Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-19263992-20130921151158/@comment-1458758-20131124031402

I like this show, but like any, it has its issues. As with any more modern series, you'll find animation and art have evolved/improved since past series, so I can't really say it's better than Spectacular as it's pretty much a matter of course it would be, after that, it's a matter of preference in design really. For example, I like the look of both Spidermen in their respective series, but I prefer the sleeker design of Ultimate etc.

How the show is actually put together on the other hand. I like the humour, the problem is, as so wonderfully illustrated by his presence, ¬_¬ Peter's humour in this is more akin to Deadpool. Sure Peter always cracked jokes and had his own internal monologue running, but now, it is at times painful as the humour takes you out of the moment. I do like these little mental images, but when they're popping up in the middle of big battles and the like, they can really ruin the mood for a quick laugh. The humour itself, while not bad, better than corny 90s phrases, can be hit or miss and it does feel that the humour is being done in such a way more to appeal to the younger viewers with simple visual jokes and before I get a rash of "It's meant for children" so are numerous other shows that never felt the need to dumb down their jokes for the younger audience.

The positives of the series are quite a few. I like a lot the story lines, the humour, when it's good it's great. The team dynamic works really well I think, everyone bringing something to the table and the whole teacher/student relationships alongside people like Coulson, Fury, The Avengers I think adds something that wasn't really present outside of Madame Webb in Spectacular. The story, while at times really predictable, doesn't feel forced. Yeah an intelligent observer could tell you the rest of the episode a third of the way in most of the time, but the measure of it isn't in your ability to not predict it, it's your investment regardless, and most of the time the series holds my attention, especially on those occasions where it does do something new that really grabs me.

Onto the few things I actually dislike about the series, a certain reliance on gadgetry is one. I don't mind the comm watch or the Spider-Cycle as they do justify that, it's when we're getting like 3-4 types of webbing for whatever reason that kind of bugs me. It's nice to have a core skill set or tool to go with, but Tesla webs do seem to be a needlessly complicated taser. Not to mention Doc Ock's reliance on the same bloody formula time and again. There are only so many times you can combine Peter's modified DNA to a situation before it starts sounding like he's got pure Deus Ex Machina running through his veins. That, and the constant use and stressing of the word Ultimate we get it, it's Ultimate Spiderman, please shut up.

That in turn probably points towards my biggest issue with the series as a whole. They're presenting it as Ultimate Spiderman and I know the old one was Spectacular, but I'll be frank in saying I was 6 years old and didn't give a rat's ass at the time. In this case, I don't know if they're doing it in some misguided attempt to lure in viewers with such a title, but from what I know of the Ultimates Universe, this series has a loose connection at the very best, so the need to try and advertise by calling it anything but Spiderman eludes me.

All in all, I enjoy this series. It's not Spectacular, but it was never going to be and it shouldn't have to live up to it. That's like saying Spectacular should've been trying to live up to Spiderman and his Amazing Friends, and we all know where that show stands right now... Or rather sits...

It's not as heavy on the Peter drama, which isn't always a bad thing, but it has its moments and as I covered with my thoughts on the humour, it's clearly not aiming for a darker tone. For what it is, I think it's achieved its goals.