The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/tv-reviews/the-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier-spoiler-free-review "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is definitely a less enthusiastic, slower, more grounded series than its magical predecessor, but it accomplishes the main mission of bringing the audience closer to Sam and Bucky. The character-driven show features exceptional dialogues and terrific performances from its leads, but the supporting cast steals the spotlight on several occasions, especially Daniel Brühl. The "Black Captain America" narrative and the subplot involving John Walker and a deep exploration of Cap's mantle are undoubtedly the most compelling, well-developed arcs of the whole series, though I appreciated every second spent with Sam dealing with his family issues and Bucky with his amends. However, the Morgenthau-led Flag Smashers fail to become more than just misunderstood, annoying antagonists, while Sharon Carter just feels like a completely out-of-place, unnecessary marketing strategy. Kari Skogland tries to keep every episode at a high level of quality, ultimately struggling with pacing issues and balance of storylines. In the end, she succeeds in leaving the viewers more emotionally attached to the (new) main heroes." Rating: B-