MCU vs. DC Shows: Which Are Better And Why Is It DC

Before you scoff and decide I’m DC-biased, here’s a fun fact: The MCU makes up 70% of my media consumption.

And as much as I adore the way Marvel has dominated the movie/continued universe industry, it could take some pointers from the way shows are handled back at DC.

Of course, the latest Disney+ projects are a gigantic leap from the old Agents of SHIELD days. But compare them to the Arrowverse, and you’ll see room for improvement.

There are a plethora of reasons as to why this is, but let’s take a look at the most significant reasons as to why DC has better shows than Marvel:

1. Plot Pacing And Progress

While inarguably a masterpiece, the first few episodes of The Falcon & Winter Soldier lacked the hook to keep an audience enticed. Many of us continued the show only because of the previously established faith in Marvel (and, to be fair, it paid off).

But if this were someone’s introduction to the MCU, they probably would have forgotten the show soon enough. Not because it sucked, but because in the time that it took the rest of the episodes to arrive, the audience cared less and less about the show.

Though the series was kept short and to the point, it felt dragged out and generic compared to every other MCU film. If I weren’t attached to the characters, I would have never stuck long enough to grasp and appreciate the plot, which is the core of the problem.

Knowing that there are weeks between when the episodes released, Marvel could’ve taken precautions to keep them enticing instead of depending on previously established trust/ attachment to keep its audience in their seat.

This is where the folks at DC outperform. Though the Arrowverse shows are based on some of the most worshipped heroes in the DC Universe, the creators don’t rely on this popularity to keep their viewership.

The plot is allowed to progress according to its needs, and the fact that every show needs to work at its own pace is honored.

2. Predictability

Over the years, DC sort of made the grey-gritty palate its signature style for movies. On the other hand, Marvel used all the colors at its disposal and refused to shy away from the light-hearted side of the superhero world.

This was one of the biggest attractions of the MCU. It was refreshing to see humor and color in movies about superheroes when we were so accustomed to the darkness and brooding.

But it’s been well over a decade, and in an attempt to stick to the features that make it unique, Marvel has gotten used to comfortable predictability.

It may not be that obvious, but when you withdraw and take a few steps back, you realize that Marvel hasn’t taken a lot of risks with its storytelling in a while.

WandaVision, for example, could’ve been so much darker. There was room for the thrill that made your heart pound. We could’ve been overwhelmed at the sight of power in the hands of insanity. But in the end, the show progressed and ended in the way you’d very obviously expect from an MCU show.

DC isn’t particularly good at risk-taking either, but they’re doing better than Marvel here. (Minus the last few seasons of Arrow, of course. That’s been a repetitive mess.)

DC started with the darker theme for Arrow, recognizing the character and his overall vibe. But they didn’t hesitate to give Flash a brighter, more comic theme and plot — once again, recognizing the character’s unique needs to adapt to the screen.

The fact that DC can work out of a ‘set predictability zone’ for all these shows, despite them overlapping, keeps things a lot more interesting over there.

3. Marvel vs. DC Animated Series

Now, this bit is outside the MCU vs. DCEU war, but it’s equally important to many of us.

The DC Animated series is what the movies would’ve been if they had the right people working on them.

DC has long dominated the animated series scene, and for good reason. Thanks to the comic writers being heavily involved, DC shows tend to create better storylines than Marvel. DCAU is also supported by Warner Bros. Animation Studio, which have previously created critically acclaimed movies like The Lego Movie.

Marvel Animations, on the other hand, ends up collaborating with a variety of different studios, resulting in Marvel creating animated shows that vary in terms of excellence. Companies like Lionsgate and Sony aren’t really interested in making anything outside of what appeals to children and works as Sunday morning cartoons, hence the low-quality effort on the plot and stories.

Overall, I think it’s a long agreed fact that Marvel owns the movie industry, while DC owns the series side of things. Though I don’t suspect it’ll be that way for long — with Zack Snyder and James Gunn, DCEU is set for some blockbuster movies. And the future MCU show line-up is nothing short of mouth-watering.