Before Disney Plus and its parade of post-Endgame Marvel series, shows like Daredevil gave the studio a convenient way to infuse the MCU with a grittier, more dramatic energy.
The Original Daredevil
The original Daredevil, a Netflix project, could go harder with its action and darker with its nuanced depiction of the man without fear. And with multiple solid spinoffs of its own, Netflix’s Daredevil felt like it was working its way toward becoming a key part of Marvel’s future big-screen plans.
The End of an Era
Though the New York City of it all made an eventual Daredevil x Avengers crossover seem possible (albeit improbable), those hopes were dashed when Marvel’s production partnership deal with Netflix ended. For a time, it looked like Marvel intended to soldier on without Daredevil and the Defenders while cultivating a fresh crop of heroes to fight in the streaming wars. But that was clearly no longer the case when the devil of Hell’s Kitchen made unexpected, back-to-back guest appearances in Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk, and Echo.
Daredevil: Born Again
In Disney Plus’ new Daredevil: Born Again series, you can see Marvel trying to recapture the street-level magic that made its Netflix shows pop. Born Again whips so many of the classic Daredevil tricks and picks up on old narrative threads that it almost plays like a proper continuation of its predecessor’s story at first. After working through some clunkiness in its first few episodes, the show finds a good rhythm in its back half that’s surprising given how troubled the project seemed when Marvel decided to overhaul it mid-production. But while Born Again eventually finds its footing, its disjointed plotlines and uneven pacing make it feel like a soft reboot that can’t always decide where its focus needs to be.
A New Beginning
It’s possible to dive into Born Again without having seen much of Netflix’s Daredevil, but the new show’s story about how blind attorney Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is driven away from his secret work as a superhero hits harder the more you know about his past. Though everyone around Murdock understands how hard he fights to get his clients justice in the courtroom, few have any idea how many lives he has saved and changed for the better while fighting against New York City’s most vicious criminals.
Actors and Performances
Born Again is far from the first show to wax philosophic about the secret identities of superheroes and villains being their true selves, but Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio’s performances are the reason the idea works so well here. There’s a crackling energy coursing through every scene they have together that speaks to how Murdock and Fisk are both men struggling (and failing) to control their dark desires.
Political Commentary
In Fisk’s case, those desires transparently read as Trumpian as he launches a mayoral campaign on a draconian law and order platform designed to rid the city of vigilantes. And, while it’s clearly taking some cues from Marvel’s comics, the show gets surprisingly explicit (for Disney, at least) about the fact that it is commenting on the US’ current political climate.
Conclusion
What’s both interesting and exhausting about Born Again’s first season is the way that, even though you can sense how drastically it changed during the production process, both of its creative teams obviously came up with compelling ideas for how to give Daredevil a second life in the MCU.
FAQs
Q: Is Daredevil: Born Again a direct continuation of the original Netflix series?
A: Yes, the show is a direct continuation of the original Netflix series, with Charlie Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock/Daredevil.
Q: Is Daredevil: Born Again available to stream on Disney+?
A: Yes, Daredevil: Born Again is now available to stream on Disney+.
Q: Will there be a second season of Daredevil: Born Again?
A: Yes, a second season of Daredevil: Born Again has been confirmed, with production expected to begin soon.
Q: What is the plot of Daredevil: Born Again?
A: The show follows Matt Murdock, a blind attorney who moonlights as the vigilante Daredevil, as he navigates his secret identity and fights against crime in New York City.
