★★★★★
The show may be called Daredevil: Born Again, but the new Daredevil series gives fans more of the same old Daredevil in a monumental return to television. That lack of change is a very good thing.
Daredevil: Born Again sees the return of fan favorites Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) seven years after the cancellation of the original Daredevil series. The show picks up right where the original left off, providing a seamless transition between old and new plotlines.
The magic of the original Daredevil is still breathing life into the new series, and for the most part, Born Again is a flawless and intriguing way to continue Murdock’s story.
When we last saw Murdock, he was opening up his dream law firm with best friends Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) while carrying out his crime-fighting as the vigilante known as Daredevil. Born Again ensures that dream is short-lived with a shocking and tragic turn of events.
The new series uses this plot twist in its opening to ensure the audience sees that the show isn’t throwing away three seasons of development from the original. Instead, the series uses the pre-existing story to launch into a new direction.
The premise of Born Again revolves around Fisk deciding to run for mayor of New York City. His long history of public organized crime doesn’t stop him from winning over the hearts of countless New Yorkers to gain their support.
Interestingly enough, Fisk, known as Kingpin in the crime world, is at a point in his character arc where it seems he may actually have the city’s best interests at heart. He’s officially given ownership of his crime organization to his wife, and he seems to have learned a lot about morals after he failed to be a good mentor to his niece, Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), in the show Echo.
Murdock, on the other hand, is reeling from loss and devastation. He instantly sees the worst in Fisk’s mayoral bid, putting the two on a crash course for a public showdown.
Murdock has always been a character with deep moral dilemmas concerning religion and its relation to his violent superhero lifestyle. Part of how he deals with that conflict is by using the law as his moral compass to fill in religion’s gray areas.
So what happens when Kingpin becomes the one dictating the law? The Daredevil who abides by the morals of the law is seemingly no more in the new series, taking Murdock down a dangerous path.
While the plot is an inventive way to pit Daredevil and Kingpin against each other yet again, the show has undoubtedly retained its darker, grittier tone compared to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
This was an absolute necessity, as Daredevil is the type of character that demands depth and reality. His abilities aren’t superhuman or extraterrestrial—Daredevil’s hand-to-hand combat techniques mean that CGI is kept at a minimum, and coordinated stunt scenes must be perfected.
The many stunt-based fight scenes excel, while the one fight scene in the two-episode premiere that utilizes CGI feels unrealistic. As the season progresses, it would benefit greatly from less CGI and more practical effects to keep the series grounded in reality.
Another bit that Born Again inherited from its predecessor is the setting. The new series was filmed on location in New York City, unlike most Marvel projects. Hell’s Kitchen comes to life in the series because it was actually filmed on-site, and that really makes an impact when it comes to immersing the viewer.
Born Again brings the original series back to the fans, while newcomers will find lots to love in the show’s complex characters and gritty tone. The locations, fight scenes, and themes all come together to create a gripping superhero series unlike anything the MCU has seen. Murdock may be headed toward a dark path, but the future is brighter than ever for Daredevil: Born Again.
