Spider-Man is, at this level, only a fixed drive of nature who will outlive us all and presumably the warmth dying of the universe. While he’s lots widespread throughout movies, comics, and video video games, it’s animation—and extra particularly, TV animation—the place a few of his most enduring work lies. Of the various reveals to bear his title, it’s Spectacular Spider-Man that’s one among, if not the very best. And it’s not too long ago made its means over to Netflix, so it’s pretty much as good a time as any to debate why it’s so good.

Spectacular first aired on KidsWB! again in 2008 earlier than leaping ship to DisneyXD in 2009 for its second season. Rather than deal with one specific facet of the character as a supply for inspiration, Spectacular was a mix of all elements of the character’s comedian and movie historical past as much as that time, from the early days when he had webs below his arms to the Ultimate Marvel model of the character the place he and Eddie Brock (Ben Diskin) had been childhood pals earlier than Eddie finally got here to hate Peter sufficient to grow to be Venom. As with different Spidey media, the Peter Parker of this universe (as voiced by Josh Keaton) is a excessive schooler who’s bought some expertise as Spider-Man, however nonetheless entering into the swing of issues. All these common crimes he foiled over the summer time break quickly make means for tremendous criminals trying to take him down, and close to all of them in a roundabout way related to both Norman Osborn (Alan Rachins) or the “Big Man,” aka Tombstone (Keith David, later Kevin Michael Richardson).

What’s made Spectacular stand the check of time over its two-season stint lies in how a lot it trusts itself. Instead of frontloading itself with backstory or plot developments, it’s bought leisurely pacing and offers itself lots time to breathe as Peter juggles being a rising superhero together with his extra mundane life as a excessive schooler together with his pals Harry (James Arnold Taylor) and Gwen Stacy (Lacey Chabert). Spider-Man tales are at their finest when Peter’s twin lives are on some sort of collision course, and Spectacular manages to efficiently create this pressure with out it ever feeling rote or predictable. And it doesn’t damage that the supporting forged—even Flash Thompson (Joshua LeBar), who exterior of comics, simply doesn’t get an opportunity to be an individual—are all winners throughout the board.

As created by Victor Cook and Greg Weisman, who would finally go on to make Young Justice with Brandon Vietti over at Warner Bros, you possibly can see the bones of what that present’s storytelling would grow to be in Spectacular. This is a fairly serialized, interconnected collection, with a number of plot threads showing all through. Some episodes happen only a day or so after the one which got here earlier than it, and you’ll really feel how core the thought of time is to the collection. It’s nothing fairly as hyperspecific as Justice’s timestamps, however Peter and firm rising up and heading in the direction of real milestones of their lives offers the present some additional “oomph” that in any other case would’ve been missing had it existed in some nebulous cut-off date.

Compared to the Spider-Man reveals that may observe after Spectacular, this Peter isn’t booked to be nice or some type of figurehead within the present’s model of the Marvel universe. He’s Just Some Kid, who concurrently has nothing going for him past his mind and images abilities whereas additionally brushing shoulders with sufficient those that he’s bought a greater than strong help system. Voice appearing for Spider-Man throughout the character’s media historical past may be hit and miss, however Keaton actually does rise up as top-of-the-line. He makes his Peter simply extremely endearing from the beginning, and that the present’s extra emotional beats work in any respect may be owed to him and the remainder of the gorgeous sturdy voice forged. In the identical means that The Batman’s bought an underrated Joker due to Richardson, Spectacular has two hidden gems within the type of Steve Blum’s Green Goblin and Clancy Brown’s Rhino.

There’s a variety of different causes to observe Spectacular Spider-Man, be it the nonetheless pretty catchy theme song or the way in which it manages to make every villain memorable by introducing them as folks earlier than they inevitably break dangerous. But the purpose is, the present’s fucking superior, and it’s best to go watch it, like proper now.

Want extra io9 information? Check out when to count on the newest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on movie and TV, and the whole lot it’s essential find out about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.