Ms Marvel TV review: Funny, endearing and likeable, new star Iman Vellani carries the show

So it is that when watching Marvel’s newest addition, Ms Marvel, about a young Muslim woman accessing superpowers like her hero Captain Marvel, I’m left with a slightly bitter taste. Which is a shame for something that’s so resolutely joyful. Years ago I wrote a piece in the Guardian explaining how Jews and Muslims don’t in fact live in contrast to each other, despite the determination of some to make it seem so, which makes me wary of vocalising my opinion here. Yet with the two shows following so closely on the heels of one another, and observing the immense effort and intent that’s gone into integrating and celebrating Ms Marvel’s background and ethnicity, it can’t help but throw a dark relief on how failed Jews were by Moon Knight.

But enough of my David Baddiel sequel, this series is fun. Making her debut as the main character Kamala Khan, they’ve discovered a star in Iman Vellani. Funny, endearing and likeable, she carries the show. The direction and set design are also standouts, with the clever integration of social media and animation onto an environment bursting with colour and detail adding a freshness and vibrancy not seen since the newest debut of that other great teenage superhero, Spiderman.

The enterprise is the vision of British stand-up comedian Bisha K Ali, and respect to her ability for stepping so fluently up to the big leagues, whilst also being able to bring much of her own experiences to the narrative proceedings. It does sometimes feel as if there is an agenda for the show to portray the American Muslim community in the best possible light ever, as opposed to getting on with telling a superhero story. It’s a lesson I’ll take with me if I ever get to make my own dream project: Moon Knight goes on Birthright.