So get your shit together
May 3, 2017 9:46 AM Subscribe
The full-length trailers for the Defenders has dropped Marvel's the Defenders will be available on Netflix August 18th
The only downside of this I can see is that it reminds me that Iron Fist exists.
The Jessica Jones/Matt Murdock banter should be great.
posted by dinty_moore at 9:51 AM on May 3, 2017 [23 favorites]
The Jessica Jones/Matt Murdock banter should be great.
posted by dinty_moore at 9:51 AM on May 3, 2017 [23 favorites]
Is that astronaut Alan Shepard there with The Gatekeeper near the end?
posted by NoMich at 9:56 AM on May 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by NoMich at 9:56 AM on May 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
I really did not enjoy the ninja nonsense that was the back half of DD Season 2 and all of Iron Fist. The fact that they decided to triple down on this for the Defenders leaves me pretty skeptical. Hopefully Jessica & Luke being there to take the piss out of the whole thing makes up for the fact that the Hand is the most boring 'big bad' they could have used for their capstone series.
posted by Jugwine at 9:57 AM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Jugwine at 9:57 AM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Iron Fist died on the way back to his home planet.
posted by Artw at 9:58 AM on May 3, 2017 [44 favorites]
posted by Artw at 9:58 AM on May 3, 2017 [44 favorites]
I really didn't get on with the last few episodes of Luke Cage, same for Daredevil S02, and have avoided Iron Fist thus far, so I was ambivalent about The Defenders, until I saw Sigourney Weaver was in it.
Am I going to have to watch Iron Fist now though, for this to make sense?
posted by sarble at 9:59 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Am I going to have to watch Iron Fist now though, for this to make sense?
posted by sarble at 9:59 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
I think all you need to know about Iron Fist is that he's young, he's rich, he's been out of New York since he was a kid, and has a glowing hand.
Also, he knows Claire Temple.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:01 AM on May 3, 2017 [11 favorites]
Also, he knows Claire Temple.
posted by dinty_moore at 10:01 AM on May 3, 2017 [11 favorites]
Sucks that Luke gets stuck with somehow having to become buddies with Danny. I don't envy the writer who was told to watch the first season of Luke Cage and come up with the character arc of that guy becoming BFFs with a white billionaire jackass.
posted by straight at 10:02 AM on May 3, 2017 [33 favorites]
posted by straight at 10:02 AM on May 3, 2017 [33 favorites]
I can't imagine there's any reason to watch Iron Fist in preparation for Defenders. Looks like if you watched DD S2 you'll have enough context about the Hand for things to make sense.
Don't watch Iron Fist. Read the AV Club synopses if you're curious about what happened. Don't waste 13 hours of your life on it like I did.
posted by Jugwine at 10:03 AM on May 3, 2017 [19 favorites]
Don't watch Iron Fist. Read the AV Club synopses if you're curious about what happened. Don't waste 13 hours of your life on it like I did.
posted by Jugwine at 10:03 AM on May 3, 2017 [19 favorites]
I can't figure out what that scarf on Matt's face could possibly be accomplishing other than announcing to the bad guys that Daredevil is blind (and/or Matt Murdock).
posted by straight at 10:05 AM on May 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by straight at 10:05 AM on May 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
Mute the trailer from about 1:20 on to avoid that horrible music. Then go back and watch all the scenes with music from Luke Cage which are the best parts of any of these shows.
posted by mattamatic at 10:06 AM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by mattamatic at 10:06 AM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Iron Fist in this incarnation is also a Peter Pan, with all that implies.
posted by bonehead at 10:10 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by bonehead at 10:10 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Thanks all for the responses, I'll find something else to watch while I'm ironing.
posted by sarble at 10:12 AM on May 3, 2017
posted by sarble at 10:12 AM on May 3, 2017
Stopped watching Daredevil, a couple of episodes in. Stopped watching Jessica Jones, a couple of episodes in. Stopped watching Luke Cage after the first half of Season 1. Couldn't even imagine watching Iron fist. Now I'm supposed to want to watch the Defenders because Sigourney Weaver's in it? Damnit Marvel! You know me too well.
posted by evilDoug at 10:13 AM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by evilDoug at 10:13 AM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
Am I going to have to watch Iron Fist now though, for this to make sense?
I hope not. I watched a enough of the first episode to see how terrible an actor the lead was and didn't feel compelled to watch more.
posted by octothorpe at 10:15 AM on May 3, 2017
I hope not. I watched a enough of the first episode to see how terrible an actor the lead was and didn't feel compelled to watch more.
posted by octothorpe at 10:15 AM on May 3, 2017
I bounced hard off of Daredevil, took the advice to avoid Iron Fist, but loved Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. (Husband is a completist and has watched all of the above, though, so he can be my Living Wikipedia if necessary. Though I suspect it will not be necessary.)
posted by soren_lorensen at 10:16 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by soren_lorensen at 10:16 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
So when does Valkyrie show up?
(Hopefully as a result of that Doctor Strange / Thor team-up they teased at the end of Strange's movie!)
posted by Gelatin at 10:20 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
(Hopefully as a result of that Doctor Strange / Thor team-up they teased at the end of Strange's movie!)
posted by Gelatin at 10:20 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Loved Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. I let my comic book-loving husband be the guinea pig for Iron Fist. (He was like, "it is awful, but I'm slogging through it.')
Glad to know I still don't have to watch it in order to watch this because lbr, Danny Rand looks like the most boring part of the whole cast.
posted by Kitteh at 10:22 AM on May 3, 2017
Glad to know I still don't have to watch it in order to watch this because lbr, Danny Rand looks like the most boring part of the whole cast.
posted by Kitteh at 10:22 AM on May 3, 2017
I haven't seen Iron Fist, but based on the clips I've seen, my guess is that Iron Fist is a guy who has deluded himself into thinking he's a really good martial artist - like really, incredibly great at martial arts, the best martial artist ever - and although this is obviously untrue, everyone sort of acts like he is because...I don't know, they feel bad for him or something?
(Getting someone who can act and do really world class martial arts is tough, I know. And I've seen enough horrible acting from real martial artists to understand why you might choose to go in the other direction. But I'm also seeing comments that really tear into his performance, so I don't know.)
posted by Naberius at 10:22 AM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
(Getting someone who can act and do really world class martial arts is tough, I know. And I've seen enough horrible acting from real martial artists to understand why you might choose to go in the other direction. But I'm also seeing comments that really tear into his performance, so I don't know.)
posted by Naberius at 10:22 AM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
I feel really bad that I had to check the Internet to see if that was Jessica Lynch as the baddie.
posted by groda at 10:23 AM on May 3, 2017
posted by groda at 10:23 AM on May 3, 2017
I stopped IF at about the fifth episode, although I may dig into it a bit more because I'm curious to see the guy who was almost Iron Fist. This, I'll be into mostly for Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, the Daughters of the Dragon, and of course Sigourney.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:25 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:25 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Tessa Thompson will be playing Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok, out in November.
More information on this important issue.
posted by feckless at 10:29 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
More information on this important issue.
posted by feckless at 10:29 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
WHY DO I KEEP WATCHING THESE SHOWS.
I thought Jessica Jones was okay until like the 3rd or 4th time she let Dr. Who get away. I'm apparently the only person in the world who thought Luke Cage was boring...I just finished it last night, took me the better part of a year. Iron Fist, yikes. Daredevil first season wasn't bad. I'll probably watch this damn show too.
posted by chococat at 10:31 AM on May 3, 2017
I thought Jessica Jones was okay until like the 3rd or 4th time she let Dr. Who get away. I'm apparently the only person in the world who thought Luke Cage was boring...I just finished it last night, took me the better part of a year. Iron Fist, yikes. Daredevil first season wasn't bad. I'll probably watch this damn show too.
posted by chococat at 10:31 AM on May 3, 2017
So there's a bit of a theory floating around that Danny is still emotionally a 15-year-old, distracted, impulsive, often self-destructive, and generally a trial to be around. But that he is this way because he's been in this magical marital-arts never-never land and has been learning to repress his problems through mysticism and meditation rather than dealing with them as the two kids he grew up with had to as they got older in the real world---his "Wendy" and "Michael". So that's Danny's problem, he's a Peter Pan who has to grow-up from 15 to 30 instantly to become the true Iron Fist.
Unfortunately, that made for some pretty crappy tv with an entitled, whiny man-child as a main character. Which suffered not just from the weakest writing of the four characters so far but was also pretty tone-deaf, imo.
posted by bonehead at 10:34 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately, that made for some pretty crappy tv with an entitled, whiny man-child as a main character. Which suffered not just from the weakest writing of the four characters so far but was also pretty tone-deaf, imo.
posted by bonehead at 10:34 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed Jessica Jones and parts of Daredevil, but every time one of the characters subtly alludes to the Big Events happening just across town, I find myself wishing I was watching that story, instead. Because that story is colorful and spectacular and witty and fun, whereas the Netflix shows are dour and smudgy and just kind of dumb. (I mean, I know 80s throwbacks are in the zeitgeist right now, but Evil Badass Ninjas are where I personally must draw the line.)
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:36 AM on May 3, 2017
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:36 AM on May 3, 2017
I liked the part where Luke Cage punched Whiny McBratface.
posted by kmz at 10:41 AM on May 3, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by kmz at 10:41 AM on May 3, 2017 [8 favorites]
I like the part where Stick is telling somebody to get their shit together.
I hope it's Danny. In fact, I hope there's 2-3 full episodes of Stick telling Danny to get his shit together.
posted by wildblueyonder at 10:44 AM on May 3, 2017 [10 favorites]
I hope it's Danny. In fact, I hope there's 2-3 full episodes of Stick telling Danny to get his shit together.
posted by wildblueyonder at 10:44 AM on May 3, 2017 [10 favorites]
iron fist's self involved brattiness works a lot better in this trailer, 'cause everyone is pointing out how silly he comes off.
The interplay is what'll make or break Defenders and so far its working.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:47 AM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
The interplay is what'll make or break Defenders and so far its working.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:47 AM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
every time one of the characters subtly alludes to the Big Events happening just across town, I find myself wishing I was watching that story, instead
Totally. They are a little bit super but not as super as the Avengers! It's like "these characters sometimes do a couple of strong fighty things but mostly there's talking and moody pondering. And Claire."
posted by chococat at 10:49 AM on May 3, 2017
Totally. They are a little bit super but not as super as the Avengers! It's like "these characters sometimes do a couple of strong fighty things but mostly there's talking and moody pondering. And Claire."
posted by chococat at 10:49 AM on May 3, 2017
I didn't watch Luke Cage because I heard they dumped the Jessica Jones romance, or Iron Fist because of the warnings. Do I need to watch them now?
posted by corb at 10:49 AM on May 3, 2017
posted by corb at 10:49 AM on May 3, 2017
The hands down highlight is Jessica Jones disgusted and confused look at Matt Murdoch.
I'll be watching it just for more of that.
posted by lumpenprole at 10:50 AM on May 3, 2017
I'll be watching it just for more of that.
posted by lumpenprole at 10:50 AM on May 3, 2017
the guy who was almost Iron Fist
That guy needs his own show.
posted by Artw at 10:57 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
That guy needs his own show.
posted by Artw at 10:57 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Cage was great until the back half. If you're going to replace your bad guy, you should replace him with a better bad guy. Otherwise it was pretty good.
Iron Fist died on the way back to his home planet.
I'm going to be in mourning over the way Iron Fist was handled for a long time. One would think that the moment the words "you won't have enough budget for the dragon" were uttered, the project would have died and that money moved over to the Punisher or whatever.
How hard is it to make Hilariously Business-Inept Kung Fu Billionaire? Jesus, just rip off Downey's Tony Stark and dial the ego and wisecracks down, make him a little more earnest and a lot less alcoholic.
posted by middleclasstool at 10:58 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Iron Fist died on the way back to his home planet.
I'm going to be in mourning over the way Iron Fist was handled for a long time. One would think that the moment the words "you won't have enough budget for the dragon" were uttered, the project would have died and that money moved over to the Punisher or whatever.
How hard is it to make Hilariously Business-Inept Kung Fu Billionaire? Jesus, just rip off Downey's Tony Stark and dial the ego and wisecracks down, make him a little more earnest and a lot less alcoholic.
posted by middleclasstool at 10:58 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Every episode, Iron Fist should say something deeply pseudo-profound about martial arts or mystical whatever, and Stick should shout, "Shut the fuck up, Danny! You're out of your element!"
posted by Naberius at 11:01 AM on May 3, 2017 [33 favorites]
posted by Naberius at 11:01 AM on May 3, 2017 [33 favorites]
I'm apparently the only person in the world who thought Luke Cage was boring
Two people. I was so disappointed because I have a soft spot for superheroes whose entire thing is 1) invulnerable 2) punch the crap out of stuff. "None of your super-breath or or magic talismans or mutant angst, for me thanks! I'm good!"
So Luke Cage was right in my wheelhouse and somehow it missed. This new thing still isn't selling it for me.
posted by Quindar Beep at 11:14 AM on May 3, 2017
Two people. I was so disappointed because I have a soft spot for superheroes whose entire thing is 1) invulnerable 2) punch the crap out of stuff. "None of your super-breath or or magic talismans or mutant angst, for me thanks! I'm good!"
So Luke Cage was right in my wheelhouse and somehow it missed. This new thing still isn't selling it for me.
posted by Quindar Beep at 11:14 AM on May 3, 2017
Yeah, this better be better than Iron Fist, or I may lose faith in Netflix to handle Marvel comics in the future. Their early successes must have gone to their heads. FX's Legion, by comparison, is a masterpiece--watching that series right after Iron Fist makes the latter look really lazy and shabby, and I'm not even sure I'd like Legion half as much if I hadn't gone into it still feeling hollow and let down after forcing myself through Iron Fist.
posted by saulgoodman at 11:15 AM on May 3, 2017
posted by saulgoodman at 11:15 AM on May 3, 2017
Guess I need to finish up Daredevil.
Netflix Pro-Tip!, via an episode of the excellent Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast: Most Netflix originals have audio description as an option and are effectively an audio book. It's honestly a pretty impressive art form, since the description needs to fit over all the other audio and can't do anything about the speed or timing of events on screen. If you listen to the description while watching the visuals, you realize very quickly that this isn't someone just saying what they see but is rather a carefully planned out script, timed to hit the same beats as the acting.
I'll occasionally listen to an episode while driving around and I particularly enjoy Daredevil's narrator, a man with a low gravely voice. His script is very poetic and descriptive, and he will often over-emphasize adjectives in a way that works well with the superhero genre. As a side-effect of needing to fit in the existing timing of the show, he also starts talking fast when the action gets going, which is fantastic at getting your adrenaline going.
Come to think of it, the whole thing reminds me of the old detective/action radio show reruns a local station played while I was growing up. It's the sort of thing where the narrator is almost a character in the drama.
The fight scenes are a little too action packed for my to attempt transcribing, so here are the opening credits:
(I'll admit to always laughing and giving a big eyeroll when the music rises at the end with "Daredevil!", only for the credits to actually end on the stupid note about Marvel's logo.)
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 11:27 AM on May 3, 2017 [25 favorites]
Netflix Pro-Tip!, via an episode of the excellent Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast: Most Netflix originals have audio description as an option and are effectively an audio book. It's honestly a pretty impressive art form, since the description needs to fit over all the other audio and can't do anything about the speed or timing of events on screen. If you listen to the description while watching the visuals, you realize very quickly that this isn't someone just saying what they see but is rather a carefully planned out script, timed to hit the same beats as the acting.
I'll occasionally listen to an episode while driving around and I particularly enjoy Daredevil's narrator, a man with a low gravely voice. His script is very poetic and descriptive, and he will often over-emphasize adjectives in a way that works well with the superhero genre. As a side-effect of needing to fit in the existing timing of the show, he also starts talking fast when the action gets going, which is fantastic at getting your adrenaline going.
Come to think of it, the whole thing reminds me of the old detective/action radio show reruns a local station played while I was growing up. It's the sort of thing where the narrator is almost a character in the drama.
The fight scenes are a little too action packed for my to attempt transcribing, so here are the opening credits:
A statue's blindfolded face rises from blood red liquid.
Marvel Television and Netflix presents a Netflix original series. A Marvel Television and ABC Studios production.
It's the statue of blind justice, but broken.
Staring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Toby Leonard Moore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Ayelet Zurer.
With Rosario Dawson and Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk.
In a blood red fog are images of a skyscraper, a broken fragment of a suspension bridge, a city skyline, a church steeple, and an angel, all drizzled with a thick red liquid.
As it pours into a vat, an image of a horned demon rises from the liquid. It half glances over its glistening, muscular red shoulders.
In the foreground the ooze drools down in red block letters.
Daredevil!
The word Marvel appears in white above the title.
(I'll admit to always laughing and giving a big eyeroll when the music rises at the end with "Daredevil!", only for the credits to actually end on the stupid note about Marvel's logo.)
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 11:27 AM on May 3, 2017 [25 favorites]
It's a good thing that looking at Mike Colter makes my brain turn off, because Luke Cage was kinda problematic on top of being dumb as fuck. After slogging through a bunch of respectability politics bullshit for the entire series, they capped off the season in the last episode by having Luke (a guy who has already been framed twice) walk into a police station that he knows has been riddled with corruption (and where one of his two frame-ups originated) to be interviewed by the police. When offered a lawyer he announces that he won't be needing one because he hasn't done anything wrong.
Fuck you, show. Right in the ear.
Luke Cage was definitely going for an early-90s aesthetic, which I liked. I just wish that they hadn't also decided that the past twenty-odd years of discussion about race and systemic oppression hadn't happened.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 11:35 AM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
Fuck you, show. Right in the ear.
Luke Cage was definitely going for an early-90s aesthetic, which I liked. I just wish that they hadn't also decided that the past twenty-odd years of discussion about race and systemic oppression hadn't happened.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 11:35 AM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
Just don't fridge Rosario Dawson, all right? All this talk about "your connections are your weak point" make me worried for our Night Nurse spinoff.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 11:38 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 11:38 AM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Could we just have a show starring Rosario Dawson? She's paid her dues, she should get center-stage in something good.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:44 AM on May 3, 2017 [13 favorites]
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:44 AM on May 3, 2017 [13 favorites]
I've enjoyed DD, JJ and LK but I feel like 13 episodes is far too long for a season for any of them. The story lines in all three would have been better if they'd been condensed into maybe seven or eight at the most.
posted by octothorpe at 11:58 AM on May 3, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 11:58 AM on May 3, 2017 [7 favorites]
Comic related media consumption comes with so much homework these days.
Yeah, it's kind of a hallmark feature of the paper medium, and the reason I stopped reading superhero comics shortly after high school, and haven't been able to pick it back up.
I was really excited when the motion picture media started really getting the storytelling style right, but as it's further matured, it's picking up a lot of the scattershot plot structure that kind of bounces me off the comics. I'm still digging the Marvel stuff, but I'm starting to think they're gonna lose me again in the same way.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 12:02 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it's kind of a hallmark feature of the paper medium, and the reason I stopped reading superhero comics shortly after high school, and haven't been able to pick it back up.
I was really excited when the motion picture media started really getting the storytelling style right, but as it's further matured, it's picking up a lot of the scattershot plot structure that kind of bounces me off the comics. I'm still digging the Marvel stuff, but I'm starting to think they're gonna lose me again in the same way.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 12:02 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Protip for people who make trailers: while telling people about your superhero show, maybe do not go, "Hey, remember Kurt Cobain? He killed himself y'know. He'd probably really hate being in our commercial. Okay, back to the show... rock on! Devil hand sign!" I can only speak for myself but this makes me dislike your show even BEFORE we get to the part where people with no apparent martial arts skills do martial arts.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 12:09 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Sing Or Swim at 12:09 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
I've enjoyed DD, JJ and LK but I feel like 13 episodes is far too long for a season for any of them. The story lines in all three would have been better if they'd been condensed into maybe seven or eight at the most.
Agreed and I'm glad to hear that Defenders is only eight. All four of the character series suffered from an episode or three that could have been condensed.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:10 PM on May 3, 2017
Agreed and I'm glad to hear that Defenders is only eight. All four of the character series suffered from an episode or three that could have been condensed.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:10 PM on May 3, 2017
wow
much write bad
so dialog for 2 year olds
very punch a lot
posted by lalochezia at 12:10 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
much write bad
so dialog for 2 year olds
very punch a lot
posted by lalochezia at 12:10 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
They should adopt the convention of putting a yellow box in the top corner of the screen when they make a reference to something that happened in an earlier storyline/other title.
JESSICA: I can't get a cab now that the Russians are out of business.*
*DD s1e4 - Ed
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 12:16 PM on May 3, 2017 [33 favorites]
JESSICA: I can't get a cab now that the Russians are out of business.*
*DD s1e4 - Ed
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 12:16 PM on May 3, 2017 [33 favorites]
(Getting someone who can act and do really world class martial arts is tough, I know. And I've seen enough horrible acting from real martial artists to understand why you might choose to go in the other direction. But I'm also seeing comments that really tear into his performance, so I don't know.)
They needed to just put him in the costume. Or any costume, if the comics one was too silly, (I guess it is). I mean, that's how they handled Daredevil being a ninja: he's mostly a ninja *in costume*, where they can easily swap in a stunt double who can actually move that way. Putting Finn Jones in plainclothes is a big part of why the action was so bad, IMO.
I found it hard to judge his acting because the dialogue and plot were just so terrible. Like, I'm not sure anyone could've salvaged that mess once the scripts were finalized.
I was really excited when the motion picture media started really getting the storytelling style right, but as it's further matured, it's picking up a lot of the scattershot plot structure that kind of bounces me off the comics. I'm still digging the Marvel stuff, but I'm starting to think they're gonna lose me again in the same way.
I meant to talk about this in an earlier thread, but got distracted: I'm in exactly the same place with the MCU right now. I still like it, but it's clear that rather than embrace the self-contained nature of most TV and movies, they're looking to start with a bunch of crisis crossover bullshit. That'll definitely stop me watching when it gets sufficiently complicated. (Cracks are already forming: I feel mildly out of the loop watching SHIELD because I haven't caught Doctor Strange yet.)
I'm hoping to like the Defenders because of Matt, Jessica and Luke, but if this sucks even half as bad as Iron Fist, I'm probably out.
Upon preview:
They should adopt the convention of putting a yellow box in the top corner of the screen when they make a reference to something that happened in an earlier storyline/other title.
Especially since Deadpool 2 can have him talk to the boxes!
posted by mordax at 12:17 PM on May 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
They needed to just put him in the costume. Or any costume, if the comics one was too silly, (I guess it is). I mean, that's how they handled Daredevil being a ninja: he's mostly a ninja *in costume*, where they can easily swap in a stunt double who can actually move that way. Putting Finn Jones in plainclothes is a big part of why the action was so bad, IMO.
I found it hard to judge his acting because the dialogue and plot were just so terrible. Like, I'm not sure anyone could've salvaged that mess once the scripts were finalized.
I was really excited when the motion picture media started really getting the storytelling style right, but as it's further matured, it's picking up a lot of the scattershot plot structure that kind of bounces me off the comics. I'm still digging the Marvel stuff, but I'm starting to think they're gonna lose me again in the same way.
I meant to talk about this in an earlier thread, but got distracted: I'm in exactly the same place with the MCU right now. I still like it, but it's clear that rather than embrace the self-contained nature of most TV and movies, they're looking to start with a bunch of crisis crossover bullshit. That'll definitely stop me watching when it gets sufficiently complicated. (Cracks are already forming: I feel mildly out of the loop watching SHIELD because I haven't caught Doctor Strange yet.)
I'm hoping to like the Defenders because of Matt, Jessica and Luke, but if this sucks even half as bad as Iron Fist, I'm probably out.
Upon preview:
They should adopt the convention of putting a yellow box in the top corner of the screen when they make a reference to something that happened in an earlier storyline/other title.
Especially since Deadpool 2 can have him talk to the boxes!
posted by mordax at 12:17 PM on May 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
Excelsior!
posted by bonehead at 12:17 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by bonehead at 12:17 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
I haven't seen Iron Fist, but based on the clips I've seen, my guess is that Iron Fist is a guy who has deluded himself into thinking he's a really good martial artist - like really, incredibly great at martial arts, the best martial artist ever - and although this is obviously untrue, everyone sort of acts like he is because...I don't know, they feel bad for him or something?
Iron Fist is, canonically, not the Master of Kung Fu. He needs asuperchi-powered fist to keep up.
posted by straight at 12:39 PM on May 3, 2017
Iron Fist is, canonically, not the Master of Kung Fu. He needs a
posted by straight at 12:39 PM on May 3, 2017
I'll watch this. Not sure about the nasty Nirvana remix though.
posted by gnuhavenpier at 12:41 PM on May 3, 2017
posted by gnuhavenpier at 12:41 PM on May 3, 2017
There needed to be significantly more topless/naked Mike Colter in this trailer situation.
Also. Just. The Hand? Really? I would like 13 eps of "Mike Colter runs around brooding while also being very much naked", please.
I want this to be good but I'm not sure I can take the combined whining from Iron Fist and Daredevil...I can see that turning into Magical Mystical Whiner Ninja Power Hour pretty quickly.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 12:43 PM on May 3, 2017
Also. Just. The Hand? Really? I would like 13 eps of "Mike Colter runs around brooding while also being very much naked", please.
I want this to be good but I'm not sure I can take the combined whining from Iron Fist and Daredevil...I can see that turning into Magical Mystical Whiner Ninja Power Hour pretty quickly.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 12:43 PM on May 3, 2017
Luke Cage as problematic? You mean a show about a bulletproof black man in a hoodie when the police are constantly killing young black men in hoodies? A show about black superhero with a stellar black cast and very few white people (thank god)? That show is problematic?
Did an alternate universe Luke Cage happen for other people??
posted by Kitteh at 12:45 PM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
Did an alternate universe Luke Cage happen for other people??
posted by Kitteh at 12:45 PM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
Please please please let Danny sacrifice himself to beat the Hand so we can get Colleen as the Iron Fist.
posted by jason_steakums at 12:46 PM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by jason_steakums at 12:46 PM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
iron fist's self involved brattiness works a lot better in this trailer, 'cause everyone is pointing out how silly he comes off
Yeah, I learned from Grant Morrison's JLA that a character (Green Lantern Kyle Rayner) who's not very likable starring in his own book can work really well in the dynamics of a group. Kyle was way more interesting as a newbie than Hal Jordan ever was in the JLA. If writers manage to let the other Defenders' opinions of Danny mirror that of the audience, it could be pretty good.
posted by straight at 12:46 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I learned from Grant Morrison's JLA that a character (Green Lantern Kyle Rayner) who's not very likable starring in his own book can work really well in the dynamics of a group. Kyle was way more interesting as a newbie than Hal Jordan ever was in the JLA. If writers manage to let the other Defenders' opinions of Danny mirror that of the audience, it could be pretty good.
posted by straight at 12:46 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yeah Luke Cage was problematic, here's the original comment in full:
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
It's a good thing that looking at Mike Colter makes my brain turn off, because Luke Cage was kinda problematic on top of being dumb as fuck. After slogging through a bunch of respectability politics bullshit for the entire series, they capped off the season in the last episode by having Luke (a guy who has already been framed twice) walk into a police station that he knows has been riddled with corruption (and where one of his two frame-ups originated) to be interviewed by the police. When offered a lawyer he announces that he won't be needing one because he hasn't done anything wrong.I Iike the series, but it definitely had some plot and logistics problems. It also suffered from not having Shades turn out to be some kinda super-powered baddie.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Did an alternate universe Luke Cage happen for other people??
It's a bit of both. The parts you mention are/were bound to piss off your "all lives matter" crowd (and yay for that), but it does lean pretty hard on respectability politics.
On preview:
I Iike the series, but it definitely had some plot and logistics problems. It also suffered from not having Shades turn out to be some kinda super-powered baddie.
Shades was the only character who had a prayer of replacing Cottonmouth on that show. Frankly I wanted it to be Cottonmouth the whole way, because that was a great performance, but Shades as supervillain would have been a hell of a reveal there.
posted by middleclasstool at 12:51 PM on May 3, 2017 [8 favorites]
It's a bit of both. The parts you mention are/were bound to piss off your "all lives matter" crowd (and yay for that), but it does lean pretty hard on respectability politics.
On preview:
I Iike the series, but it definitely had some plot and logistics problems. It also suffered from not having Shades turn out to be some kinda super-powered baddie.
Shades was the only character who had a prayer of replacing Cottonmouth on that show. Frankly I wanted it to be Cottonmouth the whole way, because that was a great performance, but Shades as supervillain would have been a hell of a reveal there.
posted by middleclasstool at 12:51 PM on May 3, 2017 [8 favorites]
Hal Jordan is always boring.
posted by Artw at 12:54 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 12:54 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
I was certain the "I don't need a lawyer" line was a set-up to have Murdock kick in a door all like "WTF STOP TALKING RIGHT NOW" as a crossover, and it was weird when he didn't. It was even weirder to see that actually happen in the trailer for the Defenders.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 12:58 PM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 12:58 PM on May 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
I thought Jessica Jones was okay until like the 3rd or 4th time she let Dr. Who get away.
Jessica Jones made me realize a truth about myself--namely, that if I somehow gained mind control powers, I like to think that I would be all virtuous and use them for good...but in reality it would take me about fifteen minutes to go from zero to sitting on my golden skull throne in my Doom Palace.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 1:04 PM on May 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
Jessica Jones made me realize a truth about myself--namely, that if I somehow gained mind control powers, I like to think that I would be all virtuous and use them for good...but in reality it would take me about fifteen minutes to go from zero to sitting on my golden skull throne in my Doom Palace.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 1:04 PM on May 3, 2017 [9 favorites]
I suspect they are not gonna fight the other Marvel comics hand themed villains or my favorite head themed villains. I'd so watch a Steve Gerber inspired Netflix series. How about Omega the Unknown Netflix?
posted by Ashwagandha at 1:09 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Ashwagandha at 1:09 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Jessica Jones makes a lot more sense when you realize the plot was not about Jessica beating the Purple Man and more about exposing him.
Also, Luke Cage can be both progressive and have some problematic elements, and then there's the whole diamondback bullshit that was horrible. The first half of the season was great, though.
posted by dinty_moore at 1:10 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Also, Luke Cage can be both progressive and have some problematic elements, and then there's the whole diamondback bullshit that was horrible. The first half of the season was great, though.
posted by dinty_moore at 1:10 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Parasite, you -are- aware that Luke Cage as a show was headed by a black man and that most of the writers were black? I'm not sure you are the person who should be calling that show out as problematic with regards to race. In fact, you are almost certainly the least qualified person to do that.
I know who the showrunner is, and I know that most of the writers are black. I also know what my (general lack of) qualifications are, and I'll be completely upfront that I probably wouldn't have noticed a lot of the problems that the series has if I hadn't watched it with a dedicated black activist. So if I'm not qualified to type the word "problematic" on MetaFilter, I do hope that the following writers are black enough for you to take them seriously:
Justin Charity
Hunter Harris
Jordan Minor
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:14 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
I know who the showrunner is, and I know that most of the writers are black. I also know what my (general lack of) qualifications are, and I'll be completely upfront that I probably wouldn't have noticed a lot of the problems that the series has if I hadn't watched it with a dedicated black activist. So if I'm not qualified to type the word "problematic" on MetaFilter, I do hope that the following writers are black enough for you to take them seriously:
Justin Charity
Hunter Harris
Jordan Minor
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:14 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Please please please let Danny sacrifice himself to beat the Hand so we can get Colleen as the Iron Fist.
This works even better because I can imagine Colleen Wing being bffs with Luke Cage and possibly hooking up with Misty Knight
posted by dinty_moore at 1:23 PM on May 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
This works even better because I can imagine Colleen Wing being bffs with Luke Cage and possibly hooking up with Misty Knight
posted by dinty_moore at 1:23 PM on May 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
I watched all of Luke Cage waiting for Shades to do something other than look good in a pair of Ray-Bans, but the writers did not see fit to fulfill my wishes. I guess he was also good at talking Cottonmouth out of most of his worst ideas.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:29 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:29 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
I suspect they are not gonna fight the other Marvel comics hand themed villains or my favorite head themed villains. I'd so watch a Steve Gerber inspired Netflix series. How about Omega the Unknown Netflix?
I only regret that I have but one favorite to give
Seriously, the Jonathan Lethem/Farel Dalrymple Omega the Unknown reboot as a show that takes lessons from Legion on character and symbolism and gorgeous visuals... I need this.
posted by jason_steakums at 1:33 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
I only regret that I have but one favorite to give
Seriously, the Jonathan Lethem/Farel Dalrymple Omega the Unknown reboot as a show that takes lessons from Legion on character and symbolism and gorgeous visuals... I need this.
posted by jason_steakums at 1:33 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Wake me for season two of JJ and Luke Cage.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:38 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by tobascodagama at 1:38 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Cracks are already forming: I feel mildly out of the loop watching SHIELD because I haven't caught Doctor Strange yet.
I've watched Dr. Strange and all of M'sAoS and I am hard pressed to think of anything that crosses over between the two, with the exception of the orange color used to outline inter-dimensional portals. (Actually I'm three episodes behind on D/A'sM'sAoS so maybe something happened recently.)
I mean, the Darkholde (I know, it's spelled Darkhold, but the lack of an e at the end makes it feel decidedly un-magickal to me) is supernatural I guess, but it's not mentioned in Dr. Strange at all. I can't think of anything that requires knowledge of Dr. Strange to get D/P/A'sM'sAoS or in D/P/Lf/A'sM'sAoS to get Dr. Strange.
Dang, I've run out of parentheticals for the week.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:02 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
I've watched Dr. Strange and all of M'sAoS and I am hard pressed to think of anything that crosses over between the two, with the exception of the orange color used to outline inter-dimensional portals. (Actually I'm three episodes behind on D/A'sM'sAoS so maybe something happened recently.)
I mean, the Darkholde (I know, it's spelled Darkhold, but the lack of an e at the end makes it feel decidedly un-magickal to me) is supernatural I guess, but it's not mentioned in Dr. Strange at all. I can't think of anything that requires knowledge of Dr. Strange to get D/P/A'sM'sAoS or in D/P/Lf/A'sM'sAoS to get Dr. Strange.
Dang, I've run out of parentheticals for the week.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:02 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Comic related media consumption comes with so much homework these days.
Yeah, it's kind of a hallmark feature of the paper medium, and the reason I stopped reading superhero comics shortly after high school, and haven't been able to pick it back up.
For sure. I kind of thought that the whole little 'areas' marvel was setting up would kind be the antidote to that. I was figuring ABC with SHIELD and Agent Carter (along with whatever else they decided to add) would kind of be one zone that would make sense if you've seen them. Netflix would do their thing in one corner, and they wouldn't interact much. I was hoping each little story zone would allow the movies would be the monolith, where all the references point to. Like, if you were up to date with your 'movies' storyline, the others would just sort of branch off it, and you could follow what you wanted. but instead, I always feel like I'm missing something. I don't watch soap operas for pretty much the same reason.
Which is why I don't like comic books that marvel and DC are putting out. I don't want to do a research project, I want to get a story into my brainpan.
posted by furnace.heart at 2:15 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it's kind of a hallmark feature of the paper medium, and the reason I stopped reading superhero comics shortly after high school, and haven't been able to pick it back up.
For sure. I kind of thought that the whole little 'areas' marvel was setting up would kind be the antidote to that. I was figuring ABC with SHIELD and Agent Carter (along with whatever else they decided to add) would kind of be one zone that would make sense if you've seen them. Netflix would do their thing in one corner, and they wouldn't interact much. I was hoping each little story zone would allow the movies would be the monolith, where all the references point to. Like, if you were up to date with your 'movies' storyline, the others would just sort of branch off it, and you could follow what you wanted. but instead, I always feel like I'm missing something. I don't watch soap operas for pretty much the same reason.
Which is why I don't like comic books that marvel and DC are putting out. I don't want to do a research project, I want to get a story into my brainpan.
posted by furnace.heart at 2:15 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
For sure. I kind of thought that the whole little 'areas' marvel was setting up would kind be the antidote to that. I was figuring ABC with SHIELD and Agent Carter (along with whatever else they decided to add) would kind of be one zone that would make sense if you've seen them. Netflix would do their thing in one corner, and they wouldn't interact much. I was hoping each little story zone would allow the movies would be the monolith, where all the references point to. Like, if you were up to date with your 'movies' storyline, the others would just sort of branch off it, and you could follow what you wanted. but instead, I always feel like I'm missing something. I don't watch soap operas for pretty much the same reason.
That's kind of how it works, though? Except you don't really have to know very much about the movie storylines, either.
The movies and the TV shows all work discretely from one another. Some characters or items might be introduced in one and show up in another, but if you watch Luke Cage before Jessica Jones or Daredevil, you aren't really missing anything integral or spoiled for anything major. I can't say for certain if they're going to continue doing that for the Defenders, but my guess is that they're going to go the same route as the first Avengers movie, give about as much backstory as we get in the trailer, and not show too much in the way of supporting cast (which is sad, because I would love to see what Karen and Foggy make of this).
The one possible exception is the first season of Agents of Shield and Agent Carter with the Captain America movies, but I got the impression they phased that out after a while, too.
posted by dinty_moore at 2:24 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
That's kind of how it works, though? Except you don't really have to know very much about the movie storylines, either.
The movies and the TV shows all work discretely from one another. Some characters or items might be introduced in one and show up in another, but if you watch Luke Cage before Jessica Jones or Daredevil, you aren't really missing anything integral or spoiled for anything major. I can't say for certain if they're going to continue doing that for the Defenders, but my guess is that they're going to go the same route as the first Avengers movie, give about as much backstory as we get in the trailer, and not show too much in the way of supporting cast (which is sad, because I would love to see what Karen and Foggy make of this).
The one possible exception is the first season of Agents of Shield and Agent Carter with the Captain America movies, but I got the impression they phased that out after a while, too.
posted by dinty_moore at 2:24 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Although, I also suspect the answer as to why none of the Defenders will call on these other awesome people they know (either their supporting cast on this one or fellow defenders down the line) will be "because they're emotionally constipated jerks". Which sounds about right.
posted by dinty_moore at 2:26 PM on May 3, 2017
posted by dinty_moore at 2:26 PM on May 3, 2017
The fight choreography at 1:52 is pretty sad.
Iron Fist is ducking behind Jessica Jones for a good three or four beats, winding himself up with a "let me at 'em" dance worthy of Scrappy-Doo, then does a little hop of about 12 inches onto a wall and throws a straight-arm no-aim practically windmill of a punch.
Ha ha, he's so wrong for the role.
posted by Borborygmus at 3:36 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
Iron Fist is ducking behind Jessica Jones for a good three or four beats, winding himself up with a "let me at 'em" dance worthy of Scrappy-Doo, then does a little hop of about 12 inches onto a wall and throws a straight-arm no-aim practically windmill of a punch.
Ha ha, he's so wrong for the role.
posted by Borborygmus at 3:36 PM on May 3, 2017 [3 favorites]
I've only watched Jessica Jones. I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
posted by New England Cultist at 3:55 PM on May 3, 2017
posted by New England Cultist at 3:55 PM on May 3, 2017
I'm going to watch this. I loved Jessica Jones because it was amazing to see an entire comic book series that deftly depicted the complex psychological underpinnings of the relationship between a victim of domestic violence and her abuser. It was also a show mostly about flawed women with complex motivations and interesting interactions, which was refreshing. I have a soft spot in my heart for Daredevil, though I think the second half of season two was a mess. Electra's role as the Jezebel who fucks everything up for Matt and his friendships is just a tired trope. The Punisher half of that season was much, much better. Luke Cage was probably a very good show, but I'm pretty sure that middle-aged white chicks in the boonies of NYS were not the intended audience, and that's fine with me. Iron Fist was an alpha to omega disaster. Casting, writing, fight choreography... all bad. Very bad. Therefore, this trailer was exactly what I expected--goodness from Matt and Jessica, confusion about Luke Cage's role in all this, and a shitshow from the Iron Fist. I can't wait.
posted by xyzzy at 4:01 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by xyzzy at 4:01 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Regarding Iron Fist, I don't think that Finn Jones is a terrible actor. I think it's more that the show was written terribly and Jones was directed terribly.
Can you imagine reading that script and trying to work out how to play the character?
"Finn, in this scene you're joking about, then very serious about dojo protocol, then have a wide-eyed childlike wonder at modern technology, then you're so angry that you throw a keyboard at a wall, then you're sad about your parents dying. In that order. Also, you have 127 seconds. Someone get Finn a keyboard. And... action."
posted by Wataki at 4:41 PM on May 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
Can you imagine reading that script and trying to work out how to play the character?
"Finn, in this scene you're joking about, then very serious about dojo protocol, then have a wide-eyed childlike wonder at modern technology, then you're so angry that you throw a keyboard at a wall, then you're sad about your parents dying. In that order. Also, you have 127 seconds. Someone get Finn a keyboard. And... action."
posted by Wataki at 4:41 PM on May 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
Pretty much just in this for Scott Glenn. Of all of Marvel's Netflix series, he's been one of the indisputable high points.
posted by MrBadExample at 5:33 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by MrBadExample at 5:33 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Jesus, another hallway fight. You would think the Marvel Netflix universe would move away from that time-honored Marvel comics tradition of running something into the ground.
posted by FarOutFreak at 6:35 PM on May 3, 2017
posted by FarOutFreak at 6:35 PM on May 3, 2017
I would totally watch a movie called Hallway Fight.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:31 PM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:31 PM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
I just want to chime in, since there's a lot of JJ meh on this thread, that I loved that show so freaking much. It was perfect. Change nothing.
And DD season 1 was rad.
I agree with the general consensus of the other shows, though.
posted by greermahoney at 7:50 PM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
And DD season 1 was rad.
I agree with the general consensus of the other shows, though.
posted by greermahoney at 7:50 PM on May 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
Just got a chance to watch this trailer and the Iron Fist guy really is terrible. I'll watch but I'd rather just see another season of Jessica Jones. Or a Night Nurse series. Or give Frank Castle his own series.
posted by octothorpe at 8:09 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 8:09 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Frank Castle can't work long term, giving him a series will just dilute him. Works far better as secondary character.
Jessica Jones season 2 has been confirmed to come after Defenders
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:20 PM on May 3, 2017
Jessica Jones season 2 has been confirmed to come after Defenders
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:20 PM on May 3, 2017
I liked Diamondback in Luke Cage, everything about him was entertaining. Hell, he was dressed like M. Bison when he first appeared. It got so 70's and so comic book when he appeared.
I didn't finish Jessica Jones. It was just sad (my sister nicknamed the show "Sad White Woman", Luke Cage was her first Marvel Netflix show) and not very heroic and at some point during my attempted binge I just did not watch the next episode and then never did.
Iron Fist was a wreck but still somewhat entertaining, the Meechums, Colleen, and Claire made it more watchable. I can't believe they spend $40 million on a show with a horrible main character like that though. And the whole thing was a really tired throwback to the 80's ninja craze.
Daredevil Season 2 .. more like Punisher Season 0. Everytime the Punisher was off screen I was asking myself "When's he coming back?"
I think the Defenders will probably be okay. I don't really have high expectations because the shows that are crossing over are all wildly different in style and tone... plus they're Doubling Down on this Ninja Craze business to give the heroes lots of anonymous bad guys to punch. It's a bit weird because Daredevil Season 1, Jessica Jones (from what I hear), and Luke Cage were all about really good punchers who couldn't actually solve their problems through punching.. then Iron Fist comes along and it's all punching. (They also did that lame thing where they have some dried up old guy final boss who suddenly out of nowhere becomes a credible threat to a hero less than half his age who we just saw punch everybody in his organization to death.)
So, Netflix's Marvel's The Great Punch Up will probably be okay if you like punching.
posted by yonega at 8:25 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
I didn't finish Jessica Jones. It was just sad (my sister nicknamed the show "Sad White Woman", Luke Cage was her first Marvel Netflix show) and not very heroic and at some point during my attempted binge I just did not watch the next episode and then never did.
Iron Fist was a wreck but still somewhat entertaining, the Meechums, Colleen, and Claire made it more watchable. I can't believe they spend $40 million on a show with a horrible main character like that though. And the whole thing was a really tired throwback to the 80's ninja craze.
Daredevil Season 2 .. more like Punisher Season 0. Everytime the Punisher was off screen I was asking myself "When's he coming back?"
I think the Defenders will probably be okay. I don't really have high expectations because the shows that are crossing over are all wildly different in style and tone... plus they're Doubling Down on this Ninja Craze business to give the heroes lots of anonymous bad guys to punch. It's a bit weird because Daredevil Season 1, Jessica Jones (from what I hear), and Luke Cage were all about really good punchers who couldn't actually solve their problems through punching.. then Iron Fist comes along and it's all punching. (They also did that lame thing where they have some dried up old guy final boss who suddenly out of nowhere becomes a credible threat to a hero less than half his age who we just saw punch everybody in his organization to death.)
So, Netflix's Marvel's The Great Punch Up will probably be okay if you like punching.
posted by yonega at 8:25 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Lest we forget, Frank lost his one-on-one with the Kingpin.
The bad guys win here.
Luke Cage is a reality check Danny needed, and now Luke is the master and has to unpack Danny's upfucked childhood. Really unfair. He is rewarded with glowing hand dude he can point at any invincible foe at, and WELL THEN!
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:37 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
The bad guys win here.
Luke Cage is a reality check Danny needed, and now Luke is the master and has to unpack Danny's upfucked childhood. Really unfair. He is rewarded with glowing hand dude he can point at any invincible foe at, and WELL THEN!
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:37 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Gotta second the love for the Daughters of the Dragon. I kinda hope they get a show or share some kinda Heroes for Hire later.
posted by Strange_Robinson at 9:38 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Strange_Robinson at 9:38 PM on May 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hallway Fight: The Series
Yep. Marvel's The Hallpunchers.
posted by turbid dahlia at 10:33 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yep. Marvel's The Hallpunchers.
posted by turbid dahlia at 10:33 PM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Getting someone who can act and do really world class martial arts is tough, I know. And I've seen enough horrible acting from real martial artists to understand why you might choose to go in the other direction. But I'm also seeing comments that really tear into his performance, so I don't know.
Well, they got as far as considering Lewis Tan before deciding to go with the white guy after all. Tan makes an appearance later on in the series and it is mostly terrible because he's so damn good that all you can think about is how much you'd rather have him playing Danny instead of Blondie Whatshisface who can neither act nor fight. I keep hoping they'll just switch him out for Tan and pretend like nothing happened. "Did you get a haircut?" "Yeah, you like it?" and then just carry on.
posted by Anonymous at 12:05 AM on May 4, 2017
Well, they got as far as considering Lewis Tan before deciding to go with the white guy after all. Tan makes an appearance later on in the series and it is mostly terrible because he's so damn good that all you can think about is how much you'd rather have him playing Danny instead of Blondie Whatshisface who can neither act nor fight. I keep hoping they'll just switch him out for Tan and pretend like nothing happened. "Did you get a haircut?" "Yeah, you like it?" and then just carry on.
posted by Anonymous at 12:05 AM on May 4, 2017
Looking over wikipedia regarding Heroes for Hire, I see:
FWIW, it wasn't unwatchable, but it was certainly a C, maybe C-.
posted by mikelieman at 12:30 AM on May 4, 2017 [3 favorites]
Power Man and Iron Fistand I realize the entire "Iron Fist Sucks, team him up with Luke Cage" is CANON. The entire S01 of Iron Fist was a big steaming mess ON PURPOSE in homage to the source material.
His own series cancelled due to low sales, Iron Fist joined the cast of Luke Cage, Power Man in a three-part storyline in #48–50.
FWIW, it wasn't unwatchable, but it was certainly a C, maybe C-.
posted by mikelieman at 12:30 AM on May 4, 2017 [3 favorites]
Hallway Fight II: In the Stairwell
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:17 AM on May 4, 2017
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:17 AM on May 4, 2017
Hallway Fight 3: the sub-basement war.
Hallway Fight IV: To the Rooftop
Hallway Fight V: WHERE'S THE ELEVATOR
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:19 AM on May 4, 2017
Hallway Fight IV: To the Rooftop
Hallway Fight V: WHERE'S THE ELEVATOR
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:19 AM on May 4, 2017
One of the reasons the first hallway fight worked so well is because it was one take and showed how exhausting and awkward DD was from it. It very much fit into the story.
It's fine if they want to keep doing that, but it should be within the confines of plot and story, while showing character. So the glimpse from the trailer could make sense in terms of demonstrating that The Defenders are quite powerful now and plowing through hallway.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:23 AM on May 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's fine if they want to keep doing that, but it should be within the confines of plot and story, while showing character. So the glimpse from the trailer could make sense in terms of demonstrating that The Defenders are quite powerful now and plowing through hallway.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:23 AM on May 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
mikelieman:Looking over wikipedia regarding Heroes for Hire, I see:
Power Man and Iron Fist
His own series cancelled due to low sales, Iron Fist joined the cast of Luke Cage, Power Man in a three-part storyline in #48–50.
and I realize the entire "Iron Fist Sucks, team him up with Luke Cage" is CANON. The entire S01 of Iron Fist was a big steaming mess ON PURPOSE in homage to the source material.
[Dons nerd hat] Both Power Man and Iron Fist faced cancellation due to poor sales. Marvel editorial had the notion that those books' readerships probably had very little overlap, so combining them into a single title would bring together both too-small readerships into one big-enough readership. It actually kinda worked, as Power Man and Iron Fist ran for seventy-five glorious issues. I love that comic. The Jo Duffy/Kerry Gammill run was gold.
Jo Duffy gave the book a light touch, which made it charming and fun. Marvel editorial disapproved of this, because comics iz serious bizness grr rar. From a piece on Duffy's run and why she was fired from it:
...Duffy didn't leave because she wanted to abandon the series. "I would never have left if I had a choice," says Duffy. "It was editorial pressure. There were people behind the scenes who were never behind the book. "Power Man and Iron Fist' was a light-hearted series. It had depths, but it was a light-hearted series." Duffy explains that not everyone at Marvel liked her distinctive approach to the characters: "There were people who thought Power Man wasn't angry enough. There were people who thought Iron Fist wasn't angry enough. There were people who thought Misty Knight should break up with Iron Fist and get together with Power Man. I was kind of replaced because they wanted somebody who was less like me and more like everybody else. I'm not opposed to dark, violent characters, I had a wonderful time when I was writing later 'Wolverine' and I had a wonderful time on 'Punisher,' but that tone just wasn't right for Power Man and Iron Fist."
There was constant pressure to make the lead characters more visibly like other popular superhero leads, to toughen them up in word and deed. Regarding Iron Fist, Duffy says, "we had one guy who was always like, 'let's kill him because I don't get him.' But I had studied the martial arts, and I had done a lot of academic study of the martial arts, and one thing had come out of it was that you get to a point where if you're any good at this, you don't sweat the small stuff. And if he was the best in the world, he didn't sweat anything. A lot of people would read that as weakness, but I read it as absolute strength. I don't think it was a perception problem so much with the audience, because if the audience is reading this stuff presumably they like the character, and presumably they get it." Duffy adds, "It's much easier to write somebody who goes in wanting to punch than it is to write someone who says, 'why should I punch him? Nobody needs me to.'" But Duffy's reasoned approach didn't keep her on the series.
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 8:33 AM on May 4, 2017 [8 favorites]
Power Man and Iron Fist
His own series cancelled due to low sales, Iron Fist joined the cast of Luke Cage, Power Man in a three-part storyline in #48–50.
and I realize the entire "Iron Fist Sucks, team him up with Luke Cage" is CANON. The entire S01 of Iron Fist was a big steaming mess ON PURPOSE in homage to the source material.
[Dons nerd hat] Both Power Man and Iron Fist faced cancellation due to poor sales. Marvel editorial had the notion that those books' readerships probably had very little overlap, so combining them into a single title would bring together both too-small readerships into one big-enough readership. It actually kinda worked, as Power Man and Iron Fist ran for seventy-five glorious issues. I love that comic. The Jo Duffy/Kerry Gammill run was gold.
Jo Duffy gave the book a light touch, which made it charming and fun. Marvel editorial disapproved of this, because comics iz serious bizness grr rar. From a piece on Duffy's run and why she was fired from it:
...Duffy didn't leave because she wanted to abandon the series. "I would never have left if I had a choice," says Duffy. "It was editorial pressure. There were people behind the scenes who were never behind the book. "Power Man and Iron Fist' was a light-hearted series. It had depths, but it was a light-hearted series." Duffy explains that not everyone at Marvel liked her distinctive approach to the characters: "There were people who thought Power Man wasn't angry enough. There were people who thought Iron Fist wasn't angry enough. There were people who thought Misty Knight should break up with Iron Fist and get together with Power Man. I was kind of replaced because they wanted somebody who was less like me and more like everybody else. I'm not opposed to dark, violent characters, I had a wonderful time when I was writing later 'Wolverine' and I had a wonderful time on 'Punisher,' but that tone just wasn't right for Power Man and Iron Fist."
There was constant pressure to make the lead characters more visibly like other popular superhero leads, to toughen them up in word and deed. Regarding Iron Fist, Duffy says, "we had one guy who was always like, 'let's kill him because I don't get him.' But I had studied the martial arts, and I had done a lot of academic study of the martial arts, and one thing had come out of it was that you get to a point where if you're any good at this, you don't sweat the small stuff. And if he was the best in the world, he didn't sweat anything. A lot of people would read that as weakness, but I read it as absolute strength. I don't think it was a perception problem so much with the audience, because if the audience is reading this stuff presumably they like the character, and presumably they get it." Duffy adds, "It's much easier to write somebody who goes in wanting to punch than it is to write someone who says, 'why should I punch him? Nobody needs me to.'" But Duffy's reasoned approach didn't keep her on the series.
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 8:33 AM on May 4, 2017 [8 favorites]
The first image of Marvel’s Inhumans TV show doesn’t inspire confidence.
The showrunner for the Inhumans is Scott Buck, the same guy who was in charge of Iron Fist.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 9:55 AM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
The showrunner for the Inhumans is Scott Buck, the same guy who was in charge of Iron Fist.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 9:55 AM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
Mute the trailer from about 1:20 on to avoid that horrible music.
Horrible? That riff is so classic everybody uses it!
posted by homunculus at 10:11 AM on May 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
Horrible? That riff is so classic everybody uses it!
posted by homunculus at 10:11 AM on May 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
The first image of Marvel’s Inhumans TV show doesn’t inspire confidence.
The showrunner for the Inhumans is Scott Buck, the same guy who was in charge of Iron Fist.
And where the fuck is Lockjaw?
posted by homunculus at 10:12 AM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
The showrunner for the Inhumans is Scott Buck, the same guy who was in charge of Iron Fist.
And where the fuck is Lockjaw?
posted by homunculus at 10:12 AM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
Doing the Inhumans without Lockjaw is bullshit.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:26 AM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by tobascodagama at 11:26 AM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Inhumans will have Lockjaw. He's not quite ready for his closeup, yet.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 11:32 AM on May 4, 2017
posted by 1970s Antihero at 11:32 AM on May 4, 2017
Lockjaw: the world's greatest superhero
posted by homunculus at 12:22 PM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by homunculus at 12:22 PM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
Everyone but Black Bolt and Medusa look good enough to me. But she looks like she walked off the set of Star Trek: TOS with that wig and he looks like a dad who just got a motorcycle instead of a secretary for his mid-life crisis.
posted by middleclasstool at 1:01 PM on May 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by middleclasstool at 1:01 PM on May 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
I kind of love that the dyed stripes in Crystal's hair look like feminine muttonchops and I would totally be down with that look taking off.
posted by jason_steakums at 1:13 PM on May 4, 2017
posted by jason_steakums at 1:13 PM on May 4, 2017
and I realize the entire "Iron Fist Sucks, team him up with Luke Cage" is CANON. The entire S01 of Iron Fist was a big steaming mess ON PURPOSE in homage to the source material.
Except that the original Iron Fist comic was by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, both of whom were arguably at the height of their creative powers. (The character had previously appeared in Marvel Premiere, done by a variety of writers and artists.) I think I still have those issues, and they're pretty great; you can literally see Byrne improve as an artist from issue to issue, and the run includes the first appearance of X-Men villain Sabertooth, as well as a great fight scene between Iron Fist and Captain America (Cap wins). The book's cancellation may have been as much because of the fading of the 70s kung fu craze as anything else.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:15 PM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
Except that the original Iron Fist comic was by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, both of whom were arguably at the height of their creative powers. (The character had previously appeared in Marvel Premiere, done by a variety of writers and artists.) I think I still have those issues, and they're pretty great; you can literally see Byrne improve as an artist from issue to issue, and the run includes the first appearance of X-Men villain Sabertooth, as well as a great fight scene between Iron Fist and Captain America (Cap wins). The book's cancellation may have been as much because of the fading of the 70s kung fu craze as anything else.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:15 PM on May 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
The first image of Marvel’s Inhumans TV show doesn’t inspire confidence.
It looks great! You get the "Game of Thrones on the MOON!" royal-family by way of Kirby vibe. I like the cowl-less Blackbolt, to be honest. Dude is seriously rage-addled and literally can't express it in any meaningful way, as he's a goodguy (mostly) and here we get to see that. He and Medusa look so damn regal, the actors are nailing it in that pic.
Lockjaw isn't in it probably because the art director freaked at the notion of what was at the time likely unpolished and unfinished CGI pasted into the shot (See also: Medusa's hair.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 4:34 PM on May 4, 2017
It looks great! You get the "Game of Thrones on the MOON!" royal-family by way of Kirby vibe. I like the cowl-less Blackbolt, to be honest. Dude is seriously rage-addled and literally can't express it in any meaningful way, as he's a goodguy (mostly) and here we get to see that. He and Medusa look so damn regal, the actors are nailing it in that pic.
Lockjaw isn't in it probably because the art director freaked at the notion of what was at the time likely unpolished and unfinished CGI pasted into the shot (See also: Medusa's hair.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 4:34 PM on May 4, 2017
It's a bit weird, to me, how nerds are freaking out over Medusa's hair. It's a single image y'all, calm down and go nit pick something else.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:52 AM on May 5, 2017
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:52 AM on May 5, 2017
the actors are nailing it in that pic.
Agreed! Ken Leung as Karnak looks aweome! And I've loved Iwan Rheon since Misfits and think he'll make a great Maximus.
posted by lumpenprole at 4:45 PM on May 5, 2017
Agreed! Ken Leung as Karnak looks aweome! And I've loved Iwan Rheon since Misfits and think he'll make a great Maximus.
posted by lumpenprole at 4:45 PM on May 5, 2017
I always liked the twist where he was an inhuman more extremely tranformed by the terrigen mists than most... but I seem to have been the only one.
posted by Zed at 10:41 PM on May 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Zed at 10:41 PM on May 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
There aren't any other Terrigen dogs. As far as we know the Kree only experimented on humans.
posted by Artw at 7:59 AM on May 6, 2017
posted by Artw at 7:59 AM on May 6, 2017
« Older America's most political food. | Letter from Siberia Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
This summer, you will believe a misfit cast can PUNCH ALL THE THINGS.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:50 AM on May 3, 2017 [64 favorites]