After years of binge watching, the time has finally come. Netflix's The Defenders was released in its entirety Friday, combining the four heroes of the Marvel heroes in the battle for New York City. And while this is a major payoff for the fandom that has followed the solo shows, assembling the ensemble cast was no easy feat. Showrunner Marco Ramirez has recently done the rounds of press to promote the miniseries, and has finally been able to discuss the contents and challenges of the The Defenders. And it turns out that the most difficult aspect of crafting the 8 episode series was trying to capture the tone of all four shows, and being aware of some of the plot holes. He said,
The biggest challenge was that the tonal differences between all of the [previous] shows are so vast. That works to each of the shows' credit. Jessica Jones is very different from Luke Cage, which is very different from Iron Fist, which is very different from Daredevil. When you then have to think about combining those in the same dish, it kind of feels like, "Wait a second. What's going on?" But what the writers realized and the directors realized and I realized while running it is, the very problem of the show is the key to entering the show. Yes, it doesn't make sense that Jessica Jones and Danny Rand are sitting at the same dinner table. She should hear his story and say, 'That doesn't make any sense. Your chi is bullshit, your backstory is bullshit, and all the dragon stuff doesn't make any sense.' That's actually the fun of the show, watching that interaction between Matt Murdock and Luke Cage encountering each other and saying, 'How are you bulletproof?' and 'What do you mean, you're blind?' The interactions should make the show more fun, not take you out of it.
That's alot to unpack, so let's break down what exactly Marco Ramirez is discussing in this statement to THR.
Part of what makes each of Netflix's Marvel shows so fascinating is how distinctly stylized they each are. Daredevil is typically much darker with hues of red, Jessica Jones has a blue tint, and Luke Cage's solo adventure is full of yellows and a fantastic soundtrack. So Marco Ramirez and company had to attempt to stay true to these four distinctive styles, while also combining them all into one show. And in that regard, The Defenders succeeds. When the show pivots from one character to another, the show visually looks different. Daredevil's scenes look like they're form his series, and so on.
Maro Ramirez also addressed the way that The Defenders attempted to quell its naysayers. Instead of the heroes instantly understanding and accepting each other's wild stories, they doubt and poke fun; they point out how ridiculous it all sounds. This helps keep the series feeling real, while also self-criticizing before the haters get a chance to. Smart move, right?
The Defenders is currently streaming in its entirety on Netflix. And be sure to check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
