“Well, I will admit…it’s not entirely unpleasant seeing you again.” –Wilson Fisk
It’s been nearly 10 years since the Daredevil Netflix series graced our screens. In April of 2015, we first experienced Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock as he kicked ass as both a lawyer and superhero (or vigilante, according to Kingpin). The series was dark, gritty, and violent – all things you’d expect from a Daredevil television show. Now, seven years since the series ended its third season on Netflix, Daredevil is back on the rooftops of Hell’s Kitchen as Cox returns to play the titular hero as he finds a new life on Disney+ in Daredevil: Born Again.
With a string of guest appearances in other Disney+ Marvel Television shows such as She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, this isn’t the first time audiences have seen Cox as Matt Murdock in the MCU. However, spending more time with the character than solely a singular episode or a cameo is more than welcome.
In Daredevil: Born Again, we find Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) having a night on the town among friends and colleagues. Of course, what begins as a fun night spirals out of control, and the trio must come to terms with loose ends that need to be tied up. With that comes the rebirth of Daredevil, a mask Matt hasn’t worn in a long time. With former crime boss Wilson Fisk lurking in the background as he pursues a political career in New York City, Matt knows that he and Fisk’s lives will ultimately collide again – but will it be in the same violent way as in the past? Well, you’ll just have to watch the series to find out.
The series covers a lot in nine episodes and, in doing so, gives us a new look into the lives of its main characters and their current struggles. This season, Matt tackles more detective work as crime in the city explodes despite the return of masked vigilantes. The interconnected network of everything creates a thrilling web that will leave you on the edge of your seat as the episodes roll on.
Showrunner Dario Scardapane does a fantastic job with Daredevil: Born Again. Despite being on Disney+, the show doesn’t lack the grit of past series. It’s raw, emotional, and, yes, violent. Scarpadane and executive producer Sana Amanat are a match made in heaven for the series. Having been an editor for some epic Daredevil comic series runs, Amanat most certainly brought her expertise from both the comic realm and her past work on the Disney+ Marvel Television series Ms. Marvel (a character she co-created). The street-level superheroes have a different vibe, and it’s something that Scarpadane and Amanat easily nailed.
Not only have the showrunner and executive producers nailed the series, but the actors have brought their A-game. While much of the cast is returning from the previous series, there is something to be said about quickly slipping back into their characters in a way that makes the audience feel like they were never away from the roles, to begin with. Cox is as perfect as ever as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. Embodying the calm lawyer fighting for justice with that deep rage and need for retribution that simmers just beneath the surface that makes way for Daredevil.
On the other hand, Vincent D’Onofrio plays Wilson Fisk. Fisk is trying to turn a new leaf and find a new way to help his city: politics. D’Onofrio easily brings Fisk’s intimidating presence to life as he stands tall in his suit and navigates his new life. Despite the tough exterior, D’Onofrio makes Fisk vulnerable, especially regarding the character’s life alongside his wife, Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer). It was a treat to see the two sides of the coin that is Wilson Fisk.
Let’s not forget that March is Women’s History Month, and it’s time to spotlight the women throughout Daredevil: Born Again. Returning from the Netflix series, Deborah Ann Woll and Ayelet Zurer shine as Karen Page and Vanessa Fisk, respectively. The leading ladies are always steadfast, joining their on-screen counterparts for some of the show’s most impactful and emotionally charged scenes.
Newcomers to the Daredevil world include Nikki M. James as attorney Kirsten McDuffie, Zabryna Guevara as Sheila Guevera, Margarita Vladimirovna Levieva as therapist Heather Glenn, and Genneya Walton as journalist BB Urich. Each actress is fantastic in the series and brings their best to their characters. I particularly loved the chemistry between James’s McDuffie and Cox’s Murdock. The pair share some comedic moments throughout the series, and James’s McDuffie does her best to keep Matt in line when they are in charge of commanding the courtroom.
Daredevil: Born Again has been my favourite Marvel Television series thus far. The series’ exploration of the characters and their motivations was exciting on screen. But more than that, its look into the cycle of violence and how it all leads to drastic collision courses with various characters was unexpected but fascinating—watching how it all impacted Daredevil and the enemies he faced. As we know already that a second season is coming, I can’t wait for more mysteries to be revealed and more epic hand-to-hand combat sequences to come our way.
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