Spider-Noir Season 1 Episode 1-4 Review: Step into My Office/Tread Lightly/Double Cross/A Mistake I’ll Never Make Again

We all have entered the Spider-verse once or twice. Therefore, it makes sense that Sony continues to capitalize on the franchise and property with the latest entry into the Spider-Man universe, Spider-Noir. The first four episodes, Spider-Noir Season 1 Episode 1, “Step into My Office,” Spider-Noir Season 1 Episode 2, “Tread Lightly,” Spider-Noir Season 1 Episode 3, “Double Cross,” and Spider-Noir Season 1 Episode 4, “A Mistake I’ll Never Make Again,” all work in harmony to establish the show’s premise, vibe, and characters.

These first four episodes prove the enticing nature of the series’ concept. It’s Spider-Man, but set it in the 1930s, and with vague familiarity, but not quite the same. It’s him, but not the web slinger we’re used to.

He’s not Peter Parker; he’s Ben Reilly and goes by The Spider.

Ben has traces of the Peter Parker charm. He’s a little goofy and internalizes his mistakes. However, unlike Peter, Ben wants nothing to do with The Spider and his past.

He carries a sadness that we don’t often see in portrayals of this character.

Nicolas Cage isn’t someone you may automatically think about when discussing the Spider-verse, and initially, you may be hesitant to accept him in this role. Nonetheless, as we come to understand this character, Cage fits him perfectly.

The character must carry a constant feeling of loss, but have an innate silliness. Cage is known for his over-the-top roles in recent years, but he has also had many solid dramatic performances. He balances Ben’s dark and humorous sides.

Characters are Spider-Noir’s strongest element. The women on the show carry it in many ways. Ben’s secretary, Janet, is one of the show’s funniest and most charming.

Karen Rodriguez steals any scene she is in, and that’s hard with so many talented actors around.  Li Jun Li as Cat Hardy is an intriguing noir femme fatale.

She’s seductive but holds a lot of pain. Lamorne Morris’s Robbie is another fun addition to Spider-Noir, but Morris is such a great comedic actor that he feels a bit underused in the first four episodes.

He doesn’t stand out enough and feels just like the typical reporter character.

The series has so many cool elements: the fact that you can watch it in color or black and white, the costumes, filming style, concept, and its ties to the historical period. It’s a show that, on paper, should be a resounding success.

A lot of the show works, but the first four episodes don’t quite meet the audience’s high expectations. It doesn’t feel completely like a tribute to noir movies or even Spider-Man as a character.  Spider-Noir relies too heavily on cliches, without feeling like it is a choice to pay homage to the genre.

It more-so feels like it’s just doing a paint-by-numbers copy of some of the superhero and noir tropes.

It’s almost a little too predictable. The series has so many amazing comedic and dramatic actors in it, yet it doesn’t feel like a comedy or a drama. It’s not even a dramedy.

It’s some odd third thing where it’s not melodramatic enough, and the comedy feels too scarce.

Maybe because the cast is so talented, the cool concept, and the unique use of a superhero, expectations are too high. Spider-Noir’s first four episodes are not bad by any means. However, it just feels like an okay series when it has all the tools to be a great one.

Let’s see if the final four episodes prove it’s better than we think.

Stray Thoughts

• I think the super villains, or “monsters,” are what intrigue me the most. Mostly because they’re established Spider-Man villains, but in this unique format.
• I love Brendan Gleeson, but he doesn’t strike the right amount of fear in me. He’s not as scary as he should be.
• Early prediction: Kat has some sort of hypnotic superpower with her voice

 

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