Marvel’s The Defenders season 1 episode 1 recap and review: The H Word

So what have the four members of “Marvel’s The Defenders” been doing since the end of their respective shows? And what might bring them together?

We’ve been waiting for years, but it’s finally here! The Defenders has premiered on Netflix. It’s been a long, long time, dear readers, both for this show to come to life and for my Marvel television show recaps.

So let’s not delay any longer!

Not-So-Short Summary

Let’s round up where all of the Defenders are. In fact, I’m going to keep this separated by Defender just to keep us all organized.

Marvel’s The Defenders, photo credit Netflix

Danny Rand

We start off in Cambodia where Danny Rand and Colleen Wing fight mysterious people in the sewers. Surprisingly enough, what they’re looking for is back in New York City. Because of course it is.

Danny’s still having bad visions/dreams. Instead of his parents’ death, it’s how he abandoned K’un-Lun.

Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones saves Trish from getting her car towed. She’s still a total mess, so not much has changed.

She gets bombarded outside her apartment by a mother with a missing husband. Despite dismissing the case, a mystery call telling her not to look for John Raymond has piqued her interest.

Jessica tracks down the call to find John Raymond nowhere to be found, but a heck of a lot of explosives.

(It’s also nice to see Malcolm, her ex-druggie neighbor, bouncing around and annoying the crap out of Jessica in her own apartment.)

Luke Cage

Luke Cage gets cheers from his entire cell block as he walks through Seagate, now a free man thanks to Foggy Nelson–now at Jeri Hogarth’s firm.

And once he makes it home, he and Claire Temple finally get that coffee. “How does Harlem’s hero allow you to actually have a life?” Claire asks in the aftermath.

Misty Knight arrives at their doorstep and she and Luke “go for a walk.” She wants his help, but when he tries talking sense into Candace’s last remaining brother, it goes nowhere.

Still from The Defenders official trailer 2, featuring Charlie Cox as Daredevil. Image via Netflix (via Netflix official YouTube)

Matt Murdock

Matt Murdock is back in court doing his lawyer thing. He’s back on his game, both in court and giving moving speeches.

He ends up getting food with Karen Page after his trial ends. Remember—season two ended with her going to work for the newspaper and him giving her his Daredevil helmet. Things are rocky, but not terrible.

He goes to confession—three days since his last, making me feel like a bad Catholic over here—because he lied to Karen about missing his old life. Seems like his life and his soul are not yet aligned.

Meanwhile Sigourney Weaver’s Alexandra gets test results back and she’s dying. And very specific with her questions. She feeds birds in the park when Madame Gao shows up. Whatever they’re planning has to be sped up due to Alexandra’s deteriorating health. Oh, and Elektra’s there, too.

The episode ends with a crazy earthquake that seems to last a full minute. I’m thinking Alexandra’s behind this somehow?

Badass Moment of the Episode

The prison guard fumbling with the keys to Luke’s handcuffs… and Luke just breaking them off and handing them off.

Best One-Liner

“People call me Foggy,” he says upon meeting Luke Cage.
“And you let them?” Luke Cage rebuffs.

This episode feels a little slow and maybe a bit disjointed as well. Think of it as the first twenty minutes of The Avengers—you have to set the pieces up in order to bring them together. And while a movie has to cram that into a small part of two and a half hours, The Defenders has the luxury of being able to draw that out.

At the same time, we have to hope the build up is worth it. We want to see all of these people come together, darn it!

I’m also surprised by the amount of side-characters just in this first episode alone. It makes sense—they kept every Defender in their own storylines, so supporting characters make sense. I just anticipated them to slowly be brought into the fold rather than there from the beginning.

Next: The Defenders makeup designer Sarit Klein on palettes, heroes, and beard design

Once again, welcome to our recaps. We’ll be posting them every few days, so no need to binge watch like me. We’ll keep you nice and posted at a brisk—but not too brisk!—pace.