The good and the bad in every Marvel show on Disney Plus
By Mark Lynch
Agent Carter
The good: Post-Steve Rogers
The easy answer is Hayley Atwell. She’s been phenomenal as Peggy Carter (live-action and animated). I’m going to say the good is bridging the gap. Fans wanted to know what happened after Steve Rogers went into the water. Now, they do.
The bad: The cancelation
This remains a mistake. Agent Carter could have gone on to become Marvel’s premiere spy show. Instead, Hayley Atwell went on to join the cast of Mission Impossible. It’s great for Atwell, but not so much for MCU fans.
Inhumans
The good: Very human
Believe it or not, there was good in Inhumans. Black Bolt (played by Anson Mount) and Maximus (Iwan Rheon) were great. Too bad two actors and characters can’t save an entire show.
The bad: Where were their powers
There's a lot wrong here, but let's focus on their lack of superpowers.
The Inhumans are among the most powerful in Marvel, and some didn’t have access to them. What’s the point of having superhuman abilities if they’re rarely used? It’s understandable if it’s an established character and only for an episode. But Medusa didn’t have hair. That was a sign that Inhumans was going to fail.
Daredevil
The good: The entire show
It isn’t easy to pick one good thing about Daredevil. It’s one of the few perfect shows in any genre. It had drama, comedy, and intense action. When viewers knew that, when a fight was coming it would be good. That started the trend of hallway fight scenes Marvel Netflix shows became known for.
In terms of comic book projects, rarely has a movie or show captured the essence of every character without a flaw. Everyone from Matt Murdock to Turk was important. It’s a good sign that Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page) and Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson) are returning in Daredevil: Born Again. They’ve established themselves to be part of the new Daredevil lore.
The bad: Ben Urich's death
Ben Urich was a fearless reporter. So much so that he wasn’t afraid to push Wilson Fisk’s buttons. It’s also what got him killed by the Kingpin. This is why Vondie Curtis-Hall was cast. the casting team knew he'd be a 10-out-of-10. He's in and the actor you call on when you need an emotionally driven scene. Understandably, he'd be in an intense scene with Wilson Fisk.
Urich’s final scene established Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk. It showed how far he’d go when he felt disrespected. Kingpin killing a random goon is one thing. Choking a famous reporter he respected is another. Ben’s death scene was great but disappointing. It would have been nice to see Ben in future projects.
Jessica Jones
The good: Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones
Krysten Ritter was the perfect person to play Jessica Jones. Both Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 or Breaking Bad, showed that Ritter had the attitude needed to play the Marvel Comics detective. The only negative is that she’s smaller than her comic book counterpart. Thankfully, she was so good it didn’t matter.
The bad: Alisa Jones
David Tennant Killgrave was epic and his chemistry with Ritter was flawless. While their magic couldn’t be recreated, Jessica deserved better than Alia Jones. Jessica Jones went from a memorable antagonist to a forgettable one. When Jessica Jones returns to the MCU (since the Netflix shows are canon), Killgrave should also return. If not him, then someone more than a fighter. Karla Sofen is a good option.
Luke Cage
The good: Bulletproof
Luke Cage’s power set was perfectly portrayed. He couldn’t be Hulk-level strong in Harlem. It would take away from his victories. The creative team made him just strong enough to be intimidating and vulnerable. Then they gave him an upgrade in season 2 to help make Bushmaster’s wins impressive. That was a smart change that isn't talked about.
The bad: Kingpin Cage
There are going to be differences when a comic book character is put in a movie or a show. Unless it’s something like What if…? their core personality should remain. That being said, Luke Cage should never have become the Kingpin. It was one of the worst parts of the series. That’s saying a lot considering his final fight in season 1.