Marvel Studios’ Loki features the God of Mischief as he steps out of his brother’s shadow. Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, this action-packed, time-defying thriller stars Tom Hiddleston as the title character with Owen Wilson as agent Mobius.

For in-depth thoughts on Loki: Season 1, please see my colleague Tia Fabi’s reviews from its original streaming release below:

For a look at the SteelBook packaging, please check out our video here.

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Loki: Season 1 offers a glorious uptick in quality over the highly compressed Disney+ stream, marking a huge win for fans who thought these MCU streaming series would be locked up on the service forever. The release comes with the six episodes from the debut season spread across two discs without the inclusion of additional Blu-Ray discs, so make sure you are 4K UHD capable if you are going with this format. With this increased resolution, fine detail in the costumes and production design are more textured than ever. There are very subtle elements of Loki’s costume which you can see with more clarity here. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail on faces such as lines and pores.

The HDR expands the color spectrum to unbelievable heights as these dynamic environments radiate off the screen. From the opening episode, you are thrust into this universe of deep, bold colors within environments that never fail to impress. The highlights are also more defined with whites more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. The countless elements in the series taking place in shadow are vivid and finely delineated. Black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. This format is able to avoid banding, compression artifacts and other digital anomalies. This 4K UHD presentation allows the series to look like the best version of itself. Disney has delivered a strong opening statement with their previously streaming-exclusive series, and we cannot wait until we get more from them.

Audio Quality

The set comes equipped with a top-notch Dolby Atmos presentation that brings a dynamic soundscape to the material from beginning to end. This series is not intended to be as grandiose as the feature films from episode to episode, but the soundscape delivers an expansive experience that makes this universe feel alive. Sounds are carefully rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. The overhead channels complement the other channels rather than carry the main load, which adds a nice sense of dimension to this unique tale. Ambient details are never in short supply and they satisfy in the rear and overhead channels.

The effective score from Natalie Holt is very important for setting a tone, and it saturates the room in a formidable manner. Dialogue emanates crisp and clear without ever being overtaken by any of the competing sonic elements. The sounds of traveling to different locations and more active scenes like the meteors showering down provide an audio experience you won’t soon forget. The low end is put to good use even if it is not a bombastic endeavor comparatively. Fans will appreciate that Disney did not skimp on the audio for this one. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Designing The TVA: A six-minute featurette with the cast and creative team discuss the development of the Time Variance Authority from both a narrative viewpoint and an aesthetic point of view.

The Official TVA Orientation Video: The creative two-minute video is provided here in full.

Gag Reel A minute-and-a-half collection of flubbed and forgotten lines, goofing around on set, ruined takes and more that is quite delightful.

Deleted Scenes: Two unused scenes totaling five minutes are included here featuring material that is presented with unfinished special effects and sound mixes. They are interesting even if we understand why they were cut.

Assembled – The Making Of Loki: A terrific 63-minute documentary on the making of this first season which is impeccably produced and filled with interviews with the cast and creative team. You get some background details about Hiddleston’s initial casting in the role and his evolution in the MCU before landing on this series and how it was developed into its own important piece of the puzzle.

Final Thoughts

Loki is one of the highlights of Disney’s small-screen MCU offerings, largely because it seems content to play in its own world and ignore the larger stakes of the universe as long as it can. When we love it most is when it is simply an engaging sci-fi adventure full of whimsy and thematic musings that you have to wrestle with for a spell. The retro-futuristic aesthetic is a ton of fun to immerse yourself in through these six episodes. By far the most satisfying gift this series delivers is more depth to and time with Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. The performer has always been a standout, but you see much more of what he has to offer over this first season, and we are grateful he was given the chance. Disney Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a fabulous A/V presentation and a top-notch assortment of special features. If you are a fan of the MCU or just like fun sci-fi adventures, there is no reason not to pick this one up. Recommended

Loki: Season 1 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook and Blu-Ray SteelBook.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Disney Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.