Created by Terry Matalas (Star Trek: Picard Season 3, 12 Monkeys), VisionQuest premiered on Disney+ on October 13 with two episodes, and new episodes arrive on Tuesdays through the finale on November 10. Paul Bettany returns as Vision, alongside James Spader’s Ultron, newcomer Ruaridh Mollica as Tommy Shepherd, and Todd Stashwick as the bounty hunter Paladin.
Critics are loving it so far: it’s Certified Fresh at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 8.0 on IMDb. Our verdict on the first two episodes is a little more mixed: whenever Bettany and Spader share a scene, VisionQuest is some of the best TV Marvel has made. Whenever the plot needs Vision to be dumb, it falls apart.
Bettany and Spader Carry It
Inside Vision’s Head
The show’s most inventive touch is what Vision’s mind looks like inside. It’s a house full of AI-themed visual puns (even the pantry shelves are packed with little references), a private cinema where he replays his own memories, and a cell for Ultron. Here’s who lives there:
James D’Arcy, who played the human Edwin Jarvis in Agent Carter. Proper, rigid and loyal. The standout of the AIs.
Emily Hampshire as the fun, creative one. She’s meant to be comic relief, but her big energy won’t work for everyone.
Orla Brady, alongside the robot arms U and DUM-E, who are mostly there for visual gags.
James Spader, locked up in Vision’s head. Keeping the AI who tried to wipe out humanity as a roommate? What could go wrong.
It’s a great concept, and there’s even a Short Circuit “Johnny 5” joke for the older crowd. The catch is that, apart from J.A.R.V.I.S., the AIs don’t yet feel like real characters. They’re mostly there for comic relief, and the comedy doesn’t always land.
Vision Is Terrifying (When the Script Lets Him Be)
The Bounty Hunter
Todd Stashwick‘s Paladin is a delightfully schlocky villain: a self-righteous mercenary with high-tech gadgets, an honor code he breaks whenever it suits him, and a willingness to sacrifice his own men by the dozen. Think of him as a Boba Fett-style bounty hunter for the Marvel universe. His full costume, though, looks pretty silly.
The real scene-stealer on his side is Diane Morgan (Cunk on Earth) as his handler, who gets some of the biggest laughs. And hovering over all of it is a mysterious client who keeps hacking into Paladin’s systems, a compelling mystery for the episodes ahead.
The Tommy Problem
Is It Worth Subscribing For?
Watch It If…
- You loved Paul Bettany’s Vision and James Spader’s Ultron
- You enjoyed WandaVision and want the ending of the trilogy
- You like smart, talky sci-fi about AI and identity
- You want to see Vision finally cut loose in a fight
Skip It (For Now) If…
- Plot holes and convenient traps drive you up the wall
- You’d be paying for Disney+ just for this show
- You didn’t care for Tommy and Billy in Agatha All Along
- You’d rather wait and binge the full season
Spoiler Zone
⚠️ Spoilers for Episodes 1 and 2 (click to reveal)
Episode 2: We meet Tommy and Lisa as they con people out of money. On a bus, a guard attacks Tommy with a shock baton, and his speed powers emerge as he vibrates the door clean off. Paladin later shocks that same guard and shoots him, despite his own “no civilians” rule. Paladin confronts Vision at the pub, and Vision says he’s already run the conversation countless times and feels nothing for the boy. He chokes Paladin, and lets him go a second time.
Urged on by J.A.R.V.I.S., who warns him to keep his emotions in check, Vision walks into a trap at a hospital. One of the AIs spots that the “staff” are wearing tactical boots, and he obliterates them. Then he walks through an unlocked door, gets hit with an EMP, and is shot by Paladin with adamantium rounds. Vision shoulder-charges his way out, and Paladin runs out of adamantium ammo and gets punched. As Vision runs out of power, J.A.R.V.I.S. deletes himself to keep the others alive, and Tommy returns with a car so they can escape together.
The final sting: with Vision’s systems down, Ultron notices an elevator coming up. “Oh, hello there.”
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
| The Good | The Bad | The Ugly |
|---|---|---|
| Bettany and SpaderEvery scene between Vision and Ultron is sharp, funny and effortlessly cool. They’re the reason to watch. | Convenient TrapsA genius-level Vision walks into an obvious trap and lets the villain go, twice. | Shifting Power LevelsAbilities Vision has used before seem to disappear whenever the plot needs them to. |
| Smart DialogueSome of the best-written conversations in any Marvel show. | The Tommy and Lisa SubplotTwo con artists the show hasn’t yet given us a reason to care about. | The Price of AdmissionDisney+ keeps getting more expensive, and two episodes isn’t much to justify it. |
| Brutal, Inventive ActionWhen Vision cuts loose, it’s some of the most violent and creative action the MCU has done. | Comic Relief That MissesMost of the AI personas, apart from J.A.R.V.I.S., don’t feel like real characters yet. | Emotional BeatsThe father-son story is reaching for big feelings it hasn’t earned yet. |
| Inside Vision’s HeadA clever, pun-filled mind palace, with Diane Morgan and Todd Stashwick as fun additions. | — | — |
The Verdict
VisionQuest’s premiere is a tale of two shows. One is a smart, beautifully acted sci-fi drama about a machine trying to rediscover his humanity while arguing with the father he can’t escape. The other is a fairly standard MCU runaround, where the hero has to make dumb choices so the plot can keep moving.
The good show is very good. Paul Bettany and James Spader are a joy, the concept is one of Marvel’s most interesting in years, and the action packs a real punch. If the remaining six episodes lean into Vision and Ultron, and give Tommy a reason to matter, this could be a fitting end to the WandaVision trilogy.
The honest read: a strong, flawed start. If you already have Disney+, it’s well worth watching. If you don’t, wait until the finale on November 10 and binge the whole thing in a month.
For another recent superhero series that takes a very different approach, read our Lanterns Season 1 review. And for more reviews, check out our full reviews section.
