There are few TV or movie brands as strong as Marvel. Put that stamp in front of anything and you’re almost guaranteed success, even the if the quality isn’t always there (the recent “Fantastic Four” reboot being a notable exception, though that had nothing to do with the studio proper). Marvel’s Netflix shows haven’t always been strong, but riding on the coattails of “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” and “Luke Cage,” all “Iron Fist” had to do was not be terrible. Well, it couldn’t even manage that, with critics mostly coming down hard on the series, but it turns out, it doesn’t really matter.
READ MORE: Podcast: Bingeworthy™ Discusses Peak Marvel TV
While Netflix keeps their data secret, research firm 7Park Data have some alchemical way of adding up the numbers, and according to them, on the day “Iron Fist” dropped, 54.7% of viewers binged three episodes or more. The average for an hour-long Netflix show is 46.9%.
The show also accounted for 14.6% of all Netflix streaming on that day, another record high, beating other original programming including “Luke Cage” (12.8%), “Daredevil” Season 2 (13.8%), and “Stranger Things” (a measly 4%, which suggests word of mouth really got that show going).
So, does this mean critics can’t influence viewership? Partially, maybe. I’d argue it speaks more to the Marvel brand itself, which will always have a core viewership no matter what reviews say. And that core has only grown bigger, the more Marvel has become mainstream. But still, it must be good news for Finn Jones, who got beat up in the press a bit, and bodes well for Netflix’s “The Defenders” to do even better. [Variety]
It’s being watched because it is not the disaster critics claimed it to be. Apparently they were so fixated on that whitewashing nonsense, they really didn’t focus on the quality of the show.
It’s not a quality show, it’s actually pretty terrible. BUT, it is, somehow, utterly watchable, even enjoyable at times, strangely enough.
It’s trash. Flat acting, the worst pacing of any Marvel show, uninspired action sequences and an unlikable lead.
At least it is mostly watchable unless many episodes of Luke Cage and some of JJ.
How many people watched just to see what a disaster it was?
The thing is, it’s not a disaster of a show, nor is it good. It’s okay and there’s plenty of that succeeding on CBS, ABC, FOX and NBC.
All you need to know about viewership numbers is that Adam Sandler direct to Netflix movies do extremely well for Netflix……