***This post contains SPOILERS for Marvel's IRON FIST.***
***You've been warned.***
Prior to the debut of Marvel's IRON FIST on Netflix on March 17, reviews of the new show's first six episodes hit the web and were pretty much unanimous saying how the show was Marvel TV's first dud on the streaming platform. The common negative themes said the show was boring with lackluster writing / storytelling as well as weak martial arts sequences and action.
Initially, I thought there was a chance the last seven episodes, of the 13-episode series, could have a good chance at saving IRON FIST from all the bad reviews, but after completing Season 1 last night I was wrong. The show is dull, boring, lacks great Kung Fu action in most action scenes and is a missed opportunity at making a truly unique series in the martial arts genre.
While Danny Rand actor Finn Jones has been on the defensive against the bad press and reviews about the show, I feel like this was both a knee-jerk reaction to his work as the lead character in his own series as well as that he may have knew his show wasn't as solid as it should have been. That's just my own guess, but my gut tells me Jones had to somewhat know. Maybe not right away when production began, but at some point during filming he probably hoped the series was more than it was, hence being so very defensive to hide the faults. (Again, just another one of my guesses and I do not know anything from any insiders.)
The issues with IRON FIST aren't the fault of any of the actors, so I have to point my finger of blame directly at creator and showrunner Scott Buck as well as the writing staff. The dialogue is weak and not as engaging as it has been in past Netflix and Marvel shows. Example: How many times do you have to write Danny saying how he is the Iron Fist? I lost count early on but in the final few episodes it seems like he had to say it at least every 8–10 minutes. We know you're the Iron Fist as does everyone else in the show by the time were are in the last few episodes.
The show's attempt at having twists and turns were further proof of poor storytelling execution. Colleen Wing's twist of being The Hand could have been one of the few storytelling successes, yet it was hinted at an episode or two prior to its reveal reducing its shock value. It was more of a "Welp, that sucks because she's totally The Hand" type of response from me while I was shaking my head in disbelief of the lazy writing to better conceal this reveal.
Harold being the main bad guy was also something where the writing was on the wall for many episodes prior to its reveal. The guy was batshit crazy and I'm sorry if you even remotely thought he was some kind of good guy at any point because it was obvious he was the one who wanted Rand's company all for himself. It's a classic storytelling trope when there's two business partners and such a lazy plot point. It was so dull it became a chore to watch anything when it came to any of the business talk.
What I think should have been more of the focus of this show was less corporate crap and more about the Iron Fist itself, its power, its history and its mythology. Mix in how Danny became the one who was chosen to enter the cave. More focus on the supernatural aspect of the Iron Fist would have been better especially when you see a tiny glimpse of a past Iron Fist wielder in a video clip from the 1940s. At one point Danny learns he can heal with the Iron Fist, so there is obviously more to know about it yet nothing more was revealed. I wanted way more of that kind of stuff.
Maybe all of that stuff will be left for a possible Season 2. However, for this show to get any chance at a another season, it is probably in the best interest of Marvel and Netflix to find a new showrunner and writing team who know the character from the comics better than those who worked on it in Season 1. I beg Marvel to give new writers the entire comic book run of the Eisner-winning 'The Immortal Iron Fist' because any potential Season 2 needs to be so much better than Season 1. Or, and I'm just spitballing here, maybe just combine Season 2 of LUKE CAGE with IRON FIST and have a 'HEROES FOR HIRE' show instead and after THE DEFENDERS mini-series. IRON FIST needs help and having him team-up with another superhero could be the fix needed to help improve IRON FIST, especially if Iron Fist is well-written in THE DEFENDERS which would be further proof the IRON FIST writing staff stunk.
I was very excited at the prospect of seeing a supernatural-fueled martial arts series based in the Marvel and Netflix universe. But all I got was disappointment from a sad attempt at making a show that had way too much boring corporate crap and no where near enough Kung Fu. Danny said so many times that he is the Iron Fist, yet I found myself screaming at the television telling him to use his Iron Fist. The majority of the time he didn't use enough and I see that as just another reason why this show failed because its title was never the focus, when it should have been all along.
Watch it for yourself, but I think you'll agree that IRON FIST is the weakest series so far when compared to DAREDEVIL, JESSICA JONES and LUKE CAGE. And to Finn Jones, who said this show isn't for the critics because it's for the fans, I'm both critic and a fan and I still didn't like it at all.
Written by Daniel Wolf, DailySuperHero.com Founder & Publisher
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