Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel Cast: Iman Vellani, Matt Lintz, Rish Shah
Ms. Marvel Creator: Bisha K. Ali
Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Ms. Marvel Stars: 3.5/5
The portrayal of cultural heritage is a key aspect for Ms. Marvel to reach global audiences and the show doesn't go wrong with it. From discussions about Shah Rukh Khan and Bollywood movies to Eid celebrations, the show packs on everything that the life of a Pakistani American teen could revolve around at home and school. Among the first two episodes though, if there's one conversation that sets the tone for the show and what lies ahead for Kamala's journey, it's the one where her mother, Muneeba urges her to focus on herself and withdraw herself from the fantasy world that she's created as a fan. It's an indication of how in the coming episodes, Khan will not only understand how to use her powers but also understand her place as a hero and the battles that she wants to pick with her abilities. It's a journey that will convince Kamala herself that a brown girl can and will save Jersey City when needed. 
Created by Bisha K. Ali and directed by Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah and Meera Menon, Ms.Marvel has the quality to instantly grow on you with its spirited and lively visuals. Visually, the show seems like the equivalent of being inside an Avengers-crazed, teenager's head. From the stunning opening sequence where Vellani's voiceover plays while paper dolls and dioramas of superheroes are illustrated as a part of her fan video to the entire Avengers Con sequence, big credits to the makers for packing the first two episodes with banging visuals and an equally impressive musical score to go with it. Smart creative choices like ditching text bubbles for neon signs appearing in the background when Kamala (Vellani) is chatting on her phone works like magic to make the show look brighter.
In terms of performances, Iman Vellani who makes her screen debut with the series seems like the perfect choice to embody an exciting spirit like Kamala Khan. Vellani shows a great potential when it comes to capturing a similar vibe to that of Peter Parker and Kate Bishop's characters of new-age superheroes who have grown up in the Avengers era. Zenobia Shroff and Mohan Kapur are equally impressively cast as Kamala's parents. In the case of Kamala's friends, Matt Lintz does a fine job as Bruno and the rapport shared by him and Vellani seems natural. Yasmeen Fletcher as Nakia is a character and performance that I'm looking forward to watching more in the show. Rish Shah as Kamran gets quite a memorable entry and it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for him.
Ms. Marvel consists of six episodes that will be released weekly and following the second episode's cliffhanger climax, it will be interesting to see where the story heads on from there. If we have learnt anything from MCU's past shows such as WandaVision and Moon Knight, it's that the show could be headed in the most unexpected ways from there on and hence while I relished the first two episodes, it's going to be an interesting ride ahead.
