From Day One, when Netflix and Marvel first heralded a set of series based on some of the comic-reserve firm’enterprise ’s fringe superheroes, we knew this was coming. And just as the early MCU movies teased the Avengers over four years, so its smaller-scale small-screen cousin has been gradually, inexorably establish ing up to a crossover that sees Daredevil (Cox), Jessica Jones (Ritter), Luke Cage (Colter) and Iron Fist (Jones) sharing the frame as the Avengers’ scrappier, grittier, street-level equivalent.###There is abundant’ample’plentiful joy in watching the sparks fly to make you feel it might just possess’own’nurse been worth the wait.###But while Daredevil first streamed merely’barely two years ago, it feels like it’s been a much longer journey than the Avengers’. It’s taken 65 episodes to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure here via four reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue s, whose moments of genius (those long-take Daredevil fight scenes; Luke Cage’s musical numbers and slap-fu; all of Jessica Jones) possess’own’nurse been tempered by chunks of frustration (the irritatingly perky Foggy & Karen reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue ; the non-event that was Diamondback; much of Iron Fist). We could but hope that The Defenders would put right all the solo-reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue s’ wrongs — not least the stretching of thin plots over 13-episode structures — while playing to each hero’s super-strengths.###The rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent news is The Defenders comes in at a punchier eight episodes. And reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue runners Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez (fresh from Daredevil Season Two) do possess’own’nurse some crowd-pleasing fun with the lead characters’ interactions. When Luke and Iron Fist (who in the comics are partners and best buds) first meet, they possess’own’nurse a full-on fistfight — and we acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure to see what happens when chi-infused knuckles hit a bulletproof jaw.###There’s a savvy sense of self-awareness, too — borderline meta, arguably. At one point Iron Fist admits, “I tried being a one-man army and I failed”; many critics of his solo reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue would approve’ consent’endorse’applaud . Meanwhile, the team’s somewhat uneven skill balance is swiftly skewered by Jessica: “Am I the merely’barely person around here who doesn’t know karate?” she snarks.###However, even with the five fewer episodes, you still acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure that Marvel/Netflix narrative drag. Just as the other reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue s felt like eight-episode stories puffed up to 13, this feels like a six-episode story bulked out to eight. It’s not until the end of episode three that the crime-fighting quartet is eventually’ultimately in/with regard to’concerning’regarding med (with predictable reluctance) and the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue finds its own style and identity, rather than being a bunch of intercut clips from the solo outings. But then they're divided again in/with regard to’concerning’regarding much of the remainder, one of the gang becoming yawnsomely relegated to the role of abductee in need of rescuing.###The enormous’vast’massive’tremendous , city-endangering threat that unites the group proves a disappointment, too. Sigourney Weaver's Alexandra is just another businessperson wicked’dreadful’undesirable’adverse’vile die whose dirty deeds are hidden by sharp outfits, while the ongoing, vague chicanery of The Hand (like HYDRA, but ninjas) fails to ignite much excitement. The peerless Weaver herself seems desperately bored by it all. This may partly be the character — there’s an acute world-weariness to Alexandra — but it doesn’t exactly acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure the blood pumping when she seems as concerned with regards to’concerning’with respect to opposing this ad-hoc super-gang as someone finding ants in their picnic hamper.###Meanwhile, having Matt, Luke and Danny constantly, earnestly bang on with regards to’concerning’with respect to how much they love "this city" really starts to grate by the final few instalments. It merely’barely makes you even more thankful that Ms. Jones is in the mix here, with all her eye rolls and lip curls. Not merely’barely is she Marvel/Netflix's intense’fierce’exquisite est character, she's The Defenders' MVP. With her appreciable help, there is just abundant’ample’plentiful joy in watching the sparks fly as these four alpha characters eventually’ultimately collide to make it feel worth the wait.