Loki, Season 1 (2021)

 

After the events of Avengers: Endgame have the unintended consequence of allowing him to escape capture in New York, Loki plans to resume his anarchic career as the god of mischief.  These plans are quickly short-circuited, however, by operatives of an organisation known as the Time Variance Authority (TVA).

The TVA are responsible for maintaining the one, true "Sacred Timeline", and Loki-that-escaped, is a "time variant"; an aberration from thje Sacred Timeline who should never have existed.  Loki-that-did-not-escape is the real Loki, fated to become an ally of his brother Thor and to die at the hands of Thanos.

Time variants are usually just immediately erased from existence, but the TVA has a problem that they think this Loki can help with: a dangerous time variant that has no far managed to stay one step ahead of them and who is actively attacking the Sacred Timeline.

So the TVA offer Loki a choice, such as it is: oblivion, or joining the team.  Loki, of course, both (a) takes the latter option and (b) intends to betray them and go on his own merry way at the first opportunity.

That's not going to be as easy as he thinks, though.  The TVA have dealt with a large number of Lokis in the past, so they are wise to pretty much all of his tricks ... and then there's the fact that the 'dangerous time variant' he's been tasked to find might be even more familiar with his tricks than are the TVA ...

Anchored by strong performances from Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino and Owen Wilson (who in recent years has shown a versatility and skill of craft that I definitely did not expect from his early work), Loki is a fun romp.  At six episodes, it keeps its narrative lean and fast moving.  It also manages the not always easy task of packing in plenty of banter and action along the way, as well as some heavier emotional beats, without feeling overstuffed.  Overall, really well done work.

My only caveat for potential viewers is that the season does end on a BIG "to be continued" beat, so if you get itchy about waiting for cliffhangers to be resolved, you may want to delay starting this show until season two arrives.  Always assuming that that doesn't also end on a cliffhanger, of course!