The best Marvel show you've never seen is finally streaming for free on Tubi

Opinion
By published

'Runaways' has been forgotten and mistreated, but it's a perfect watch for Marvel fans who missed it the first time

Runaways poster
(Image credit: Hulu)
At a Glance: 'Runaways'

  • The Vibe: "The O.C." meets "The Avengers." High-stakes teen drama with a superhero twist.
  • The Hook: Six teenagers discover their parents are literal supervillains.
  • Original Run: Nov 21, 2017 – Dec 13, 2019
  • Total Length: 3 seasons (33 episodes)
  • Where to stream: Tubi.

As a longtime comics reader, I was far more intrigued when Marvel announced that comic-book series “Runaways” would become a Hulu original series in 2017 than I was by any of the company’s other major launches at the time.

That freshness and originality carried over from the comic books to the TV series, but in the years since its three-season run ended in 2019, “Runaways” has been largely forgotten, both by fans and by Marvel itself. The shows produced by Marvel Television, which were originally intended as part of the MCU, have been put into a sort of limbo, with some (like former Netflix series “Daredevil”) reincorporated into the current era of Marvel Studios-produced TV series, and others left behind.

Not only has “Runaways” been left out of MCU continuity, but it’s also been dumped by Disney, which removed it from Hulu back in 2023. It’s subsequently been available to stream only via the CW, but starting this month, all three seasons of “Runaways” are streaming on Tubi, giving the show its first chance at a wider audience since being canceled.

Even viewers who’ve watched every Marvel movie and TV show on Disney+ might have missed “Runaways,” and this is the perfect time to catch up on a fun, character-driven series with fast-paced storytelling and an appealing ensemble.

‘Runaways’ combines superpowers with teen drama

Like the comic book it’s based on, “Runaways” focuses on the personal relationships as well as the superhero battles of its central teen characters. They start out as archetypes that could be drawn from classic teen movies like “The Breakfast Club” — a nerd, a jock, a goth, etc. They’re an unlikely group of friends drawn together by extreme circumstances. Those circumstances involve their wealthy parents, who collectively run an organization known as Pride, which is ostensibly a charity to benefit the homeless but actually has a much more sinister purpose.

When the six teens discover the truth about Pride’s mission, which involves sacrificing young runaways and serving a dangerous alien overlord, they band together to take their parents down, while also learning more about their own superpowered potential. It’s a strong metaphor for generational conflict, as teenagers often feel like they don’t know who their parents really are, and the show incorporates plenty of teen angst along with its alien invasions and mystical battles.

Thanks to various experiments and accidents, most of the teens develop abilities that help them fight against their villainous parents.

Wiccan Nico Minoru (Lyrica Okano) can cast powerful spells with a staff that only she can control. Bubbly Karolina Dean (Virginia Gardner) has light-based energy powers thanks to her half-alien heritage. Purple-haired Gert Yorkes (Ariela Barer) has a telepathic connection with a genetically engineered dinosaur. Athlete Chase Stein (Gregg Sulkin) acquires metal gloves that provide force and weaponry. Molly Hernandez (Allegra Acosta), the youngest member of the group, develops super strength. Nerdy Alex Wilder (Rhenzy Feliz) has no powers of his own, but he brings his friends together in a united front for their coming battle.

While the Runaways’ parents are more shadowy antagonists in the comic book, TV creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage take a cue from their popular dramas “The O.C.” and “Gossip Girl,” giving the adult characters more dimensions and individual storylines. Instead of being purely malevolent, they’re often conflicted about the terrible things they’ve done, even attempting at times to reform and apologize to their children — although they almost always return to the dark side.

‘Runaways’ offers low-key superhero storytelling

Marvel's Runaways: Season 2 Trailer (Official) | A Hulu Original - YouTube Marvel's Runaways: Season 2 Trailer (Official) | A Hulu Original - YouTube
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From the beginning, it’s clear that “Runaways” doesn’t have the budget of current MCU shows or even some of its TV counterparts from the same time period. The special effects are minimal but judiciously deployed, leaving room for more strategizing and evading rather than large-scale superhero battles. That doesn’t mean that “Runaways” lacks pulpy superhero adventure, especially as it embraces more of its comic-book roots and MCU connections as the seasons progress.

The main villain of the first half of the series is Jonah (Julian McMahon), an alien overlord who’s been manipulating Pride from behind the scenes, and McMahon brings some of the same suave menace that he projected as Doctor Doom in the ’00s “Fantastic Four” movies. In the third season, the Runaways face off against evil sorceress Morgan le Fay, played with enjoyable camp by Elizabeth Hurley. They also briefly cross over with the characters from another underrated, mostly forgotten MCU TV series, Freeform’s “Cloak and Dagger.”

It seems unlikely that the Runaways (or Cloak and Dagger, for that matter) will show up in “Avengers: Doomsday,” even with the sheer number of MCU characters set for that upcoming blockbuster epic. But that’s OK, because their adventures are best suited to their own little corner of the MCU, in sunny Los Angeles, where they could theoretically run into fellow low-key superhero Wonder Man. They’re endearing underdogs, and that’s exactly what makes their show so enjoyable to watch.

“Runaways” is now streaming on Tubi

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Josh Bell
Josh Bell
Writer

Josh Bell is a freelance writer and movie/TV critic based in Las Vegas. He's the former film editor of Las Vegas Weekly and has written about movies and TV for Vulture, Inverse, CBR, Crooked Marquee and more. With comedian Jason Harris, he co-hosts the podcast Awesome Movie Year.

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