10 best fantasy and science fiction shows of 2023
By Daniel Roman
5. Loki season 2
2023 was a rough year for Marvel Studios, with a few box office bombs like The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as well as a TV dud in the form of Secret Invasion. But amidst all the turmoil was also a shining green gem: the second season of Loki.
Loki was one of the streaming platform’s original hits, and was the first MCU show to be renewed for a second season. The finale of the first season essentially kickstarted the Multiverse Saga which has now spanned so many of Marvel’s projects, leaving off with the great cliffhanger that the Time Variance Authority was now under the control of Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Season 2 took that thread and ran with it, pitching Loki (Tom Hiddleston) back and forth to different TVAs across the timeline as he struggled to keep the organization together. On the whole, it was a solid season, bringing Ke Huy Quan (O.B.) into the cast and giving established presences like Owen Wilson (Mobius) and Hiddleston time to shine. It was a fun, mind-bending journey.
But where Loki really set itself above many other shows was in its finale. The final episode of Loki serves not just as a season finale, but also a capstone to the long run Hiddleston has had playing the character since the first Thor movie back in 2010. It was an emotional, powerful ending that elevated the series, buoyed by great writing and effects as well as stellar performances from the cast. The show capped things off so well that if Loki never returned, his ending would be completely satisfying. But since this is Marvel, you know they’ll find a way to bring back the God of Mischief at some point.
The MCU may have had some misfires this year, but Loki was not one of them. Instead, it reminded us of just how good Marvel Studios’ stories can be.