Disney+'s 2-Part Sci-Fi Series Is One Of Its Best

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Loki may be a superhero show, but it's also one of the best science fiction shows on Disney+. Disney+ has plenty of great shows, and, more specifically, plenty of great science fiction shows to watch. Disney, after all, has all the Star Wars shows, FX shows like the recently released series Alien: Earth, and classic sci-fi series like Firefly and The X-Files.

Even the various MCU shows fall under the category of Disney+'s sci-fi offerings. Some lean more into fantasy than science fiction, like Agatha All Along, but many of them feature high-tech gadgets, space travel, and other classic bits of sci-fi paraphernalia. One MCU show stands tall above the rest, however, and it has earned a distinction as one of the very best sci-fi shows on Disney+ as a whole.

Loki Is A Perfect Sci-Fi Show

Loki is as close to perfect as a science fiction television show can get, and it has everything a sci-fi fan could want out of a single show. Loki follows the Norse god Loki (Tom Hiddleston), brother of Thor, as he's captured by the Time Variance Authority for stealing the tesseract from Avengers. The TVA protects the "sacred timeline," which Loki has put in danger, and offers him a chance to help set the timeline right by hunting another version of himself.

That synopsis gives a good idea of the mind-bending plot of Loki. The show is filled with time travel, alternate universes, and one of the most interesting and unique groups of "law" enforcement in modern sci-fi. That synopsis also barely scratches the surface of what Loki is, especially as the stakes got higher and the science fiction got more intense in its second season.

Why Loki Worked Better Than Most Disney+ MCU Shows

It's safe to say that Loki is the best Marvel show on Disney+, and it's earned that distinction for quite a few reasons. The main reason is that Loki is to the MCU what Andor is to Star Wars: a major gamble that paid off in dividends. Both Loki and Andor are earnest shows that don't shy away from heavy topics, even as they take place in otherwise lighthearted and "pulpy" franchises.

The MCU has taken risks before, such as with WandaVision, but Loki is in its own league. Loki is filled to the brim with complicated but exceptionally well-thought-out and written sci-fi concepts, it tackles questions of fate and writing one's own story, and it never tries to compromise its story or themes for comedic relief or pure spectacle. Loki is utterly earnest and mature, while shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are not.

That absolute commitment to being different sets Loki apart, but there are other fundamental differences too. The production quality of Loki is astounding, and every member of the cast, from Tom Hiddleston to Ke Huy Quan and Owen Wilson, is top-notch. Loki raised the bar for television higher than any other MCU show ever has.

Even Non-MCU Fans Can Enjoy Loki

One of the very biggest reasons Loki is the best MCU show to date is because it can be enjoyed by anyone, not just fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Loki is obviously connected to the main events of the MCU, as it ties directly into the events of both Avengers and Avengers: Endgame, but viewers don't need to spend days of their lives catching up on superhero lore to enjoy the series.

Loki does a great job of introducing any necessary background information within the show itself. By the end of the first episode, as long as you have a passing understanding of the Avengers and that Loki was a villain, you can follow along perfectly with the events of the TVA. There are some background references that go over the heads of casual viewers, but the show doesn't require intricate knowledge of what happened in, say, Guardians of the Galaxy.

The most lore-heavy part of Loki, Kang the Conquerer and his variants, also doesn't require watching anything else. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania adds more context, but Kang made his first appearance in Loki, so there's no missing backstory within the show. Even if you know nothing about Marvel, Loki still works as a fun, dramatic, and thought-provoking sci-fi romp. That easily earns it a spot as one of Disney+'s best sci-fi shows.