So, Marvel's newest entrance into the world of television launched the other day, as Netflix set out season one of Iron Fist, a continuance of its universe there, where Daredevil, Jones, and Cage are already successfully entrenched and setting up the launch of The Defenders, staring (I think) all of the aforementioned characters.
First impressions...it's the weakest in terms of acting, at least as far as the lead goes. I don't mean the actor himself is necessarily to blame. He's given more situation than character and the altered backstory (as far as the comic is concerned) hasn't been sufficiently developed to attach the gravitas and emotional depth the plot pacing leaves little time to squeeze in during the present.
And that's probably the biggest failing of the series so far (I'm episode four). Maybe they'll course correct on that over the rest of the season. We'll see...the actors surrounding are able and the whole of it is entertaining, if oddly light given the opening conflict and foundation. In terms of violence and sex it's dialed appreciably down from Jones and Cage, though I'm already tired of the sickening joint or bone fracturing sounds that seem to accompany every fight scene (with its inevitable arm or leg twist). Not to say there aren't elements of both (sex and violence) in play, only a larger part of the production doesn't seem to hang on that the way Cage and especially Jones' series did. I'd welcome the tamer version if they'd put more meat into character and find the roots that should make the viewer care, instead of giving us a weaker Batman premise, but without the weight of exploration that connects it to an outrage. Danny's parents die in an airplane crash that leaves him the sole survivor, found and raised by monks with some unspecified mystical connection in a place that like Brigadoon, only seems to come around here in an odd cycle of years.
Okay. If I recall the comic origin correctly, Danny is hiking in the mountains with his mother, father, and the father's best friend and partner, who is also in love with Danny's mom. When Danny slips and drags his parents into danger with him, the partner sees his chance to take the corporation and (because he's nuts) his partner's wife as well. Exit daddy, enter overture to wife and son. Wife rejects and both are left in the cold alone. Shortly thereafter they discover a bridge and a pack of wolves. Danny's mother sacrifices her life to save her son as monks show up just a little to late to do more than take Danny in tow. Now that beats the pants off a plane crash and sets up a vengeance quest for young Danny to fulfill, years later. Why they abandoned that I don't know. My guess is that we'll eventually learn the plane crash was the partner's push, as an agent of a shadowy organization called "The Hand".
There's certainly room for developing an interesting series here. At present, I'd give it a weak-ish nod.
First impressions...it's the weakest in terms of acting, at least as far as the lead goes. I don't mean the actor himself is necessarily to blame. He's given more situation than character and the altered backstory (as far as the comic is concerned) hasn't been sufficiently developed to attach the gravitas and emotional depth the plot pacing leaves little time to squeeze in during the present.
And that's probably the biggest failing of the series so far (I'm episode four). Maybe they'll course correct on that over the rest of the season. We'll see...the actors surrounding are able and the whole of it is entertaining, if oddly light given the opening conflict and foundation. In terms of violence and sex it's dialed appreciably down from Jones and Cage, though I'm already tired of the sickening joint or bone fracturing sounds that seem to accompany every fight scene (with its inevitable arm or leg twist). Not to say there aren't elements of both (sex and violence) in play, only a larger part of the production doesn't seem to hang on that the way Cage and especially Jones' series did. I'd welcome the tamer version if they'd put more meat into character and find the roots that should make the viewer care, instead of giving us a weaker Batman premise, but without the weight of exploration that connects it to an outrage. Danny's parents die in an airplane crash that leaves him the sole survivor, found and raised by monks with some unspecified mystical connection in a place that like Brigadoon, only seems to come around here in an odd cycle of years.
Okay. If I recall the comic origin correctly, Danny is hiking in the mountains with his mother, father, and the father's best friend and partner, who is also in love with Danny's mom. When Danny slips and drags his parents into danger with him, the partner sees his chance to take the corporation and (because he's nuts) his partner's wife as well. Exit daddy, enter overture to wife and son. Wife rejects and both are left in the cold alone. Shortly thereafter they discover a bridge and a pack of wolves. Danny's mother sacrifices her life to save her son as monks show up just a little to late to do more than take Danny in tow. Now that beats the pants off a plane crash and sets up a vengeance quest for young Danny to fulfill, years later. Why they abandoned that I don't know. My guess is that we'll eventually learn the plane crash was the partner's push, as an agent of a shadowy organization called "The Hand".
There's certainly room for developing an interesting series here. At present, I'd give it a weak-ish nod.
) and Hulu plus. I bought an HD antenna for the locals and I have all the programming I want, BUT, the Now service has a better line up than sling for not a great deal more money. The 35 dollar package has most of what I watched when I was paying 100 or so, including TCM. 
