Michael Suarez
Back in 2015, Daredevil premiered on Netflix. It was the first of four interconnected series that eventually led to an Avengers-style team-up series called The Defenders. The series was acclaimed for its ground-level approach to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), essentially answering the question of what life was like for the “regular” people who lived in a world where the Avengers existed. On top of that, Daredevil managed to give viewers a grounded crime thriller with excellent fight scenes throughout. It was gritty and dramatic, and viewers seemed to love it.
The show would serve as a solid foundation for the shows that followed, as well as introducing viewers to the vigilante known as The Punisher (whose introduction was so successful a spin-off was made) and the crime boss Kingpin (who has since returned in two Disney+ shows, Hawkeye and Echo). The series lead, played by Charlie Cox, even made a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home a few years ago and popped up for a few episodes in She-Hulk and briefly in Echo.
This year marks the return of Daredevil, the lawyer by day and crimefighter by night. The new series, titled Daredevil: Born Again, looks to be a continuation of what came before, so the question becomes, should you watch the first three seasons of the show? My answer would be yes. I have no doubt that the new show will be made with new viewers in mind, but for all intents and purposes, this is Marvel we’re talking about here. Can I watch only the Avengers movies and understand the basic idea of what’s happening? Sure. But my experience is enriched by having seen what came before.
I know the idea of keeping up with every Marvel property sounds like homework, but in the case of Daredevil, this is a good show for its own sake. I’ll admit to not watching every other Netflix/Marvel show, and I don’t believe I missed anything by doing so. Again, though, the show is good, particularly the first season, which I highly recommend. It’s one of the best things the MCU has been attached to, and frankly, it’s a fantastic season of television, Marvel-related or not.
It’s also not kid-friendly. The show can get pretty R-rated at times, mainly due to the fight scenes, which can be brutal, however heightened they may be from time to time. Also, we’re dealing with a main character whose heroism lives in a morally grey area. On the one hand, he’s a lawyer who uses the law to do what’s right, but on the other hand, he breaks the law in order to have some sense of justice in a world where the villains can win. It makes for very interesting storytelling, and the cast is more than game for wherever the show goes.
Seriously, everyone is wonderful on this show, and you might walk away wondering why Charlie Cox or Deborah Ann Woll aren’t stars. The new series has quite the leap to make to hit the bar set from the original’s first season, but here’s hoping it can pull it off. If you never gave Daredevil a shot, and you have Disney+ (since the shows are no longer on Netflix), I highly recommend it.
