So I recently finished watching Netflix’s original series Marvel’s Iron Fist. I had been warned not to watch it. That it was bad, not worth it, a waste of time. So I thought I would at least weigh in on it for myself.

It wasn’t that bad. And by that bad I mean it wasn’t completely unwatchable. I don’t feel bad for spending the time watching it. Especially since it helps get me geared up for the upcoming series Marvel’s The Defenders, which drops in a few weeks.

That being said, I must say that I am not 100% sure I could recommend Iron Fist for anyone wanting to watch it. I won’t discourage it, but not encourage it either.

So what did I like about it? a few nice references to the other Defenders. Sadly, that’s about it. When compared to the other series (listed here in the order of my preference); Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones, Iron Fist falls drastically short.

I have no prior knowledge or experience with the comic book Iron Fist, but this show certainly did not make me want to go pick up any back issues and get familiar with it.

This series failed to meet a lot of expectations. (SPOILERS!) First and foremost was plot. Danny Rand comes back after 15 years in Kun’Lun a mystical monastery in the Himalayas. He wants his company back. And he wants to destroy The Hand (stupid name for a secret organization, IMHO). But the writers fail to explain Danny’s deep desire to have the company back (a company that we know very little about and are told very little through the series).

Danny’s backstory with Joy and Ward isn’t fleshed out very well, at least not well enough to make any interaction/relationships between the characters believable. His connection to their father is even more tenuous, and just as unbelievable.

Danny’s the Iron Fist. He can channel his chi into his fist to make it impenetrable, glowy, and can punch through anything. Okay, in the realm of super powers, this is REALLY weak. It’s limited in scope (his fist), capability (he can just punch stuff and if lucky deflect a bullet), and usage (is chi can be disrupted in various ways, as demonstrated in the show). He’s not a real spectacular “super-hero”. Yet everyone talks about him being the Iron Fist (well, those that know he is the IF), as if he’s Superman.

And as the Iron Fist, his job to was to guard the pass to Kun’Lun. A pass to a place that’s open to the rest of the world once every 15 years? Seems like a really short term job opportunity. And the Hand is so powerful and numerous that they can overrun the inhabitants of Kun’Lun, but can be defeated by a single man that may or may not be there? Sorry, but that’s terrible story writing, IMHO

As for the acting, no one really stood out as a memorable character/actor portrayal. Lines were delivered, but not with any real depth or emotion. I ended the series not really caring about the fate of any of the characters. Had any of them died I certainly would not have been all weepy emotional. The level of emotional investment with the characters just didn’t exist. If you saw Luke Cage, I felt a bit of Luke’s pain when one of the secondary characters was killed. With Iron Fist, I could have cared less. They just weren’t that compelling.

Other than this series being a part of the new Defenders show dropping in a few days, it just was something to pass the time, not something to heavily invest in.