[8.6/10] An unexpectedly great finale to what’s been a so-so 4-episode arc. While the whole “rise of Doc Ock” thing seems kind of overstated given how often the character was in the background during these episodes, the story told in and of itself is pretty good!
For one thing, I like the trio of Peter, Harry, and Gwen playing detective. It’s a mode that the show hasn’t really hit before, and there’s a Scooby-esque dynamic with them that really works here. Some of Raymond Warren’s traps or mysteries are a little silly, but hey, it’s a comic book show for kids, so you take it in stride.
I also enjoyed all the twists and double-crosses. Harry turning on Peter like he feels Peter turned on him is a neat if sad one. You can understand where Harry’s coming from, just as much as we know Peter’s intentions are pure, and given that their relationship has been the core one of the show thus far, its dissolution has power. The same goes for the ending here. I know I complained about melodrama in the last episode, but Harry’s anger and grief that gets directed at Spider-Man is really effective and well-done in this one. Him losing his father and blaming the Web-Head isn’t treated as just another turn, but something with emotional force, and that goes a long way.
I also like the more plot-heavy twist that Doc Ock is working with The Jackal and has brainwashed the Osborn Commandos. No honor among thieves is always a bit I enjoy in villain team-ups, but it’s nicely motivated by Doc Ock’s prodigious ego and not wanting to be controlled. The whole army of pudding-filled Jackal clones is kind of a dud, but it’s still cool seeing Spidey and the Osborn Commandos turning them to mush.
I also appreciate that Norman gets hoisted by his own petard here. The sense that he had this plan to get to his enemy, and has been playing chessmaster all this time, only to be checkmated at the end has some operatic bearing to it. The fact that, for all his evilness, he still wants Spidey to save his son rather than him, complicates the character in interesting ways.
All-in-all, this is probably the best episode that Marvel’s Spider-Man has offered, which has some momentous turns in the story, but which builds on the character and relationship work the show’s done to bring everyone to this point.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2019-05-29T15:22:44Z
[8.6/10] An unexpectedly great finale to what’s been a so-so 4-episode arc. While the whole “rise of Doc Ock” thing seems kind of overstated given how often the character was in the background during these episodes, the story told in and of itself is pretty good!
For one thing, I like the trio of Peter, Harry, and Gwen playing detective. It’s a mode that the show hasn’t really hit before, and there’s a Scooby-esque dynamic with them that really works here. Some of Raymond Warren’s traps or mysteries are a little silly, but hey, it’s a comic book show for kids, so you take it in stride.
I also enjoyed all the twists and double-crosses. Harry turning on Peter like he feels Peter turned on him is a neat if sad one. You can understand where Harry’s coming from, just as much as we know Peter’s intentions are pure, and given that their relationship has been the core one of the show thus far, its dissolution has power. The same goes for the ending here. I know I complained about melodrama in the last episode, but Harry’s anger and grief that gets directed at Spider-Man is really effective and well-done in this one. Him losing his father and blaming the Web-Head isn’t treated as just another turn, but something with emotional force, and that goes a long way.
I also like the more plot-heavy twist that Doc Ock is working with The Jackal and has brainwashed the Osborn Commandos. No honor among thieves is always a bit I enjoy in villain team-ups, but it’s nicely motivated by Doc Ock’s prodigious ego and not wanting to be controlled. The whole army of pudding-filled Jackal clones is kind of a dud, but it’s still cool seeing Spidey and the Osborn Commandos turning them to mush.
I also appreciate that Norman gets hoisted by his own petard here. The sense that he had this plan to get to his enemy, and has been playing chessmaster all this time, only to be checkmated at the end has some operatic bearing to it. The fact that, for all his evilness, he still wants Spidey to save his son rather than him, complicates the character in interesting ways.
All-in-all, this is probably the best episode that Marvel’s Spider-Man has offered, which has some momentous turns in the story, but which builds on the character and relationship work the show’s done to bring everyone to this point.