When season one of Marvel’s Iron Fist came around last year, it did so to a swath of negativity. While a good chunk of it was deserved, there were also parts of the series clearly being held back by its requirement to set up the big bad of what would be The Defenders mini-series.
Heading into season two, the hope was that the show would have a chance to thrive now that there won’t be a need to play into a larger narrative. We can actually see an Iron Fist series that’s having… fun. And while parts of that sentiment are true of the show’s sophomore turn, it is still not without its problems.
On the positives, the action, acting and motivations of almost all the players involved are much cleaner this time around. Jones has actually learned how to deliver satisfying hand-to-hand combat on screen (minimal as it may be unmasked)! Instead of being an ugly failure, the improvements to the series this season actually do make it mostly watchable.
However, the biggest problem with Iron Fist remains its eponymous protagonist.
This really has less to do with Jones’ performance now and more to do with how the character’s written. The reality is Danny was written so weakly in season one that it was going to take a fairly impossible level of re-working to make him interesting going forward.
In this new season, Danny is more accessible, but that hasn’t stripped him of his rich-boy persona that, while could have been played for a Bruce Wayne esthetic, is just a hindrance to his overall story.
It’s just impossible to buy into his struggles as a human. The fact he chooses to live amongst the middle class doesn’t change the fact he isn’t one. Which serves as yet another missed opportunity for character development that would have actually created a far more fascinating portrayal of the hero.
Overall, there are notable things worth pointing out about season two of Iron Fist. It’s much better paced and way easier to watch. But coming back from what was a truly lack-luster first season was going to take far more than a few kung-fu classes. It was going to take a complete overhaul of the series and it’s hard to say if that was ever going to be possible.
Marvel’s Iron Fist premieres this Friday on Netflix
