, for his delivery of the extremely ironic line “Graciela’s a Bond villain!” Keep jabbing, my man!
29 Comments
I agree that Runaways is better than most of the Netflix stuff.While Season 1 did not involve a lot of running away until the last episode, I certainly enjoy the cheesy high school stuff, Chase’s relationship with his dad and the weird cult church (I wish it was the Church of Truth from the 616 Marvel comics though).
I should give Runaways a second chance I gave up after the second episode because of the glacial pace it seemed to be moving compared to the comic.
Same here. I was out because of the pacing and because I realized they were going the Preacher route and making a prequel first season to the source material.So, I’m waiting for the reviews to see if I give it a second chance.
This for sure. Maybe it’s time for me to check it out again too,.
Uhhhhh it’s still going to go very slow, it’s the entire first season of them not running away. We’ll see if this season improves on it, but if the pace was your problem that doesn’t change.
Magic is magic, so the only characters with any agency are the magic users. And there’s nothing here except fantasies about agency. Also, no way these people run away together.
I…what?
I already like this season more due to the appearance of “Gamma Knife” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizards within the first 5 minutes of the episode.
Plus, ya know, they actually are now running away.
I just want to point out how that kid in the middle looks so stupid wearing his hoodie that like.
He’s kind of terrible, so it’s in character for him to do something like that. He probably thinks it looks cool.
Not to defend Alex as he is trash but that sorta just happens if you have big hair and try to wear a hoodie.
“…but Runaways is easily my favorite Marvel TV series, because it’s the only one where it seems like anyone involved is having fun.”Um, Agents of Shield? By far the most fun Marvel show.
Before S5 maybe.
I liked Season 5, still a step down from Season 4. I would put it on par with season 2
I’d have them ranked 3>2=4>1>5 (although that’s probably somewhat controversial).
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is great, but I like Cloak & Dagger even better.
Hands down. I’d love to see Coulson comment on the Fistigons or the PRIDE parents
I’m in to the show, but oof, there was some PAINFUL dialogue in this episode, including these screaming clunkers:“Well, my name is Chase” said while literally chasing someone down.“So we’re assassins now” “We have been for a while, we just got new targets”I actually laughed when both of those comments were said, but definitely not in a way the show runners intended (at least I don’t think this show is going for camp).
at least Gert immediately calls him out on that being dumb, especially since it was in response to a ‘nickname’ comment and that’s just his name
Ear of the beholder. Neither of those lines came off as clunkers to me, but Chase’s line came close until Gert’s follow up joke. Not sure why the second line would sound weird to you as the parents have been operating in part as killers while convincing themselves that they aren’t because they’re only doing it because of blackmail or for their kids.
Five episodes in and I think I’ve finally stopped feeling sore about what a slog season one was. How did they manage to turn one issue of a comic into 10 episodes of mediocre television? So far this season has been what I wanted/needed the first outing to be.
I absolutely love, and not in a critical way, how bad the kids are at running away and not drawing attention. They stole a luxury car with vanity plates in a place that without a doubt has cameras outside. You know, all things that should make them relatively easy to track down. Again, not a negative as it feels fitting to them as characters at this point.
I was somewhat pleasantly surprised that they had Karolina and Nico be just open instantly with the other kids instead of making it and Alex’s interest in Nico somekind of an awkward triangle. Although having written that, the speed and the way they introduced a new romantic interest for Alex did make me laugh out loud.
“…how is Gert feeding Old Lace? I feel like a dinosaur should have to eat a lot.”-Before they go eat, Gert says Old Lace is doing fine feeding from dumpsters. (Also…ok.)
The police mistakingly rounding up kids that look like the Runaways makes no sense. I found it more stupid than funny, and it speaks to how awkward some of this show’s humor is.For better (the cast) or worse (everything else), Runaways is exactly the same. I face-palmed when the kids arrived at the soup kitchen and Alex suggested they eat separately (smart) but was shot down by Nico because “strength in numbers” (stupid- they’re trying to keep a low profile!) Fugitives all over the news, it stretches enough credibility as it is that they run around together without changing their very distinct, easily identifiable looks, but I’m also expected to accept that they can dine under one of their parents’ establishments, and not so much as an employee might find this young group conspicuous.I think there was a whole lot more wrong with Runaways than just taking a season for them to split. Vince’s reviews were very keen to catch a lot of the logic problems, bad dialogue, and inconsistent tone and character work, that keep this show from being as good as Marvel’s other series, even if it is more “fun.” From what I just watched, this S2 premiere doesn’t try to improve any of the show’s weaknesses, so I’ll have to recalibrate my expectations, and accept Runaways as dumb cheese, if I’m going to be able to tolerate it at all. The better teen series from Marvel is the tighter, smarter Cloak & Dagger.
I found the premiere clunky too, but I’ve found eps 5 and 6 to be particularly well written, Marvel perfection.
that guy who looks like Blake from WorkaholicsI did a double take because I thought it was really him.
I’m starting the season late, but as a non comic book fan, I liked last season a lot. I didn’t mind that they didn’t literally run away because interesting things happened.
And indeed, now that they have run away, I’m rolling my eyes at plot contrivances more. They ate at a Pride soup kitchen, but neither Gibborim cult members nor the Minorus’ sophisticated programming actually found them? And then Karolina just happens to accidentally fall into an abandoned, decrepit mansion?
I’m glad that Karolina is the mole instead of Alex, but I’m pretty sure Nico will just make excuses for Karolina and everyone will forgive her in a way they won’t Alex. I didn’t like how people continued to snipe at him even though he helped a lot. He does make the smartest suggestions.
Nico not bothering to blend at all is about as ridiculous as the perfection of her days old makeup. I know her look is comic book iconic, but come on! Mess with her hear and smear up her makeup. It’s not that hard. (plus, she’s goth anyway… smeared up makeup will still fit her look)
As the parents are heading into the police station in the first scene, one of them quips “No wonder it took them so long to run away” – I can’t help but think that this is a jab at the fans and critics moaning about them “taking all season to run away”! Then Geoffrey Wilder follows up with “Haters gonna hate”….
I enjoyed this episode so much more than anything from S1. Found the funeral scene quite moving, and the kids’ struggles with survival realistic and entertaining. More, please.