Marvel Animation's Disney+ offerings have varied in quality, with the highs of X-Men '97 and I Am Groot countered somewhat by the lows of What If...?'s third and final season. With undeniably unique visuals and an unexpected cast of supporting characters, there have been concerns Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man might struggle to swing anywhere near the high bar set by Spider-Man: The Animated Series and The Spectacular Spider-Man. Not only is it more than a match for its predecessors but those perceived weaknesses are what make the Marvel Studios series so inspired and among the best Spider-Man adaptations ever.
Over the course of 10 episodes, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man delivers a brilliantly clever new twist on Peter Parker's origin story, some of the best web-swinging and fight scenes we've seen from this iconic character in any realm, and richly compelling story arcs for all its leads. Norman Osborn becoming Spidey's mentor in place of Iron Man makes for gripping viewing, as does Lonnie Lincoln's tragic journey from high school jock to potentially evolving into the "Tombstone" we all know and fear in the comics.
Harry Osborn, Nico Minoru, and Pearl Pangan all similarly bring a great deal to the table, making this return to Peter's high school days feel fresh and relevant. Rather than standalone episodes, there's an overarching story throughout this first season (the first of many, we hope) and whether it's fun new takes on obscure characters like Speed-Demon and Carmela Black or watching as the Scorpion is unleashed in one of his deadliest forms to date, the show is constantly firing on all cylinders.
Head Writer Jeff Trammell has crafted a contemporary take on Spider-Man which, while heavily inspired by the MCU, takes many of its cues from those early comic book adventures dreamed up by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and John Romita Sr. That's evident from what proves to be utterly gorgeous animation' the colours pop off the screen and these heroes and villains are brought to life through expressive character models which often appear as if they've jumped straight off the page. In terms of the writing, we're not kidding when we say there are ideas and moments here that have been conceived even more effectively on screen than what we've seen in Marvel Studios' stellar Spider-Man trilogy. This is movie-quality storytelling on the small screen.
Hudson Thames makes for a truly superior Spider-Man with his voice-over work, though there's not a bad performance to be found. Colman Domingo lends some heavyweight talent to the series as Norman Osborn, a character he makes all the more fascinating to spend time with. Hugh Dancy's Otto Octavius is a genuine delight and the best interpretation of that villain since Alfred Molina in 2004's Spider-Man 2. Eugene Byrd, Grace Song, and Zeno Robinson similarly impress, and this entire ensemble definitely delivers. Oh, and without getting into spoilers, prepare to lose your sh*t when Charlie Cox's Daredevil shows up!
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man would benefit at times by focusing a little more on Peter than his supporting cast, while it can take some time to warm to characters not even the most die-hard comic book fans will necessarily be instantly familiar with (trust us, you'll love them as deeply as Ned Leeds and Gwen Stacy by the finale). It's sometimes hard not to wonder whether the show was handcuffed in terms of the villains it could use as there are only really a handful of major names from the comics. Then again, why not pit Spidey against Butane and Big Donovan rather than those all-too-familiar foes he's crossed paths with in animation countless times before?
Without a dull moment to be found and episode runtimes ranging from 27 - 30 minutes, Trammell packs in a lot of story and somehow never does a single character a disservice. Subplots are constantly revisited and "To Be Continued..."-style cliffhangers will keep you coming back for more.
On occasion, the show splits the screen up like a comic book panel and those are just one example of the care and dedication that went into making Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man a love letter to the source material. There are endless examples of fan-pleasing scenes, deep dives into the lore for hardcore fans, and heaps of genuine heart and emotion (we found ourselves punching the air with joy on more than one occasion). Crucially, not only does it serve as a great way for younger fans to get to know this hero in a contemporary setting but longtime readers of Spidey's exploits on the page will undoubtedly walk away happy. The end result is the ultimate Spider-Man TV series.