I know this is a direct response to my last blog so for the sake of keeping the conversation open I will rank the Marvel Netflix shows.
NOTE : These are my opinions and no one elses, you may agree or disagree and that's fine. This isn't meant to start a disagreement.
By : Jamie Santamore
My oldest son asks me on a regular basis who my favorite super hero is and it often changes. As a screen writer I can enjoy all the different characteristics of the characters. do my favorites rank HIGHER on the list then some of the ones I like less, maybe. Will some of my order surprise you probably. Grab a drink sit back and enjoy this list. I will try to write a little like / dislike section about each selection .
If you missed last week's blog I want to inform you all that I'm a novice comic book fan, I don't read comics (I haven't in probably the last 20 years) I watch all the movies and most of the TV shows and I feel that these shows and movies are geared more towards bringing the casual fans like me while also trying to stay true to the comics for the die hard fans. here is my ranking of the Netflix Marvel shows.
NOTE : Ranking will be top to bottom (Best to Worst)
I enjoy the playfulness between Matt and Foggy played by Elden Henson, you can see that it effects Matt having to keep this dark secret from his best friend. Claire Temple played by
The relationships between Matt and Karen Page played by Deborah Ann Woll adn Foggy and Karen is another well written part of the show. they all obviously care for each other.
I love Vincent D'onfrio as Kingpin )Perfect casting in my opinion. The story line with him for the season was incredible and there was no real let down during the season.
I enjoy Daredevil because I see a lot of myself in the character. (No I'm not blind) The struggles with where "the line" is and if you should ever cross it I struggle with that as a person and as a screenwriter.
LIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : The building of the characters is something that I really enjoyed about this show. I learned alot about the characters I didn't know much about and it helped me understand the character of Matt Murdock / Daredevil much better.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I really don't have many dislikes about this season except maybe that I thought there should be more about the Wesley character, his back story, how he knows Wilson Fisk etc.
Season 2 was slightly weaker then season 1, I think there needed to be more Kingpin from prison. I like that fact that Kingpin became the boss of the yard so quickly (Would you expect anything less)
The Kingpin releases the Punisher from prison to continue his mission to take down those responsible for the murders of his family.
and one of the best and most revealing moments in Frank Castle's character is when he helps Daredevil during the season finale.
LIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I love that they brought us The Punisher in Daredevil. I enjoyed the growth of the characters in season two and you can see how they've been changed by the events of Season one.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I would say right off the top of my head I wanted there to be more of Elektra in the show her back story. (not just her past with Matt)
This season is fast paced as there are only 8 episodes which is something I loved about it! I feel this show really does alot of the Jessica Jones and Danny Rand / Iron Fist characters. Luke Cage and Matt Murdock are already well established in this story and I feel this storyline really brings the Jessica Jones and Iron Fist characters in a better light because in the case of Jessica you see that she does have a heart and she does care about others. For Iron Fist you see that he's been fighting The Hand for so long and everything he has been saying is coming to light.
LIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : The entire story was awesome from beginning to end.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : they really left it wide open where The Defenders go from here in Season two (If there is a second season) I like to have a rough idea of what's happening next.
John Bernthal brings Frank Castle / The Punisher to life like no one has before him. The entire cast is amazing really and the story is a great way to give the character his own show.
The fact that he works with Micro (played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach) took me back for a moment but they need each other to accomplish the goals they need to accomplish and it plays out beautifully for the entire season.
I love the Billy Russo character also played by Ben Barnes. the way he moves, talks and carries himself you're not sure if you like hjim or not or if he can be trusted.
This season really puts the final nail in the Punisher's revenge story line so I'm excited to see what Frank Castle does next.
LIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I really enjoyed the subplot story line with Lewis Walcott played by Daniel Webber. this is a sad and painful glimpse of what some soldiers returning home from war become. I was sort of hoping Frank would get to this kid and talk to him before he went down the road he went down it was a sad ending for the character.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I would have liked to actually see the murders of The Castle Family (If that sounds sick I'm sorry) I want to see it play out on screen because I think it would give as all a different look at Frank Castle.
Danny Rand / Iron Fist was a character I had never heard of so I was interested in what the show could be and once I saw all the negative BS online about I decided to watch it and decide for myself.
I clicked on it on Netflix and fell in love with it right away for many reasons but mainly because it was 100% NEW to me and I wanted to learn about the Danny Rand character and thus learn about the Iron Fist.
Finn Jones who played Danny Rand / Iron Fist is an incredibly talented actor who threw himself into the role and really delivered on the character in my opinion. I enjoyed the addition of Colleen Wing played by Jennifer Henwick she really kicks ass in this show! the development of their relationship and how it turns out was a really cool plot device.
I enjoyed the love / hate relationship between Danny and Ward Meachum played by the amazing Tom Pelphrey. I also got deeply into the best friend relationship of Danny Rand and Joy Meachum played by Jessica Stroup.
The father / Son relationship that is shown between Harold Meachum played by David Wenham is an important plot device in the story that was well played by both actors.
This show changed my life and taught me several harsh realities. I learned to meditate because of this show and I took and completed a Tai Chi class because of this show.
I'm not saying that I want to be the Iron Fist but having these tools in my life has made me a better person and I wouldn't have this mindset without the show so THANK YOU to Marvel, Netflix, Finn Jones and everyone involved in the show..
I don't see what fans dislike about this show / character. he seemed like a real person with real problems and after you got through that the show was incredible the fight scenes were cool and you believed them (for the most part)
LIKE ABOUT THIS SEASON : I enjoyed the story line completely even thought I was confused about the Harold Meachum / Hand connection for a bit. I like that they bring Claire Temple played by Rosario Dawson into this show as well.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I thought there should've been a cameo from another Marvel hero (Daredevil would've made the most sense)
This show really gives us a hero that doesn't like that word used to describe her. Jessica Jones is played flawlessly by Krysten Ritter who I believe is a bad ass women from the word go. She has complex relationships with her friend Trish Walker played by the amazingly talented Rachel Taylor. She has a strained working relationship with Jeri Hogarth played by Carrie-Anne Moss .
I find Jessica Jones interesting because she doesn't have a superhero name she's simply Jessica Jones. We also meet Luke Cage played by Mike Coulter in this series which was something I found interesting because I had heard of Luke Cage but had never read any of the comics so I was interested to learn about the character.
David Tennant as Kilgrave was freakin' awesome !! What an amazing character to see in my introduction to Jessica Jones! I can't say enough about the character. I mean who wouldn't want to have that power, right !?
LIKE ABOUT THIS SEASON : I really enjoyed the development of the Kilgrave Jessica Jones story and to see how it effected her other relationships.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I wanted to see more of Trish and Jessica and learn about their relationship more.
The character of Luke Cage is a very cool character I will admit that, he's bullet proof for God's sake! Mike COulter is an awesom addition to the MCU for sure and I can't see anyone else playing this character so if they put Luke Cage in the movies Mike Coulter IS Luke Cage .
I enjoyed the relationship between Misty Knight and Luke Cage watching it develop and change over the course of the season was cool .
One thing about the Marvel Netflix show is there have many characters that cross over between shows like Claire Temple, Karen Page, Colleen Wing and my favorite street criminal Turk Barrett his line "I'm Turk Barrett baby." is funny.
One thing that this show doesn't have is a shortage of villains. We have Cottonmouth (Don't call him that) played by Mahersali Ali who is brilliant in this role who is cousins with the crooked Councilwoman Mariah Dillard played by Alfre Woodward as well as Willis "Diamondback" Stryker and my favorite villain from this season Hernan "Shades" Alverez played by the amazing Theo Rossi.
This story has alot of twists and turns that I didn't expect like when Diamondback takes over from Cottonmouth that surprised me. the reveal that Diamondback and Luke Cage are brothers was a shock to me as well . I'm gonna tell you that when they opened fire on Pop's barbershop and Pop was killed I cried, that was a crushing loss for the show and the Luke Cage character I think that event sets him on his true path for the remainder of the season.
LIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : The show was incredible and the story of Carl Lucas and how he became Luke Cage was a very cool story.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SHOW : their use of the N word, I know that's how people talk but it was off putting in the beginning of the series but I got used to hearing it.
This season was sort of flat for me. I get the story line with her once thought dead mother and how that effects Jessica and how some people got right into it but after awhile it was like "can they move on to something else."
This was another show where I thought they should have another Marvel hero pop in for a cameo Iron Fist maybe ?I really enjoyed the show but not as much as others in the universe.
LIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : I enjoyed the Jessica Jones character as well as the Malcolm character who showed alot of growth in season two.
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : The drawn out mother story line mostly is what kills this show for me .
I enjoy the story from the word go honestly I enjoyed the relationship issues between Claire and Luke as it shows a real struggle that we have in our lives .
I feel for Luke who struggles with the fame of being the "Hero of Harlem" and how everyone wants pictures with him etc. that's hard to deal with. I love the D Dub character who was a pest in season one but becomes friends with Luke and starts selling merch for him out of Pop's shop.
I was bummed when Luke didn't get paid the $300,000 dollars he was promised for the meet and greet and then protecting Raymond "Piranha" Jones who was a Luke Cage super fan! Being a hero isn't cheap think of all the hoodies Luke goes through..
The Main villain for this season John "Bushmaster" McIver was weak in my opinion and really wasn't an enemy of Luke Cage as much as an enemy of Mariah Stokes (Dillard). He only becomes an enemy of Luke Cage when he starts causing problems in Harlem.
I wanted more of the Shades / Maraiah story line then the "Bushmaster" stuff. They built that up so high in Season 1 I wanted that story to come to a close more then anything else.
They wanted to develop a sub plot around Mariah and her daughter Tilly which was another story line that sort of took away from what I thought should've been the main story line Luke trying to take down Mariah and Shades but we got "Bushmaster" instead .... I found it very hard to understand any of the Jamaican characters not really a problem in terms of the overall show maybe just for me.
LIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : The closure of the Shades / Mariah story line as well as the hints to the "Heros For Hire" story line as well as the inclusion of Danny Rand / Iron Fist and Colleen Wing into the story (Wish they had more of a role)
DISLIKES ABOUT THIS SEASON : The "Bushmaster" story as it was more about an issue between the Stokes family and the McIver family and had nothing to do with Luke Cage.
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STAY HUNGRY, STAY HUMBLE MY FRIENDS : )