Although the Marvel Netflix series all star heroes that are different enough that The Defenders was a wild ride of good guys learning to work together, they've all followed a similar template each season. Iron Fist is the next superhero series slated to hit the streaming service with its second season in September, and it's breaking out of the mold in a way that could fix Netflix's biggest Marvel issue. Iron Fist Season 2 will run for only 10 episodes.
With the exception of The Defenders, every season of every Marvel show on Netflix has run for 13 episodes. While getting more than a dozen episodes of superhero action sounds great in theory, a common complaint about the shows has been that the plot has dragged and there's been filler to try and stretch the story out to 13 episodes. As much as I can rank some of the Netflix series as among my favorite Marvel projects, I'll admit that some episodes have me glancing at my watch and wondering how much longer certain side plots could last.
Iron Fist's run of only 10 episodes could be exactly what the Marvel shows on Netflix need to hook fans from start to finish. It's no secret that Iron Fist's first season wasn't exactly the most well-received by audiences, and it was always likely that some changes would be in store for the second season. Given that Danny and Colleen were large parts of The Defenders and elements of Iron Fist powered a lot of the Defenders' plot, there's a chance that viewers who enjoyed Iron Fist in the team-up series will be inclined to give Iron Fist another shot.
Perhaps the shorter episode count will prove that Iron Fist found a solid way to change for its own sake as well as possibly set a precedent for other superhero shows on the streaming service. It may be too late for any changes to Daredevil Season 3, which is the next slated to release, but perhaps the episode counts for the next seasons of The Punisher, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage are in store if fans respond well to 10 episodes of Iron Fist.
This is only the latest news to come out recently about Iron Fist Season 2. At San Diego Comic-Con, the first full trailer was released (and you can watch it here), and the premiere date was revealed as Friday, September 7 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Netflix. Footage revealed Danny wearing the classic Iron Fist mask, and we learned the identity of Alice Eve's character: Typhoid Mary, once rumored as a villain on Jessica Jones.
Only a little over a month is left before viewers can see for themselves if the 10 episodes of Season 2 beats the 13 episodes of Season 1 and all the seasons of the other solo superhero series on Netflix. For some streaming options in the meantime, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere guide. If streaming isn't always your things, swing by our summer TV schedule and our brand new fall TV guide.
