Marvel’s Iron Fist was put in an unenviable position. Let’s just start with that. When Daredevil first came out, it established a very important pocket of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this world, things were grounded, dark, violent, and fully of hate and uncertainty. More importantly, however, the filmmakers were intent on making a compelling narrative. This extended to both Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, and before we even knew it, Marvel’s Netflix shows became synonymous with quality. With each successive season of a show, the pressure piled on and on. Which show would be the one to end the quality streak for the Marvel Netflix series?

Sadly, we may have reached a conclusion sooner than we’ve hoped. While it’d be unfair to say we saw this coming, if there was a series that we’d expect to stumble right out of the gate, it’s Iron Fist. Unlike the other shows, which are more firmly grounded in reality, Iron Fist brings in a more mystic side, which could threaten to throw off the whole dynamic of the world. Well, early reviews are in for the new show, and it looks like it’s not nearly as strong as we’d hoped.

Take a look at a handful of early reviews.

THR

“Debuting on Netflix on Friday, March 17, Iron Fist feels like a step backward on every level, a major disappointment that already suffers from storytelling issues through the first six episodes made available to critics and would probably be mercifully skippable in its entirety if it weren’t the bridge into the long-awaited Defenders crossover series.”

Variety

“Not one element of this plodding piece works. The action scenes lack spark, snap, and originality. None of the flat, by-the-numbers characters makes any lasting impression. And as origin stories go, the tale of Danny Rand (Finn Jones), at least as rendered by this creative team, is about as exciting as a slice of Velveeta cheese left out in the sun too long. It takes forever for anything to happen on Iron Fist, and as it stumbles along, the uninspired production design, unexceptional cinematography, and painful dialogue fail to distract the viewer from the overall lack of depth, detail, or momentum.”

Den of Geek

“I kept waiting for Iron Fist to kick it into another gear, and that sixth episode aside, it never quite did. If nothing else, Marvel’s Netflix efforts have earned the benefit of the doubt, and I’m willing to believe that the next seven episodes make up for lost time. But it’s worth pointing out that both Daredevil Season 2 and Luke Cage took noticeably different turns in their second halves. Hopefully Iron Fist is just a slow burn, and the steady build that begins in episode three and blossoms in episode six continues for the rest of the series. Iron Fist might just be the unfortunate victim of the raised expectations that come with these projects.”

IGN

“What ensues is basically a soap opera plot where bland, pretty, filthy rich people sneer and scheme over fortunes and family, complete with betrayals and characters seemingly back from the dead. The plight of an heir reclaiming his fortune and empire may be high enough stakes in a soap or a stodgy British costume drama, but in a show called Iron Fist this isn’t the most engaging way to spend time getting acquainted with the last Defender.”

The Verge

“The end result is more often a boring, confused, and offensive mess of a series, one that’s as bad at diversity as it is telling a story that superhero fans will enjoy. It lacks the impact it so desperately needed after the successes of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. And that’s a shame. Fans feared the worst when the series was announced, and all their fears came true.”

We have to say, this leaves us more than a little disappointed. Like with all the Netflix shows, we greatly looked forward to seeing what new experience Iron Fist had to offer. While the initial reception isn’t promising, we think Netlix and Marvel have at least warranted us giving the series a shot. And even if it ends up as an epic misfire, we can always hope that its relevance in The Defenders will be enough to justify Iron Fist’s existence.

What do you think of these initial reviews? Does it put a damper on your excitement for the show? Let us know your thoughts down below!

Iron Fist hits Netflix on March 17, 2017.

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