BLOOD WORK: MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE: IRON FIST SEASON 2 (2018)

It's easy to criticize. It's hard to create. Anyone can criticize but not everyone can create. I imagine that adapting Iron Fist for television or the screen probably isn't the easiest task, especially when the production budget is so very limited. This goes to say that I understand people's frustrations with Netflix's Iron Fist but I also understand some of the difficulty Netflix has to deal with in creating the show.

Iron Fist is one of my favorite comic book characters (as many of you well know) and I was looking forward to Netflix's Iron Fist more than any of the other Netflix Marvel shows. While many viewers were hard on Iron Fist (complaints ranging from story problems to acting criticisms and even as far as social justice issues), as someone familiar with the characters I kind of understood where the filmmakers were coming from. I was more accepting of the approach to the story and character than most it seemed (factor in my obvious biases if you want). As long as Danny Rand would continue to improve as a character over the course of subsequent seasons, that is.

In Season One we were shown a young and unbalanced Danny Rand. His chi was flying north and south as he tried to makes sense of a manipulative and deceptive world. This was the same Iron Fist we followed into the Defenders. In Luke Cage Season Two we were shown a balanced and adept Danny Rand and it was amazing! So, it seems reasonable to assume that the same version of Iron Fist would be leading Iron Fist Season Two, yes? Well, not exactly. And it is here where my patience seems to have eroded a bit.

My feelings are a little mixed on Iron Fist Season 2.

THE PLOT

Danny has taken to the streets each night, acting as a vigilante protector, filling in the void left by Matt Murdock's absence. He's found a connection with the power inside him like never before. It's a feeling Danny begins to crave. Meanwhile Joy Meachum and Davos conspire to deal Danny Rand a fatal blow. With the help of a woman named Mary Walker, they take Danny by surprise and, using an ancient K'un Lun ritual, transfer the power of the Iron Fist from Danny to Davos. With his newfound power Davos embarks on a mission to purify New York City of its corruption by any means necessary.

WHAT I LIKED

Iron Fisting! By that I mean the fight scenes (what did you think I meant?). The fight scenes were of a higher caliber and appeared far more intricate and refined. There were far more instances where the power of the Iron Fist was displayed and that was exactly what I wanted. Between Luke Cage Season 2 and Iron Fist Season 2 I feel these have shown us some of the best fight sequences of the Netflix shows thus far. I especially loved the duel of Iron between Danny and Davos in K'un Lun. First off, I loved seeing more of K'un Lun and, of course, finally seeing the mask!

Ten Episode Format. Iron Fist Season 2 consists of ten episodes as opposed to the usual thirteen episode format. So far only The Defenders have deviated with an eight episode season until now. Most of these Netflix shows tend to stay way longer than they should and this one felt just right. It seems like the money that would've gone into those extra three episodes was redistributed throughout the ten episodes giving the show a higher production value. It seemed to me that Iron Fist Season 1 was lacking in production value. Of the five Marvel heroes on Netflix Iron Fist needs the most special effects to do the character justice. I've said this before, Iron Fist really needs a Game of Thrones size budget to really get it right. There is nowhere near that enough money at Netflix's disposal for this show but it's getting better.

The Supporting Players. Netflix has played more to the strengths of the first season by really exploring the side characters, all of which I enjoyed in this season. Colleen Wing is great once again albeit I didn't think she had as great of fight scenes as she had last season. Misty Knight teaming with Colleen Wing was amazing, further proof that a Daughters of the Dragon spinoff needs to happen. It was great seeing Davos wield the power (he's just so tiny looking though and Davos should be bigger than Danny). And Alice Eve as Typhoid Mary (Walker) was surprisingly good! At first I wasn't sure on Alice Eve but by the end, especially the little story arc of her maybe having a third personality, I was a believer. And lastly the Meachums. Joy going villainous was good and Ward going good guy was really good.

NITPICKS

Critical Consciousness. This season felt very reactionary to the public response to Iron Fist Season 1. Some of this is good and some of it is bothersome. They leaned heavily into the aspects people liked i.e. Colleen Wing and Davos (which is great actually). But Danny Rand suffers in this season. In season 1 we see a confused and emotional Danny Rand, unable to really be the Iron Fist. In this season they take the Iron Fist away from him halfway through and, on top of that, they give the Iron Fist to Colleen at the end. So, we get another season where Danny isn't allowed to be the Iron Fist he should be in the comics. The best Iron Fist has ever been on Netflix is his one episode in Luke Cage Season 2.

Adding insult to Danny's injury there's a subplot where Danny believes he was never meant to be the Iron Fist, only a vessel for it to find its way to Colleen who was truly meant to have it. I love Colleen (I have since way before the Netflix shows) and I love seeing her take on a bigger role. And she's a big fan favorite so I understand why they did it. But it feels like they did a massive disservice to their main character in exchange. Then they immediately try to backtrack with the last little minute which looks extremely ridiculous and perplexing (it's weird and I'm not sure how I feel about it). It's a very sour way to end the season if you're a Danny Rand fan.

THE VERDICT

Iron Fist Season 2 doubles down on what people liked from season 1 i.e. Colleen Wing and Davos, the supporting characters in general are all enjoyable. This season improves upon fight scenes and production value, features better special effects, and cuts down on the superfluous content that bogs down EVERY Netflix Marvel show. It's all one big improvement, not just on Iron Fist, but an improvement on Netflix's Marvel shows as a whole. All this would place this season as a top contender... if not for one big misstep. Danny Rand is done a major disservice in this show. In fact it seems like the whole time they're trying to push Danny out and hand off the show to Colleen. As a result I am left with very mixed feelings about Iron Fist Season 2.

Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10