“Ironheart” Coasts on Potential … For Now
Brief, spoiler-free thoughts on the first three episodes
Much like Riri Williams as a character, Ironheart has potential as a show. But just like her professors and academic advisors, I’m worried that the potential won’t be realized.
At the beginning of the show, Riri Williams is a complex but borderline unlikable character consumed with pursuing what she believes is best to the detriment of others. Her single-minded ambition puts those she loves and those who trust her in danger.
That should sound familiar, as it mirrors Tony Stark and Iron Man, who looms over this show both figuratively and actually. Williams is constantly compared to and compares herself to Stark.
Robert Downey Jr was perfect casting for the cocky but begrudgingly lovable Iron Man. I’m not sure Dominique Thorne captures those same heights, but those are overwhelming, Oscar-winning shoes to fill as a young actress. Again, the potential is there. Much of the success of the show will be in Thorne’s ability to successfully turn the character.
The show shines brightest during the all-too-limited interactions between Williams and her family and friends in Chicago. Her mother and her best friend’s brother draw out the deepest emotional connections for Williams and help us see a different side of her character. Because they obviously care for her so deeply, we’re invited to look past her prickly exterior.
The benefit of Ironheart being stuck in development for several years is that the special effects hold their own. Since it deviates from the nano-technology that drives so many modern Marvel cinematic suits, Williams’ suit feels more tactile and tangible and is a vast improvement over the last one we saw from her in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It helps to ground a show centered on sci-fi and magic.
There are also interesting and unexpected MCU tie-ins and characters that deepen the connections between Ironheart and Iron Man. I’m anxious for the show to pull on those threads more.
Like many superhero shows and movies, there are some contrived plot points and forced dialogue. Too many characters feel like stand-ins for concepts instead of flesh-and-blood people. The team of thieves she joins seems constructed merely to fit a stereotype checklist. There’s little depth to their caricature characters or their heists stealing from the seemingly exploitative ultra-rich.
Though he has not been given much through three episodes, Anthony Ramos’ The Hood provides an interesting and potentially sympathetic villain. His powers and motivations serve as a propelling mystery for the show. Hints abound that the show will reveal a more sinister figure behind all the evil.
While I prefer a weekly release model for television shows, Ironheart may benefit from releasing two three-episode groups. The show didn’t seem to find its direction and narrative tension until the third episode. If you stuck with the first batch, you’ll probably want to find out what happens next.
The show raises some interesting and relevant questions. How does someone with a more scientific naturalism perspective respond when confronted with the supernatural? What does it look like to re-enchant a disenchanted world? How do you overcome trauma? Can AI help us navigate loss and grief, or does it only prevent us from working through the necessary process?
The show directly broached the cultural conversation surrounding AI digitally resurrecting loved ones. The best version of Ironheart will wrestle with the ramifications and refuse easy answers. The worst version glosses over all the complications and ignores personal responsibility.
The thing about potential is that it has to be realized, or else it’s just disappointing. I hope Ironheart steps out of the shadow of Iron Man and into its full potential. We’ll find out next week when the final three episodes are released.