Despite Disney taking initial steps to remove their media content from streaming giant Netflix, their subsidiary Marvel so far has not rescinded the partnership at least. That ought to be good news for fans of the Marvel-Netflix superhero series that are part of the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The separate yet connected solo-hero series, like “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage” and “Iron Fist,” were also meant to tie together like their big-screen counterparts. That 2017 show “The Defenders” turned out to be the least-viewed series by fans in the 30-day period after release, despite decent reviews.
However, the series seems set for a resurgence with word from Netflix at how much “Defenders” has been binge-watched on their platform.
Binge-watching trend
The Netflix streaming platform, which usually adds programs in all their seasonal entirety, has become a favored hangout of TV binge-watchers. These viewers love to take in a show’s story as a whole, by watching all the episodes of an entire season, for example, all in succession and in one sitting. And as it turns out Marvel’s “The Defenders” is a favorite series to binge-watch on the platform, when in its first month of availability it was barely viewed by audiences at all.
In fact, while Netflix normally does not give exact figures on its viewer statistics, they have deigned to reveal this week their top shows that are binge-watched by their subscribers.
On this list, “The Defenders” is easily in the top five series, surpassed only by the Netflix revivals “Fuller House” and “Gilmore Girls: a Year in the Life.” It should be obvious why Marvel’s most current Netflix hero show is a binge-watcher magnet; at only eight episodes it is on average five episodes shorter than its preceding solo-hero series.
Not bad for being “last-watched” in the Marvel streaming library.
Hero team-up
Released wholly on Netflix this past August 18, “The Defenders” sees the local street heroes of New York in the Marvel Cinematic Universe join forces to take on an evil ninja cult seeking to either rule or destroy their city. Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones) form an ad hoc alliance against a wealthy power player named Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver in a critically-acclaimed performance) and her ties to the Hand cult.
This is complicated by their mystic resurrection capabilities, which has revived Matt Murdock/Daredevil’s past lover Elektra (Elodie Yung) into the Hand’s powerful champion.
Other most-binge-watched Netflix programs include “Orange is the New Black” and “Stranger Things.” As for Marvel, the new re-watch value of “The Defenders” is seen as boosting the chances of success for their next show on the platform, “The Punisher” starring Jon Bernthal, set to premiere either late this year or early in the next.
