Matt’s back and more anguished than ever
The human spirit reserves tears of joy for only the most special of occasions. The birth of a child, perhaps, or a reunion with a long-absent loved one, or—if you’re me—the announcement that your favourite television show is returning after being unceremoniously cancelled for corporate reasons.
This is what you’re dealing with for this review: not a mere fan of Daredevil, but someone who had the complexities of their internal life fundamentally altered by the T.V. show that ran from 2015 to 2018. You can blame it on the tail-end of my adolescence I suppose, but I think the undying love that fans have held for Matt Murdock in the years since the show’s cancellation is proof that there is something universal about our favourite guilt-ridden Catholic superhero.
I can’t get into it all now. Instead, take a look at the outsized proportion of Daredevil articles I’ve written on my blog in the last year as proof that this character is special to me. So, yes, when Daredevil: Born Again was announced back in 2022, I cried. Like his buddy on the cross, Matt was coming back for another round.
I wasn’t simply being a nerdy fanboy and I wasn’t overcome with nostalgia. Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock returning to television hit a deeper, richer vein than either of those flash-in-a-pan dopamine hits. This meant something. It meant that good things can endure and find new life and…
And I’m going to stop myself right there. The two-and-a-half years since the announcement have tested my patience, but it’s finally here. Daredevil: Born Again had it’s two-episode premiere on Disney+ this week and I have some thoughts.
Now, I’m a bit of a freak about spoilers. I haven’t watched any trailers for this show and consider most of what I’m going to discuss in this review as a spoiler—but most won’t. Regardless, this is your warning that this review will contain plenty of spoiler-y thoughts—mostly in terms of how the show connects to the original series and references Daredevil comics. In terms of detailed plot discussions, I’ll be keeping it light (bar a true spoiler-filled section at the end)
Guardian Devil
Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) has put his life as Daredevil behind him, but his resolve is tested when his old nemesis Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio), the former Kingpin of Crime in New York City, sets his sights on becoming Mayor. Fisk and Murdock both claim to be reformed men, but it feels like it's only a matter of time before they unleash their violent natures once again.
My first nerd-out came only a few minutes into the show when it was revealed that the woman that Foggy was chatting up at Josie's bar was none other than Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James)—one of the best Daredevil supporting characters introduced in the comics this century. For as much as I love the original show, it mostly pulls from Frank Miller’s work on the character in the 80’s, and it was simply exciting to realise that the show would be pulling from more modern Daredevil lore.
Then came a classic Daredevil fight scene that is sure to go down as one of the most impactful in the series’ history. Bullseye is back with a grudge against Murdock, Nelson, and Page. The character is once again played once again by Wilson Bethel, who gave a stand-out performance as the character in the third season of Daredevil. I’ve been worried that Daredevil: Born Again would either recast the character or simply not use him at all, so it was great to see him back for this fight.
And what a fight it was. It’s worth a rewatch just to fully appreciate everything that happens during it. Everything is a weapon in Bullseye’s hands and the destruction he causes in Josie’s Bar is horrifying and reminiscent of the scene in which he attacked the Bulletin in season three of Daredevil. It’s a level of violence that sets the tone for the show, informing new viewers that this isn’t your typical MCU fare, and reassuring old fans like me that this is the Daredevil we know and love.
For a while, the show was apparently going to serve as a reboot of Daredevil with a lighter and more episodic tone. This was a change that I had to come to terms with, and I conceded that any Daredevil was better than no Daredevil at all. Thankfully, Kevin Feige and co. saw the light and ordered a massive shake-up of the series before it had finished shooting in order to make it something that original Daredevil fans would love. And love this sequence, I did.
Of course, Bullseye isn’t the show’s primary antagonist. No, that honour goes to Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk—the best villain in any MCU property, period. Fisk and Murdock have, of course, gone up against each other many times—but all that is ancient history as far as they’re concerned. While not on friendly terms, they’ve both set aside their animosity of one another, which I was a little surprised by at first.
The timeline of the MCU got a bit muddy after the five-year time-jump in Avengers: Endgame, so although it’s hard to pin precisely how much time has passed since Daredevil season three, it’s probably safe to say it’s been roughly a decade since Matt and Wilson butted heads. Both men have transformed in the intervening years. By all appearances, Fisk has put his violent past behind him in favour of seeking legitimate rule as Mayor of New York City. Although Matt isn’t happy about this development, so long as Fisk has left his criminal days behind, he’s willing to suffer it.
All of this is put forth in one of the best scenes in episode one in which Fisk and Murdock have a face-to-face in a diner. It’s fascinating watching these two men simply have a conversation. Both characters are loaded with so many contradictions and burdened by so much shared history. It’s amusing to see them face off in such a mundane environment, but it also lights the fuse for the greater conflict of the entire show.
“I love a man who rises above his nature,” says Wilson Fisk during this scene in regard to Matt having put his days as Daredevil behind him. That really is the question of the show: Can these violent men really change? Can they really put behind the violence that forged them, or will the world demand it of them regardless of their desire? What are they willing to sacrifice in order to live ‘normal’ lives?
Of course, we know that this new current status quo can’t hold up for long, so Daredevil: Born Again becomes somewhat of a waiting game as Matt and Wilson inch closer and closer to their old selves and the explosive conflict that this will inevitably result in. It makes for some palpable tension that’s very much appreciated.
Of course, Daredevil: Born Again features a whole host of new characters, too. Kirsten McDuffie winds up playing a bigger role than I expected, and through her we’re introduced to Heather Glenn—a significant love interest of comic-book Matt back in the 70’s and 80’s. I was honestly surprised by her appearance here.
Heather isn’t exactly a beloved Daredevil character. She suffered from poor writing during her comic book tenure, falling prey to the casual misogyny of the era. Honestly, she’s a character best forgotten about—especially seeing as Matt has had plenty of more interesting romantic entanglements since then—but the version we see in Daredevil: Born Again bears very little resemblance to the melodramatic socialite she was in the comics.
Here, Heather is a therapist. As well as dating Matt, she also winds up counselling Wilson Fisk and his wife Vanessa. It’s unclear whether this is a massive coincidence or a ploy by Fisk to keep Matt in line somehow. Either way, I’m intrigued to see how this plays out. I think I need a bit more depth to Heather for me to get fully onboard with her and Matt’s relationship, but I’m happy to give the show a bit of time on that front for now.
We’re also introduced to a character not from the comics—Cherry, played by The Wire alum Clark Johnson. A retired cop, Cherry now works as Matt’s investigator, and I have to say I really like this character. Johnson has a casual confidence to him that makes him easy to like and, as one of the few people who know about Matt’s alter ego, is able to have meaningful conversations with him.
The Devil in Cell Block D
Something that’s always bothered me a little about the original Daredevil show was how quick they were to kill off reporter Ben Urich. Ben is huge figure in both Spider-Man and Daredevil comics, and although his death made a big impact back in season one of Daredevil, it was a shame they offed a pivotal character with so much potential so early.
Daredevil: Born Again attempts to remedy this problem by introducing BB Urich (Genneya Walton), Ben’s niece. I can’t say I’m won over by her quite yet, although I really do enjoy the interstitial clips from her show where she interviews New Yorkers about crime, Fisk, vigilantes, etc. They bridge the gap between scenes nicely and add a neat everyday human perspective to what’s happening.
BB has some very big shoes to fill though. Vondie Curtis-Hall as Ben Urich was a phenomenal presence in Daredevil, and although I can see BB playing an important role down the line, I’m worried that her character won’t be given the depth and arc that her uncle was given. We’ll have to see how it plays out.
Michael Gandolfini plays Daniel Blake, a big fan of Wilson Fisk who works on his mayoral campaign. He hasn’t had much to do yet, but the fact that what is essentially the villain’s henchman being given such prominent screen time presumably means that he’s going to play a bigger part in things down the line.
Then, of course, there’s Hector Ayala, a.k.a. The White Tiger, a small-time vigilante. His presence here indicates that the writers are adapting elements from Brian Michael Bendis’ run on the Daredevil comics (Bendis even serves as a consultant on the show). This is nothing but exciting, as Bendis had an incredibly influential run with the character from 2001 to 2006.
For me, Bendis’ run is the beginning of a new era in Daredevil comics history, so it feels appropriate that the writers are pulling inspiration for the show from his stories. Ayala is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, which of course draws Matt's attention. The fact that Matt used to be a vigilante only serves to make the case more personal for him, especially during a time when Fisk wants to outlaw vigilantes of all sorts.
The combination of all of these characters new and familiar makes for an explosive first two episodes. I really do think the showrunners struck the perfect balance between delivering something new without leaning too heavily on a mega-fan’s love for the original series. This extends to both the soundtrack and the visual style of the show.
Daredevil’s theme song is iconic. Thankfully, the creators didn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater when it came to creating new music. They kept Daredevil’s classic leitmotif but incorporated it in some new and satisfying ways. I don’t think the new theme song hits quite as hard as the original, but the score throughout the show is better than ever (although the use of actual songs with vocals to underscore certain moments was a startling change).
Visually, this looks very different from the original show, which leaned very heavily on coloured lighting—especially yellow and red. It worked weirdly well in Daredevil even when there was no in-world reason why everything would be lit that way. It heightened the show’s style, but it’s a technique that’s mostly been dropped here. I’m a little disappointed about this—the show feels very cold without those hell-hot Daredevil colours.
There are moments when some in-story lighting causes a burst of colour that lasts a second or two, but it’s not as pervasive as it once was. Now, this might be a purposeful decision. The bulk of these episodes transpire during a time when Matt has given up being Daredevil, but I couldn’t help but notice that the ‘yellowest’ scene of the series thus far happened right at the end of episode two when Matt is forced into superheroics once again. A coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.
Now, if you’ll indulge me, I need to get into some spoilers. I can’t not talk more about that opening scene after all. If you haven’t seen the show, go watch it and come back.
Nelson, Murdock, and Page: Avocados at Law
“I like to think that we have evolved,” says Foggy in the opening moments of the show.
“This Hell’s Kitchen nostalgia is running pretty thin,” jokes Karen Page later.
Part of the reason I was so excited Daredevil: Born Again was the return of my favourite fictional trio: Murdock, Nelson, and Page. Just getting to see them hang out was an exciting prospect—I was giddy during the opening minutes just listening to Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson bantering with his friends. He’s always been such a warm and funny presence in the show. He’s Matt’s best buddy! He’s my best buddy!
You can imagine my shock when he died, then. I have to admit, right up until the moment where Matt hears his heartbeat stop, I was positive that this was just a fake-out death—a way to establish just how dangerous Bullseye was without, y’know, killing one of the lead characters.
I get why the writers did it. Beyond it being a reference to a similar death in the comics (one I’m still bitter about to this day), I understand the desire to push Matt into unfamiliar territory—to do something new with this series that couldn’t have been done in the old status quo. We’ll simply have to wait for more episodes to see whether this decision is justified, but I don’t doubt that Matt’s eventual decision to become Daredevil again will involve overtly processing the grief of his friend’s death.
I also hope that Karen hasn’t been soft-erased from the show! To the best of my understanding, both Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson who play Karen and Foggy respectively were only brought onto Daredevil: Born Again following the show’s big shake-up to make it feel more like the original series, and I worry that they only featured in the first episode so that long-time fans like me wouldn’t be wondering where the hell they are throughout the series. Karen lives in San Francisco now, but I think it would be a real shame if the writers didn’t find some way to incorporate her into the rest of the episodes.
Daredevil: Born Again is just that: a rebirth for the character. The show isn’t just back—it’s back and it’s different. I always knew that this wasn’t just going to be a reheated version of the old Daredevil show I loved so much, and although I’m apprehensive about whether some of the big changes will pay off, I’m delighted with the overall quality of the show and can't wait for more. That little Punisher tease at the end of episode two has me kicking my feet with excitement, as did Matt's scream of inarticulate rage.
Matt is back. Daredevil is back. And things are about to get messy.
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