Official Trailer
Rating: 8.5/10 | Genre: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Seasons: 2 | Episodes: 11 | Status: Returning Series
Okay, so X-Men ’97 is exactly the kind of show that makes you forget you’re watching something animated. It’s the spiritual successor to the original ’90s series, but it’s not just trading on nostalgia. This show actually has something to say, and it’s willing to get dark to say it.
I went in expecting a fun trip down memory lane. What I got was a genuinely great superhero show that respects the source material while doing its own thing. The animation is slick, the voice acting is top-notch, and the writing actually made me care about what happens next. Ten out of ten would binge again.
Season 1
Season 1 picks up right where the original show left off. Professor X is gone, and the team is basically grieving while also trying to figure out what they’re even doing anymore. It’s a smart way to start because it grounds everything in real emotion instead of just jumping into the next crisis.
Cyclops spends the first episode hunting down some new anti-mutant tech, and honestly, it’s a great opener. You get the sense immediately that the world has moved on from peace and acceptance. Things are tense again. Then Magneto shows up and gets put on trial by the UN, which sounds like it could be boring but actually isn’t. The riots, the political stuff, the question of whether mutants should even exist in human society. It all matters.
By episode three, things get seriously messed up. There’s this confrontation with an old villain that I won’t spoil, but it’s the kind of moment that changes everything. People die. Characters have to actually live with consequences. The show doesn’t pull punches, which is refreshing.
The season does what good storytelling does. It sets up conflicts, resolves some of them, and leaves you desperate to know what happens next. Not everything lands perfectly, and there are a couple of episodes that feel like filler, but overall Season 1 is firing on all cylinders.
Season 2
Here’s where I have to be honest. Season 2 just started, and we only have one episode so far. The X-Men are scattered across different time periods and trying to get home. It’s got that time travel chaos vibe, which could go really well or really badly depending on the execution.
From what we’ve seen, it looks like the show is going bigger, which is both exciting and a little risky. Time travel stories are tricky. But the first episode does a decent job of setting up the mystery without making it feel overcomplicated.
The Characters
Cyclops is the real heart of this show. He goes through hell, and the character development actually feels earned. He’s not the same guy he was at the start, and that matters.
Wolverine is Wolverine. He’s great, he’s gruff, he does Wolverine things. No surprises there, but in the best way possible. Storm gets some really good moments too, especially when she has to step into a leadership role.
Gambit and Rogue have a whole thing going on, and their dynamic carries a lot of the emotional weight of the show. It’s not always about saving the world. Sometimes it’s about whether two people can actually be together.
The one character I’m still on the fence about is some of the newer additions. They’re not bad, but they feel like they’re still figuring out where they fit. Hopefully that improves as the story goes on.
Look, if you grew up watching the original X-Men series or if you just want a solid superhero show with actual stakes, this is worth your time. It’s the kind of thing that makes you mad you have to wait for new episodes. Have you checked it out yet, or are you still on the fence?
Episode Guide
Season 1 (10 Episodes)
Episode 1: To Me, My X-Men (7.9/10)
Cyclops races to find the source of new anti-mutant technology.
Episode 2: Mutant Liberation Begins (8.6/10)
When Magneto is forced by the UN to stand trial, a group of anti-mutant rioters test his resolve.
Episode 3: Fire Made Flesh (8.2/10)
The team is propelled into a tragic confrontation with an immortal mad scientist.
Episode 4: Motendo / Lifedeath (1) (6.9/10)
Jubilee must relive the X-Men's greatest adventures when she's transported into a 16-bit video game.
Episode 5: Remember It (9.2/10)
Team members hit Genosha as UN honorees while a press event risks exposing the team's dirty laundry.
Episode 6: Lifedeath (2) (7.6/10)
Storm is forced to face her worst fears in order to free herself.
Episode 7: Bright Eyes (8.2/10)
The X-Men finds Sentinel inventor Bolivar Trask, realizing they've been played by a mastermind.
Episode 8: Tolerance Is Extinction (1) (8.5/10)
The X-Men must unite to face a new threat.
Episode 9: Tolerance Is Extinction (2) (8.2/10)
The X-Men work to settle the score before it is too late.
Episode 10: Tolerance Is Extinction (3) (8/10)
The X-Men's dream is put to the test as mutant-human relations reach a tipping point.
Season 2 (1 Episodes)
Episode 1: Episode 1
Where to Watch
Stream on: Disney Plus, JioHotstar