With Thor: Ragnarok touching down in theaters this weekend, I’ve heard the phrase, “I can’t believe I’m excited about a Thor movie” time and time again. Sure, Raganrok marks a drastic departure not only for the Thor series, but seemingly the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just judging by the trailers and posters alone, director Taika Waititi has dropped Marvel’s God of Thunder into a wondrous, technicolor landscape populated with scene-chewing villains (Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum) and designs pulled right from the comics, all shot through an artfully poppy Instagram filter. It looks like a wild ride, one that’s equal part heavy metal and buddy comedy.

But just because Ragnarok looks great doesn’t mean the other two Thor movies are garbage, and it doesn’t mean that the franchise hasn’t been on this trajectory from the get go. Okay, obviously Ragnarok looks like it’s jumped a mile down the path, but 2011’s Thor and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World were on that road already. At some point, it’s like the moviegoing hive mind decided that dumping on the Thor movies was the thing to do, and I’m here to say to thee “nay“!

I get that when compared to other marvel sub-franchises like the Iron Man and Captain America trilogies or the one-two punch of Guardians of the Galaxy and GOTG Vol. 2, the two Thor flicks seem like the easiest ones to pick on. While the first one features Tom Hiddleston’s delightfully devious Loki as its big bad, The Dark World suffers by sticking Christopher Eccleston under tons of makeup as the dark elf Malekith, the most generic of all of Marvel’s baddies. And whereas fans already had an affinity for Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans before they suited up, Chris Hemsworth was most notable for being Captain Kirk’s dead dad in the 2009 Star Trek. Who was this impossibly hunky dude?!

I think that the Thor movies age well because we’ve all gotten to know Chris Hemsworth–the implausibly hot and impossibly hilarious Chris Hemsworth. If Ghostbusters made you realize that Hemsworth has incredible comedic timing, then you’ll be pleased to know that it’s all present in the first two Thor films!

Hemsworth was handed easily the most ridiculous character of the core Avengers trio. Evans got to play the morally upright heroic ideal, and Downey Jr. got to play the billionaire playboy, two character types we’re used to seeing in these movies. Thor, on the other hand, is all over the map; is he seriously Shakespearean or a lout, heroic or a scoundrel, a god or a man? While audiences were asking all those questions in 2011, Hemsworth had all the answers prepared. He threaded so many needles, crafting a performance that was equal parts braggart and noble warrior, swaggering through the role with unearthly confidence–and he was also totally aware of when to trip up and land on his beautiful, bearded face. Even tiny moments like Thor smashing his little cup in a New Mexico diner or finding a place to hang his magic hammer in a London flat are hilarious because of the character Hemsworth has created.

It helps that Hemsworth has absolutely stellar casts to bounce off of. Anthony Hopkins was obviously born to play Odin (along with a lot of other roles, the dude’s good), and the chemistry between Hemsworth and Hiddleston is strong enough to carry all of the dramatic weight of both Thor films (and even significant chunks of 2012’s The Avengers).

It’s like people forget that the Thor flicks have Loki in them, far and away the greatest Marvel villain ever, made great because Hiddleston’s performance tricks you into caring deeply about a murderous fiend. Pair him up with Hemsworth and you have a sibling rivalry rippling with angst as these two are shoved together by circumstances but ripped apart by their morals.

And Hiddleston’s not the only supporting player worth shouting out. Thor’s Asgardian buds–the Warriors Three, Sif, and Heimdall–are all entertaining in their own right, even if none of them get nearly enough attention (particularly Sif and Heimdall). But it’s really the Earthbound cast that deserves all the raised hands emojis. Yes, I’m going on the record as being immensely pro Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).

Foster is no mere love interest, although I think she’s often dismissed as such. Foster cares about one thing above Thor, and that’s science. Hell, she’s partly turned on by the inter-dimensional/extraterrestrial Thor because his pecs and abs are sweaty scientific curiosities. Foster’s fish-out-of-water-ness in The Dark World is fantastic, with her asking nonstop questions and geeking out about Norse medicine even though she’s potentially dying. It’s a taught yet giddy performance from Portman, and she doesn’t get enough praise!

But the real stars of the show are (drumroll) Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgård. These two, this sassy and goofy pair, keep these movies moving along. Dennings in particular is a delight, taking the bit role of Darcy the intern and performing it from the side as if she’s the center of attention. She performs Darcy with the same amount of swagger Hemsworth gives Thor, creating the super rare female supporting character that’s there to deliver zingers and not romantic tension. Plus, both Thor movies ace the Bechdel test by devoting attention to Jane and Darcy’s fraught friendship.

Are these movies perfect? No, absolutely not. Thor suffers from low stakes and The Dark World has a dreadfully dreary villain. But why does a movie have to be perfect? The Thor films are perfectly enjoyable, packed with delightful performances and so many charming moments, the kind of movies that you should never pass up if you see them on cable. These are Marvel’s rainy Saturday afternoon movies, and that’s a fine niche to fill.

Where to watch Thor

Where to watch Thor: The Dark World