Fantastic Four (TV series)/Tropes

* Adaptational Angst Downgrade: Zigzagged. While the Thing still angsts due to his mutation, is less due to his appearance and more due to other downsides to his new form.
* Adaptatational Nice Guy: While Johnny is as cocky and childish as always, he is nicer to Ben when it comes to his new appearance, any insult that may come towards him about his new form bring Innocently Insensitive and at least trying to make him feel better.
* And the Adventure Continues: The furst season ends with the Fantastic Four journing to space to see what they can discover.
* Casting Gag: Galactus is voiced by Corey Burton and was once voiced by Tpny Jay. The two had shared roles before.
* Central Theme: Exploration. Season 1 cebters on Reed coming to terms with the dangers of exploration, while season 2 has him proving the world of the benefits of allying with other alien species, and season 3 cenyers on Reed trying to prevent people from exploiting the benefits exploration brings.
* Cynism Catalyst: The accident that mutated the Fantastic Four caused Reed to become sour at his dream of exploring the universe, blaming himself for what happened because "he dared to dream".
* Heartwarming Moments: The moment Reed officially names the team "The Fantastic Four". In the comics, is just a cheesy superhero nane from the 60s. Here, the name is a symbol of acceptance, of Reed accepting his powers and claiming to both the team and the world that they are not freaks of nature, but fantastic people given abilities that they must and will use for good.
* It's All My Fault: Reed blames himseñf for the accident that trabsformed the Fantastic Four. Part if his character arc in season 1 consists of him lesrning to forgive himself.
* Knight of Cerebus: Kang. He is a feared time overlord who's taken seriously by the plot and whose presence is enough to make the show darker.
* Mytholgy Gag:
** In the first episode, after a day outside, the Thing says "Looks like I picked the wrong year to quit smoking". He actually used to smoke in the comics, until a mabdate by Marvel's then-editor-in-chief Joe Quesada forbid any dhowcase of smoking in the comics.
** Ben's nickname for Reed is "Big Brain" his alias in the Marvel Comics 2 continuity.
** The comics had Kang's first appearance kidnapping the Wasp and Rick Jones. The show's version sees him pull the same stunt with Reed and Sue in his first appearance.
** To the FOX film series:
*** As in the film, Ben is outside the ship when they are hit by cosmic rays.
*** The line "If having superpowers is a disease, then we got it bad" from the film is once again uttered by Johnny.
*** As in Rise of the Silver Surfer, Johnny gets a good first look at the Silver Surfer while chasing him througth Manhattan.
*** Reed's personality was modeled partially after the film incarnation.
*** Johnny tries to use a supernova against Doctor Doom. Unfortunely, Doom is much luckier this time around.
**Johnny tries to comfort Ben by pointing out they are not the first people with powers in the world, using the X-Men as an example. This is a nod to both how the Fantastic Fpur were among the first superheroes created by Marvel, while Johnny pointing the X-Men as an example of "superpowered people" is a subtle reference to how both the Fantastic Four and the X-Men had their film roghts owned flr decades by Fox.
** The shot of Galactus looming over Earth resembles the arrival of Arishem in Eternals.
*Narm Charm: Sure, the way Reed coins the name "Fantastic Four" is a bit cheesy abd on-the-nose. But not only is the nane uttered with geniune passion, but is meant to be the culmination of Reed's arc in season 1 of stopping seeing the group as a group of freaks with abherrations they must cure. It gives the name an emotional ourpose behind it. Besides, the Fantastic Four have always been a little cheesy, so it fits right with the franchise.
*Nightmare Fuel: 
** The Fantastic Four in season 2 travel to Skrullos, capital of the Skrull Empire... only to discover its ruins, having already been consumed by Galactus. The scene has an eerie and almost horror movie feel to it. Even worse is that, while comic book fans will figure out what happened, the series never says so, leaving new people with a sever case of Nothing is Scarier.
** The first fight against Dr. Doom, coming right after the heels of Galactus, goes terribly awry. At first, the Fantastic Four apparently manage to defeat him effortlessly... until he chuckles and frees himself from both Reed and their trap via a blast. The Thing attempts to reteliate, only for Doom to knock him out in one very painful blass and nearly choke him with his telekinesis. The Human Torch then tries to save Ben by creating a supernova like in 2005, to which Doom responds by absorbing it and releasing it towards Sue and Reed like a laser. Sue tries to resist the attack, but fails and both she and Reed are knocked out, leaving them at the mercy of Doom, who walks throigth the fire and crumbles like a creature raising from the Underworld.
* Reconstruction: Sue's ability to turn invisible is often deemed as not-so-useful. However, the series shows that, with the proper skills, she can actually be the scariest member of the team because you never see who you are fighting against.
* Reed Richards Is Useless: Averted. Reed is shown many times giving his invemtions to the public, and the changes they produce are slow,y reflected througth the series.
* Sequel Hook: Season 2 ends with Doctor Doom watching news reports about Galactus' defeat at the hands of the Fantastic Four.
* Shout-Out:
** The first scenes in episode 1 were inspired by the pilot episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
** In the same episode, Johnny cites the iconic Star Trek phrase "Space. The final frontier".
** The end of the season 1 finale, where the Fantastic Four head to further explore space at the behest of Reed, is an homage to the ending of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
*The Stinger: A post-credits scene in season 1 shows Galactus eating a planet.
* Take That!: Reed's original ideas for the team's soacesuits resemble the suits for the 2015 film, which Johnny dismises in favor of more traditional Fantastic Four suits, which the rest of the team approves.