Marvel is branching out farther and farther from their usual stomping grounds and setting, we're in Egypt (not filmed in Egypt, just set) in this adventure and it's a nice change of pace. It was also a more fun choice to add the Egyptian mythology to the mix, we meet Khonshu pretty quickly but when other players/gods enter the fray, that's when it gets more interesting. On a similar note, the show experiences a big shift past the halfway point and it saved the experience for me. Moon Knight gets weird (at least for Marvel) and it breathed new life into the show. Watching Marc and Steven have to rationalize and make sense of what's happening is pretty entertaining and it shakes up the snow globe in a very pleasant way.

The biggest reason to check out Moon Knight, other than Marvel getting to play with a whole new mythology and setting, is the acting. Oscar Isaac is great as Mark, Steven and Jake. He flips between them seamlessly and he knows how to play up the comedy when Mark and Steven are interacting with each other. His acting across the board deserves praise and without him working his tail off, this show just wouldn't work. Ethan Hawke is unsurprisingly solid as Arthur Harrow. He brings a gravitas to the character that a lesser actor wouldn't be able to and he helps make the stakes feel more real. I also liked May Calamawy as Marc's estranged wife Layla. The series gives her more to do as it goes on and after the typical bickering, Layla becomes a hero in her own right. The only other recognizable name is F. Murray Abraham as Khonshu and he does a fine job in voicing the character.

The element that holds Moon Knight up is the glacial pacing in the middle of the series. It starts fairly fast but after the initial episode, proceedings almost grind to a halt. There is action peppered in throughout and it looks good (the choreography and use of the Knight's powers are both decent) but those scenes are far and few between. Moon Knight is SLOW in episodes 2-4 and then someone gives it a shot in the arm and by episode 6, the show is almost at a sprint. I understand developing the characters and selling the intrigue but if there was anyway to recommend skipping the middle episodes I probably would. But I can't because you wouldn't be able to comprehend the end without all the exposition. So you have to trade that off with Moon Knight, the only way you're going to enjoy it is if you have the patience for it.

Balancing the the weirder elements in the show with the unfortunately boring stretches and Moon Knight arrives in the middle. Oscar Isaac's willingness to embrace the madness keeps the show afloat but Moon Knight is right on the edge between something I want to recommend and something I think you should skip. If you're really into Marvel's slant on TV or love some of their previous shows, I think you'll enjoy this. But if you aren't a superhero die-hard or only have so much time to watch TV, you can skip Moon Knight. It's perfectly acceptable programming but they can't all be home runs.