[Review] Iron Fist Season 2: Plenty of Room for Improvement

Marvel and Netflix's collaborative series, Iron Fist, is set to premiere its second season tomorrow. I was fortunate enough to watch the first four episodes, courtesy of Netflix. So, has this season improved over the last?

First, to answer the question everyone is asking: Iron Fist Season 2 is definitely better than Season 1. To date, all four Marvel-Netflix series—Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist—have released their second seasons. In my opinion, Iron Fist shows the most significant improvement from its first season (though Luke Cage Season 2 was also better than its first). However, upon reflection, this isn't a massive accomplishment, as Iron Fist Season 1 was truly subpar; I found myself rolling my eyes while watching it last year. As the weakest of the four series, it's hardly surprising that Iron Fist Season 2 has improved; it's simply gone from being a very bad series to one that's less bad.

Admittedly, the improvements in Season 2 are quite noticeable, but the persistent pacing problem that plagues Marvel and Netflix collaborations remains severe. In the new season, the series spends almost three full episodes on plot setup, with the pace only picking up in the fourth episode. While the second episode features some decent action sequences, the overall plot progression is still very slow, even a bit boring. Previous Marvel and Netflix series typically had 13 episodes per season and were frequently criticized for slow and uneven pacing, with insufficient plot to sustain 13 episodes. This time, Iron Fist Season 2 reportedly only has 10 episodes, which sounds like a positive change. However, judging by the first three episodes, the pace of this season is still too slow. Perhaps the production team should consider 8 or even 6 episodes? Nevertheless, due to time constraints, I could only complete the first four episodes. The conflicts between the characters in the later episodes, as well as the storylines of Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) and Misty Knight (Simone Missick), seem quite engaging.

However, this three-episode buildup isn't entirely a bad thing. The character development for several protagonists is quite good, with the often-annoying Danny Rand finally becoming more mature and appealing. At the end of The Defenders, Danny decides to uphold the "legacy" of Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and protect New York. Before Iron Fist Season 2, Danny appeared in an episode of Luke Cage Season 2, where his role was particularly important, helping Luke Cage (Mike Colter) control his anger, aligning with a major theme of that season. Thus, Danny Rand's character began to improve in Luke Cage Season 2, and this character development continues in Iron Fist Season 2. He has grown from the impulsive simpleton of Season 1, who constantly blurted out his identity without seeming to genuinely consider its meaning, to a character who diligently reflects on his identity and knows how to control his temper. Perhaps he's finally becoming a hero. Yet, compared to the other distinctive heroes in the Netflix and Marvel collaborations, I still feel the writers haven't quite found the right angle to narrate Danny Rand's story.

On the other hand, Colleen Wing's (Jessica Henwick) character development has also significantly improved. In Season 1, Colleen's storyline, while dramatic, was often hard to believe or connect with. In this season, the writers make several attempts to help the audience better understand and relate to Colleen. One of the season's focuses is on the conflicts within Chinese gangs and the triads, with Colleen's background story also being explored. Last month, Crazy Rich Asians, starring an all-Asian cast, was released, and its Asian representation deeply moved many audiences. While Iron Fist Season 2 doesn't aim for the same effect and doesn't quite achieve it, Colleen's story is still very meaningful and, at the very least, more palatable than last season's. However, the most standout character this season is undoubtedly the villain, Mary (Alice Eve). One of Season 1's main problems was the lack of a compelling villain, making the entire season feel disjointed. This time, Season 2 introduces Mary and spends considerable time on character building. To avoid spoiling anyone's viewing experience, I won't go into detail about this villain here, but suffice it to say that the character's setup and portrayal are truly fascinating, and Alice Eve's performance is brilliant, especially in showcasing the character's changes through different periods.

Beyond character development and the villain, one of the biggest improvements this season is the action sequences. This time, the series brought in Clayton Barber, the action choreographer from Black Panther, to design the season's fight scenes, and they finally seem to live up to expectations for Iron Fist. In the trailer, you can see a flashback of Danny Rand's, depicting his duel with Davos (Sacha Dhawan) in K'un-Lun. This duel is one of the most outstanding action sequences in the first four episodes; their combat genuinely feels like the "exchanges of moves" found in traditional Chinese martial arts, and their interaction is incredibly fluid. Moreover, the set design and art direction of K'un-Lun are the most magnificent in the series to date. Additionally, Episode 4 features many excellent action scenes, including a thrilling long take that further deepens the character's personality.

In summary, Iron Fist Season 2 has indeed improved significantly over Season 1, but there is still much room for growth. While the pace of the first few episodes is a bit slow, the rhythm finally tightens up in Episode 4, and I hope the remaining episodes will improve further! With that, I believe Iron Fist will eventually shed its title as the weakest Marvel-Netflix collaboration.