Marvel Netflix: Ranking all seasons of Marvel’s Netflix dramas
By Josh Baggins
Photo Credit: Marvel’s The Defenders/ Marvel Netflix Image Acquired from Netflix Media Center
Luke Cage’s second season marks another hit for the Marvel Netflix collaboration. Where does it rank against the other Marvel Netflix seasons?
Luke Cage Season 2 is the ninth for Marvel Netflix. After Daredevil and Jessica Jones, it is the third show to release a sophomore season. The series with single seasons so far are Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher. Most of the nine are quality binge-worthy television and while several have been excellent, a few have been subpar.
Let’s jump right into the ranking:
Photo Credit: Marvel’s Iron Fist / Marvel Netflix Image Acquired from Netflix Media Center
9. Iron Fist Season 1
Iron Fist is the only Netflix solo series noticeably deficient of distinguished identifying qualities. It is not like the source material forces the show to be overly creative with a clear direction in genre. Danny Rand is one of Marvel’s most skilled hand-to-hand combatants – creator Scott Buck could have aimed to make Iron Fist a martial arts extravaganza, nevertheless the genre elements and the action were surprisingly uninspired.
On top of that, Finn Jones never looked completely comfortable meeting the physical demands of the Iron Fist. His lack of kung-fu capability was compounded by his overall bland presence. Jones had trouble navigating the inconsistencies between the behaviors of the naïve, sometimes childlike, hero that somehow was granted the power of the Immortal Iron Fist.
In contrast, Jessica Henwick aced both her gymnastics and drama classes as evident in her portrayal of Colleen Wing. Henwick as Wing was the real deal fighter in this series, performing martial arts extremely more proficiently than Jones. The series could have profited from Finn Jones and Jessica Henwick swapping roles.
A principal villain was played by David Wenham, usually a solid supporting actor, who turned Meachum into a trivial caricature over the course of the season. Scott Buck would have been better off introducing Davos the Steel Serpent earlier in the season to build him up as a primary adversary instead of devoting so much time to the meandering corporate struggle storyline.
Perhaps some fans were able to find episodes, scenes, or maybe just Marvel Easter eggs to whet their appetites in Iron Fist Season 1. It was practically required viewing for those who have binged the other Marvel Netflix series, so let’s hope they make Season 2 more worth our while.