The Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off with a bang with 2008's Iron Man, spawning a huge interconnected franchise that's still going strong today. Back in 2015, streaming giant Netflix wanted in on the act and partnered with Marvel to release original shows based on some of their street-level characters. This allowed for more grounded storylines that featured a more mature and darker approach than their big-screen cousins.

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The 6 series produced would receive different levels of praise and success, with each bringing something unique to the Marvel live-action experience. From solo character stories to their inevitable team-up, there's plenty to dissect from this intriguing, and now mostly abandoned section of the MCU.

6 Daredevil Was A Massive Launching Point

Daredevil at the podium

The character chosen to launch this new brand was the man without fear, Daredevil. The character previously appeared in a 2003 film starring Ben Affleck which was received poorly, and fans had long campaigned for a reboot. While the film was quite flashy with lots of CGI and obvious influences from The Matrix, the original comics tended to be far darker in tone and could be compared to film-noir. This was clearly the approach that Netflix wanted to emulate and a surprising amount of violence was present from the start.

Until that point, the MCU stayed firmly in the PG-13 arena so many were pleased to see something more visceral on the small screen. The now-iconic hallway fight from the second episode is considered one of the best Marvel moments ever. Virtually every aspect of the first series was praised and that is especially true of the casting. English actor Charlie Cox made the role of Matt Murdock, AKA Daredevil, all his own, and Vincent D'Onofrio was beloved as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime. Daredevil had 3 solo seasons and may be considered the best overall series of the Netflix Marvel universe.

5 Jessica Jones Brought A Powerful Message To Screen

A man whispering at Jessica Jones' ear

Daredevil may be seen as the strongest series of the lot, but the first 13 episodes of Jessica Jones may be the best single-season of them all. Also premiering in 2015, Jessica Jones featured a largely unknown character from the Alias comic series (not to be confused with the Jennifer Garner TV show) and would again tackle themes far more mature than fans had seen before. Krysten Ritter's portrayal of Jones would be a huge draw as she made her aggressive, rude, and borderline alcoholic character into a relatable lead with ease.

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Like Daredevil before it, huge praise would also be given to the casting of the first season villain, Kilgrave (David Tennant). Something that made Jessica Jones stand apart from the competition was its willingness to tackle difficult subjects, such as PTSD and assault and it also didn't shy away from sexuality. The supporting cast was another plus and continued providing strong dynamics through all 3 main seasons. It would ultimately be the last of the Netflix Marvel shows to air, with its third and final season releasing in June 2019.

4 Luke Cage Shifted The Action To Harlem

Luke Cage staring at the camera

Luke Cage first appeared in Jessica Jones' premiere season, and the reception to the character was strong enough to greenlight his own series next. Played by Mike Colter, the Luke Cage series took the focus away from Hell's Kitchen and took place mostly in the Harlem area of New York City. The focus on a predominantly Black cast was a welcome change and just as in the previous shows, the villain castings were applauded.

The central antagonist for both seasons was Mariah Dillard, played by Alfre Woodard, who also appeared in Captain America: Civil War as a different character. Oddly enough, she wouldn't be the only actor from the series to land a role in the big-screen MCU, with Mahershala Ali lined up to play Blade in the near future. Perhaps not as universally praised as the prior shows, Luke Cage had a dedicated fanbase and many standout moments to help it hold its own. Unlike the characters of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, the hero of Harlem had a genuine sense of humor and fun to balance out the darkness and violence.

3 Iron Fist Introduced Martial Arts To Marvel

Iron Fist

Iron Fist became a hugely divisive entry into the continuity, with the majority of viewers considering it to be the weakest of the Netflix-verse. That said, the series did expand on the mythology and included some mystical elements to differentiate itself from the previous entries. Much criticism was aimed at the first season's overall lack of action and surprising focus on board meetings and corporate politics.

Another deviation was generally less-impressive villains and the series was seen as playing it safe. That said, Iron Fist did feature strong action sequences when they showed up, and lead star Finn Jones, who played Danny Rand, was a solid pick for the role. His presence was a likable one, helped considerably by the efforts of his co-star Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing. Together they helped the first season reach the finish line and give them a chance to continue with a much-improved second and final run. The second came in at a shorter 10-episode count and ended with a cliffhanger that will likely never be resolved.

2 The Team-Up Was A Hit & Miss Effort

The Defenders' Cast

As soon as the four lead heroes were established, it was inevitable that they would come together in a crossover similar to The Avengers. While telling a much smaller-scale story, The Defenders did a good job of connecting the characters in an organic way and allowed for further guest appearances down the line. Naturally, the heroes would initially come into conflict before realizing that there was a bigger common enemy to face.

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Genre-favorite Sigourney Weaver would join the cast as the villainous Alexandra and Élodie Yung would reprise her role as Elektra, from Daredevil season 2. The 8-episode series was the least-viewed chapter of the Netflix-verse, but proved to be a crucial part for some of the other shows such as Daredevil and Iron Fist. It became increasingly clear by this point that the Netflix storylines had no impact on the wider MCU, and specific references to the films were almost entirely dropped.

1 The Final New Series Was By Far The Bloodiest

Jon Bernthal as The Punisher

Daredevil season 2 introduced viewers to Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher. His inclusion led to moments of extreme violence compared to the previous season and he soon had his own series in production. Starting in 2017, the series saw actor Jon Bernthal as the fourth live-action version of the character and he quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his terrifying outbursts of rage.

While many complained about long periods without action and some repetition with the story beats, few could find anything negative to say about the action when it did occur. The Punisher dealt with themes of revenge and sparked discussions around real-life gun control laws. The series would end as Castle fully committed to the Punisher persona, a fact that upset many fans who wanted to see that journey continue.

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