A Spoiler Free Look At "The Defenders"

The Defenders (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Finn Jones, Elodie Yung, Jessica Henwick, Scott Glenn, Simone Missick, Eldon Henson, Wai Ching Ho, Rosario Dawson,

Created by Douglas Petrie & Marco Ramirez

The Story:

The Hand has used the last of their mysterious life restoring energy to resurrect Elektra from the dead. With her leading the charge, their goal is to retrieve the Iron Fist to unlock an ancient door and give The Hand the ultimate power. The downside, opening that door will cause the total destruction of New York City. Looks like the heroes of New York will need to band together and save the day.

Now that is more like it.

8 episodes.

Very little drag to them at all.

Not as much time for redundancy and stalling as the tale needs to be told and finished with far fewer episodes than the Netflix series have previously enjoyed.

And it shows.

The first 2 episodes cut back and forth between Jessica Jones (Ritter), Luke Cage (Colter), Daredevil (Cox) and Iron Fist (Jones) and the members of their supporting cast who will be seen briefly in The Defenders.

I would argue if you've not seen, or didn't care for certain characters, this is the show for you that will give them a chance to shine and change your opinion on them.

The weak link is still Iron Fist, but the show acknowledges that, and actually spotlights that this is kind of the point.

He's still "a kid" in theory. He's learning the ropes as a superhero who has been handed a ton of responsibility in life and realizes he's already failed at just about everything he was born to do.

Everything wraps up fairly nicely and sends the heroes back to their own shows, ready to hit the ground running.

There are also a few surprises and changes for some characters along the way as well.

Finally, once you've completed episode 8, stick around after the credits for a trailer for Marvel's next Netflix Original.

Final Grade: A-

Don't Believe The (Negative) Hype..."Iron Fist"

Iron Fist (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, Jessica Stroup, Tom Pelphrey, David Wenham, Wai Ching Ho, Rosario Dawson,

Created by Scott Buck

The Story:

When he was 10, Danny Rand (Jones), was presumed dead in a plane crash that killed his parents. Control of Rand Enterprises went to Harold Meachum (Wenham) and his children, Ward (Pelphrey) and Joy (Stroup). Over 15 years have passed, when suddenly some guy claiming to be Danny Rand strolls into Rand Enterprises with the craziest tale about who he really is and where he's been all these years.

So begins the tale of The Iron Fist...

It's amusing that to explain the Iron Fist saga any deeper than that, you will come off nearly as crazy sounding as Danny does in those first few episodes as he tries to convince everyone of who he is.

I was explaining it to my wife, the mystical city of K'un Lun, how his powers work... and even began to chuckle.

Yes, it sounds weird, but it all makes sense as it plays out.

Unless, you happen to be a professional critic.

This series has been savaged by reviews that basically can be summed up by the 3 things below:

1) Danny Rand should have been recast as an Asian-American.

2) It's boring.

3) Finn Jones has no charisma to play Iron Fist.


First, Danny Rand always has been a white guy from his very inception. Whether it was in response to the Kung Fu series of the 70s, this is history.  This wasn't some racist, non political correctness on the part of Marvel.

They wrestled with changing Danny's ethnicity, but in the end, it makes way more sense to see how Danny is treated by everyone if the Iron Fist is a white guy.

As for the boredom issues...

Everyone that has read any of my reviews for Daredevil, Jessica Jones or Luke Cage, I've nearly copied and pasted the following in some form or another:

"It's a great 8 episodes stretched over 13 installments".

More of the same follows here.

It's a pacing thing, and I get that.

Marvel runs the risk of putting TOO much story into 13 episodes if they don't pad and stretch.

It is what it is.

With The Defenders, they are planning on 8 episodes. Sounds just about perfect.

Finally, Finn Jones.  He bounced around in the series as too brash, no charisma, too much, then towards the end, I realized that Danny Rand is still very much a child. He was 10 when his parents died.

Then raised by monks for the next 15 years, he was trained to fight, but never given the chance to grow up, so he is still very much an adolescent.

Looking back, Jones does play the little boy who has to grow up, finally, as the series moves along.

In fact, I dare say that the entire cast actually enjoys possibly the most character growth as a cast that any series from Marvel and Netflix has enjoyed yet.

Where Danny and all the Meachums start the series is a far cry from where they end up.

The one thing I will agree with most critics on:

Colleen Wing (Henwick) is easily the best character on the show.

Iron Fist also pulls the tapestry of the Marvel Netflix Universe much closer together, whether by mentioning other characters or those that happen to appear in this installment.

The biggest disappointments for me from the series:

a) The lack of any flashbacks to training in K'un Lun
b) The lack of Iron Fist's costume.

Both will probably be rectified in the future, but when you have a costume as visually striking as Iron Fist's, that needs to be seen sooner, rather than later.

The setup for season 2 is there, and I'm not really sure whether it will take place before or after (or during?) The Defenders.

But I'll be back!

Final Grade: B to B- range.

They're Here...The "Best Television Shows Of 2016"

Can it still be called television when none of the choices actually appeared on a network or even cable channel?

Of course it can.

It's the 21st century, and the days of all the good stuff just being on ABC, CBS and NBC are long gone.

Though I would freely be open to a return of Battle of the Network Stars.

Just saying...

: )

Now, on with the shows!!

Bosch

Take one of L.A.s finest, who has run ins with his superiors almost as often as he's having run ins with the bad guys, and you have one of the better crime dramas from the last few years. The first of two Amazon originals, Bosch has had two great seasons so far.

The consistent part from season to season is Titus Welliver's portrayal of Detective Bosch. He takes all of it in stride, not caring who he upsets to get the job done.

In a world where the world seemingly hates cops, Bosch is a reminder that most are indeed out there trying to help us navigate through a dangerous world, and as the curveballs that season two threw at the audience, life as a cop is very, very dangerous.

Luke Cage

Marvel and Netflix have done it again.

Now, much more fleshed out than his appearance in Jessica Jones, Mike Colter brings Luke Cage vividly to life in his own series.

Much like the other Netflix series, my biggest complaint with this one was that it felt about 3 episodes too long.

Hopefully in Season 2, or the Defenders, Luke Cage also doesn't have to psych himself up to actually go out and be a hero.

That did get a bit old as the series wore on.

He could have stopped so much violence if he would have just acted, instead of waiting for everyone around him to die.

Plus, of the two bad guys Cage faced, I much preferred the first one, to the one that's set to be a recurring character.

The Man In The High Castle 

What if the Axis won World War II ?

This fascinating "What If?" scenario plays out on Amazon, and the results are fascinating, and truly scary, all at the same time.

This was perhaps the slowest series for me to get hooked on, as there are a lot of people flying around the first 2 episodes as they introduce every character and you try and get a sense of who they are, what they're doing, where their allegiances truly are...

But once you're hooked, you're along for a very interesting ride.

You realize that there is no turning back time, at least as far as I know, but you get hooked on the lives of many of the characters, even those of the Japanese or German side. In many ways, they are more fleshed out and three-dimensional than the American resistance.

Season 2 is available now, and we'll see if it returns next year to the countdown.

Daredevil: Season 2

Hands down, the best 4 episodes of any and all Marvel television.

Then they added Elektra to the mix, and the results became decidedly less enthusiastic on my part.

I would have actually preferred a more long, drawn out season with the Punisher, maybe 10 total episodes.

The trial should have taken 2 to 3 episodes, but instead it was nearly a blink and you miss it, in favor of more Elektra and a ninja Matt Murdock.

It's as if Marvel wanted to remind me of why I never really bothered with this character in the first place! :)

Still, a good show, and they seriously need to use Foggy more.

Seriously.

Making A Murderer

Was it a documentary?
Was it a television show?

This was the idea that I wrestled with at the end of the year, and ultimately put this under television while the ESPN 30 for 30 wound up in the documentary section.

Could I have flipped them?

Absolutely.

I decided that at over 10 hours, I have to call this gripping documentary television, since it was divided into episodic segments instead of just a 2 hour program.

I heard criticisms after it aired that the directors were only giving one side of the story.

That may, or may not be true, but the side they present is sooooo amazingly wrapped in cover-up after conspiracy after shady dealings that you might literally yell at the television at the end of each episode when the latest bombshell gets dropped.

It should make you seriously question the entire legal system at the least, and make you seriously hope you never find yourself facing its wrath, whether guilty OR innocent.

I'm waiting for an additional episode to air that reveals what has happened to several of the people in the documentary since the film has been released.

If nothing else, it appears that some justice is indeed being finally served.

Stranger Things 

This is one of those few times that I watched something at the same time as the rest of the world.

: )

While we didn't binge, we did move along much quicker than usual when watching a Netflix series.

Yes, it was as good as you heard or were led to believe.

I maintain that if you're not hooked in the initial 8 minutes of episode 1, then yes, this is not the series for you.

My little 5 year old even came in during the middle of the episode and wanted to know what happened to Will.

She may have been the biggest fan of the show, but everyone was entertained.

A great cast, including possibly the best group of child actors to ever assemble since The Goonies.

Also, for me, it was the perfect length.

I've often criticized the Marvel series for being about 4 episodes too long, and Stranger Things came along and proved that I was right.

:)

The episodes fly by, and with no real fluff and bluster, combines nicely into 8 compact episodes that grab you at the beginning and hold you until the end.

Season 2's bar is already set incredibly high, so hopefully it will make it to Best of the Year list in the future.

Looking forward to what might be  heading my way in 2017!

Sweet Christmas! "Luke Cage"

Luke Cage (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Mike Colter, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Alfre Woodard, Rosario Dawson, Erik LaRay Harvey, Mahershala Ali, Frank Whaley, Frankie Faison,

Created by Cheo Hodari Coker

The Story:

Luke Cage (Colter) is minding his own business in Harlem at Pop's (Faison) Barbershop. However, fate has other plans in store for Mr. Cage and when tragedy strikes, it's time for Harlem's Hero to take care of business, by any means necessary.

I won't go into much more specifics of characters, as that gives away entirely too much to the storyline.

I will say this:

1) We get Luke Cage's origin story
2) We see, ever so briefly, Cage's original costume.
3) Claire (Dawson) helps tie this series to Daredevil and Jessica Jones

However, in typical Netflix/Marvel fashion, my usual complaint still exists:

They tell a wonderful 8-10 episodes...over the course of 13 episodes. : /

I found the first 2 episodes to be especially slow-paced, but things pick up in the 3rd, especially with the introduction of a rocket launcher.

;)

Now that Luke Cage realizes how awesomely indestructible he is, hopefully he will also be a little less mopey.

Seems if he would have just heroed up on at least 2 different occasions, he could have spared himself, and Harlem, a lot of grief and heartache.

Of course, that also helps build the character of the hero, by having to get through the hard times.

The show is also packed with quite an interesting array of characters on both sides of the law.

However, Marvel would be wise, in both movies and television, to stop killing everyone so darn fast.

I'm just saying...

Finally, I liked the villain of the first half of the season much more than the one in the last half of the season. Personality. Charisma. Hard to say.

That we will not see more of him, and the other guy will be back in the future, is disappointing.

Also, I guess there was a third entity that Luke Cage tackled head on.

The "N Word".

Loved it.

If it's such a horrible word, everyone should take Cage's stance on using it or having it used on them.

Regardless of the color of skin of the character saying it.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Solid B

The Universe Expands..."Daredevil: Season 2"

Daredevil: Season 2 (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Royce Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung, Scott Glenn

Created by Drew Goddard

The Story:

With Wilson Fisk (D'Onofrio) behind bars, you would think life in Hell's Kitchen would slow down. However, there's a new crazy in town, killing bad guys and making a name for himself as The Punisher (Bernthal). Matt (Cox) will have to suit up as Daredevil to try and bring him down before the entire city is bathed in blood. If that wasn't going to be difficult enough, there's another blast from Matt's past just around the corner as Elektra (Yung) comes calling.

Another solid season in the books for Netflix and Marvel.

While there is still some pacing issues that feel like 8-10 solid episodes drag out to 12, it's a bit better this go-round.

I'd even go so far as to say the first 4 episodes are must-see, dynamic storytelling at its finest.

There is a beginning, middle and end to the story that flows just like a perfect comic book story arc.

The problem, once Elektra arrives on the scene, I began to lose interest.

Truth be told, I was never really a fan, and I think I mentioned before that I've never truly cared for Daredevil.

The focus in the storyline shifts, and takes away from the entire Punisher storyline.

I was greatly disappointed that the trial, which could have been 4 riveting episodes on their own felt rushed and shortchanged.

Foggy (Henson) is being criminally underused in the series when he is the glue that holds the show together.

They could have easily worked the trial for 4 episodes, and then put the final 4 episodes on Castle in prison doing what he needs to do to survive and get close to Fisk.

Then you end the season by getting Frank out of jail which leaves the rest of the Elektra story for season 3, and continue Frank's tale in his own series, which thankfully is going to happen.

I'm still not the biggest fan of Karen Page (Woll) but making her a journalist is a great change of pace and one that shakes up the dynamic.

Much like Jessica Jones, I'm really more interested in the supporting cast than the main character.

Because when you pull back from the show and judge it from a distance, Matt Murdock is possibly the biggest jerk in the Marvel Universe right now.

He does what he wants, when he wants to, consequences and friendships be damned.

Plus, I'm willing to suspend belief on what Daredevil can do.

But when he becomes the ultimate super-ninja of all time...

Yeah, I hated that in the comics and it drives me batty on this show as well.

So critical of a show I can't wait to see Season 3 from, right?

:)

Final Grade: A-

Too Bad "Jessica Jones" Wasn't As Intersting As The Villain

Jessica Jones (2015)

TV-MA

Created by Melissa Rosenberg

Starring Krysten Ritter, David Tennant, Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville, Carrie-Anne Moss, Wil Traval, Mike Colter

The Story:

Jessica Jones (Ritter) is a former superhero who has hung up the costume and now uses her powers as a detective in the hopes of making ends meet. Her troubled past is never far behind, and she tries to keep those demons at bay by continually hitting the bottle, hard. However, when she learns that Kilgrave, (Tennant) the man with the power to make people do whatever he says, is back in town, Jessica vows to stop him, by any means necessary.

The latest from Marvel and their collaboration with Netflix did not disappoint many rabid fans who devoured this show immediately upon its arrival.

I'm still not the world's biggest binge watching fan, mostly because I have more important things to do with my life than power through 6, 8, 12 or more episodes of anything all at once.

I'll get to the end of the season when I'm darn good and ready, quit rushing me.

:)

I'm sure there are many fans that loved this show much more than I did.

For the record, I didn't hate it, but I was troubled by certain aspects of it.

It came across very much like the comic, Alias, that inspired this show. I gave up on that comic early in its run as well. I didn't really care for the MAX line of comics. It seemed like an odd way to shove sex, language and more graphic violence into mainstream comics.

Now, adult situations are one thing, but doing those things for the sake of pushing the envelope as a "look what we can do now" sense of storytelling, I find that boring.

And that's where I fell with most of this series.

There were some pacing issues with Daredevil, but at least things were happening and people were getting killed, so there was always a sense of moving forward with the storyline.

With Jessica Jones, this storyline could have easily been resolved in 8 episodes, 10 tops, so it began to feel padded and dragging as the storyline went along.

Another issue I had with this one is that I liked just about every character in the story...

Except the main character.

Just like in the comics, Jessica Jones comes across cold and not very likeable. Couple her with Hogarth (Moss) and you've got a tandem of the most powerful, yet unlikeable characters in the Marvel universe.

Thankfully, I was interested in the majority of the supporting cast from the series. I'm looking forward to seeing Luke Cage (Colter) get his own series, and hopefully team up with Iron Fist to make the Heroes for Hire. Then there's Trish Walker (Taylor) who I hope will be suiting up as Hellcat by the time The Defenders rolls across Netflix.

Even Malcom (Darville) was a more interesting, well rounded supporting character and I looked forward to seeing what happened to him next.

However, the very thing I praised Daredevil for doing, Jessica Jones made the cardinal mistake of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and killed the villain at the end.

Oops.

Spoiler alert.

Sorry.

:)

Tennant's Kilgrave was the best part of the show, and he could have been a force to be reckoned with (especially against the Defenders) at a later point. Maybe enough to even bridge to the cinematic universe as well.

I've often said that the hero is often only as good as their villain. In this instance, that didn't pan out.

I'd love to watch a Kilgrave series where he tried to reform (Thunderbolts?) but sometimes failed and reverted to his evil ways.

Plus, while we should have hated Kilgrave with ever fiber of our being, the show ended up painting him into a rather sympathetic corner. Really, his powers weren't his fault, and yes, knowing what he had the power to do, he could easily make his choices less gruesome and final.

But still, they lost a great character and actor that would have been fun to have pop up again.

Is it Kilgrave messing with people...or are they really making these decisions on their own.

So many possibilities.

Flushed.

I'm curious when Marvel will realize that they've only got a finite amount of characters. They keep killing them off at the end of every movie and show, eventually they'll run out.

Not the best way to run a long-term strategy with the shows/movies.

Anyway, it wasn't terrible, by any means, but it also could have been so much better.

Or shorter.

Final Grade: B-

It's Time To Look Back: The Best TV Shows of the Year

The end of the year is drawing near, so it's time to look back at all of the quality TV shows that I watched this year.

Yet, I don't even watch that much TV!

But when I do, I try and make sure that it's a quality show, and that it's totally streamable.

:)

Now a few of these might be a few years older, but like I say, better to be late to some parties than to never make it at all.

Some of these shows make me yearn to have cable again, but I also don't ever want to feel that I have to be home at a certain time to watch a certain show.

And yes, I know, that's why we have DVRs, but I consider Netflix and Amazon my DVR, and I'm just getting around to clearing up years worth of shows.

So let's see what I enjoyed watching this year:

10) The Writer's Room

Take a bunch of writers for some of your favorite shows, put them in a room together with an Academy Award winning writer, and enjoy 30 minutes of fun and zaniness as they bounce off each other and explain the writing process that they go through to bring you your favorite shows. From comedies to dramas, every show is the same...yet entirely different as each group of writers brings their quirks and ideas on how to make these shows tick to the center stage. A great show that shines the spotlight on the unsung heroes of Hollywood: the writers.

9) Chopped

Reason # 1 that I'm glad I don't have the Food Network: I'd probably be watching it all the time. The shows are really quite simple, and yet oh-so-compellingly brilliant! Much of their bread and butter are the gameshows that pit chef against chef in a battle to be judged by the pros. Chopped follows the simple premise: everyone gets the same ingredients, make something that will wow the judges. Each round, someone goes home until the final two contestants square off. It's down, dirty and entertaining. The only thing I can't figure out, is how the cooks get their stuff done in 20 to 30 minutes!?! I make meals in the kitchen, and I'm lucky if I can get anything complete from start to finish in anything less than 45 minutes!

8) Food Network Star

See? Here's the Food Network, back again. Normally the only thing more entertaining than the shows, are the hosts themselves. Now, while hosts don't normally just grow on trees, Food Network realized that there could be a hit behind finding the next great host. I've watched the 2 seasons that were available on Netflix, and I was entertained from beginning to end. And, unlike many game shows, I feel as though the right contestants actually won. Personality and Ability makes the next star. Looks like Food Network has got their future in good hands.

7) Property Brothers

But wait just a minute, HGTV doesn't want to be left out of this equation. They have several great property shows under their belt, but none quite as enjoyable as The Property Brothers. While Drew helps the couples find the home that needs renovated, Johnathan brings his vision to their fixer-uppers which is what truly wins over every family. You can't help but feel for Johnathan either as he gets hit with nearly every hurdle from the unexpected worst case scenario to every couple always wanting something in their home that they never budgeted for. It's entertaining and always great to see the final results.

6) Last Man Standing

Tim Allen's return to episodic television. I quite enjoyed the first season of the show, but when they moved on to Season 2, they replaced the oldest daughter and most of the jokes now revolved around politics and the differences between Allen and the oldest daughter and the returning father of her son. Still amusing, but not quite as good as the first season as the focus has shifted away from work and we see much less of Hector Elizondo's character than we should. That's the true crime being committed and hopefully will be fixed as the show moves forward. Moving through season 2, it seems like the show is trying to rebalance itself, so I'm happy for that.  I do love the addition of the former Marine neighbor that moved in. Some fun comedy whenever they make an appearance.

5) Octonauts

If you don't have little kids, it's doubtful you've ever seen this, or ever need to see it. But it's cute, well written and fun. Plus kids actually learn things from watching this show. Scary, but true. To hear my little one spouting out random facts about sea life because of what she's watched on the show makes my little heart soar. The voice cast is great, the animation is absolutely adorable, and it gives my little one something new to watch that was both new to her and the rest of us versus more reruns of shows we've all seen a million times already. Although come to think of it, it now seems like I've seen every Octonauts episode a million times.
;)

4) The Flash

Everything I really don't care about in the DC Movie Universe: angst, brooding, lack of fun, is nowhere to be found in Central City. Okay, I take that back, it's here, but in much smaller doses and balanced with a lot of fun, creativity and charm. The cast is great, and it is fun to watch Barry Allen get used to his powers. It works because the show even goes, "okay, the guy is fast, but now what?" and we get to learn as they show, and that provides levels of growth for both the show and the cast. By deliberately watching this an episode at a time versus binge watching, you can see and feel the growth from week to week that might seem rushed otherwise. I should finish the first season right around the time they load season 2. I'm okay with that. Although with all the Arrow crossovers, I might have to give that show a try too.

3) iZombie

I was so disappointed when Psych went off the air. Thankfully, iZombie picked up and had a psychic who solves crimes by helping the police and hanging out with a fun coroner. :) It's a fun show that created their own rules for zombies and plays by those rules. I can live with that as it is interesting to see that zombies could still go on as members of society as long as they get their dose of brains to keep them in check. I loved the actors and the pacing of the show, but yes, I still think they rushed the season finale and threw too many things at the wall in the hopes it would stick. I've popped in for a bit of Season 2, and I'm still digging the show, and that's always a good thing.

2) Daredevil

Here's one of those Marvel characters I never cared for. Never really enjoyed reading his adventures, so I was in no hurry to get to the show and binge it like everyone else did. I finally watched an episode, and still just took my time finishing. It was great, I was hooked from the first episode and I can see why some people love Daredevil. This guy was interesting and I wanted to see what happens next. I'm a little worried about how quickly some of the cast disappeared from the show, but at the end of the day, this was the first Marvel property to realize that killing the bad guy wasn't the smartest option for the long term. Bravo. Looking forward to the next Netflix offerings with Marvel.
Which means that I enjoyed something more than Marvel had to offer. How is that possible?

1) Community

If there was a show that topped Daredevil, it's Community. The quirky charm of the first season explodes in seasons 2 and 3 as the show hit it's stride and never ceased to be entertaining. Even as they lost their creative direction and several members of the cast, the show still was able to be entertaining. Even the final season, available only on Yahoo! had its fair share of amusing moments, most notably towards the end of the season as the cast began to gel together. While we're likely never to see the cast reunite in the movie, it's fun to revisit their hijinks at the worst Community college in all of Colorado, and the history of television. It was a wonderful ensemble cast that was as believable as they were quirky and strange as they were funny. They started off as strangers and wound up a Community. But more importantly, they became a family.

:)

And there you have it.
Here's to a stellar 2016!

Now that I've lost Psych and Community for new episodes, I'll need to find some new shows to pick up the slack.

Never let it be said though that these 2 shows aren't still viewed on a fairly frequent basis.

 Let's see what old shows I've never watched I will unearth and rave about this time next year!

:)

Because The Internet Demanded One More Review For "Daredevil"

Daredevil (2015)

TV-MA

Starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Vincent D'Onofrio,

Created by Drew Goddard

The Story:

Matt Murdock (Cox) was blinded as a youth. Years later, the blind lawyer hopes to make a difference by defending the defenseless in Hell's Kitchen, New York. He does this by day with his lawyer partner, Foggy Nelson (Henson). However by night, Mr. Murdock has a secret. He's the crime-fighting vigilante known as Daredevil.

This is his story.

:: insert Law & Order bomp bomp here::

So a while back, Marvel announced they were partnering with Netflix to bring some of their 2nd or 3rd tier characters to the small screen.

Guardians of the Galaxy hadn't hit yet.

Agents of Shield was doing so-so in the ratings.

Perhaps this was a chance for Marvel to recoup what was looking to be a dismal future?

Hahahhaha....

Hardly.

Instead, it stands as the latest stroke of genius from the House of Ideas.

Those that know me, and my love of Marvel comics, also know that I have no love for Matt Murdock.

Daredevil is a comic that I can read for an issue, maybe 3-4 tops before I simply cringe and throw it away.

He's a preposterous character. 

He's been portrayed as the quippy-jokester... well, that's Spidey's gig.

He's the bad-ass vigilante... Batman's been there, done that.

And really, a blind lawyer? That can only go so far in comics before the reader is bored to tears.

And no, I've never bothered with Frank Miller's take on the comic, I really don't care that much about Daredevil, in print.

So it was with a big fat, "meh", that I approached the launch of Daredevil on Netflix.

Would it be grim? Would it be gritty? Would there be humor? Would I care to finish the first episode, let alone come back for seconds?

I'm happy to report that the answer to all of those questions is, Yes!

It's dark. It's brooding. But there's a light touch of humor laying over the cast which makes the show quite entertaining.

They could have easily left out the naughty language and toned back the violence if they wanted to grab the mainstream superhero audience, but they opted not to.

That could be a genius move on the part of Marvel and Netflix.

Wait, what? Comic movies aren't just for kids?

Nope, these are the Walking Dead-ish Superhero shows for adults who don't want to watch superhero movies.

They walk a nice line between Law & DisOrder. You get Murdock as lawyer, then you'll get a bit of Murdock as vigilante.

It's a nice balance, and they show never stays too much on either, nor do they seemingly shortchange the other part of the story.

All this being said, I've only watched the first episode. I'm not a big fan of binge watching, I like to take my time and enjoy what I'm seeing. I'm in no hurry.

Cox is great in the role. Looking over his roles, I'd have to say this is probably the first time I've ever seen him. He's great, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table in future episodes.

Heck, I haven't even seen the villain yet, but you feel the gravitas that they've given D'Onofrio for the role.

Looking forward to the remaining 12 episodes.

All in good time.

Final Grade: A-