Various Thoughts

Some recently watched non-Anime shows that were picked up for no particular reason:

TV Shows

• American Gods: Far too much edgy atmosphere and smoke machines masquerading as depth.
• Daredevil: Apart from some of the action scenes dragging on too long, and some of them just looking ridiculous, this does a good job of balancing the investigative side with the crime-fighting side. The second season is less adept at this and goes too far overboard with the ninja army (it also comes dangerously close to goreporn territory).
• The Punisher: A lot more varied than expected. That variety ends up being a flaw at first, with events feeling disconnected, but changes into a positive following the point those disparate elements begin interacting.
• Jessica Jones: The overabundance of early-series sex scenes and flashbacks aside this is a decently engaging gritty drama with an impressively creepy villain.
• Luke Cage: A very good street-level crime drama. However, The flashbacks are not integrated well and it sort of loses focus as it progresses.
• Iron Fist: The early series suffers from the psychiatric ward angle, the mid-series corporate scenes feel artificial, and it just suffers in general from coming across like a Macbeth imitation. The martial arts sequences are pretty good though.
• The Defenders: The ninja army bits are the weakest parts of Daredevil S2 and Iron Fist, and this is completely focused on them so….

Movies

• Doctor Strange: Most of the visual effects are pretty interesting (if occasionally overwhelming), but the transition from egotistical neurosurgeon to selfless sorcerer happens far too quickly.