I've been waiting for this show with a lot of excitement. The Netflix shows are probably my favorite part of the MCU. DD and JJ were simply excellent, with compelling stories, great cast and a dark tone, although each of the two had its own unique atmosphere. DD played out like a crime procedural/legal drama with phenomenal fight scenes, while JJ was a gritty psychological thriller with incredible depth mixed with some neo-noir detective stuff. And I loved them both. Luke Cage was more of a mixed bag for me, but the first half of it was great and it had some of the best music I've heard on any show in a long while, so I still liked it. And Iron Fist... I mean, I didn't hate it? It was just kind of meh. But still, seeing these four characters together was something I've been looking forward to for months.
This episode is your typical introducing-our-heroes-and-setting-up-the-overarching-plot pilot. Except we already know the heroes, so instead, we catch up on what they've been doing. Matt's given up on the vigilante business and his relationship with Karen is visibly strained, he's also having trouble moving on from Elektra. Jessica drinks hard as ever and doesn't want to be anyone's hero, thank you very much (although she can't help but follow the mystery that quite literally knocks on her door), Luke has a delightful reunion with Claire (I love them!) and is determined to continue his mission of fighting crime in Harlem, and Danny... spends most of the episode on a plane. Doing nothing. Oh well. There's a reason Iron Fist was the weakest show of the four.
We're also introduced to our main villain. Sigourney Weaver is one of those people who just radiate elegance and steal any scene with their presence. That's the kind of person I strive to be. She's so... regal, I guess. They couldn't have chosen a better actress.
We see Foggy (who is rocking the hell out of his new haircut) for a second as well and Elektra, The Actual Love Of My Life, makes a short appearance at the end. I forgot how beautiful she is. Elodie can kick my ass anytime.
I love how they used colors in this episode. Matt's apartment was bathed in red, Jessica's scenes were sort of pale blue with hints of purple, Luke was surrounded by different shades of yellow, and Alexandra's signature hue seems to be white, from the sterile hospital rooms to her coat to the pidgeons in the park. I also love the way the show fluidly moves from one character to the next with some really neat editing. The older I get, the more I find myself paying attention to those more technical aspects of shows and movies - cinematography, editing, sound design. The opening episode of The Defenders is incredibly aesthetically pleasing and it seems a lot of thought went into the visuals, which I appreciate.
Review by Aniela KrajewskaVIP 8BlockedParentSpoilers2017-08-18T08:49:43Z— updated 2018-10-11T20:28:03Z
I've been waiting for this show with a lot of excitement. The Netflix shows are probably my favorite part of the MCU. DD and JJ were simply excellent, with compelling stories, great cast and a dark tone, although each of the two had its own unique atmosphere. DD played out like a crime procedural/legal drama with phenomenal fight scenes, while JJ was a gritty psychological thriller with incredible depth mixed with some neo-noir detective stuff. And I loved them both. Luke Cage was more of a mixed bag for me, but the first half of it was great and it had some of the best music I've heard on any show in a long while, so I still liked it. And Iron Fist... I mean, I didn't hate it? It was just kind of meh. But still, seeing these four characters together was something I've been looking forward to for months.
This episode is your typical introducing-our-heroes-and-setting-up-the-overarching-plot pilot. Except we already know the heroes, so instead, we catch up on what they've been doing. Matt's given up on the vigilante business and his relationship with Karen is visibly strained, he's also having trouble moving on from Elektra. Jessica drinks hard as ever and doesn't want to be anyone's hero, thank you very much (although she can't help but follow the mystery that quite literally knocks on her door), Luke has a delightful reunion with Claire (I love them!) and is determined to continue his mission of fighting crime in Harlem, and Danny... spends most of the episode on a plane. Doing nothing. Oh well. There's a reason Iron Fist was the weakest show of the four.
We're also introduced to our main villain. Sigourney Weaver is one of those people who just radiate elegance and steal any scene with their presence. That's the kind of person I strive to be. She's so... regal, I guess. They couldn't have chosen a better actress.
We see Foggy (who is rocking the hell out of his new haircut) for a second as well and Elektra, The Actual Love Of My Life, makes a short appearance at the end. I forgot how beautiful she is. Elodie can kick my ass anytime.
I love how they used colors in this episode. Matt's apartment was bathed in red, Jessica's scenes were sort of pale blue with hints of purple, Luke was surrounded by different shades of yellow, and Alexandra's signature hue seems to be white, from the sterile hospital rooms to her coat to the pidgeons in the park. I also love the way the show fluidly moves from one character to the next with some really neat editing. The older I get, the more I find myself paying attention to those more technical aspects of shows and movies - cinematography, editing, sound design. The opening episode of The Defenders is incredibly aesthetically pleasing and it seems a lot of thought went into the visuals, which I appreciate.