THE DEFENDERS Review: Thoughts From the DailySuperHero.com Writers

THE DEFENDERS is live on Netflix right now and several of DailySuperHero.com's writers have binged through it and shared their thoughts on the ensemble mini-series below.

William Stanton, INHUMANS Beat Writer:

THE DEFENDERS marks a momentous and highly anticipated moment for Marvel TV's venture with Netflix. With all of these characters together for the first time, the reminiscent feeling of even THE AVENGERS first formation isn't lost on this group of borderline superheroes. THE DEFENDERS sees the action and danger that these heroes have already faced taken to a new extreme as they come to realize the worldwide range of destruction their enemies have caused before (Pompeii? Really?). Still, as cheesy as it does sound, this group does nothing more than what their title simply promises: They defend their home.

The hype for this series has been built up ever since DAREDEVIL Season 1, so it's hard not to go into this without a bit of expectations. However, even with those expectations, THE DEFENDERS manages to throw in quite a few surprises. What amazed me the most was just how well the characters and their styles and themes flowed through each other. For the first half of the series, before the bulk of the team's formation, each character's scenes felt like they were pulled right out of their own series. They're all still fighting the same fight they were when they were on their own, and when their efforts come together for the first time, it feels natural, the kind of natural that makes the long wait for this series all worth it.

Honestly, having seen the entire series in this short amount of time, it doesn't necessarily feel as if this television event has already come and gone. Fans of the DC television series on The CW will be all too familiar with the concept of characters crossing over into each other, having it done at least once a season now. However, unlike the shows on The CW, it's hard to know when these characters' paths will cross again. Everyone has at least one more adventure ahead of them, so it seems almost inevitable that something will cause these heroes to fight again someday. But at the same time, the Defenders aren't the Avengers. They're all still individuals, trying to live their own lives with as much peace as possible. They're heroes of what's good in New York City, protecting their neighborhoods and those they care about, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all they ever need to be.

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Carly B., SUPERGIRL Beat Writer:

Initially, it was a slow start to the team-up series, but as soon as you hit the third episode, you'll get into it. All of your favorite Defenders come together in a truly interesting dynamic. Jessica Jones butts head often with Matt Murdock, as their truly different in their styles and jobs. Danny Rand and Luke Cage come to a partnership (Heroes For Hire? Hint, hint...) and all of them are thrown together by Stick with the only agenda... to save the city they all love.

With the horror show that was IRON FIST Season 1, this was a refreshing addition to the Marvel/Netflix TV Universe. Danny is more tolerable when being part of the group and with Luke as his semi-mentor. Jessica seems to have taken to having actual friends, even with Matt, who's also having trouble battling his demons.With that being said I enjoyed all of the different fighting styles coming into play as they battle The Hand, which reflected their own differences.

The finale was ultimately the best episode wrapping up the miniseries nicely and setting up for each hero's next season. Jessica coming to terms with killing Kilgrave and having Malcolm by her side. Luke resolving his issues with Jessica. Misty, who is hinted at becoming allies with Colleen to form the Daughters of the Dragon and helping Danny defend New York. Finally, Matt who is revealed to be alive and found by nuns, possibly by one who knows him! Hopefully, if there is another season, I would enjoy having them crossover on each other’s shows and seeing their relationships evolve. THE DEFENDERS is definitely here to stay and would probably improve in a hopeful sophomore season.

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Peter Freeman, AGENTS OF SHIELD Beat Writer:

THE DEFENDERS finds itself at an interesting place in Marvel history. As a "low-key Avengers" of the Netflix portion of the MCU, THE DEFENDERS has a lot to live up to. Overall, it hits most of the right notes. It continues the story of The Hand from the DAREDEVIL and IRON FIST seasons, rewarding people who had watched all of DAREDEVIL and whatever they could stomach of IRON FIST. It's fun to see things that hearken back all the way to DAREDEVIL Season 1. The action is, for the most part, is on-point. The fight scenes between Luke Cage and Iron Fist early on and the fight between Iron Fist and Daredevil in Episode 6 are the easy highlights.

The four main characters have such great chemistry together as well. Even Danny is palatable in this in the beginning. He sinks back to being the whiny child he was in his own series later in the season though. There's some balance there, as all of the characters continually dunk on Danny for being the idiot he is. I can't express how fun it was to see everyone continually give him crap for being absolutely ridiculous. Aside from that, watching Luke and Jessica reunite was heartfelt. Even watching Luke's friendship with Danny develop was worth watching.

Unfortunately, THE DEFENDERS falls into the same traps that other Marvel projects have in the past: the villain is terrible. The Hand was never a clearly defined threat, and Sigourney Weaver could only do so much with the little she had. She carries such a presence, it's unfortunate to see her reduced to spouting weird dialogue and being the master of a plan that's never really made clear to the audience. It's frustrating, because The Hand has been built-up over three seasons, and their grand finale is kind of a whimper. All that said, it's worth watching THE DEFENDERS simply to see the four main characters meet up, get to know one another, and move their stories forward. Just don't go in expecting there to be an amazing villain worthy of their presence.

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Nick Whitney, MCU Correspondent: 

I loved it! It's only now after I've finished it that going back I can see its flaws because I was so excited to see the characters interact. Some rough CGI and fight scenes shot in too dim lighting aside, I still loved it. Every character felt true to how they were presented in their own shows, with Danny Rand coming off best in relation to his solo appearance, due to a slight course correction from his own terrible show into something better and more rounded. He's still a bit of a fool but with Matt, Jessica and Luke (in particular) all calling him on his nonsense, I have faith for the character and am even looking forward to IRON FIST Season 2, something I never thought I'd say.

The villains felt a tiny bit lacklustre to me, considering how much The Hand had been set up in previous seasons, but I thought Sigourney Weaver's Alexandra and her cohorts were compelling enough and the twist leading into the final conflict was a welcome one.

I hope, going forward, that the shows start to bleed into each other a little more as the interactions between the main four and all the support characters filled me with glee. I'm not exaggerating when I say I could watch four hours of them just talking. Matt and Jessica sleuthing together was easily my favourite pair-up, but I'm also very excited to see Danny and Luke's albeit awkward friendship grow into the Heroes for Hire. I don't see why there couldn't be a few cameos here or there, contracts allowing.

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Daniel Wolf, DailySuperHero.com Founder & Publisher:

I must be in the minority when I say that THE DEFENDERS wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. Sure, there were some really good action moments, but some equally bad dialogue. I expected more spectacle and mysticism. The pairings were fun and the awkwardness between Danny and Luke really was a highlight, along with his eye-rolls at Danny every time he starting saying how he is the Iron Fist. Jessica and Matt fit together too, as his legal side complements her private investigator side. Jessica making fun of Matt for using her scarf and for his Daredevil suit were very funny. 

The story was a logical conclusion to the heroes' solo series building up to this mini-series event, but the stakes felt light. Elektra's character progression was a highlight as she went from Matt's ex- in DAREDEVIL Season 2 to badass, evil assassin to something even more self-aware and powerful, but what comes next for her will surely be an ongoing storyline in DAREDEVIL Season 3. The Five Fingers of The Hand were not as imposing of a threat as they should have been. Not to mention Sigourney Weaver was wasted talent in her role and she should have been some kind of all-powerful villain who could touch you once and kill a person. She was on the sidelines too much and it felt like a waste of one of the top female action stars of all-time.

The show flowed nicely, albeit too slow in its first two episodes, and I believe 8-10 episodes is the ideal length for Marvel's Netflix shows moving forward to keep pacing swift. I did enjoy how all of Matt's scenes had a hint of red color in them, Jessica's was purple, Luke's was yellow and Danny's was green.

Marvel TV is at a point where they are moving into the next step (or Phase) of their little TV universe so now is the time to bring on new writers and showrunners for fresh ideas and improved dialogue as they move forward with Season 2 solo series for JESSICA JONES, LUKE CAGE and IRON FIST. Otherwise, more of the same could get stale and repetitive fast.


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