ComicBook.com Composite - The Marvel Netflix Shows Ranked
The latest Marvel Netflix series, The Defenders, hit last week on Friday if you're like us you [...]
5. Iron Fist
Composite Score: 58.15 - Fan Rating:3.63/5
It should come as no surprise that of the five Marvel Netflix series Iron Fist comes in at the bottom of the list. The show didn't exactly garner critical acclaim when it debuted in March 2017 and even before the show debuted Iron Fist endued some media scandals, specifically those involving the show's representation of Asian culture with some accusing the story of perpetuating the "white savior" trope by casting a white actor instead of going outside of the box (and away from the character's comic book history) by casting an Asian actor as Danny Rand. Once the show debuted, fans were disappointed in the quality of the show as compared to the rest of the Marvel Netflix offerings with audiences unhappy with Finn Jones' portrayal of the character and lack of martial arts skills.
Despite the lackluster response to the show, a second season of the series was confirmed at San Diego Comic Con last month and will have a new showrunner, Raven Metzner, at the helm.
prevnext4. The Defenders
Composite Score 82.90 - Fan Rating 4.53/5
It may come in at number 4 on this list, but the leap in composite score (and fan rating) for the latest Marvel Netflix offering is dramatic. As disappointed as both fans and critics were about Iron Fist they have been much happier with The Defenders. While many cite Danny Rand/Iron Fist as being the one weak link in the team, Luke Cage, Matt Murdock, and Jessica Jones are strong enough characters coming from their own strong Netflix shows that the team (and the show) just worked.
Interestingly, The Defenders spent quite a bit of time picking on Danny and while that wasn't a result of the critical disappointment in Iron Fist, Defenders executive producer Marco Ramirez did explain that the other characters in the series are far more gritty and grounded and were therefore far more likely to call Danny out on, well, everything.
It probably didn't hurt that Finn Jones' fight scenes as Iron Fist were somewhat improved.
prevnext3. Luke Cage
Composite Score 84.80 - Fan Rating 3.95/5
While fans liked The Defenders just a little bit more than the standalone Luke Cage series, the critical acclaim is just enough to push the series ahead into the number 3 spot on our list. Fans were first excited to see Mike Colter's Luke Cage in the first season of Jessica Jones and were pleased when the bulletproof ex-con made the move from a bar in Hell's Kitchen to a barber shop in Harlem.
In addition to Colter's outstanding performance as Luke the series featured a number of strong supporting characters, each one beautifully acted and fully realized. Simone Missick made Misty Knight just the right balance between sassy and complicated, Frankie Faison's Pops was spot-on perfect as a gangster reformed into a barbershop owner on a mission to save the youth of his neighborhood and Mahershala Ali's Cornell Stokes might be as disturbing a villain as David Tenant's Kilgrave in Jessica Jones, though for markedly different reasons.
The show's soundtrack was pretty great, too.
prevnext2. Jessica Jones
Composite Ranking 86.19 - Fan Score 4.04/5
Edging just ahead of Luke Cage to take the number 2 spot on the list, the second Marvel Netflix offering, Jessica Jones, impressed fans and critics alike. Following the story of the alcoholic, former hero turned private investigator dealing with PTSD and trauma, Jessica Jones might be the darkest Marvel hero grace the screen.
The show is dark, gritty and violent like its predecessor Daredevil, but Krysten Ritter's masterful portrayal of Jessica is more than one good guy trying to take down a gangster. Jessica is trying to move beyond her own horrific experiences at the hands of the villain Kilgrave (played disturbingly well by David Tennant) which makes her reluctant heroics more raw and vulnerable than audiences may have expected.
Jessica's appearance in The Defenders has also been praised and fans are now eagerly looking forward to a season 2 of Jessica Jones.
prevnext1. Daredevil
Composite Ranking: 92.24 - Fan Rating 4.20/5
It's no surprise that the very first Marvel Netflix series tops our list. Daredevil thrills critics and fans alike and has received a lot of praise for being well-scripted, brilliantly acted and having some incredible fight scenes that are breathtakingly well-choreographed.
Daredevil was a departure from the rest of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, bringing the hero game down to street level and into notoriously dangerous Hell's Kitchen and the series knocked it out of the park by building on some of comics' greatest Daredevil storylines to create a show that was as much crime noir as it was superhero television. The first season left us addicted and the second, even darker season gave us a first look at The Punisher that left us wanting more. Daredevil is easily the best of the Marvel Netflix offerings and has been a fitting gateway to the shows that followed it. Even though the third season won't start filming until October, thanks to The Defenders we already can't wait to see what the next chapter of Matt Murdock's adventure has in store.
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