INHUMANS: 5 Ways Marvel Can Still Salvage The Franchise After Its Disastrous IMAX Debut
Inhumans has been an unprecedented disaster for Marvel so we've come up with some major solutions for how ABC can now save the franchise before it ends up alongside the likes of Elektra and Green Lantern.
Marvel's Inhumans premiered on IMAX screens on Friday and, well, the response has not been good. Fans and critics alike have found fault with the series and with a few weeks to go until it premieres on ABC, it's easy to imagine the buzz surrounding it being so bad that ratings are worse than the reviews!
So, with the damage already done, what can ABC do to save the series? All eight episodes are now in the can and it's probably too late to do anything about those, especially with it set to hit the network on September 29th. Below, you'll find what we believe are the best solutions to save the Inhumans.
Don't worry, there aren't any SPOILERS for the first two episodes so you can read on without risk!
5. Fire Scott Buck (And Jeph Loeb While You're At It)
Thanks to Buck, these characters could very well now go the same way as the Fantastic Four has at Fox and that's just not right when they have so much potential. Buck needs to be kept away from all future Marvel TV shows - he's responsible for the only two small screen entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe which have been panned - and while we're at it, Jeph Loeb should be fired too. These shows are making a lot of mistakes under his mediocre direction and it's time that this division gets some new blood to set things right.
4. Shake Things Up In Season 2
Whether or not viewers will have any interest in checking Inhumans out even with some significant changes is hard to say, especially when regular television viewers are so fickle. The odds are already stacked against the series as it airs on a Friday night against some stiff competition and Marvel and ABC will have to work hard to win viewers back once all is said and done. However, significantly shaking things up with a better thought out second season could lead to some sort of redemption and stops the heroes gathering dust on a shelf!
3. Just Put Them In Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Or Something
Maximus could even be used as a season long big bad and those cheap looking sets featured in Inhumans could probably be reused a fair bit here. In fairness to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the show has delivered some strong stories in recent years so the team working on this one might be ABC's best option to save the characters. The series hasn't always done a good job when it comes to costumes (just look at Deathlok) but if it leads to Black Bolt and company finally looking like comic book characters, then let's get them on this show ASAP.
2. Reboot It For The Big Screen
The original plan was for Inhumans to be brought to the big screen but that changed and the decision was made to rush out a small screen version instead. On the surface, it didn't seem like a terrible idea, especially as following Black Bolt and the royal family over the course of an entire season felt like an even better fit for the characters than a two-hour adventure in theaters. Unfortunately, Marvel's TV division has dropped the ball despite all that talk of the show having a big budget and movie feel thanks to IMAX cameras.
None of what makes the Inhumans comics great is on display and so now might be a good time to go back to the drawing board and let Kevin Feige save the franchise. The problem with this is that moviegoers would be confused to suddenly see a totally different version of the heroes pop up on the big screen, especially when Inhumans is supposed to be set in the MCU. Give it a decade or so, though, and this could work as the bad taste this show has left in people's mouths will probably be forgotten by then. What a long wait...
1. Cancel It...For Now?
It would be an expensive decision to make but ABC has clearly cut corners on the show because the costumes and sets are so poor so it might be worth their while to finally throw some cash at Inhumans so it can return in January with a new feel and focus. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, this probably isn't a particularly realistic suggestion but it is one of the smartest. To save face, Marvel might just be better off cancelling it sooner rather than later and claiming that it was only ever intended to run for one season!
Do you think Inhumans can be saved? What did you think of those first two episodes? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.