Daredevil: Born Again

The news of the newest Daredevil shows filled Marvel fans with hope. After the original Netflix series was cancelled there was a Matt Murdock sized hole in the fandom. Many hoped that Disney would bring the show back and when they finally did it did not disappoint. I believe the key to this is cast participation. The cast loved their characters and the world and story so much that they helped shape the new series.

I always love it when we are dropped in the middle of a story, exposition is dripped to the audience instead of dumped. It forces us right into the world without needing all kinds of background. That is the best way to tell a story.

The little lens flare that tells us Matt is listening to something specific, great visual tool to help new viewers. The best part about this being a reboot/continuation is that it assumes knowledge without being arrogant. Meaning, new viewers can enjoy and understand the show without needing to see the original series. And established fans get to enjoy a continuation of this world they already love.

Shooting Foggy in episode 1 is a little rough. Unfortunately it splits the fanbase a little bit because if you know the show and the characters that was inherently impactful and did exactly what it was supposed to. However if you are a new viewer it means nothing to you. You don’t know who Foggy is or really what his relationship with Matt is so it holds no emotional weight. As far as new fans are concerned Foggy was just fridged to start this new story, so I do feel like that could have been done a lot better.

The cinematography choices are interesting, not sure if it's in a good way or not yet. Every shot in this fight scene is pulled in really tight, we’ve got some flashing lights making it even more chaotic. Lots of chopped angles and it doesn’t pull out till they get to the roof. I think we’re gonna go with I like it. The camerawork fit the environment they were fighting in.

I love street level Marvel heroes, none of this “no kill” bullshit. The vigilantes in Marvel don’t give a fuck.

Jumping to One Year Later after Foggy’s death is fair, kind of solidifies the fridging though.

Oh they made Vanessa Fisk an actual character…and active player? That’s a choice. So for context Vanessa is actively against her husband's business and lifestyle in the comics, she actively tries to get him to quit under the threat of divorce so this is um…wrong and I hate it. She’s supposed to be his moral compass and his tie to sanity so what exactly are we doing here?

A year later and the trial for Foggy’s killer is just now happening? Gotta love the American justice system.

Wilson Bethel with a deep voice actually sucks and I hate it. I know this man from Hart of Dixie with a sexy southern accent and without it I am sad. When I saw the cast at LACC it messed me up that Charlie had an accent and Wilson didn’t.

Fisk is filling the opening that Daredevil left. Crime in Hell’s Kitchen is on the rise and what a better pressure point for Fisk to press on as he runs for office.

The episode ending with Matt and Fisk finally coming face to face was delightfully dramatic. The music, the slow motion. Just to be clear ALL of these adaptations in film or television SHOULD be campy and dramatic, that's what comic books are. And always have been.

I do love that they acknowledge Echo, I really loved that show so it's nice that the “more important” show maintains it as canon.

First episode started out really strong, there was the questionable choice of killing Foggy to start Matt’s new story. Fridging will never not be straight up lazy and bad writing, but to be fair it's only fridging for new viewers. That said if you are making a new show you should always assume that you are speaking to a new audience. Especially since the original show ended 7 years ago…that’s a decade since the show started. You HAVE to leave room for new fans to enter this space and I feel that could have been done better.