When The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was first announced for Disney+, it seemed like a guaranteed hit. Marketed as a high-stakes spy thriller set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans were eager to see a more grounded take on Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. But when the series finally premiered, it left many viewers disappointed. A surface-level storyline, a forgettable villain, and the growing pains of Disney+ as a new streaming platform all contributed to its struggles.