If you’re not one for superhero films, comic book franchises, gritty urban dramas, or even creature features, Marvel’s “Runaways,” on Hulu might not be for you. But even for those of us who fancy ourselves fully resistant to the charms of shape-shifting, supernaturally-inclined teenagers who have to band together to solve neighborhood crime, it’s still kind of irresistible.
From the moment we get a taste of the show – whose lush Brentwood backdrop is already drawing comparisons to “The O.C.”– the world we’re seeing is too familiar to be boring.
And then the perspective shifts. While the pilot of “Runaways” focuses solely on a group of ex-friends who have been torn apart by the mysterious death of one of their number, the second episode, titled “Rewind,” focuses on their ultra-rich parents, all of whom are well-off, successful, and deeply sinister in their palatial Brentwood homes. But they belong to a mysterious organization called “The Pride”, which requires them to wear red robes, attend seance-style gatherings, and wrench homeless kids from the streets and offer them as sacrifice to…something.
So far, so convoluted. But add in the parents’ shady criminal pasts to contrast with their bourgeois Brentwood present, and we’ve got ourselves a compelling show.
“The Runaways” on paper is about a group of kids with superpowers and special abilities. However, these powers are tied to each kid’s ability to find strength in the thing that’s supposed to render them weak in the eyes of society.
While the success of “The Handmaid’s Tale” earlier this year allowed Hulu to grow bold when it came to choice of material (and size of bankroll), time will tell whether or not this daring streak will continue to produce excellence in the style of “Runaways” and “Harlots.” But for now, we’re all about enjoying the ride.
