Marvel's Hero Project

Among the reality shows, “Marvel’s Hero Project” acquits itself well with a 25-minute running time.

It's a little on the saccharine side, but the message it delivers is a positive one.

More manipulative by some stretch but still effective at times is this reality show designed to inspire people to recognize the real heroes in the world.

The real-world stories are inspiring enough. The framing device, in which the word “Marvel” is pronounced as often as is (slightly more than) seemly, is a distraction that feels like self-promotion.

These young people—an 11-year-old crusader against child abuse, a 13-year-old girl with limb differences who designs cool prosthetics for kids like her—are truly remarkable. So it’s disappointing that the show chooses to celebrate them in an overly slick style that feels more like advertising than portraiture.