This is supposed to be the era of too much TV, but Netflix's Marvel series are so good everyone wants more. While the site definitely plans to give the people what they want with Daredevil Season 2, Jessica Jones Season 2, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and a possible Punisher series, you may have to wait awhile to see them all come to fruition. At the Television Critics Association on Sunday, Netflix boss Ted Sarandos said that he would like Netflix to release two Marvel series a year, according to TVLine. Only two?! But before you press the panic button, hear the man out.
While Sarandos said "it's certainly possible" to release more than two series a year, that's not an ideal situation. "These [Marvel series] are produced on a scale of a major film," Sarandos said. "So there are long production times and long post times. And in some cases we have character crossovers, which makes it a little difficult to manage production. It’s not the goal to put out more than one or two a year."
With an ever growing roster of Marvel properties on deck, this could mean longer wait times between series. For instance, 2016 will serve up Daredevil Season 2 in March, and with Luke Cage currently in production with an anticipated 2016 release date, that means Jessica Jones Season 2 isn't likely to hit the streaming service until 2017. And then there is Iron Fist and The Defenders to deal with, not to mention a potential third season of Daredevil or a Punisher series. Just with the current properties in play, Netflix has enough Marvel series to carry them through 2019 — and they are open to adding even more characters to the mix.
The two-a-year strategy is a definite good news/bad news situation for fans. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of Netflix limiting their Marvel output.
Pros: Higher Quality, More Crossovers, & An Expanding Universe To Get Psyched About
There is an upside to the strategy, and it is a pretty big one: better shows. The quality standards on Netflix's Marvel shows are already high, and keeping the team focused on producing one or two seasons of television a year is an excellent way to keep the storytelling and production at their current level of awesome. There are also the perks of having an interconnected universe. You may have to wait for Season 2 of Jessica Jones, but it is entirely possible you will see Jessica in Luke Cage. Likewise, if a Punisher series is way off in the future, that doesn't mean the character has to disappear from the landscape.
What Netflix has created is a Marvel playground that could keep on turning out new shows for years to come. Since none of the characters introduced so far (or the ones coming up) exist in a vacuum, seasons are almost irrelevant. These heroes can interact, minor characters and major ones can exist on multiple shows, and adding more Marvel characters to the mix will only expand the universe further. All of that is good news for fans of quality television.
Cons: Long Wait Times, Dwindling Interest, & Too Many Heroes To Manage
Patience is a virtue I don't have and with new TV coming at me from every network, I don't relish the thought of having to wait an entire year or more for more Jessica Jones. No matter how good a show is, being off the air too long is good way to lose momentum with fans. Netflix could run into a situation where new heroes are met with less excitement simply because the more characters getting solo shows there are, the longer it takes to get new seasons of established favorites like Daredevil and Jessica Jones.
Sure, Iron Fist sounds like a good idea right now, but if he is standing in between you and more Jessica, are you going to feel the same way? Marvel and Netflix's relationship is turning out some of the superhero genre's most complex series, but less franchises overall might be better than more if the company wants to keep fans engaged.
If Netflix sticks to the two-a-year plan for Marvel series, the reality is you will be doing some waiting for the return of your favorite superhero, no matter which hero that may be. Yes, waiting is the worst, but in this case, the rewards are the greatness of Jessica Jones and Daredevil. If all of Netflix's Marvel properties are as good as their first two, then I have a feeling time is going to fly by thanks to the steady stream of superhero goodness coming your way.
Images: Netflix; Giphy (3)
