Now that you've had time to jump onto Hulu and watch for yourself, are we on the same page about where this new series might be heading?

If you read my preview titled Marvel's Runaways Review: Hulu's Riverdale -- It's One to Watch, then you know I don't expect it to follow the comics.

I didn't read the comics, but in my due diligence, I consulted many Wikis to familiarize myself with the world enough mess up intelligently in reviews. Marvel's Runaways Season 1 Episode 1 took a lot of information and shook it all up. Readers might recognize the players, but the world appears sufficiently different.

Because of what seems to be substantial changes to the original text, I'm going to recognize that it existed, understand that many of you might have read it, and carry on with the reviews for what they are: episodic television discussions.

And whoa Nellie, there is a lot to discuss after the initial action-packed hours, isn't there?

I can't even determine which was a favorite, but I was surprised to learn from a friend that there was a genuine concern when readers learned Marvel's Runaways Season 1 Episode 2 would feature a retelling of "Reunion" from the point of the parents. 

As it's my belief Runaways will establish itself as equally compelling as Riverdale wherein the parents become integral to the kids' stories, and possibly shape their futures in ways never imagined in the comics, getting their viewpoint as soon as possible made a big difference to the storyline as a whole.

By Marvel's Runaways Season 1 Episode 3, everything turns on a dime and frankly, I have no idea what the heck is going on with any of these people.

In the first three episodes, there wasn't much information given about, well, anything. 

The kids and their respective families have been together for as long as any of them can remember because the parents all belong to the same philanthropic organization. Really, it would have been better if they had told their kids they were bowlers or played bingo.

At least that might have made more sense with as much as they have in common, which is the sum total of nothing. But, the kids were young and willing to accept things easier. At least until something happened to Nico's sister, Amy.

That tore them apart for reasons unknown as of now, or maybe ever. Alex's dad, Geoffrey, seems like a cool guy, even if he is somewhat of a villain and married to a stone-cold bitch.

Geoffrey: Those friends of yours are probably feeling the exact same way you are today.
Alex: Actually, they're doing just fine.
Geoffrey: Or maybe they're better at hiding what's really going on.

• Permalink: Or maybe they're better at hiding what's really going on.

For being a former jailed felon, he always seems to have the right thing to say. Did you catch that Alex's mom, Catherine, met Geoffrey while he was in jail? He thought he was trading up in the world but traded murder for murder, in his eyes.

I have to assume the being at Leslie's church brought the group together, and my assumption goes even further that they weren't originally paired up when it happened. What are the odds the thing managed to pull together a bunch of married couples to form a group called The Pride to sacrifice 17-year-old kids once a year?

It would have to be nil.

Speaking of slim odds, whatever happened to Amy occurred on the anniversary of The Pride sacrifice. How old was she? Why is her room off limits even to Nico, who wants so badly to reconnect and remember her sister?

If Nico was feeling pain that day, she wasn't willing to share it, but Alex wanted to share his, and he always played video games with Amy. He must have been very close to her.

Pretty Karolina puts on a fake smile to hide how people torture her for her family's religious fanaticism. She's bullied by way of her sunny selfies, cruelly mocked up and reposted.

Chase can't live up to his dad's high expectations, and the more he tries, the more he stands in his own way. He's an excellent athlete, but can't pull out the solid A's Victor Stein wants him to have.

Gert wants to change the world, one petition and social group at a time, while her little (adopted) sister, Molly just wants to get through the day without feeling weird. She's the first of the group coming into any powers and has no idea what it means because her parents are dead.

Whether it's their age or the stress of thinking about the past and what happened to Amy or just the everyday foibles of being a teenager, something is triggering biological changes in these kids.

Ironically, it's also the last sacrifice The Pride ever has to make. There has to be something tying all of these situations together, but if the parents know what's going down with their kids, you'd think they would have given them some indication of what was to come.

Victor: You're not getting cold feet, are you Geoffrey?
Geoffrey: It concerns me that you aren't. She's only 17.
Tina: They're always the same age.
Geoffrey: Which is now the same age as our children. That don't bother nobody?

• Permalink: Which is now the same age as our children. That don't bother nobody?

Have they been sacrificing 17-year-old kids in the hope of warding off whatever their kids are on the precipice of becoming? 

Their timing would have been a wee bit off since the changes in Molly, Karolina, and Gert began the day of the sacrifice, but it's alarming that the events are coinciding.

Something tells me Leslie knew what would happen to Karolina when she took off her bracelet. Not making it impossible to remove without a key was cruel. She looked like Rainbow Brite, for goodness sakes. Someone could have shot her in confusion. Or the dinosaur could have bitten her head off in a surprising twist.

Leslie said, "another one becomes eternal tonight," when speaking about The Pride's sacrifice. What does that mean? 

Where the heck are those machines supposed to be taking the runaways? While the tagline implied the parents were criminal masterminds, they all have real jobs. They're scientists, engineers, lawyers, preachers, and what have you. Maybe they give their proceeds to criminal organizations.

Or maybe there is another reason they have been doing a sacrifice a year, and wherever they send the sacrificed is an actual place they believe to be better than on the streets from whence they came. Leslie also implied that as she talked about how she tried to make their last year on earth rather spectacular.

Something doesn't sync up with the criminal parents.

That's not to say some of them aren't total jackasses because I see nothing cool about Tina, but I Robert calms her and cares about Nico. The Yorkes seem relatively mild even if they're sex obsessed.

Victor Stein carved his path when Destiny didn't die, and she turned up on the beach. That can't be good for him, right? Leslie sure hates her husband, and Frank is a dork, but Geoffrey is a good guy, while Catherine is better suited to run with Tina. Hey...the women aren't stacking up well here.

So far, I'm enjoying Nico and Gert a lot. They're my favorites. Sorry, but I get to have them! Chase, too, as he seems like a good guy who doesn't let his favored status on campus get the better of him.

There isn't a dud, but I'm enjoying some portrayals more than others. That could change as the season progresses. Geoffrey is by far my favorite parent. I'm not sure who comes in second. 

And I have to be honest, you guys, trying to "review" three episodes is impossible. I know this wasn't the best. I didn't touch on so much.

Destiny making that mistake at the very beginning "cult or not" was heartbreaking. Chase saving Karolina from a sexual assault was heroic.

Molly trying out for (was it) cheerleading or pom pom girls was a shame (she'd be good with all that strength), and Nico and Alex cleaning up inches of snow across her living room with a bucket and a brush with two minutes time was ludicrous.

But overall, Runaways is so much fun. The sky is the limit here. Are the parents really criminals? Will some of them help the kids to become all they can be? Were they sacrificing to for their kids or to harm them? Will the kids get to use their powers for good and without having to throw over their families first?

How long until each of them understands they're stronger together and what they can do as a group to...what? Rid the world of evil? 

Eh, who cares? The next episode will come with a much better, more focused review. I promise you that. It's a spectacular episode and starts delivering some answers, though, surprisingly, to none of the questions I've posed here. So, swirl that around for a while!

Hit the comments and share with me your favorite scenes, quotes, characters and more!! 

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.