Love it or hate it, Rotten Tomatoes is now more important than ever when it comes to whether film and TV fans decide to check out the latest releases at home or in theaters, and it's not uncommon for studios to tout scores as proudly as star ratings.
In 2015, Marvel Television and Netflix launched Daredevil. That was followed by Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and, eventually, an Avengers-inspired team-up called The Defenders. There was even a spin-off for The Punisher.
Following this week's premiere of Daredevil: Born Again, we're taking a look at how each of the shows set in his corner of the MCU compare based on their respective Rotten Tomatoes scores. This era of storytelling was something of a mixed bag and you'll likely be surprised by how these shows fared with critics.
To check them out, you just need to click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below...
7. Iron Fist
Score: 37% (Season 1 - 20%, Season 2 - 55%)
Rotten or Fresh? Rotten
Critics Consensus: Despite some promising moments, Iron Fist is weighed down by an absence of momentum and originality. (Season 1)
Better action scenes and tighter pacing elevate Iron Fist's second season, but it remains a lesser light among MCU shows. (Season 2)
There were some things it was easy to love about Iron Fist, but the story being told never quite clicked. That killed the show's momentum before it could even really get started, and when Danny Rand finally embraced being Iron Fist...he lost his powers in the season 2 premiere.
The creative decisions made here were beyond baffling, and this was one of Marvel Television's biggest duds. By the time some vaguely interesting ideas were introduced, Iron Fist had been cancelled.
6. The Punisher
Score: 64% (Season 1 - 68%, Season 2 - 61%)
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: A rocky start can't keep The Punisher from pushing the boundaries of Marvel's TV universe with a fresh take on the comics-derived action thriller. (Season 1)
The Punisher's second season leaves fans torn between the undeniably action-packed fun and the underwhelming portrayal of the charismatic Frank Castle. (Season 2)
There was no faulting Jon Bernthal's performance, but why did Frank Castle need such an overly convoluted origin story? The death of his family shouldn't have ever been part of a larger conspiracy, and while the action was firing on all cylinders, the story was not.
Season 2 moved on from that, but it was too late by then. The Punisher could and should have been better but it was largely handcuffed by Marvel Television's reluctance to embrace the comics.
5. The Defenders
Score: 78%
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Marvel's The Defenders further develops well-known characters in an action-packed arc whose payoff packs more than enough of a punch to offset its flaws.
It wasn't quite the epic crossover event we hoped for, and there were arguably more characters than were necessary (not every supporting player needed to join the leads from their respective series).
Still, it was hard not to enjoy watching these heroes cross paths, even if The Hand had been so poorly handled (heh) that they never really came across as a convincing threat. While the reaction was mostly positive, we'd bet on Marvel Studios doing this team-up justice one day.
4. Jessica Jones
Score: 83% (Season 1 - 94%, Season 2 - 82%, Season 3 - 73%)
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Jessica Jones builds a multifaceted drama around its engaging antihero, delivering what might be Marvel's strongest TV franchise to date. (Season 1)
While Jessica Jones is a slower burn with less focus than its inaugural season, its enticing new character arc more fully details the most charismatic Defender. (Season 2)
Even if it's not the most satisfying finale for an entire era of Marvel television, Jessica Jones' final chapter finishes strong by giving its complicated heroine the space to change -- and Krysten Ritter one last chance to work her sarcastic magic. (Season 3)
Given how weak the second and third seasons were, it's a little surprising that Jessica Jones scores this well. It was hard to fault the first batch of episodes, and Marvel Television struck gold by casting Krysten Ritter and David Tennant (literally the perfect Purple Man).
The former remained superb throughout, but moving away from the comic books led to a lot of weird, forgettable story arcs, including bizarre takes on characters like Nuke and Typhoid Mary.
3. Daredevil: Born Again
Score: 85%
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Resurrecting Charlie Cox's Daredevil with his virtues intact -- namely Vincent D'Onofrio as his terrifying adversary -- Born Again is an ambitious and at times ungainly crime saga that marks a mature tonal shift for the MCU.
For us, this is quite easily the best series on this list (we've been fortunate enough to see the season in its entirety, remember). This is a solid result, particularly at a time when many critics are going all-in on the "superhero fatigue" narrative.
Daredevil: Born Again takes everything that worked in the Netflix series and adds what we love about the MCU to create a show that does right by the Man Without Fear. The action is also next level, while the cast is in top form from start to finish. This is a very special series.
2. Luke Cage
Score: 87% (Season 1 - 90%, Season 2 - 85%)
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: An immersive, socially conscious narrative and a confident, charismatic lead performance make Marvel's Luke Cage a stellar sampling of the new Marvel/Netflix universe. (Season 1)
In its second season, Marvel's Luke Cage delivers a satisfyingly complex narrative and a solid ensemble cast led by Alfre Woodard's standout performance as the archvillainess Black Mariah. (Season 2)
The first six episodes of Luke Cage were Emmy-worthy. Unfortunately, when Cottonmouth was killed, it all went downhill from there. Cartoonish villains took his place, and we got yet another overly complicated origin story, this time for Power Man.
Season 2's cliffhanger saw Luke taking a villainous turn by becoming what he hated to protect Harlem. It was a disappointing, depressing note to end a series full of great performances on and the ending was never resolved.
1. Daredevil
Score: 92% (Season 1 - 99%, Season 2 - 81%, Season 3 - 97%)
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: With tight adherence to its source material's history, high production quality, and a no-nonsense dramatic flair, Daredevil excels as an effective superhero origin story, a gritty procedural, and an exciting action adventure. (Season 1)
Bolstered by some impressive action, Daredevil keeps its footing in season two, even if its new adversaries can't quite fill the void left by Wilson Fisk. (Season 2)
The Man with No Fear returns to top form with a third season that begins tediously slow but gradually generates comic book thrills, immeasurably helped by the welcome return of Vincent D'Onofrio's menacing Kingpin. (Season 3)
Daredevil made quite a few mistakes throughout its three seasons, with the death of Elektra and Karen Page's often-bizarre story arc among the biggest. That aside, it's impossible to say anything bad about Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio's work.
As Wilson Fisk, the latter was perfect, while Cox proved himself the perfect Man Without Fear time and time again. Throw in some killer action scenes and mostly strong story arcs for the show's leads, and we're overjoyed to see this hero be born again.