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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 326000" data-attributes="member: 23">The Defenders Worst Behaviour / Royal Dragon / Take ShelterAnd the chemistry is working for me. Not only does it have the requisite frisson of excitement that comes from a Marvel team-up, but it has it left, right and centre. As if the four leads are working each other out in the Chinese restaurant, there’s the sight of Foggy, Karen, Malcolm, Trish, Misty, Claire and Colleen in the same room. Knowing some characters’ relationships from the comics, little moments like Misty and Colleen’s first interaction feel very significant.These episodes have highlighted many differences between the characters’ styles, such as Matt being the only character who has any kind of secret identity to keep. There’s also Luke and Jessica's far more grounded tones, with them scoffing or just plain laughing at the mention of dragons or resurrection. Their cynicism is effective. Highlighting the ridiculousness of some of these devices means they react as any sane, real-world person would. In turn, this makes the situation feel more real and relatable, selling it to us.Jessica’s cynical attitude and lack of patience feel particularly refreshing after a great deal of time without seeing her on screen, and I’m having my share of laughs watching her getting bored and just throwing punches, or wisecracking away while others are being serious.I find it interesting that Iron Fist seems to be the key to everything, but it makes sense as it feels he could easily end up in the background were his name not mentioned in every scene. As I said, though, the chemistry works between all four. Seeing them work together, I’ve decided I’d far prefer to watch a Power Man/Iron Fist series than a second solo series for either as they’re quite fun together. Another thirteen episodes of smirking Theo Rossi taking his glasses off and putting them back on, or another ten episodes of Danny Rand trying to find himself don’t feel at all inviting to me at this time. It’s difficult not to compare this with The Avengers, and this comes out quiet favourably because it  feels mostly organic and intimate. The threat is still the same - the destruction of New York city - but this has an added underground element that feels grittier. The series, of course, also benefits from heaps of time to focus on the characters as individuals. And while the fights are very typical Marvel Television fare - lots of fast-moving martial arts in gloomy, confined spaces - I find this far preferable to enormous CGI monsters coming from the clouds. Not that I’m running down The Avengers (after all, the entire franchise is following the template set by the MCU films, and it’s hard to envisage this particular series happening without that first Avengers film). It’s just pleasing that the format mitigates some of the things I found bothersome with early MCU team films.</blockquote>

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