Is there any media franchise that benefits from being experienced chronologically?

[molnizzle]

It really irritates me that the argument for release order is essentially because the post credit scenes won't make sense. Like, that's probably at the bottom of my priority list. AM&TW sucks away all the tension and drama Infinity War ended on, but don't worry, we just have to get through this two hour movie so that the 90 second scene at the end makes sense.

It'd be like watching Deathly Hallows part I then going back and watching Fantastic Beasts before you go to part II.

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Post-credits scenes are part of the fun and charm of the MCU. They always have been, even since Nick Fury shows up at the end of Iron Man and tells Tony Stark that he's part of a larger universe, he just doesn't know it yet. These scenes are a huge part of what makes all these different films seem to flow and fit together. They're important whether you want them to be or not.

Furthermore, AM&TW is supposed to be a palate cleanser after Infinity War. You're supposed to take a breather before you head into the final confrontation in Endgame. It addition to a post-credits scene that takes place after Infinity War, AM&TW also introduces concepts in film itself that lead right into Endgame. "But Endgame just explains them too!" is a stupid argument, because why watch all of the movies in the first place? The next one will probably explain what you need to know with a throwaway line of dialogue. You're supposed to watch AM&TW after Infinity War to see the quantum realm fleshed out, and see how Scott gets stuck there. Chronologically you'll see Scott stuck in the quantum realm, then explained away as just being on house arrest in Infinity War, which won't make sense.

I'm sorry that you're irritated, but release order is how shit is supposed to be experienced.

Was Shield referred to as "Shield" in Captain Marvel? I honestly don't remember

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Many times.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Batman: The Animated Series

Sliders

Firefly

Almost Human

 

[The Albatross]

I think the Godfather series should be watched in the order of release, but I do love that cut that AMC airs called 'The Godfather Saga,' which starts chronologically at the beginning and works its way through to the end over ~8 hours. That version also had some scenes that weren't in the original theatrical releases.

 

[TimeFire]

Star Wars - The Clone Wars has an official chronological viewing order of episodes, so probably that. They were all out of order when they first aired

 

[TheChuggernaut]

Many times.

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So I think this is a small issue in the MCU in general, but I feel like going straight from Captain Marvel where they're calling it "Shield" to Iron Man where they supposedly haven't come up with that name yet would be kind of weird.

 

[Ryuelli]

Harry Potter would be weird if you didn't.

 

[I am a Bird]

Lord of the rings?

 

[BocoDragon]

I read Narnia chronologically as a kid and I enjoyed it, but maybe that was like the ignorant move of playing MGS3 first because they put it first in the box set.

 

[SpinierBlakeD]

Or just avoid AM&TW and you won't miss much

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This is also an acceptable answer.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Batman: The Animated Series

Sliders

Firefly

Almost Human

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Things like this are the only exceptions because the nature of TV programming sometimes means episodes are originally aired out of their intended order.

 

[SpinierBlakeD]

Post-credits scenes are part of the fun and charm of the MCU. They always have been, even since Nick Fury shows up at the end of Iron Man and tells Tony Stark that he's part of a larger universe, he just doesn't know it yet. These scenes are a huge part of what makes all these different films seem to flow and fit together. They're important whether you want them to be or not.

Furthermore, AM&TW is supposed to be a palate cleanser after Infinity War. You're supposed to take a breather before you head into the final confrontation in Endgame. It addition to a post-credits scene that takes place after Infinity War, AM&TW also introduces concepts in film itself that lead right into Endgame. "But Endgame just explains them too!" is a stupid argument, because why watch all of the movies in the first place? The next one will probably explain what you need to know with a throwaway line of dialogue. You're supposed to watch AM&TW after Infinity War to see the quantum realm fleshed out, and see how Scott gets stuck there. Chronologically you'll see Scott stuck in the quantum realm, then explained away as just being on house arrest in Infinity War, which won't make sense.

I'm sorry that you're irritated, but release order is how shit is supposed to be experienced.


Many times.

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As I said in another post, just don't watch the Ant Man post credit scene until after Infinity War. That way you experience everything at the same pace the characters do. It makes so much more sense and I don't know why people aren't on board.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Lord of the rings?

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Do you mean watching The Hobbit films before LOTR?

This is a bit of a gray area as Tolkien wrote and released The Hobbit long before LOTR.

But the Hobbit films were clearly written and made with assumed foreknowledge of the LOTR films. So I would still say release order (or don't bother with The Hobbit movies at all, really).

 

[t26]

 

[DiipuSurotu]

LOTR theatrical cut --> The Hobbit --> LOTR extended edition

 

[I am a Bird]

Do you mean watching The Hobbit films before LOTR?

This is a bit of a gray area as Tolkien wrote and released The Hobbit long before LOTR.

But the Hobbit films were clearly written and made with assumed foreknowledge of the LOTR films. So I would still say release order (or don't bother with The Hobbit movies at all, really).

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I consider them separate stories as the hobbit focus more on bilbo and his own journey rather than lord of the rings which is its own tale.

 

[molnizzle]

As I said in another post, just don't watch the Ant Man post credit scene until after Infinity War. That way you experience everything at the same pace the characters do. It makes so much more sense and I don't know why people aren't on board.

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The idea that first time watchers should look up when to stop playing their movie, watch the other movies, then look up the scenes they missed in the first movie on YouTube is utterly laughable. I can't even take that seriously. It's a ludicrous idea, especially since AM&TW isn't the only film affected. You' have to do the same thing with Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain Marvel as well.

That also doesn't help that Captain Marvel is full of easter eggs that will fly completely over the head of someone who is only watching their second MCU movie. Like every other film series ever, MCU prequels expect for you to have seen the earlier released films that take place later in the chronology. The Star Wars prequels expect for you to already know that Anakin will have twin children and become Darth Vader. If you didn't know that and watched chronologically, those reveals wouldn't even be reveals, and some really cool moments in the original trilogy would fall flat.

There isn't really a debate to be had here. Release order is the correct order.

 

[SpinierBlakeD]

Do you mean watching The Hobbit films before LOTR?

This is a bit of a gray area as Tolkien wrote and released The Hobbit long before LOTR.

But the Hobbit films were clearly written and made with assumed foreknowledge of the LOTR films. So I would still say release order (or don't bother with The Hobbit movies at all, really).

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But watching LotR first, then going to The Hobbit will just result in a series that gets worse as it goes on. You're starting at the peak then jumping off a cliff. If you watch the Hobbit first without having seen LotR, there's a chance you might actually enjoy those movies. And if not, the series gets exponentially better as you go.

 

[SpinierBlakeD]

The idea that first time watchers should look up when to stop playing their movie, watch the other movies, then look up the scenes they missed in the first movie on YouTube is utterly laughable. I can't even take that seriously. It's a ludicrous idea, especially since AM&TW isn't the only film affected. You' have to do the same thing with Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain Marvel as well.

That also doesn't help that Captain Marvel is full of easter eggs that will fly completely over the head of someone who is only watching their second MCU movie. Like every other film series ever, MCU prequels expect for you to have seen the earlier released films that take place later in the chronology. The Star Wars prequels expect for you to already know that Anakin will have twin children and become Darth Vader. If you didn't know that and watched chronologically, those reveals wouldn't even be reveals, and some really cool moments in the original trilogy would fall flat.

There isn't really a debate to be had here. Release order is the correct order.

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There are so many movies in the MCU that a first time viewer would have to look up a viewing order anyway, esspecially if they try to work in the TV shows that require you to stop halfway through a season and watch a movie. So is it really that much more inconvenient to add another layer. I think you're overestimating how many references to the greater MCU there are in Captain Marvel. The only thing I can think of would be the "Avenger" call sign at the end, and a competent viewer would be able to figure that out anyway.

Plus Nick Fury's entrance at the end of Iron Man would actually make sense. Instead of it being some random character who hadn't been seen at any point during the movie you just watched, it'd be a character you recognize and you can instantly be excited.

I don't believe at all that release order is the "intended order". Because plans change. I don't think that when they were making Iron Man back in 2007, they were thinking "okay, in 12 years we're going to make a prequel about Captain Marvel. They make the movies one at a time and just role with it. Hell, who even knows if they had CM set in the 90's when they originally invisioned it. If the studio had the chance to go back and remake the movies in chronological order, I believe they would. Which is why the Russo's tell people to start with TFA.

Also, Rogue One only makes A New Hope better.

 

[Lord Vatek]

Any viewing order of anything that requires turning a movie off and watching part of it on YouTube is wrong. No two ways about it.

That said, it's not the optimal order but chronological Kingdom Hearts is a trip.

 

[Masterz1337]

I think the MCU is fine to watch in chronological order. The only problems would be post credit scenes, which should be skipped.

 

[SpinierBlakeD]

I think the MCU is fine to watch in chronological order. The only problems would be post credit scenes, which should be skipped.

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*Insert Michael Scott "Thank you!!" Gif here*

 

[galv]

Monogatari

 

[digit_zero]

It's been said a few times already, but the big one I'd point to is Star Wars' Clone Wars cartoon.

It's kind of a mess (particularly early seasons out of order) but fits in quite well chronologically

 

[Schreckweg 5000]

Scrubs comes to mind. Some bottle episodes are completely out of sync with what happened till that point in the series.

 

[Joe]

Chronicles of Narnia

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This is uncontroversially the right answer.

 

[Deleted member 16516]

The d'artagnan Romances:

The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years After
The Vicomte de Bragelonne
Louise de la Vallière
The Man in the Iron Mask

J.R.R Tolkien's mythos:

The Silmarillion
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings

 

[Kalentan]

Cap 1 takes place in the 1940's, Guardians 2 takes place 6 months after Guardians 1, Doctor Strange takes place God knows when and Ant Man and The Wasp takes place before Infinity War.

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Doctor Strange is 2016.

 

[corasaur]

This is uncontroversially the right answer.

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i don't know which entriess wound up getting films, but as far as just the books go, the chronological order is definitely controversial. my middle school english teacher definitely complained that release order was better and that reading magician's nephew at its original place was better than knowing the white witch's backstory from the beginning.

 

[Xagarath]

The Hornblower books definitely work better chronologically. Release order jumps all over the place.

 

[Fevaweva]

Better Call Saul into Breaking Bad would work pretty well.

 

[mclem]

Do we count Fantagraphics' Carl Barks Donald Duck/Uncle Scrooge collections? They've been released with the highest-profile titles first, so the first release, for instance, was Vol 7 chronologically; then 12, then 11. Volume 20 will be released later this month, but there's not yet been any sign of Vols 1-4.


Edit: Oh, Narnia? What with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe being released first but third sequentially?

 

[SpinierBlakeD]

Doctor Strange is 2016.

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Yeah but isn't there some kind of time jump? How long is he training for?

 

[Boiled Goose]

The MCU should absolutely be experienced chronologically. The only benefit to release order is witnessing the evolution of Marvel's filmmaking ability.

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Nope. Order of release is always better.n

 

[Mandos]

Star Wars - The Clone Wars has an official chronological viewing order of episodes, so probably that. They were all out of order when they first aired

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This, however they also visited earlier stories later on that fleshed everything out that they didn't have time for in the first season

Another one that you could but probably shouldn't do chronologically is Universal Century Mobile Suit Gundam. Or heck there's several alt universe shows you wouldn't watch first like I'm told Turn A builds on every previous show despite being its own thing. G Gundam however you can watch whenever as its awesome and completely standalone

 

[Sulik2]

You know if you had seen no marvel movies, watching Ant-Man and Wasp before infinity war would be interesting. Just leave a huge wtf just happened in your head going into IW would be neat to see someone view it that way.

 

[SpinierBlakeD]

Nope. Order of release is always better.n

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Disagree

 

[molnizzle]

You know if you had seen no marvel movies, watching Ant-Man and Wasp before infinity war would be interesting. Just leave a huge wtf just happened in your head going into IW would be neat to see someone view it that way.

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It would ruin the ending of IW since you would know what was going to happen as soon as Thanos' plan is revealed.

 

[Galactor]

I'm sure such a thing exists, but I'm having trouble imagining one. Even in the case of the Hobbit vs. LoTR (if you're referring to the movies) it's best if you watch LoTR and then the Hobbit (or just don't watch the Hobbit 💁‍♀️).

This is because most of these series are written in such a way that any "prequel"-type stories are crafted to flesh out details that are mentioned tangentially in the current timeline of whatever story. In MGS, for instance, Big Boss' back story only became necessary because of the trajectory of the modern timeline from MGS 2. In these circumstances stories taking place earlier in the timeline function to complement the present timeline.

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Reading the hobbit first is a great introduction to the fellowship of the ring, because of its limited scope and almost fairy tail quality. I think the movie should have been made to emulate this feeling that its better to experience it before lotr

 

[Another Castle]

Reading the hobbit first is a great introduction to the fellowship of the ring, because of its limited scope and almost fairy tail quality. I think the movie should have been made to emulate this feeling that its better to experience it before lotr

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I would venture to guess that it was originally intended to be crafted as such, but the pre-production on the Hobbit films was such an enormous fucking mess that it's impossible to say. Makes me sad, really, as I truly enjoyed the book as a child.

 

[Plainswalker]

Yeah but isn't there some kind of time jump? How long is he training for?

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Starts in 2016, ends in 2017 at some point before Ragnarok.

 

[Deleted member 30411]

Do you mean watching The Hobbit films before LOTR?

This is a bit of a gray area as Tolkien wrote and released The Hobbit long before LOTR.

But the Hobbit films were clearly written and made with assumed foreknowledge of the LOTR films. So I would still say release order (or don't bother with The Hobbit movies at all, really).

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Considering the topic of the thread, I would much prefer Hobbit first if I had to watch them. Ideally you'd just watch Extended LotR and be done with it but if you had to... might as well get that shite out of the way before you watch the good trilogy.

 

[Kalentan]

I think the MCU is fine to watch in chronological order. The only problems would be post credit scenes, which should be skipped.

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Nah. The Post credit scenes are important. Nick Fury appearing at the end of Iron Man loses all impact if you've already watched CM and CA before it.

Not to mention that the films that take place out of order have call forwards to stuff. So those make no sense if you hadn't seen the movies before it.

Chronological order for the MCU is bad, unless it's your repeat viewing. Even then I'd still say not the best.

 

[Glasgow Mega-Snake]

Chronicles of Narnia

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This is uncontroversially the right answer.

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I read Narnia chronologically as a kid and I enjoyed it, but maybe that was like the ignorant move of playing MGS3 first because they put it first in the box set.

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I read them in chronological order, too, but I'd say The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a better starting point. The Magician's Nephew is more of a weird origin story and probably works best read together with The Last Battle (if you even want to read that one, because the morals in that book are super fucked up). And The Horse and His Boy is a side story you could read at any point. So I think the release order actually works best.

 

[xxracerxx]

Watching the MCU movies in chronological order is quite ridiculous, especially if it is the first time through.

 

[Annubis]

I think only monogatari fits the bill.

It's insanely confusing if you watch it in release order since they adapted the books in a weird ass order.

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Haruhi did that too.

 

[Deleted member 11822]

Might be wrong there, but isn't Captain Marvel basically the only one out order anyhow?

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there are a few blips, besides capt. marvel.
my wife and I did a re-watch last month and did it in this order:

1. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
2. Captain Marvel (2019)
3. Iron Man (2008)
4. Iron Man 2 (2010)
5. The Incredible Hulk (2008)
6. Thor (2011)
7. The Avengers (2012)
8. Iron Man 3 (2013)
9. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
11. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
12. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
13. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
14. Ant-Man (2015)
15. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
16. Black Panther (2018)
17. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
18. Doctor Strange (2016)
19. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
20. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
21. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
22. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

 

[DiipuSurotu]

The d'artagnan Romances:

The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years After
The Vicomte de Bragelonne
Louise de la Vallière
The Man in the Iron Mask

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Isn't that also the release order? All good then.

 

[RiOrius]

I don't believe at all that release order is the "intended order". Because plans change. I don't think that when they were making Iron Man back in 2007, they were thinking "okay, in 12 years we're going to make a prequel about Captain Marvel. They make the movies one at a time and just role with it. Hell, who even knows if they had CM set in the 90's when they originally invisioned it. If the studio had the chance to go back and remake the movies in chronological order, I believe they would. Which is why the Russo's tell people to start with TFA.

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Yeah, they roll with it. But they roll forward. If they could go back in time maybe they would make Captain Marvel right after TFA, but they can't. So they make Captain Marvel under the assumption that viewers have already seen a bunch of other movies, and they can do things like the gag about now Nick Fury loses his eye and expect viewers to get it. Each individual movie is intended to be viewed at the time it's released. That's how the tie-ins are designed to work.

TFA can probably go first without losing much (I honestly barely remember anything about it), but putting Captain Marvel second and then ignoring her for a decade seems like a pretty bad idea. And yeah, AMATW should go between A3 and A4. The two movies are too big to be right next to each other. Gotta have a tonal intermission. Let people relax, let their guard down, then hit 'em with the "FIVE YEARS LATER" stick.

 

[Carthago Delenda Est]

A person watching the MCU for the first time, who didn't know any spoilers, would see the Snap for the first time in Ant-Man and the Wasp rather than seeing Thanos do it.

Seeing Fury and Coulson also losses it's charm in Captain Marvel if that's the first time you're ever seeing them.

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A person watching the MCU for the first time without spoilers wouldn't know what the snap was or why anyone turned to dust. I think it wouldn't be a negative and might even make you more interested to learn what it means.

Fury and Coulson would be different, but not necessarily worse for having been in Captain Marvel first.

 

[Einchy]

A person watching the MCU for the first time without spoilers wouldn't know what the snap was or why anyone turned to dust. I think it wouldn't be a negative and might even make you more interested to learn what it means.

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Then it defeats the whole purpose of someone watching the movies in chronological order to begin with.