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Doing an animated Marvel Disney+ show without Tom Holland about the web-slinger is almost unfathomable, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man takes its best swing (no pun intended).
However, it sorely misses the Uncharted star's presence. While Hudson Thames does an admirable job filling in for Holland — really nailing his impression of the actor whenever he's Spider-Man — it shows you what could have been if Marvel gave Holland's Peter Parker a proper origin story.
Of course, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man takes a different approach. Instead of showing Holland's Peter Parker/Spider-Man origin story, it opts to show an alternate timeline.
So, instead of Ned, you have Harry Osborne (Zeno Robinson) and Nico (Grace Song). There is no equivalent to MJ (played by Zendaya in the MCU). However, there is Pearl (Cathy Ang), who more resembles Liz Allen from Homecoming than MJ.
The best change-up was casting Colman Domingo, who is incapable of a bad performance, as Norman Osborn. This is a vastly different iteration of the character than we've previously seen, and it is a welcomed change.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man review
Most everyone knows the origin story of Spider-Man. Peter Parker, a lonely high school student, is bitten by a radioactive spider. This causes him to gain superpowers.
However, the new Spider-Man Disney+ series takes a new approach similar to Marvel's What If? series. Yes, he is bitten by a spider, but his mentor is not Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) as it was in the MCU.
Still, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man impressively recreates the scene from Captain America: Civil War, where Tony recruits Peter to his team. The camera follows Peter down the hall of his apartment building as “Left Hand Free” blares in his wired earbuds.
This time, it is Norman Osborn sitting with his aunt. There is a lot less flirting, but their missions are still similar. Norman wants to recruit Peter for an internship program at Oscorp.
At the same time, Peter is still adjusting to his new lifestyle as a superhero. He is trying to balance it with high school, including his surprising friendship with Lonnie Lincoln (Eugene Byrd), Midtown High School's star quarterback.
Focusing on non-Peter Parker characters
The biggest strength of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is its attention to characters other than Peter Parker. Lonnie benefits the most from this change.
Marvel Comics fans know Lonnie Lincoln as Tombstone, a feared criminal. This version of the character is different than the ones seen in the '90s Spider-Man animated series and The Spectacular Spider-Man.
Creator Jeff Trammell puts his own twist on his character arc. Lonnie lives on the other side of Queens, where cops side-eye him at any chance. His younger brother gets involved with a dangerous crowd, resulting in Lonnie making tough decisions.
All of this is unbeknownst to his classmates. One thing Marvel has done a great job of with their MCU's Spider-Man series is doing different versions of iconic characters. Flash Thompson doesn't have to be a jock, and MJ doesn't need to be “Mary Jane.”
That continues in the new Disney+ show. No one can match the energy of Holland's Peter Parker as Jacob Batalon does in the MCU. This version of Harry Osborn is nothing like James Franco or Dane DeHaan's takes, which is a compliment.
The best Norman Osborn yet?
Willem Dafoe will always be famous for his iconic portrayal of Norman Osborn, but Domingo gives a devilish performance in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
His menacing vocal timbre makes him more menacing than past versions of the character. He isn't unhinged (yet), but he retains some aspects of the MCU's Tony Stark as a mentor to Peter.
The MCU hasn't introduced a live-action Norman Osborn yet. Consider Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man his audition to play him in the MCU.
He should be the MCU's Norman Osborn. Domingo overcomes the lack of emotion caused by the animation style, which resembles the '90s Spider-Man show and the Neil Patrick Harris-led one from the early 2000s.
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On one hand, it looks cool since it has the vibrancy of '60s Marvel Comics. At the same time, the comic book page-like animation takes the characters' abilities to portray emotion, leaving it all to the actors.
Some actors are able to portray emotion through their voices, like Domingo, for example. But some characters, like Aunt May (Kari Wahlgren, who attempts a Marisa Tomei impression), feel weightless.
I know Marvel favors this type of animation because of nostalgia. The recent X-Men '97 series similarly used the kind of animation that millennials go crazy for.
Tom Holland's replacement
Of course, having Tom Holland in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man could have done wonders. He is a big star, so I'm not surprised he didn't commit to the show (Somehow, Disney was able to make it happen for Moana 2 before it became a movie).
Hudson Thames, who previously voiced the part in What If? He does an admirable job impersonating Holland, especially when fighting crime, but his Peter Parker could use work.
Plus, some of the story arcs in the show would be great to see with Holland. Perhaps Marvel will recycle some of the ideas in the series if they are so bold.
Should you stream Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man?
Spider-Man fans will love a new Disney+ show about the iconic superhero. Its ambition is admirable, but it sorely misses Holland's presence.
The big draw is that it takes place in an alternate timeline. That opens the door for Marvel to do things they wouldn't have the courage to do in live-action.
On top of that, the animation, while vibrant, lacks emotion. It takes away from some of the big (and small) moments of the series, which exposes some of the lackluster voice acting.
Colman Domingo is the reason to watch the show. His performance as Norman Osborn carries the show, and he should continue playing the part in the MCU.
Ultimately, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man spins a lot of webs throughout its 10 episodes. It is full of new takes on old cliches, which will put your endurance of watching self-referential IPs to the test (if Deadpool & Wolverine didn't break your spirit, this may).
Grade: C+
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will premiere on Disney+ on January 29.
