This article contains spoilers for “Moon Knight.”

“Moon Knight” follows Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac), an Egyption history enthusiast, as he lives through some of the lowest points in his life. Little does he know, a supernatural Egyptian god plans to use his body to do its bidding.

Currently, the first and only released episode leaves audiences with an air of confusion and curiosity. Marc works at a museum and often misses work due to sleeping late. However, he isn’t actually sleeping late. An Egyptian god granted superhuman powers to Marc, which slowly reveal themselves throughout the first episode. This slow burn of fear and mystery along with the abundance of Egyptian imagery seems reminiscent of Universal’s early 1932 movie, “The Mummy.” The plot reveals enough without making “Moon Knight” episode one feel too much like an exposition dump. Despite not spelling out the magical details of the plot, such as Marc’s one-finned goldfish or the intricacies of the villain, this episode remains clear and void of plot holes.

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Oscar Isaac gives one of his best performances in recent years. Despite previously acting as one dimensional characters in “Dune” and “Star Wars,” “Moon Knight” allows him to stretch his legs more creatively than previous roles. He plays Marc, a character with low self-esteem and a witty persona, but he also plays Moon Knight, the god-possessed version of Marc, in a scene toward the end of the episode. Moon Knight differs from Marc in that he has confidence and bravery in the face of present dangers. It will be interesting to see this dichotomy develop between Marc and his alter ego as the series progresses and develops its central conflict.

“Moon Knight” doesn’t compare to other Marvel properties. While the main protagonist remains, of course, a superhero, Moon Knight feels closer to Thor than Iron Man or Doctor Strange in terms of exploring history’s gods, but with its own unique story. This show stands out as much more mature than the typical Marvel media. The show features more blood than normal, and in this first episode, two guys are even seen getting completely knocked off a cliff by logs. While it’s not as graphic as Marvel’s other intellectual properties like “The Punisher” or “Daredevil,” it definitely has a darker edge that most mainstream Marvel heroes don’t showcase.

“Moon Knight” is an enjoyable show that steps away from the stereotypical tiring Marvel formula. Fans exhausted with the predictable Marvel tropes may appreciate this show for being something new and refreshing. The only hope is that the show maintains this level of originality and depth, rather than being eclipsed by the typical Marvel formula.

4 goldfish out of 5