It's been very interesting watching where the Marvel Cinematic Universe has gone and is moving towards after the events of Avengers: Endgame. After being left the shield by Steve Rogers, I was very eager to see where Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes' story thread would lead. Unlike something like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a much more conventional addition to the franchise. Thankfully, that wasn't a detriment. This series plays very much on the legacy that the shield has left in this universe and I thought that aspect held the show together from start to finish. There's a lot to praise about this series, but it's definitely not perfect. Here are my thoughts on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Picking up after the events of Avengers: Endgame and dealing with real-world issues, this series gets off to a slow start, in a good way. Giving us a new backstory for Sam and diving deeper into the mind of Bucky, we get some semblance of what really goes on in their lives, outside of the massive team films. With a new group called The Flagsmashers looming and the government appointing an unworthy man as the new Captain America, drama ensues. Between these two threats and many other characters/storylines throughout the series, I found myself glued to the screen for the majority of it. What this series suffers the most from, however, is the fact that it feels too much like a movie.

Yes, I'm aware that the point of these new mini-series' from Marvel are meant to feel in continuity with the films, but this felt like a two to three-hour film that was stretched into six episodes. Yes, there is plenty going on in each episode, but some of the pacing felt slow at times in comparison to episodes like the finale. I'm not saying I need action every second, but I admit that the series felt like it took a few detours as it made its way to a conclusion. Still, most story threads come to a conclusion in the final episode and it all feels earned by the end. If for nothing else though, this duo is a blast to watch on-screen.

Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan have always been great in these roles and their chemistry in films like Captain America: Civil War only ever elevated everything else around them. Not just their chemistry but their charisma as actors in general just radiates off the screen. Add performers like Erin Kellyman, Daniel Brühl, and Wyatt Russell, and the series just gets even better. Every single performance in this series is entirely committed and it shows. The series ends up roughly where most viewers will see it going, but it's done in a very satisfying way and I wish I had seen certain moments on the big screen. These series' are being made like movies, so it's upsetting that they can't be shown on the big screen, but that's another discussion.

Overall, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier delivers on action, drama, and real-world issues being discussed on a regular basis. I loved watching this series very much, even if it felt a little slow at times. I could've easily seen this in theatres as a long film, but it also works as a series that slides right in after Avengers: Endgame. There are quite a few ideas here that I very curious to see evolve in future shows/movies. If you've followed this franchise for any period of time, I absolutely recommend checking this one out.