The Netflix Marvel shows had tons of amazing episodes across their five-year run. While most fans have preferred series (with Daredevil and The Punisher being among the most popular), top-tier episodes can be found in all of the different Marvel shows on Netflix.
The IMDB ratings for the episodes for each Netflix Marvel show paint a picture of the ones audiences were most pleased with. While all episodes tend to score above-average ratings, there are certain episodes that are seen as stand-out classics that enrich the MCU and rival even the best superhero movies, Marvel or otherwise.
8 Daredevil - Daredevil
Daredevil's first season finale "Daredevil" has a lot to love, with Matt Murdock finally getting the iconic red Daredevil suit and having Kingpin locked behind bars for the crimes he's committed. With a 9.3 rating on IMDB, audiences loved this explosive episode and felt that it did a great job of rounding out the season in a way that felt natural.
While most of the first season is regarded quite highly, particularly in comparison to the other Netflix Marvel shows, "Daredevil" is considered to be one of the best episodes across the whole Defenders Saga and does a great job of showing why Daredevil should be brought into the MCU.
7 Daredevil - New York's Finest
"New York's Finest" stands at a 9.4 rating on IMDB, which is a good sign that audiences loved it. The third episode of Daredevil Season Two features a lot of interplay between Matt Murdock and Frank Castle (The Punisher), which was considered to be one of the main highlights of Daredevil's second season as a whole.
There are many quotable lines of dialogue in this episode, with Frank and Matt discussing their differing moralities and giving the audience in-depth insight into how both heroes think and what they believe in. The Punisher is a Spider-Man villain who has never been in the movies, so maybe the recent move from Netflix to the MCU for these shows makes it likely that Castle could one day return?
6 Daredevil - Penny and Dime
Following on from the similarly highly-rated "New York's Finest", Daredevil's fourth episode of the second season "Penny and Dime" builds upon the main themes established in the episodes that come before it. There's lots of interplay between Daredevil, Karen Page, and Frank Castle, with Page doing some investigating into Castle's past.
This episode isn't as action-packed as some of the other highly-rated Defenders Saga episodes, but it is essential in character development for Daredevil's supporting cast and takes the time to explore the psychology and dynamics between the different characters. It has a 9.4 rating on IMDB.
5 Daredevil - Seven Minutes In Heaven
"Seven Minutes in Heaven" is the ninth episode of Daredevil's second season and features some great Punisher and Fisk scenes, delving into the problem between both characters and leading to a very well-choreographed corridor fight scene, of which the Defenders Saga became famous for.
While Murdock receives less focus in this episode, he still has some slow but compelling scenes with Elektra, particularly when he asks her to leave following an argument. The episode has a 9.4 rating on IMDB and shows why canceled Marvel movies featuring the Punisher should have gone ahead.
4 Daredevil - Blindsided
"Blindsided" is the fourth episode of Daredevil's third season and, as shown by its 9.5 IMDB rating, is considered to be one of the best episodes in the Defenders Saga. Being one of the earlier episodes of Daredevil's final season, this episode takes its time setting up plot elements and exploring some of the newer characters like Poindexter / Bullseye.
There are some great Fisk moments in the episode too. As a fan-favorite character, it may come as no surprise to people that "Blindsided" is regarded so highly.
3 Daredevil - The Devil You Know
The sixth episode of Daredevil's third season, "The Devil You Know" has a 9.5 rating on IMDB. A great character piece for Bullseye that explores him struggling with his mental health and striking up a deal with Kingpin, and a good example of a Marvel storyline too much for the MCU.
After having seen Kingpin behind bars throughout all of Season Two, seeing him back running his empire in this episode and having a vendetta to settle with Matt Murdock makes for very compelling viewing. The episode is a little slower-paced at times, but it makes up for this with decent dialogue and an in-depth look at some of the more important Daredevil characters.
2 Daredevil - Home
The 9.5 rating held by "Home" is completely justified, as it is a brilliant episode of Daredevil that leads to Murdock finally getting the iconic red suit that everyone knows and loves from the Daredevil comic stories, after meeting with one of Fisk's guys to make him the armor in exchange for saving his family.
Being the penultimate episode of the season, lots of the plot elements came to a head ready for the final confrontation in the next episode. Despite being one of the earliest episodes in the Defenders Saga, fans still view it as one of the best even now.
1 Daredevil - A New Napkin
The finale to the Daredevil series, "A New Napkin" sees Daredevil, Bullseye, and Kingpin face off in a brutal and bloody fight in Fisk's high-rise apartment. This episode truly feels like the culmination of everything that the show had been building towards across its three seasons and doesn't disappoint.
"A New Napkin" has a 9.5 rating on IMDB, making it the best episode of the entire Defenders Saga. While rumors of a new Daredevil series being in development would mean this episode is no longer the finale, it still finishes a lot of plot elements set up in the first few seasons and temporarily closes the door on the Murdock / Fisk feud.