IB Network

# X-Men ’97 Season 2 Review

RC the Commission and co-host Sam Howe break down the highs and lows of X-Men ’97 Season 2, from the show’s crowded storytelling and uneven pacing to the emotional fallout around Magneto, Gambit, Rogue, and Wolverine. They also look ahead to Season 3, including where the series might go with Graydon Creed, Onslaught, Krakoa, and a more politically charged mutant conflict.

## Key topics

- In this episode, RC the Commission and Sam Howe give their overall Season 2 score and both settle on a mixed response, with Sam landing at a 6 out of 10.

- They argue that the season felt wildly uneven, especially after the Wolverine standalone episode, which Sam calls the standout of the season.

- They discuss how the season seemed to suffer from rewrites after Bo DeMeo’s exit, including the possibility that an originally planned 10 episode season was cut down.

- They compare Season 2 to Season 1, saying the first season worked better because it had decades of X-Men history to build on, while Season 2 had to build mostly from scratch.

- They criticize the back half of the season for feeling overloaded, with too many characters and arcs competing for space, including Polaris, Danger, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Weapon X, and X-Factor.

- They talk about how the season often used characters as plot pieces rather than giving them meaningful development, especially Rogue, Storm, Mystique, and Graydon Creed.

- They break down the Gambit storyline and say his return, sacrifice, and emotional payoff felt muddled despite the character’s importance.

- They praise Nightcrawler’s trial scene with Graydon Creed as one of the best character moments of the season, especially for how it handled forgiveness and self hatred.

- They say the show lost some of its political edge in the second half, with Graydon Creed’s rise to power feeling rushed and underexplained.

- They look ahead to Season 3 and expect the series to move toward a stronger mutant versus government conflict, possibly involving Krakoa, Onslaught, and a more adversarial Xavier and Cyclops dynamic.

## Timestamps

00:00 - Opening the Season 2 review and setting expectations

00:43 - First impressions and overall score

01:57 - Why Season 2 felt more crowded than Season 1

04:08 - Original plans for Onslaught, Polaris, and the Age of Apocalypse

06:05 - Rogue, Storm, and the emotional weight problem

07:31 - Why the Wolverine episode worked and where it fell short

09:24 - Death, resurrection, and why consequences felt cheap

11:31 - Story prioritization over character development

13:13 - The abandoned Onslaught setup and rewritten back half

16:35 - Xavier and Magneto as emotional subtext

18:35 - The season’s weakened political viewpoint

20:55 - Graydon Creed, Val Cooper, and rushed government plotting

24:06 - Nightcrawler’s standout trial scene

25:42 - Why Danger EXE was the weakest episode

27:48 - Too many new characters, too little time at the school

29:24 - Why Season 1 felt more specific and satisfying

31:18 - Where Season 3 could go from here

34:15 - Xavier and Cyclops as morally gray leaders

39:29 - Thoughts on casting and the MCU’s mutant setup

41:34 - How Spider-Man: Brand New Day overstuffed its story

43:14 - Early casting reactions, including Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister

45:36 - Krakoa, Genosha, and the next mutant status quo

47:02 - Favorite part of the season: returning to the X-Men world

49:47 - Worst part of the season: lack of direction and consequence

51:17 - Why Gambit’s arc was the biggest disappointment

52:44 - Favorite late-season moment: Xavier’s attack on Apocalypse

53:47 - Why Season 3 needs to arrive faster and do more

55:07 - Closing thoughts and Patreon shoutout

## Notable quotes

> “It is a wildly uneven season.”

> “The best writing is so specific that it becomes universal.”

> “I need to go back and watch anything from my childhood.”

The 2026 NFL Draft QB class has a clear name at the top — but after that, it’s chaos. Traits vs production. Ceiling vs floor. Flash vs consistency.

In this episode, we break down the quarterbacks who will define this draft, the red flags teams are trying to ignore, and the bets that could either change a franchise… or set it back five years.

00:00 Introduction to Money in the Bank

00:58 Main Event Surprises and Reactions

02:32 Women's Money in the Bank Match Highlights

05:00 WWE Pay-Per-View Format Discussion

08:14 Dominik Mysterio's Character Development

09:58 Becky Lynch's Title Controversy

15:33 Men's Money in the Bank Match Analysis

21:28 Jay Uso's Championship Performance

22:03 The Rise of the Blue Collar Champion

27:47 The Return of R-Truth and Fan Reactions

31:31 Wrestling's Current Landscape and Fan Expectations

36:12 Money in the Bank: Strategies and Opportunities

Chapters

00:00 WrestleMania Preview and Key Matches

03:02 Cena vs. Cody: Expectations and Surprises

05:56 Reigns, Rollins, and Punk: The Triple Threat Dynamics

08:59 Gunther vs. Jey Uso: A Disappointing Build-Up

11:49 Women's Title Matches: Charlotte vs. Tiffany and Rhea vs. Bianca

18:09 Future Stars: Braun Breaker and the Next Generation

33:55 AEW's Current State and Title Controversies

34:52 The Rise of Penta: A Surprising Singles Star

38:11 Finn Balor's Journey: From Champion to Uncertainty

40:50 Dominik Mysterio: The Unexpected Star of Judgment Day

43:32 Women's Wrestling: Breaking New Ground at WrestleMania

44:55 Jade Cargill: The Modern Warrior of Women's Wrestling

49:05 Drew McIntyre: The Underrated Superstar's Potential

51:37 Jacob Fatu: The Future of Wrestling?

53:30 AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul: A Match to Watch

01:00:15 WrestleMania Excitement: Anticipation and Concerns

#WrestleMania, Cena, Cody, Reigns, Rollins, Punk, Gunther, Jey Uso, Charlotte, Tiffany, Rhea, Bianca, Braun Breaker, AEW, Wrestling, Penta, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, Women's Wrestling, Jade Cargill, Drew McIntyre, Jacob Fatu, AJ Styles, Logan Paul, WrestleManin

Daredevil: Born Again

00:03 – Opening Thoughts
Quick dive into what Daredevil: Born Again is bringing to the table and what it means for the Marvel TV landscape.

00:54 – Who’s Who?
Breaking down character recognition, development, and how the show is handling familiar faces (or not).

02:51 – The Reshoot Factor
Marvel hit the reset button on the pilot. What changed, and what does it say about the show’s direction?

04:10 – Punches, Kicks, and Everything in Between
The action choreography is crucial. Does it live up to the high bar set by Netflix's Daredevil?

06:50 – Marvel’s Showrunner Problem
The MCU's approach to TV storytelling—why it’s been shaky and how Born Again fits into the bigger picture.

08:45 – Storytelling or Set Pieces?
Character arcs, emotional depth, and whether Born Again is balancing spectacle with substance.

11:05 – From Page to Screen
How well does the show capture the spirit of Daredevil’s comic roots?

12:43 – Identity and Consequences
Matt Murdock’s eternal struggle—who he is, what he stands for, and the cost of his choices.

15:15 – Where Do We Go from Here?
Speculation time. What’s next for Born Again, and what plotlines might be on the horizon?

17:23 – Politics and Power Plays
The show’s political themes and how they mirror real-world debates.

18:48 – Relationship Check-In
How character dynamics are shifting and what it means for Born Again’s storytelling.

20:57 – Enter: The Punisher
What Frank Castle’s role in Born Again could mean and the symbolism behind his return.

22:22 – Two Shows in One?
The potential split in storytelling—are we looking at a bifurcated narrative?

23:58 – The Side Players
Supporting characters and whether they’re getting meaningful arcs or just filling space.

26:51 – Economic Storytelling
How the show is handling character depth without dragging the pace.

28:45 – Wrapping Up the Character Arcs
Who’s on the best trajectory, and who might be getting shortchanged?

32:08 – Ambition vs. Execution
How Born Again is balancing its goals with the realities of TV storytelling.

35:25 – Serialized vs. Episodic: The Debate Continues
Does the show lean into the long-form narrative, or does it embrace tighter, episodic storytelling?

39:09 – The Streaming Effect
How the move to Disney+ impacts the structure, pacing, and expectations for Born Again.

43:24 – Vigilantism and Morality
The ethics of Daredevil’s world—where does Born Again land on the superhero morality scale?

48:02 – Faith and Fistfights
The role of Catholicism in Daredevil’s journey and how it’s being explored this time around.

54:05 – Kingpin’s New Role
Wilson Fisk as both mayor and crime boss—how the show is handling this duality.

58:46 – Final Thoughts & What’s Next
Hopes, concerns, and expectations for the action, character arcs, and overall direction moving forward.

In this episode, we dive deep into Captain America: Brave New World, breaking down its themes, character arcs, and impact on the MCU. We start with our initial impressions (00:00) before analyzing how legacy characters are handled (02:56) and whether the film does justice to its heroes (05:53).

From action sequences and cinematic style (08:42) to the future of the MCU (11:29), we explore where this film fits in the grand scheme of Marvel storytelling. We also critique the film’s humor and tone (14:19) and discuss the portrayal of its villains (17:16), setting expectations for upcoming Marvel projects (20:07).

The conversation extends to Marvel’s handling of diversity (34:45), the influence of Kevin Feige (37:09), and the political implications woven into the narrative (38:06). We debate Captain America's ideals vs. government influence (44:00), the ongoing DEI discourse in superhero representation (47:27), and Marvel’s choices in crafting antagonists (50:53).

Finally, we analyze expectations vs. reality in movie marketing (52:08) before ranking Captain America: Brave New World among other MCU films (57:38).

Tune in for a deep, unfiltered discussion on Marvel’s latest chapter! 🎙️🔥 #CaptainAmerica #Marvel #Podcast

00:00 Wild Card Weekend Recap

03:10 The Good: Standout Performances

11:19 The Bad: Disappointing Showings

14:21 The Ugly: Special Teams Failures

The stakes couldn’t be higher as the College Football Playoff quarterfinals kick off! We dive into the Peach Bowl matchup between Texas and Arizona State, breaking down the Longhorns’ elite defense and the Sun Devils’ explosive offense. Then, it’s onto the Sugar Bowl, where Georgia and Notre Dame clash in a battle of powerhouse programs. Plus, analysis of all the key games, standout players, and the strategies that could decide who moves on to the semifinals. Don’t miss our expert predictions and everything you need to know about the most exciting weekend of college football this year.

YGAMF is back