By far one of the most anticipated releases of Netflix over the last month has been Marvel’s Iron Fist. In fact I’ve been touting the show based on trailers, photos, leaked stories, you name it. But there’s a pretty unanimous consensus out there right now that not only did the show fail to meet expectations but that it’s racially insensitive. Media outlets had a chance to see the first episode and are ripping it to shreds.
Iron Fist was met with scrutiny and criticism before it even went into production. That criticism centers mainly on the optics of a white man starring in a series rooted in Orientalist stereotypes, which collides directly with the ongoing conversation about the diversity in Marvel’s superhero properties. Given the company’s self-appointed position as a champion for inclusion in comic book storytelling, Marvel has had no choice but to meet the backlash head-on.
“There needs to be more diversity in television and film, especially for Asian actors,” series star Finn Jones told BuzzFeed last month. “With this instance in particular, what I struggle with and what frustrates me is that people are commenting on the headline without understanding the full picture, without understanding the full story.”
But the racial insensitivity is just the start of it.
It also manages to fall short on basic levels like storytelling. Its creative laziness bankrupts the entire show. Marvel’s new series is a disappointing case study in studios needing to try harder to tell difficult stories well. (via The Verge)
Ouch. So far I haven’t read one positive review of Iron Fist yet and we’re not even out of the morning yet. While the series is officially set to come out March 17th, media outlets with early access are not being kind to the latest comic book show. Seems that on television Marvel still has a long way to go.
Look, this was bound to happen. Not every show can be a hit but this one really seems to have missed the mark.
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