Okay - I am capping a little bit but in all honesty, the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t hitting like it used to - to say the least - but my goodness, what a pleasure and adventure to get a randomly unexpected and fun Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

It has all the usual suspects and feels like a more kid-friendly version of the Deadpool 2 Christmas edition from a few years back. There are plenty of fun moments and jokes all as an added bonus of having a Disney+ subscription.

And keep in mind, the ‘decent’ part of the headline is really more a personal observation more than anything. It’s kind of like getting older and seeing the white beard is an add-on with the mall Santa Claus. The Marvel franchise is still going strong but feels like it needs a little intensity and flare to really get it to the next level.

The special does a solid job of adding a little bit more adult vibes whether it’s the causal usage of the word ‘shit’ or even kidnapping Kevin Bacon and having some fun moments in-between.

But it’s just not hitting the same. In a time when you have DC’s ‘Titans’ going all-out with mature themes plus ‘Harley Quinn’ and ‘Peacemaker,’ it’s clear Marvel’s biggest competitor is taking things up a few notches and not looking back.

Once again, there’s nothing wrong with any of this. Marvel can keep playing it safe and trying to push things a tad bit with Disney overseeing everything but as people like myself see what the others are doing? Yup - it’s very much like WWE and AEW. WWE will always be the top notch production but when you see the heart, guts and next level of wild All Elite Wrestling is delivering?

How about this example - I am a diehard New York Yankees fanatic. But there’s something you have to respect about division rival Tampa Bay Rays which is impressive. They have a joke of a spending budget compared to the Yankees but they battle it out and have success every season. Pinstripes for life but my goodness the admiration is strong for the Rays.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special plays it too safe and goes the extra mile to make sure you can have both your inappropriate uncle and siblings in the same room to watch this.

Clocking in at less than an hour, just the right amount for a special and you’ll be hooked from start to finish. To see the core stars on the screen and some fun cartoon additions to the special?

Solid.

Your mileage may differ so watch for the culture but know there’s something a bit more grittier on the other side of the universe.