“I don’t want to fight you… on my own.”

The culmination of “phase 1” of the Netflix branch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the best of the series so far – helped, without doubt, by only being eight episodes long, rather than thirteen. Both the most recent shows – Luke Cage and Iron Fist – have felt as if they were being artificially pushed out to that length, and even the second season of Daredevil could probably have told its story within ten. It’s the first of the Netflix shows since Jessica Jones that I’ve wanted to jump straight into the next episode of – even Daredevil season 2, after the initial four to five episodes, lost some traction.

The opening couple of episodes very deliberately and carefully reintroduces our heroes, with lighting patterns evoking the moods of their own series (something that continues to an extent throughout the eight episodes, but reined back as the heroes team up). If you haven’t seen the full series, then it’s probably worth getting up to speed via Wikipedia before starting on this. Things have moved on from those finales, mostly. Matt is no longer the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen; Jessica is still drinking and reluctantly drawn into cases; Luke has been released from prison thanks to intervention by Foggy (and I hadn’t realised quite how much I’d missed him in the other series); Danny Rand, however, is still on the trail of the Hand, running into Frank Castle in Cambodia who sends him back to New York. Each of them follows trails that leads them to offices in Hell’s Kitchen…

The dynamics between the quartet are part of the strength of the show – and also of those around them, particularly Colleen Wing, Claire Temple and Misty Knight, who between them should get their own show! At times it feels as if everyone is dumping on Danny Rand, for reasons that are immediately obvious; beyond the fact he’s still the weakest drawn character, he’s a spoilt brat and every time that we think he’s maturing beyond that, he does something incredibly brattish that pushes the character back in our estimation. There’s a degree of bonding between him and Mike Colter’s Luke Cage, but the script doesn’t really suggest that a Power Man and Iron Fist regular team-up is anywhere in the near future. (Another comics relationship for Luke Cage, however, is not so much foreshadowed as emblazoned in neon lights!) There are some good moments for Matt and Jessica – particularly in a later episode where they’re investigating together and Jessica is, for her, almost sensitive.

There are a few missteps along the way though, in particular the poorly shot opening fight. Yes, it’s important that we don’t see who it is that Danny and Coleen are fighting, but that could have been achieved far better. The later fights do improve, and finally we see Iron Fist in a few credible encounters, something his own show, I’m afraid, sorely lacked. There’s an odd scene in the subway in the penultimate episode that also feels out of place when Jessica’s thirst gets the better of her, and her companions say nothing.

As for the bad guys, Sigourney Weaver’s Alexandra is landed with some very B-movie dialogue at times, but the way that her relationship with the up-to-now all-powerful Madame Gao is quickly established is neatly done… and if one of our heroes can survive the ending when it’s not expected, then maybe Gao can too? Elektra becomes increasingly important as the series progresses, and Elodie Yung gives a strong performance.

Perhaps it might have been better if certain bits of information about future Netflix shows hadn’t been released before this aired – at least one key emotional beat is completely undercut from the start (even before it is within the show itself) – but there is a feeling of finality about certain elements… And if that removes the threats of Ninjas attacking constantly throughout the next couple of years of Netflix Marvel shows, I for one will be relieved!

The idea was that this would be Daredevil season 2.5, Jessica Jones 1.5 etc. and to a large extent it works as this. None of the core quartet – or many of those around them – come out unaffected, and I suspect when we see the next solo seasons, certain aspects of The Defenders will take on a new light.

Verdict: It won’t ever be possible to match the novelty of that first Daredevil season, but The Defenders is a very good continuation of the Netflix Marvel myth. 8/10

Paul Simpson