*Daredevil: Born Again picks up where the 2015 Netflix series left off with Charlie Cox returning as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio reprising his role as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin.
*After originally going the soft reboot route, Daredevil: BA was reigned in to act as a continuation of the original series and fans should certainly enjoy the revival.
*Daredevil: BA has a super-sized first season in progress and a second season already in the works.
What Is It?
This series continues the story of blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who, after stepping away from his vigilante persona Daredevil, returns to confront new challenges in New York City. As former crime boss Wilson Fisk pursues political ambitions, both men find their pasts resurfacing, leading them toward an inevitable confrontation.
Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Wilson Bethel, Zabryna Guevara
Created By: Dario Scardapane, Matt Corman, Chris Ord
Johnny Jay’s Thoughts:
When Daredevil premiered on Netflix in the spring of 2015, it came as somewhat of a revelation and helped boost superheroes on television to the next level. The CW had already spurred a superhero boom with 2012’s Arrow and its spin-off shows, but those veered into camp on a regular basis. The arrival of the MCU shows on Netflix (starting with Daredevil and followed by Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist) offered a grittier type of hero, less focused on hero-vs.-villain battles and more on the internal struggles of the main characters. Daredevil‘s first season in particular offered an epic story of two people who both loved their city (Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk) but had very different ideas about how to save it. In my opinion, that counted as one of the greatest seasons of a superhero TV show ever, and the two seasons that followed did not disappoint either.
Sadly, Daredevil and the other MCU shows on Netflix were canceled due to corporate hijinks and the escalation of the streaming wars (more on that at this link), followed by years of fans trying to save the show. Disney was finally convinced that there was indeed an audience that would tune in for the return of the character, so they announced Daredevil: Born Again in 2022. Unfortunately, that was originally planned as a soft reboot of the character, but corporate executives had a change of heart after they saw some of the early episodes. They demanded a reworking of the show and brought in a new creative team led by Dario Scardapane, who had previously helmed The Punisher for Netflix. I have now made it through the first seven episodes of Born Again, and I can assure fans of the original that the new show is very much a continuation of the excellent series started in 2015.
(Minor Spoilers Ahead)
I’m going to try not to spoil too much of the revival, but it’s important to set up a notable change from the first series. Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) were not originally set to return, but that decision was reversed because they were so essential to the show. However, their presence has been minimal so far, and an early conflict in the first episode sets up Matt Murdock’s initial decision to step away from his Daredevil persona. Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk is pursuing political ambitions and seems to be leading into the “Devil’s Reign” storyline from the comics. This sets up another standoff between Murdock/Daredevil and Fisk/Kingpin that continues to explore the meaning of what it is to be a hero and a leader—very much in the spirit of what we’ve seen from the show so far.
We’re about at the halfway point of the first season, and the show will be going on hiatus for a few months. And as a huge fan of the Netflix series, I’m loving the Disney+ revival so far, and I have high hopes that it will maintain its quality into the second season.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
What’s Next?
As mentioned above, the first season will be split into two parts. Eighteen episodes are planned, (though IMDb only shows 17) and the first season will go on hiatus for a few months after the ninth ep is released on April 15th. Daredevil: Born Again has already been renewed for a second season, which will consist of eight episodes, and filming on that began earlier this year. According to Marvel insider Alex Perez from a Q & A he did at The Cosmic Circus, the Defenders will be returning in the upcoming second season, and Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones have all expressed an interest in reprising those roles. In addition, a Punisher special is currently in the works starring John Bernthal.
Where Can You Watch It?
The first three seasons of Daredevil which originally streamed on Netflix are available on Disney+ and the current season is there as well through the eighth episode which just released today. The other Defenders shows are there as well including Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders. The first and second seasons of Daredevil were released on DVD and Blu-ray, but not the third season.
Have you been watching Daredevil: Born Again and do you believe it follows in the spirit of the original series? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section below.
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