REVIEW: Iron Fist Season 2
Despite people’s better judgement, Iron Fist has returned for a second season. Maybe it was by contract, maybe someone saw something in the dead-on-arrival show, but here we are, now with a brand-new showrunner. Does it improve? Warning, here be spoilers because there are some spoilers.
Anyone else find it ironic that now we have a villain who is boasting himself as the Immortal Iron Fist and pretty much boasting the same qualities as Danny in the first season? I can’t think of a better representation for the season’s fixes than that. It’s as if the show’s openly acknowledging how lousy Danny was a hero. I can definitely get behind anyone willing to admit that. It just makes them beating Davos to a pulp that much more interesting.
Even without that, Davos is leagues ahead as a villain compared to the zombie ninjas. Not necessarily a Kingpin or a Kilgrave, but someone who poses a threat, has a believable origin story, and keeps doing something. Plus, you can’t completely hate a guy who had the power to take the Iron Fist from Danny to shut that plot up for a while. And he introduces us to Typhoid Mary.
Speaking of Typhoid Mary, I have to give props to the intro of the character who managed to play off ambiguity better than Elektra. The chick is merciless yet reasonable, deadly yet meaningful. I don’t see her taking over an ancient evil group just because she can. While we don’t see her as much as we should, she left a mark that I hope we touch on again. It doesn’t sound any harder than somehow explaining the Iron Fist guns.
That is far from the only change we have this season. For one thing, the season’s shortened to ten episodes which is something this universe desperately needed. Placing it in Iron Fist is just the perfect fit to convince people to try again without it being another chore. Another pleasant addition is the reappearance of Misty Knight who gets her own side plot in the series. Sure, we’re desperately waiting on the Daughters of the Dragon series with Colleen Wing, but I guess this is a good starter.
Onto Colleen Wing. A major improvement includes a huge uptick in her character’s role. Once a love interest now has half the fight scenes and a pivotal climax. More importantly, if there was any character I’m actually glad gets the title of Iron Fist, it’s her. Not because of any retconning that involves her ancestors or something, because she’s someone who worked and developed to this point in time. And she keeps developing, trying to find her future as her world changed last season yet still helping others. It’s probably the most noble goal in this series, which is kind of sad.
Of course, the season still has all of the same flaws as the first season. Even with ten episodes, this show still feels too long, much like any Netflix series. Danny still has the vaguest of arcs which makes him the weakest protagonist even if it’s improved from the unbearable jerk from last year. A majority of the side characters are still dull as cardboard outside Colleen and Misty. If this show could have changed those things, however, it would have been a bigger miracle.
There are still some interesting tidbits to catch up on for the inevitable next season. I look forward to the adventures of Colleen the Iron Fist…even though Danny apparently got two more somehow. There has to be an interesting story behind that. If not, I look forward to the bungling of what couldn’t be more interesting if they tried. Witness punching a dragon.
Is Iron Fist season two one of the best in the Netflix universe? Not by a long shot. But it is without a doubt the most improved which is actually impressive considering the range of second season slumps we’ve been getting. Although it has flaws that these shows refuse to change, I remain optimistic of the future. For the first time, I look forward to the Immortal Iron Fist.
