Doctor Strange Gets Great Early Reviews

Doctor Strange news has been a bit thin on the ground in the the run up to its release. Benedict Cumberbatch‘s debut into the Marvel universe was released in the U.K. this week, and will open Stateside next weekend, however critics are already talking about it… and they really like it!

Currently, the film is at 93% on review compendium Rotten Tomatoes, denoting similar quality to other MCU favourites Avengers Assemble (92%), Guardians of the Galaxy (91%) and Iron Man (94%). The site, which forms an aggregate score based on both reviewer and audience opinion, has always found Marvel films to rate higher than DC films, where latest outings such as Suicide Squad floundered with a score of 26%.

The reviews are very complimentary about the tone of the movie:

“Yes, Doctor Strange will change the tone of Marvel movies going forward, and that’s a very good thing.”

                            – Rich Cline, Contactmusic.com

the visuals:

“Visually, this is Inception dialled up to eleven, a world-bending, shape-shifting and time-distorting Escher painting filled with heroes and villains duelling over the possibility of immortality.”

                     -Tom Glasson, Concrete Playground

and the leading man:

“Cumberbatch fits Doctor Strange like a pair of snap-tight surgical gloves, in yet another MCU triumph. Beautifully designed, brilliantly executed.”

                                – James Mottram, Total Film

It certainly looks like Marvel Studios might have another hit on their hands, and I’ll be interested to see where it enters the box office charts after its first major weekend. Will the fans love it as much as the critics?

If you’ve seen Doctor Strange and want to share your thoughts, why not tweet us @skatronixxx or leave a comment below?

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Daredevil Episode 20 – Semper Fidelis

Picking up where the last episode left off, Nelson & Murdock has taken on Frank Castle’s case. The episode begins with a good montage where possible jurors all explain different opinions on the Punisher. This works because it is believable – realistically, there would be people who support vigilante justice and people who shun it. The trial is troubling as Castle obviously committed the murders. However, he refuses to give an insanity plea. He doesn’t consider lying about PTSD an insult to himself, he considers it an insult to those who suffer from it, pretty clever character development.

Matters are not helped by Matt’s double life. It should be noted, this episode has has a lot of Daredevil in action. He and Elektra are battling the Japanese mafia in what are some pretty intense action scenes. Operating as Daredevil causes problems when Matt is late for court. After a long time of Foggy begrudgingly sharing the secret, he finally loses it and the issue begins to truly drive a wedge between the two.

Elektra is proving to be more of a toxic personality as she’s also driving a wedge between Matt and Karen. This is one part I have mixed feelings about. On one hand this is good drama as Elektra is making Murdock’s life more complicated. On the other hand, Matt and Karen’s relationship STILL feels underdeveloped. There’s a bit of a “this is still going on?” vibe to it.

Overall, this was a great episode. It is not perfect, but it feels like the total package. Every major character has a big moment – whether it be Castle’s psychology or Foggy and Karen showing a little more personality – and the episode hardly has any wasted time.

Tim Miller Leaves Production of “Deadpool” Sequel

Since it’s release on Valentines Day 2016, Deadpool is the super hero movie that’s delighted all comic book fans. Despite it’s low budget and R-Rating, Deadpool successfully reigned in over $782 million worldwide and broke numerous box office records, including becoming the seventh highest-grossing film of 2016, the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time (when un-adjusted for inflation), and the highest-grossing X-Men film. It’s a hell of an achievement for a movie that began production in 2004 and kept being placed in Production Hell.

So it’s understandable that fans were shocked and upset when Tim Miller, director of this highly overachieving movie, announced he’d be leaving the production on Deadpool 2.

Tim Miller cited his reasons for leaving as creative differences with leading man Ryan Reynolds (The Proposal, Buried, R.I.P.D). This split was said to be a very mutual and amicable split between the two, but of course this comes to a massive blow to fans of the original hilarious, fourth-wall-breaking, R-Rated fest that was Deadpool.

Fans have been quick to share their reactions across Twitter;

Including Guardian’s of the Galaxy director James Gunn;

However, Deadpool fans should remain optimistic. While Tim Miller may no longer be directing, Ryan Reynolds is still very much on board production-wise, as he was last time. He loves and understands the character extremely well, and clearly has a lot of passion for the movies he’s creating for Deadpool. Hopefully soon, he will find a director who he agrees with on the direction of Wade Wilson’s story, and there will be crisp high-five’s all around.

Deadpool 2 is currently in production, and on schedule for release in 2018 at this time.

Joss Whedon Weighs in on Marvel vs DC and Directing Star Wars

Joss Whedon has been very quiet recently. Avengers: Age of Ultron was his last outing and, well, it all kind of ended in tears. It received mixed reviews from press and fans, and met with controversy regarding a joke made by Tony Stark and Black Widow apparently claiming to be a monster because she’s unable to have children – and the result was Whedon had to quit Twitter due to the abuse he received on the social media platform. He’s recently popped back up to promote his online video for Save The Day, uniting some of his favourite famous faces to stand up against real life supervillain Donald Trump. To promote the video, Whedon talked to Complex. During the interview he revealed that he was a fan of the Great British Bake Off and that he’s a Buffy/Spike shipper, and also spoke about Marvel vs DC, the Wonder Woman movie, and how he’d love to join the Star Wars family.

On Marvel vs DC: “I did not see Suicide Squad. I saw Batman vs. Superman. Everybody’s got their own method. I think Marvel has been more successful systematically. DC has been more cinematic—their stuff looks amazing—but I feel like Kevin [Feige, President of Marvel Studios] is a really good storyteller. He really cares about coherence, and I feel like style never defeats substance at Marvel, but a little style creeps in. Ant-Man had some, Doctor Strange might be funky, and they are doing very fun things on TV. The Marvel-Netflix thing is working really well. DC’s decision to have their shows on TV with different actors playing the same characters at the same time as their movies, is a little interesting.”

On the Wonder Woman movie (which Whedon was attached to a while back): “I want it to be good. The trailer was just wonderful. I’ll probably be disappointed, me more than anybody else, because I’ll be like, “Wow, my version…” or whatever, but I can still get myself up for it. The trailer had her shield and her fire hammer and yep, I’m good, this will be fine, everything is good. Such an image.”

On returning to a franchise: “I mean, it’s a fun thing to do, to put yourself in the service of something if you think you can add an interpretation. It’s no different than any other storytelling. There are some times when you get micro-managed to death but with Marvel, they let me make two movies that were very much mine. So do I want to make James Bond movie? Yeah. Anne Hathaway does Catwoman again? Sure, I’m in. Do I want to make a Star Wars movie? Yeah. I was like, “I don’t want to make a Star Wars movie. Like, god dammit, why?” But I saw the trailer for Rogue One awhile ago and I was like, “I want to do that.” To make a Star Wars movie and not be wed to the bigger picture.”

I would love to see a Joss Whedon helmed Star Wars spin off movie, but whatever he does, I hope he gets back to work soon!

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James Gunn Wants a Nebula solo movie as much as we do!

James Gunn has had quite a week this week. Not only has he delighted fans with an awesome new poster and a cool sneak peek at the eagerly awaited Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2, but he also stated on Twitter that he’d be up for doing a Nebula solo project in the future. The film maker, who regularly communicates with fans via social media, agreed with a comment made on Twitter by a fan who said Nebula was his favourite character and should have her own movie.

I have a few favorites myself, but I agree that Nebula should lead her own film – it's something I've thought about from the beginning. https://t.co/lyPAA6Hyxw

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 16, 2016

But before you start pre-ordering your Nebula movie t-shirt and tweeting Karen Gillan messages off congratulations (though she did reply to his tweet supporting the idea!), this may be easier said than done. The GotG franchise is very much built on an ensemble, and Marvel hasn’t yet made any moves to give the characters solo projects. Also, Marvel has their movie calendar filled up until 2020, so unless Nebula becomes a massive break out success in vol 2, it’s unlikely she’ll pull a Spider-Man and get her own film snuck in before then.

However, it’s not entirely hopeless. We do know that Nebula will have a significant role in GotG vol 2, which is great news, as in my opinion she was hideously underused in the first film! Also, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has suggested that Nebula will be round for a while. “If people know the comic lore, Nebula has a lot of varying different roles to play over the course of a lot of different titles in the comics,” he said. “We have somebody like Karen, and you have a look that is so weird and so great. I think that’s something we’d all like to see again.” It’s not yet confirmed if former Doctor Who star Karen Gillan has been cast in Avengers: Infinity War, but certainly it’s what the fans are hoping for.

Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2 is released in the UK on 28th April and 5th May in the USA

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Who will Thanos Kill in Avengers: Infinity War?

Online geek news site ComicBookMovie.com has written an interesting opinion piece about the six characters most likely to be killed off in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War movies. Even though the first film isn’t due for release until 2018, there is a lot of speculation about who will make it out of the war alive.

If you’re interested in who the good people at CBM think will meet a premature end at the hands of giant purple villain Thanos (Josh Brolin), you can read all about it here. Over at Skatronixxx towers, I decided to have a bit of a ponder on the question too… and on some I totally agree, but some our opinions differ.

Place your bets, please!

1.Captain America aka Steve Rogers (Chris Evans)

This almost seems like a forgone conclusion at this point. In the real world, we know that Chris Evans‘s contract with MCU has just about come to an end, and the man behind the shield may want to move on to pastures new. In the comics, Captain America has died before, and indeed, many fans were expecting to see Steve Rogers expire in the Civil War movie. So Cap dying towards the end of the movie would not be totally unexpected, and would pave the way for Falcon to pick up the mantle.

2. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr)/War Machine (Don Cheadle)

Now, there was some debate in our house about this one… War Machine was critically injured in Civil War, essentially making him a sitting duck when Thanos comes to town. I think he might be killed off early on, causing rage in the Avengers camp. Plus, Thanos just killed him in the comics, so it’s a real possibility. However, my partner raised a good point… Robert Downey Jr will have the same contract expiry as Chris Evans, so his tenure in the MCU could be coming to an end, making him a prime candidate for execution. My thought is, would MCU kill off two characters with the iron suits? I don’t feel like they would, and if one was to go, my money would be on War Machine, but maybe they’re in the mood for a shake up…?

3. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)

Apologies in advance to Jeremy Renner, but this one is a bit of wishful thinking for a lot of MCU fans. Hawkeye has been a bit of a dull character, and (as may people have commented) they’ve now introduced his lovely family and given him a bit of story. WHEN WILL YOU LEARN THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE NICE THINGS?! His death would spark rage in Black Widow (who won’t die because the internet wants to see her solo movie) and would have a tragic human angle as a husband/father would be lost. Also, there is literally zero talk of a Hawkeye solo outing, so he’d be an easy and dramatic kill – possibly to pave the way for the final battle.

4. Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders)

Now this is a bit of an odd choice for me. I’ve based it on the fact that a) I don’t think all the lady characters will make it through the movies unscathed; b) Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Gamora and Captain Marvel will probably survive due to potential future movies; and c) they could always bring her back via Tahiti (it’s a magical place) if they wanted to. Maria’s been a bit quiet since The Winter Soldier movie, but Cobie Smulders is confirmed to be returning for Infinity War, so I think Ms Hill could make the list of Thanos’s casualties, possibly in a dramatic scene taking out a S.H.I.E.L.D office

5. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)

This is a bit of a wild card, and would possibly make a good cliffhanger for the end of Part 1. As we know, the Hulk is super powerful, so a being that could kill the Hulk would be a scary prospect for the ever-expanding band of superheroes. Again, this would be a huge blow for Black Widow (honestly, I’m not anti-Black Widow, I just think there’s more interesting women they could be featuring for solo projects…) so perhaps bumping off Barton AND Banner would be overkill (pun totally intended!) but possibly necessary to have a big finish to lead into part 2.

At this point, I realise I’ve killed off nearly all the original Avengers. This was not intentional, though would be an interesting play, MCU…

6. Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) 

I think the big blue guy is going to be the last fatality at Thanos’s hand, and I think he’s going to take the purple fella with him. In the comics, Drax and Thanos have got history – in fact, Drax died at one point attacking Thanos (oops!). In the movie Guardians of the Galaxy it was established that Drax would not rest until he had got vengeance for the murder of his family, and that they could not rest in piece until Thanos was defeated. A hero’s sacrifice is often required in these stories, and Drax seems like the most likely candidate for this. Sorry man, I’ll be sad to see you go!

Do you agree? Disagree? Have you got any better ideas? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

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Agents of SHIELD SN4 EP03-‘Uprising’

A blackout causes Agents of Shield to shine bright in one of its most thrilling episodes.

After a couple episodes dealing with the supernatural, Agents of Shield returned to its roots this week, dealing with an old fashioned worldwide disaster. In an episode that also saw the organisation re-legitimised this was really the only way to go. There had to be one grand gesture to the world stating they have a reason to trust SHIELD again, and that could hardly be achieved if they’d emerged from the shadows talking about chasing ghosts. Though why that would be hard to believe in a world filled with superheroes I have no idea. In any case, after seeing the team deal with increasingly crazy stuff, mostly known only to them, for so long, it was nice an action packed world hopping adventure.

The show wasted no time getting right into things, as the hen party Yo-Yo was attending went a little bit more off the rails than they usually do. They went all out showing the effects of the EMP, with a helicopter falling from the sky and crashing into a building. It was a moment that felt earned. Big moments like that are usually exciting to see at first, but then bear no consequence later. Take the nuking of a town in ‘Arrow’ for example, it was all but ignored, but here the stakes were clearly felt by everyone, and it made a moment like that clearly in service to the wider story. Sure it was mainly a fun visual, but it amplified the threat in significant ways.

The threat, of course, was caused by the Watchdogs as opposed to the Inhumans. Making their first appearance back in Season 3, the Watchdogs were a genuinely formidable force that seemed to peter out after their first appearance. After all the ominous talk we’ve heard about them over the last two episodes as well, it was important to ensure that their re-introduction to the story lived up to the hype. I think we can safely say it did, as the Watchdogs are now more formidable than ever. With decent funding giving them access to military grade equipment, these guys are a far cry from the home grown Watchdogs of last season. Though we unfortunately didn’t bear witness to their attacks throughout the world, their actions in Miami were enough to lend weight to those attacks. It could have easily felt like a cop out when they mentioned they had killed 17 Inhumans at the end there, and it would have been good to see at least one of those to further emphasise the danger, but what we saw of them in the episode was enough to make you believe they could have been successful around the world. The only reason Yo-Yo really survived was because Coulson, Mack and Fitz showed up, rather awesomely might I add.

That is part of what made this such a standout episode. Showing a little, but saying a lot. It certainly applies to the relationship between Robbie and his brother Gabe. We didn’t get much interaction between the two this episode, which was a shame but there’ll no doubt be more, however the little we did see said a lot about how close they are. Both are protective of one another, but both show that in different ways. Whilst Robbie can quite easily physically protect his brother, Gabe has to take a slightly calmer, more intelligent approach. The way he analysed Daisy and warned her to stay away was cold, but not entirely unwarranted. He figured out she was Quake and for all he knows she’s a dangerous bank robber. It brought up that question again of whether Daisy really is a good person at the moment. It’s a conflict she’s clearly struggling with herself, but whereas her friends at Shield try to tiptoe around the subject, Gabe just told it as it is, and that will no doubt get Daisy thinking. It helps that Gabe is a likeable character. You could easily get mad at him for telling Daisy to stay away, but between his relationship with Robbie and the fact he told Daisy to leave in probably the nicest way possible, it’s hard not to like this guy.

The only part of the episode that fell a little short was the Agent May plotline. There was never the real sense there that she would actually die, so much of the tension of the scene just wasn’t there. Nevertheless, it was fun to see Dr Radcliffe return and work together with Simmons, and his matter of fact attitude towards everything continues to be a comic highlight. We got to see a little more interaction with Aida this episode, but it appears that storyline is going to take more of a slow burn approach. There’s a certain quality of sadness to Mallory Jansen’s performance that both evokes sympathy for Aida and prevents you from wholly trusting her. Given every AI story ever, Aida will no doubt become a homicidal maniac, but as I’ve said before I hope they go a different route.

S.H.I.E.L.D Zephyr One Report Log_Events of Interest and Enquiry:

• The fight scenes were stunning this episode, especially with the way the environment was incorporated into them. It was a pleasure to see Robbie and Daisy team up, and shows that Robbie has some decent skills as a normal person, let alone as Ghost Rider, whilst Daisy’s arm is in even worse shape now. The true highlights involved Coulson’s team. The use of tracking in the scene where they saved Yo-Yo was superb as the camera swiftly moved from person to person, not breaking up any of the action and emphasising the gravity of the situation. Then when they located the EMP device, the flashing lights illuminating brief moments of the fight really evoked a sense of confusion. All together they were just some really fun scenes to watch, and proved no matter how far Agents of Shield delves into the supernatural, it will always be grounded in moments like this.

• There was some rather good humour to be had this episode as well. Most of it involved Coulson missing out on seeing Ghost Rider, and Mack and Fitz assuring him the transformation was “quite unsettling.”

• We also got a glimpse of the general attitude towards Inhumans this episode. We’ve not really seen Inhumans within the context of a wider world, interacting with friends and family who aren’t approving of what they are. Therefore, it was quite heart-breaking to see Yo-Yo’s friends turn on her so quickly this episode. It’s an issue that’s essentially one of the main plot points throughout the history of the X-Men, and has always been an intriguing one to explore, so I hope to see the writers expand on this through the use of Inhumans. They are after all extremely similar.

• So the touch of a ghost scares people to death. It was only a matter of time before they managed to explain it through science, but that’s only one aspect of the ghosts. It’s still unclear how they exist, or just how their touch does that.

• So just who was in that Inhuman cocoon at the end there. Obviously Senator Nadir’s brother, which lends a bit more context as to why she’s so against Inhumans if she believes they took her brother from her, but it seems he’s been trapped in that cocoon for a while. Why has he stayed in there so long? And what does that mean for the powers he’s developing? Something tells me we’ll find out soon enough.

Agents of Shield returned this week with a thrilling, action packed instalment that expanded upon the Marvel Cinematic Universe in some very significant ways. With the presence of Inhumans now common knowledge it was time for SHIELD to come out of the shadows, which will no doubt have lasting effects throughout the Marvel world. A worldwide disaster and some actual human enemies brought the series back to its roots, capped off with some excellent fight scenes. As the threat of the Watchdogs grows, and the ghost mystery deepens, Agents of Shield has no shortage of strong material to play with, and given the brilliance of the first three episodes of this season, I think we should all be excited by what’s coming next.

Luke Cage SN1 EP11-‘Now You’re Mine’

The show is back on top form as Diamondback turns the world against Luke.

After two unremarkable episodes, Luke Cage hit it out of the park during a tense and thrilling episode. Picking up immediately where the previous episode left off ensured there was no drama lost in the transitions, as every moment was fully explored. The decision to leave Mariah Dillard out of this episode was a smart one, keeping the focus mostly on Diamondback’s vendetta against Luke, as opposed to the power to be gained from the situation.

What a vendetta it was! Diamondback treated us to a full blown hostage situation, giving us the second best action sequence of the series. Whereas the one back in Episode 3 demonstrated the raw power Luke possesses, this one here showed how a more calculated Luke approaches things, weighing the risk of innocent lives being taken against Diamondback’s clear taunts to aggravate him. We got a glimpse of a different Diamondback here, one truly haunted by the neglect of his childhood. It was a powerful moment that showed how easily a life can be ruined, but was also a refreshing break from the usual loud, psychotic way Diamondback carries himself. We’ve seen plenty of villains like that before, and we’ll see plenty again, so it’s the quieter moments that make or break them.

This episode also saw the truth start to unravel, as the façade Mariah and Diamondback created saw scrutiny from the police. The new police captain has been an interesting character. Her clear past with Misty, and early actions, suggested she would be more of an antagonistic force. However, what outwardly appears a more hostile relationship, is actually very trusting, as the captain begins to believe Misty. Unfortunately, with one dead cop, two injured and a whole lotta hostages, the rest of the force doesn’t feel the same. It’s frustrating knowing Luke’s innocent but he’ll still take the heat, yet that will make his ultimate release all the more satisfying. In any case, the captain is starting to hone in on the actual suspect Mariah Dillard, but with Diamondback’s plan already in play it may be too little too late.

The episode stood out most in the way it finally tackled the relationship between Luke and Misty. For much of the season Misty has been more of an annoyance than anything else due to her insistence on pinning everything on Luke, so to see them finally on the same page is such a relief, and make’s her character all the better for it. What’s more is that in her blood drained state we saw a softer side to Misty. One who was afraid of dying. So often in movies and TV shows, characters aren’t actually afraid of dying, which disconnects them from the audience some. So whilst we did find her cracking jokes, the way she was afraid of death stood out as a uniquely human moment in a show about someone more than that.

In such an awesome episode there are bound to be a lot of great moments, so other notable highlights are:

• Claire continued to amaze this episode. She is hands down the best character in the Marvel/Netflix shows, maybe the best in the wider MCU. The way she acted her way out of the hostage situation and then took down a goon, she’s just full of surprises. As Misty said, she’s got skills.

• It was great to see the both of them build bridges as well this episode. There’s a strong friendship to develop there, and it was clear they’re both of the same mindset. Them taking down Shades together was a treat to watch because of how raw it was. It didn’t feel choreographed; it was just the three of them fighting however which way they could.

• Speaking of Shades, is that really it for him? I enjoyed him this episode, as he kept a cool head. He’s been the calm, intelligent one since his introduction back in episode one, and you can always rely on him to think things through, so it was a shame to see him so easily taken out of the game. I expect we’ll see more from him, if not now then later in the show’s lifespan, but he didn’t really have much impact this season.

• I also hope we get to see more from Candace going forward. She seemed truly sorry for what she did to Luke, and the way she calmed down and fought through her pain in order to help Claire out was worthy of a true hero.

• A character from Daredevil Season Two made a worthy appearance this episode. After seeing the devastation caused by Frank Castle with normal bullets, it’s understandable as to why he wouldn’t want Judas bullets getting onto the streets. Something tells me he won’t have succeeded.

So Episode 11 saw a triumphant return to form for Luke Cage, as everything started to come together. Whilst the city might now be against him, Luke finally has Misty and the police captain on his side, who will no doubt be instrumental in his ultimate defeat of Diamondback. Mariah Dillard may have been absent from the episode, but she was still causing chaos. It’s the sign of a truly great villain if they can disrupt the protagonist without even appearing onscreen. We’re heading into the final two episodes now, it’s still not exactly clear where things are headed. Both Diamondback and Mariah need taking out, but there’s no idea of how that will happen yet.

 

Luke Cage SN1 EP10 -‘Take It Personal’

Harlem descends into chaos as Luke Cage heads into the final stretch.

This episode should have been a big one for Luke Cage, and in many ways it was, however there were several things that dragged it down. The episode certainly picked up in the second half. Nothing gets an episode going like a rousing speech (no matter how misguided it is) and a big action sequence, but most of what came before Mariah rallied Harlem in front of the police station was utterly forgettable.

For instance, the removal of the shrapnel from Luke’s body. It wasn’t a tense moment as we knew he’d survive, so the only enjoyment that came from the scene was through the (limited) humorous interactions of Claire and Dr Burnstein. Even the drama that followed wasn’t satisfying as it was so predictable. Luke doesn’t want what happened to him to happen to anyone else, so in a fit of rage he destroys Burnstein’s lab. It’s something we’ve seen plenty of times before, so it wasn’t exactly exciting to watch here. The only good moment to come from all this was the revelation that Reva had lied to Luke. Her motivations for doing so remain unclear however. Reva was such a lovely character, that it’s shocking that she has all this mystery surrounding her, so I look forward to finding out just why she did what she did.

Elsewhere, Mariah and Diamondback’s plans came into focus. I don’t think I’ve ever been more upset at a character with barely a minute of screentime dying, but the writers managed it here. Maybe it was the fact that he was older, maybe that he had a wife, or even that he was obviously so well liked by the community, but something about his death got to me. In any case, this set a whole load of events in motion, leading to another standout political moment for the show. There have been several of these scattered throughout the season, one just last episode, but it was this one that felt most connected to today’s real life events. A young black boy gets beaten by police for no other reason than that the officer involved was angry. It’s the kind of story we hear all too often, and usually without even the anger part, and Luke Cage gave it due justice.

It also tied into Mariah’s story, which was the highlight of the episode. We’re finally seeing some action from her, both on the political and criminal front, and it’s fascinating to watch her spin her web. There was an indication that her murder of Cottonmouth would ignite something within her, but there’s not yet any kindling for that fire, so clearly we’ll have to wait on that. However, her insistence on clinging to legitimate power is respectful and only enamours me to the character even more. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Mariah is such a refreshing break from the traditional psychotic villains (like Diamondback) that we usually get, and it really elevates the show.

A short review I know, which means there are bound to be moments I’ve missed, so other notable highlights include:

• Luke and Claire’s false moment of intimacy was fun. I could see them becoming a couple, but at the same time I don’t really want it to happen. They’re good as they are, and as has been clear so far, the show doesn’t really need a romance subplot to thrive.

• Hot off the heels of a superb episode for her last time, Misty has taken a significant turn for the better. Her focus, unlike everyone else’s, is on the clear criminal Diamondback, and it’s great seeing her so driven. I was also pleasantly surprised that her captain supported her decision to go after Diamondback. Both are characters I’m now starting to warm to.

• Dr Burnstein copied Reva’s files! I don’t see anything emerging from this until the inevitable second season, but it could be a hint as to who Luke’s next foe might be. Someone with powers to rival his own would up the tension so much more, so I look forward to seeing where this goes.

• Even after being dipped in a tub of boiling acid Luke’s sense of humour prevails. It’s an indication of how much the introduction of Claire has changed him. Moody, broody Luke is mostly gone, say hello to ‘Sweet Christmas’ Luke.

• The montage of cops hunting down innocent people was strangely chilling. Most likely because it’s not far from the truth of what’s happening in the world.

As you can likely tell from the length of this review compared to my others, I didn’t have much to say about this episode. The most I can say is that it was good. The latter half really picked things up, with the social commentary and exciting action sequence saving the episode from mediocrity. Unfortunately, much of the episode was sub-par, consisting of various forgetful moments. That’s two episodes in a row now where the show hasn’t fully delivered. Considering we’re now heading into the final few episodes, where things are supposed to be at their most exciting and climactic, that’s a worry indeed.

Sigourney Weaver Cast as Defenders Villain

Big news from New York Comic Con. First of all, all four of The Defenders (Daredevil – Charlie Cox, Jessica Jones – Krysten Ritter, Luke Cage – Mike Coulter and Iron Fist – Finn Jones) appeared together for the first time. Awesome.

It was then announced that Sigourney Weaver would be playing a ‘significant but unspecified’ role in Marvel’s The Defenders – although it was disclosed that she would be the villain.

Jeph Loeb, head of Marvel Television, said “Marvel is honoured to have an actress of her caliber and status… she is by definition a class act.”

Sigourney Weaver is no stranger to the geek-sphere, having starred in the Alien movies, the Ghostbusters movies, Wall-E, Paul, Avatar, Galaxy Quest, Chappie and (of course) Finding Dory. This will mark her debut in the Marvel Universe.

Marvel’s Iron Fist will land on Netflix 17th March 2017. The Defenders still appears to be on track for a 2017 release (although this is still TBC)

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