Why One of the Year's Most Innovative Superhero Shows Deserves Better
When I heard that Spider-Noir was going to give viewers the option to watch in ‘authentic’ black and white, I wasn’t impressed.
I assumed that the series would end up being style over substance, too reliant on gimmicks like these in favour of a good story. How happy I was to be wrong.
Instead, Spider-Noir was a thoroughly gripping — and most importantly, fun series that I happily sunk my teeth into. If only the hero were around to catch the criminals at Amazon MGM and Sony, who decided that the show didn’t warrant a second series. Here's why Spider-Noir doesn't deserve to be just a one-and-done show.
Spider-Noir Is One of the Most Innovative Pieces of Superhero Media
One of the main things Spider-Noir has going for it is how innovative it is. While it is based on comic books, the show is arguably different from the type of superhero content we’re used to consuming. In my opinion, a good comparison is the DC film The Batman, which, through Robert Pattinson’s dark take on Bruce Wayne, definitely gives off a film noir vibe.
Spider-Noir goes further than being just a ‘vibe.’ Set in 1930s New York, the show completely embraces its noir status as a grounded, gritty detective series both in terms of stylistic choices like its lighting and in terms of characterising its lead, Ben Reilly. It’s easy to imagine a superhero in a modern setting, especially when a fair number of them rely on advanced technology made by playboy geniuses or extraterrestrial creatures. The setting in and of itself is refreshing.
It’s genuinely interesting to see how a superhero fits in such an era, and the writers do a great job seamlessly integrating Reilly as a character into a Great Depression world without him sticking out like a sore thumb.
It's a Great Platform For Nicolas Cage on the Small Screen
But it’s not all down to the writers. Nicolas Cage does an excellent job as the sardonic, deadpan, and jaded character. Arguably, Reilly is an investigator first and a superhero second, and that distinction is a part of what makes the character so engaging.
Spider-Noir is actually Cage’s first regular role in a TV show, and boy, did he blow it out of the park. He gets the archetype the show is going for bang-on, while also bringing a unique charm to the character that simply wouldn’t have worked if it was anyone else.
All That Exciting Potential Will Now Go Untold
While the first Season of Spider-Noir is largely a standalone story, it perfectly sets up a Season 2. With some (but not all) of his demons conquered, Reilly has a renewed passion for being a superhero. Additionally, after a season of Janet Ruiz (Karen Rodriguez) arguably carrying the show alongside Cage, she is finally given the spotlight she deserves as she and Ben open a new private investigation firm together.
With this set-up, a second season exploring some of the cases the pair encounter, along with Reilly’s adventures as The Spider, would have been incredibly interesting. I also feel like there was so much with Reilly that could have been explored further, along with other characters like (the brilliantly-named) Robbie Robertson. It would have also been an opportunity to see all kinds of other Spider-Man villains in a 1930s setting, which, in my opinion, was another of the main draws of Season 1.
It doesn’t take a private detective to work out that cancelling the show risks throwing away bags of potential (and money). Not only was the show critically acclaimed, with a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but it was also nominated in 11 categories at the Creative Arts Emmys, winning five.
Sure, awards and reviews aren’t everything. But what this shows is that, beyond its widespread fan appeal, Spider-Noir was objectively good. If there’s any consolation, if it had to end, at least it ended on a high.
