The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an irresponsibly large collection of films and TV shows all connected in tiny ways, which eventually come together for huge event flicks. The latest of these is Captain America: Civil War, which hit screens this ast weekend. But if you’ve never gotten in before, you face a daunting breadth of films in the Marvel pantheon. What’s worth seeing? What must be skipped? Why have three different actors played Iron Man’s dad? Here are the answers to at least two of those questions.

Iron Man (2008)

The gist: The one that started it all. Jon Favreau’s Iron Man is one of the best superhero films ever made and made the Marvel Cinematic Universe a must-see destination. Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance as Tony Stark is unforgettable, and his debut gives him plenty of play with.
How good is it? 9/10. One of the genre’s all-time best.
How vital is it? 8/10. This is the most obvious place for any prospective fan to start and core to understanding the man behind the iron suit.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Yes. Tony Stark’s arc is key to Civil War, and this is his defining story.

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The gist: The black sheep of the MCU, The Incredible Hulk sits on a precarious place in the series canon. Obviously, star Edward Norton was recast in favor of Mark Ruffalo. But the backstory of Bruce Banner presented in this film is also largely swept under the rug by The Avengers.
How good is it? 3/10. It’s a messy film that can’t find a workable tone. It looks especially shoddy compared to Iron Man, which was released the very same summer.
How vital is it? 2/10. The Avengers ignored it, so feel free to follow suit.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Nope. You’ll get plenty of Hulk in The Avengers, and he isn’t even in Civil War.

Iron Man 2 (2010)
The gist: Unlike its predecessor, Iron Man 2 is far from a classic. It’s a half-baked rivalry story with cringe-worthy CGI and too many villains. Additionally, an entire third of the movie is solely dedicated to setting up The Avengers.
How good is it? 3/10. A shameful entry to the franchise.
How vital is it? 6/10. As bad a film as this is, it’s also the introduction point for several key players to the Marvel universe. You won’t be lost without it, but there’s no doubt that you’re missing the start of something big.
Should I watch it before Civil War? If you want. While there’s a bit of setup for Avengers here, the mild confusion from skipping this is better than watching it.
 

Thor (2011)
The gist: Far away from Tony Stark’s troubles, the legendary Norse god of thunder struggles to contend with a life of peace in Asgard. After a short-tempered moment, he’s banished to Earth for a stunningly bland adventure of self-discovery.
How good is it? 4/10. While Asgard is directed with appropriate nobility by Kenneth Branagh, the Earth segments make it a chore to sit though.
How vital is it? 2/10. Most of the core Thor characters get a fair enough introduction in The Avengers. You’ll be fine.
Should I watch it before Civil War? No. Thor is notably absent from the proceedings of Civil War.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

The gist: Set at the heart of World War II, Captain America’s first joint follows his turn from scrawny Brooklyn kid to the human personification of America. It’s a charmingly old-school picture, applying Marvel’s simple blockbuster charm to the “greatest generation.”
How good is it? 7/10. The First Avenger is nothing special, but it features some of the most visually distinctive achievements in the MCU.
How vital is it? 8/10. Steve Rogers’s personal trauma in The First Avenger plays into later Marvel films with some real weight. You’ll want to see the full arc.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Sure. Civil War is Cap’s movie after all, so you’ll want a solid primer on the man’s backstory.

The Avengers (2012)
The gist: This is where it all comes together. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, and the whole of S.H.I.E.L.D. join forces to fight off an alien invasion in two hours of pure fan service. Joss Whedon directs the ensemble with his trademark sense of humor, resulting in the MCU’s crown gem.
How good is it? 10/10. The best movie of the saga, The Avengers is two hours of payoff after years of setup.
How vital is it? 9/10. As the first meeting between so many of these characters, the Battle of New York is a central moment to the Marvel experience.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Absolutely. No Marvel marathon is complete without it.

Iron Man 3 (2013)
The gist: In the aftermath of the Battle of New York, Tony Stark finds himself tormented by demons both internal and external. Director Shane Black takes up the camera from Favreau for a more tempered and emotional look at Stark.
How good is it? 7/10. Robert Downey, Jr. still shines in his iconic role, and the action beats are great. Still, it’s a tad forgettable.
How vital is it? 4/10. While Iron Man is just as vital to the Civil War arc as Cap, the story in 3 is mostly self-contained.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Sure. It’s not essential, but it applies some welcome emotional context.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV series, 2013–)

The gist: Back from the dead, Agent Phil Coulson has gathered a team to find superhumans too unimportant to concern the real Avengers. 
How good is it? Varies wildly. AoS has largely improved with time. The first half of the season is almost unwatchable, but since then it’s evolved into consistently fun pulp sci-fi.
How vital is it? 1/10. AoS has an odd one-way relationship with the Marvel films. The mainline events of each movie have drastic consequences on the series, but nothing from the show has had made much of a difference on the silver screen. 
Should I watch it before Civil War? No. AoS is a fun enough time filler, but is about as non-essential as Marvel gets.

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

The gist: Having returned to Asgard with Loki in tow, Thor faces a new threat that extends across all seven realms.
How good is it? 5/10. An improvement over the first film, mainly for leaving Earth at every possible opportunity.
How vital is it? 1/10. Again, Thor is a non-factor in Civil War. There’s some details here about the ongoing story of the Infinity Gems, but you’re free to hold off.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Nope. Aside from a fantastic cameo from Steve Rogers, nothing here is of much interest for those looking to catch up.

Daredevil (TV series, 2015–)

The gist: The inner city is still recovering from the Battle of New York, with the city’s most corrupt eager to take advantage. Blind lawyer/secret ninja Matt Murdock becomes the iconic “Devil of Hell’s Kitchen” to clean up the operation.
How good is it? 8/10. Daredevil boasts some of the most thrilling action in the MCU and some of its best overall villains. Both seasons are worth watching.
How vital is it? 1/10. Like Agents of SHIELD, nothing on the small screen is of much concern to the filmic heroes.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Save it for later. Daredevil is excellent TV.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
The gist: Now fully integrated into the 21st century, Captain America struggles to come to terms with representing a country that may have lost track of the moral center. With memories of his past coming back in physical form, the stakes have never been bigger.
How good is it? 9/10. Expertly directed and tense as hell, The Winter Soldier stands toe-to-toe not just with the best of Marvel but the best of the decade. 
How vital is it? 10/10. The Winter Soldier’s fate in this film is essentially the entire setup for Civil War, and Cap’s emotional turn a core part of his arc.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Absolutely. If there’s a single film that must be seen to understand the larger stakes at play, it’s Winter Soldier.

Agent Carter (TV series, 2015–)

The gist: Set after the events of The First Avenger, Agent Carter looks at the life of Steve’s lost love after the war. It’s held up by the same excellent retro styling of the original film and some quality writing that plays with the social undertones of the age.
How good is it? 7/10. One of Marvel’s better TV projects, Agent Carter makes for an easy binge watch.
How vital is it? 1/10. While it’s nice to see more of the earliest days of S.H.I.E.L.D., the events of Agent Carter are pretty firmly disconnected from Captain America’s modern adventures.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Nope. It’s a fun accessory piece to the Captain America arc but by no means a core part of it.

Guardians of The Galaxy (2014)
The gist: Deep on the other side of the Marvel universe, the legendary outlaw Star-Lord stumbles upon an artifact of grave importance to the entire galaxy. After a prison break shackles him with a team of misfit convicts, they race to stop the potential destruction of the galaxy as we know it.
How good is it? 8/10. The sharp comedic wit and undeniable star power of Chris Pratt make this an enjoyable watch.
How vital is it? 1/10. Like Thor: The Dark World, this really only serves to push forward the larger story of the “Infinity Gems.” Highly doubtful anything here will come into play.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Save it for later. It’s a hell of a film, but doesn’t mean much for the larger narrative.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

The gist: Now a fully operational fighting force, the iconic team is threatened by a beast of its own creation. It’s a fine enough film, and it features some charming moments between the core players, but doesn’t hit the same passionate highs of the original.
How good is it? 6/10. Despite a handful of immediately iconic scenes, it falls short as a whole product.
How vital is it? 8/10. Some of the most recent additions to the Avenger lineup stem from Age of Ultron, though the core story mostly wraps up by the film’s close.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Yes. It’s not Marvel’s strongest film, but the aftermath of the final conflict plays a key role in Civil War.

Jessica Jones, (TV series, 2015–)

The gist: Set in the same dark neighborhood as Daredevil, Jessica Jones tracks the titular superpowered P.I. as she hunts the murderous telekinetic Kilgrave. Following a similar dark path as Daredevil, Jones shines with intelligent writing and bold character work.
How good is it? 7/10. Jones isn’t as atmospherically satisfying as Daredevil but carries another strong villainous performance.
How vital is it? 1/10. Like Daredevil, this is a street-level conflict far away from the apocalyptic consequences the Avengers concern themselves with.
Should I watch it before Civil War? No. Jessica Jones is a good time, but it won’t mean much for Steve & Tony.

Ant-Man (2015)

The gist: When amateur burglar Scott Lang gets hot to a big score, his discovery brings him to a world bigger than he ever thought possible. A heist flick with the classic Marvel trappings, it’s a treat.
How good is it? 7/10. Ant-Man isn’t revolutionary for Marvel, but it still passes the bar.
How vital is it? 6/10. Lang will appear in Civil War, but the full details of his role are unclear. You’ll likely get by without the full origin.
Should I watch it before Civil War? Probably not. If you’ve got time to spare, Ant-Man is a good direct lead-up. But don’t fret if you can’t fit it in.
Follow Chris Berg on Twitter @ChrisBerg25