"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" arrived when we needed it most, more than a year after the pandemic that paralyzed multiplexes and made us hungry for action movies. The ultra corny "Wonder Woman 1984" and the ridiculous "Tenet" were the closest we got to that, but neither was quite on target. Thankfully, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Shaw) came to save us and the world.

If the first episode of "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" is any indicator, the rest of this series will be a hit. And it will probably be just as popular, if not more so, if not more creative and surprising than Disney Plus' first Marvel show, "Wander Vision". This is because previous MCU productions have featured more Sam and Bucky than Wanda and Vision, so their return will be accompanied by more excitement.

And let's be clear: Snyder Cut is definitely taking up a lot of oxygen in the streaming conversation, but it has no effect on Falcon and Winter Soldier. An hour of this series is more enjoyable and fulfilling than four hours of the newly edited version of Justice League.

Episode 1 begins with a moment of introspection as Sam ponders Cap's shield, but it's not long before he returns to blockbuster action mode. Sam takes to the skies to rescue an army captain being chased by a terrorist group near Tunisia.

Things go downhill fast, but Sam's quick wit and quick flying puts him one step ahead of the competition. It may have been a while since we've seen a new action movie, but this scene is one that will be missed by those who have yet to visit a movie theater.

But once you zoom out, both Falcon and Winter Soldier follow a path that makes sense for both characters as they deal with life after Steve Rogers, the man who connected their lives. They are on their own paths, so don't expect them to actually get involved in the first episode. Sam is not ready to be Captain America 2.0 and is trying to make things better for his relatives, while Bucky is trying to deal with what he did when he was the Winter Soldier.

Falcon and Winter Soldier work best, so far, when both characters are sorting themselves out. Bucky has a lot to deal with because his actions as the Winter Soldier are living rent-free in his head, which drives him insane. He's been asked by his therapist to try to move on with his new life, but it's not going quite according to plan. Nevertheless, the therapy session is already the highlight of a show filled with memorable moments. I haven't seen much therapy on TV shows, but I had a nice flashback to the dialogue between Dr. Melfi and Tony Soprano.

Meanwhile, Sam is still on active duty, spending his free time helping out on missions and talking to hardworking soldiers investigating a new terrorist group called the Flag Smashers. But that's just a bit of storytelling for someone who will probably be one of the season's great villains. Sam returns to his home in Louisiana to spend more time with his family.

Sam encourages Sarah to try to salvage the family boat instead of selling it. When she tries to get a loan at the bank, the clerk looks down on their bad record and takes a selfie with Sam. This scene strongly highlights how society does not see veterans returning from war in a positive light and embodies the idea that this series will show us what real life is like for superheroes.

Throughout this episode, Sam and Bucky have a space to be the center of attention that they never had in previous Marvel films. And as Bucky ponders and Sam fights for what he thinks is right, we are reminded of how charismatic both McKee and Shaw are and why they both have a huge online following. The show may not look like a surprise mystery box series like "Wander Vision," but it will be devoured hungrily.

The big story underlying "The Falcon" and "The Winter Soldier," at least so far, is that these heroes (and the world at large) have a void where their strongest heroes once stood. In an early scene where James Rhodes asks Sam about his decision to no longer be Captain America, we have to admit that both are in similar territory. Rhodes now lacks Tony Stark and is Captain America to War Machine's Falcon. The difference, however, is that he was not given the Iron Man mantle. Sam was.

In the final moments of the episode, we meet a new character who basically sets up the season's larger narrative. They appear for a few panels and then disappear. I won't spoil it here because it's not interesting (and because we know very little about the character), but it sets up a lot of what is to come. It's the kind of cliffhanger that will have people looking for Episode 2 when they realize it's not out yet; unlike with WandaVision, they'll have to wait until next week to see Episode 2.

Falcon and the Winter Soldier seem to be taking us to the next stage of the Avengers group. I thought Captain Marvel was going to lead this team, but it looks like Sam Wilson is set to be the leader. And if the rest of the series is as good as the first episode, Sam will soon be forming the Avengers.