The new Disney Plus TV series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is a riveting and action packed show that highlights real issues that are happening in today’s world. The duo of Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier and Sam Wilson/Falcon is unlike any other and is “must see” television. The comedic back and forth between the two, paired with the action packed fight scenes makes for the perfect Marvel fan experience. 

This show fits into the MCU timeline as being six months after “Avengers Endgame” which was the last Marvel film to come out. Endgame essentially ends with Captain America passing the shield on to Sam Wilson. This was a huge moment because it was unexpected and it left viewers thinking, what is next for the Falcon?

The way that they develop Sam Wilson’s character in this show is incredible. Before the show, we’ve seen glimpses of him but nothing compares to the huge role he plays in this show. One of the aspects of Sam’s life we are introduced to is his family. Sarah Wilson, Sam’s sister, and her two kids play a role in a side conflict of the show where they are making the decision to sell the family boat or not. Sarah believes that they need to sell the boat because it no longer works and would be a waste to keep around, while Sam believes that the family legacy of the boat is special and it needs to live on. Later in the season we see Bucky, Sam, and other family friends team up to restore the boat to its original form. Although this doesn’t add to the overall plot of the show it’s important to get a deeper look into Sam’s family life.

Another very important part of this show is the inclusion of social issues. In the second episode Sam and Bucky go to Baltimore to find more of a super serum from former super soldier, Isaiah Bradley. On their way out, Sam and Bucky begin to have an argument with each other that is strictly verbal, involving no violence. The police arrive and immediately begin questioning Sam,who is black, even though they were both arguing. The police then ask for his ID and when he refuses to give it they accuse him of harassing Bucky, who is white and a super soldier assasin.

 It’s only until Bucky asks if they know that Sam is an Avenger that the police begin to back off. This is so important to today’s world and everything that’s happening with racial injustice and police brutality because it’s a serious issue that isn’t talked about enough. This scene highlights current issues that are relevant in today’s world. In the finale we were able to see the epic mashup of the Falcon suit paired with Captain America’s shield. This is a pivotal moment in Falcons character arc as now he will be officially filling in the role of Captain America. A standout part that solidifies Falcons new role as Captain America occurs in the finale episode. A civilian calls him, “Black Captain America” and another civilian corrects the comment and says something along the lines of, “No, he’s Captain America”. This shows how we always put labels on people instead of just appreciating people for who they are.

Although this show was crammed into only six episodes it did a good job telling an entertaining story. For it being a TV show it had a cinematic feel to it, to watch all the episodes through without waiting in between weeks for the next episode would be a perfect way to watch giving it a real movie feel.

The future for the MCU is very bright as phase 4 is in full effect with various new shows coming out. The next big show that will be released is “Loki” starring a handful of stars. “Loki” will be available to stream starting June 9th.