The Defenders: Mid-Binge Thoughts

Marvel Netflix's titular The Defenders isn't the grand slam we had all hoped for. It's more like a double that only knocked in a run or two. Here's why:

• Finn Jones and Danny Rand continues to be uncompelling. This man child chi-user seems out of place from his counterparts. I cannot fathom seeing this version of Danny becoming best friends with Luke Cage. Centering this show's entire premise was not a good idea. 

• You would think with the episode order cut from the Netflix average of 13 down to just 8 that this team-up would need to pick up its pace in order to tell a cool and action-packed narrative for the first meeting of its heroes, but sadly this is not the case. The main plot moves at a snail's pace with a few dust-ups sprinkled in (Don't worry, the hallways and dark alleyway fights for which we have become accustomed are there). But unlike the current season of Game of Thrones, which also saw it's episodes cut, The Defenders is not using it's short schedule to make all 8 episodes exciting. The series so far just doesn't feel worth it. Maybe this should have a 2 hour Netflix movie instead?

• To the show's credit, it has delivered some great character moments. With at least a full season of stories devoted to each of the main protagonists (Luke, Matt, Jessica, and Danny), the audience knows these characters pretty well, but seeing them all finally interact with one another is exciting (even if it takes several episodes to finally happen). The side players (Foggy, Colleen, Claire, Misty, Rachel) are delegated to the background but each of them is always a welcome prescene, as is the great Scott Glenn's Stick, who plays an incredibly angry old man just the way Frank Miller intended.

                                       

Overall the show is just solid. So much of our media is thought of as either great or shit. Well guess what there is something called the middle and that is where The Defenders lies. My suggestion: Cut each individual show's episodes down to ten a piece and make the next Defenders a team-up movie. But hey I'm only mid-way through, maybe the second half is great and I'm just a whiny ass. I sure hope so.

P.S. Add in Blade, Punisher, or Ghost Rider to the mix for the next round.

Jessica Jones Is Awesome

Forget the movies, Marvel's Netflix series (No Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. does not count) are by far their greatest accomplishment. Daredevil and Jessica Jones are both excellent character pieces told over 13 episodes. Their stakes are considerably smaller than the movies, but the tension feels much greater because these stories are much more personal. Basically I'm just saying I'm halfway through JJ and I know that I prefer these series to those sugar coated fairytales that Marvel puts out twice a year. I'd rather see Daredevil beat the shit out of child traffickers or Jessica Jones and Luke Cage "super-fuck" than to watch (SPOILER FOR INFINITY WAR) Tony Stark braid Thor's hair.

Also Vincent D'Onofrio as the Kingpin and David Tennant as the Purple Man are two of the three best villains in the MCU. The other is Loki. There is no debate.

Are you liking Jessica Jones? Which do you prefer: Marvel TV or Marvel Movies? Sound off in the comments.

A full review of Jessica Jones will be up this week. For all my thoughts on comics, TV, movies, and various other bs follow me on twitter @cstrand73.

Daredevil Season 1 (Ep. 7-13) Review

Daredevil and Kingpin are on a collision course to decide the future of Hell's Kitchen in the kickass final seven installments of Daredevil. (Mild Spoilers)

High Points (Ep. 7-13)

• Stick was an asshole and I loved every second he was on screen. He gave us insight on what drives Matt as well as one kick ass fight scene. With an eventual Defenders team up occurring, Stick looks to factor in on future of the MCU Netflix-verse.
• Ben Urich became one of my favorite characters on the show. A gumshoe journalist who seeks the truth instead of promoting bullshit. 
• Flashbacks to Wilson Fisk's past were extremely well done. Learning about what happened with his father was very enlightening. And goddamn Dom from Entourage as Bill Fisk was some of the best casting I have ever seen. Guy just drips a prick vibe.
• The significance of The Rabbit in a Snowstorm painting was amazing.
• The later episodes make great use of Matt's Catholicism as both a metaphor for himself and Fisk.
• Foggy and Matt bumping heads was an interesting conflict. Imagine having to question if anything about your friendship is true? Heavy Stuff.
• The fight scenes against Nobu and Gladiator were excellent. Matt got hit by a lot of sharp shit. 
• The first Wilson Fisk vs. Matt was brutal. Fisk is no slouch. Amazing strength comes with his rage.
• Madame Gau is sure to factor in the other upcoming Netflix series (...Iron Fist!). She reminded me of the magician at the beginning of The Prestige, who pretended to be feeble in order to protect his secrets. Like him, Gau puts on an act. She is tough and very formidable.
• That Electra reference! I wonder if any of Matt's other former lovers could come out of the woodwork say maybe Black Widow?
• Karen Page's past will definitely be explored in the future. 
• Daredevil's new suit is awesome! Armor, but with horns. Absolutely love it.

• Fisk and Vanessa's romance grew on me. It became integral to the story and how Fisk began to falter.
• Matt had no love interest and it was fucking great. None of that Olicity bullshit to get in the way of awesome fight sequences and badass dialogue.
• Matt, Foggy, Karen, and Ben drove the Kingpin to the edge. He was forced to kill off his comrades left and right.
• The entire finale is epic. Especially the final clash between Daredevil and Kingpin. Showrunner Steven DeKnight excels at finishing stories. Look at his finales for each season of Spartacus. 
• This season was an origin story that didn't feel like an average origin story. It integrated past and present well.

All that was missing was a little of this!

Low Points (Ep. 7-13)

• Stick was only in one episode. 
• Rosario Dawson kinda fell off the map, but she will show up in other Netflix series.
• Karen's storyline dragged at some points. It was vital, but could have been shortened. 
• Second Season isn't online right now.

Verdict (Ep. 7-13): Everything I said in my first review still applies. This show is just grand. Amazing acting, writing, cinematography and fights that will make you physically ache like you were in them. I am just running out of amazing stuff to say about it. All I know is that I'm an asshole for giving the first half of the season an 8.5, it should have been a 9.5. That is my cross to bear. But back to what matters, Daredevil is exactly what the MCU needed. A dark character who fights street level crime. A character that lends himself well to long form storytelling. And Daredevil fit both those categories. Marvel has given us action comedies, fantasy films, a 70's political thriller and even a space opera with dancing trees. Now it has given us the gritty crime drama that we, the fans, deserved and the one we needed right now. So for all this amazingness I'm giving the second half of the season a 9.0 out of 10. 

Best Episode (Ep. 7-13): Episode #13 "Daredevil"

Best Superhero Fight Scene Ever: Hallway brawl in "Cut Man"

Watch it on repeat!!!

Season Average: 8.75 out of 10

Full Season Grade: 9.25 out 10 aka "Let the devil in!"

P.S. If there is a God, he will introduce Frank Castle, The Punisher, in season 2. Along with Bullseye, Electra, and the Hand. Please and thank you!

Thanks for reading! What do you think of Daredevil's 1st season? Who should be introduced in season 2? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in for our weekly Arrow, Flash reviews.

First Trailer For Daredevil TV Show Has Dropped!

Daredevil looks like he is finally gonna get his due. Netflix and Marvel have assigned show runner Steve DeKnight, who made the amazingly violent and sexual Spartacus, to dive head first into the darker part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Badass street brawls, blood, and mob figures like the Kingpin are not what we are used to from Marvel projects. So get fucking excited that we are finally seeing something different come April 10th! 

Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist are all fine characters that deserve a little love, but personally I would rather have a Punisher series or Moon Knight show follow DD. That's just me.

Zac Efron Up for Role in Upcoming Marvel Project?!

So CBM is reporting that Zac Efron is up for a role in an upcoming Marvel project. They suspected that it could be the Daredevil or an Iron Fist project. Here are my thoughts after reading this article which I will post on the bottom. So I saw Neighbors last night with him and Seth Rogan and I found it hilarious. I thought they both were great and it was a strange team up but non the less funny. As far as Efron being in a role such Dare Devil or Iron Fist, I'm a little on the fence. Not to take anything away from the kid he's making his way up the actor pole and getting all these great deals on movies. But the way I see it, the fan boy community is a tough community to please. Ben Affleck can't even catch a break for playing Batman, I can't begin to think what they would do if they saw him as Dare Devil or Iron Fist. Personally I would give him the benefit of the doubt, I've been wrong before, and who knows he could be amazing. What do you guys think? Is Zac Efron as Dare Devil or Iron Fist a good call by Marvel, or should he leave the super hero rolls to the big guys? Let us know in the comments!

Source: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/notyetamovie/news/?a=100067

New Details Released about Marvel-Netflix's Programming!

At the end of 2013, Marvel and Netflix struck a deal to make four series and one mini-series based on Marvel's Defenders team. We knew that the lead characters of the four different series would be Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage and all off those characters would come together for a Defenders miniseries. So the big news today that IGN and several other sites are reporting that these series will all be shot in New York City. This is great news considering NYC is the most prominent city featured in Marvel comic books, so actually shooting on location will give these series a real gritty New York vibe. With this new shooting information, the studio heads have also released that these series come out to be 52 to 60 one hour long episodes combined. So expect each series to get around 12 to 13 episodes, which is Netflix's average number of episodes for an original series. The final announcement is that Daredevil will lead off these shows with his series. Which will become available for streaming sometime in 2015. So expect to hear the Man without Fear getting casted soon. One last item of note is that Kevin Feige says that Jeph Loeb (Smallville, Agents of Shield) will be heavily involved in the production of all the series. What do you think of the New York filming? Who should play Daredevil? Michael C. Hall perhaps? Tell us in the comments section.

Read more about it: http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/26/marvel-to-film-netflix-series-daredevil-luke-cage-jessica-jones-and-iron-fist-in-new-york