Marvel's Daredevil (Netflix)

[Azrael]

I'm glad you liked it. And I appreciate the positive feedback. I'm also delighted to hear you're enjoying the series so much. It really is excellent and more people on this site should see it.

It's hilarious to think there were fans complaining in 2014 when Marvel announced Daredevil was getting a TV show instead of a movie. If they'd gone with the cinematic approach, we would've gotten a 2 hour PG-13 film once every three or four years. Instead we're getting 13 hours of practically unrestricted top-quality content every year. Come to think of it, season 1 debuted on April 10th 2015. Which means we've had two whole seasons – 26 episodes – in less than a year!

It's really the best. What I loved the most, besides the top quality across the board, is how it feels like two movies presented in chapters, it's not really a TV show. Or maybe a comic book mini-series presented in live action, with each episode being an "issue", whichever one prefers.

That's a long discussion and I'm sure other people have analyzed better than I could the advantages this format has over movies, but it would be ideal for direct adaptations of comic mini-series like Long Halloween.

Agreed on all counts. I'm glad DC has pulled their finger out when it comes to their television output, but sometimes it feels like they're going for quantity over quality. I've enjoyed what I've seen of The Flash, but it's certainly nowhere near the standard of quality that Marvel's putting out in their Netflix shows. Marvel's been dominating the movies for some time, and now they're taking the lead on television too.

I insist they do something interesting with Gotham (they got the visual look and the atmosphere so right), it works as an "elsewords" of sorts, but I agree. DD is a different class of live action superhero.

I'll even go as far to say that the two seasons of DareDevil are exactly what Nolanites *think* that TDK is, but in reality isn't.

True. And that's not a dig at Nolan, I enjoy his films a lot. But IMO Daredevil's taken the genre to another level entirely.

It's funny how when Nolan's Batman films debuted, some fans claimed the serious tone made the Burton Batman seem closer to the sixties TV show. Now Daredevil comes along with a tone that's so dark and adult it makes Batman Begins seem tonally closer to the Joel Schumacher Batman.

True for some fans, but my comment had more to do with how overrated Nolan's second film is (TDK is the thing, this entry is really the reason the entire trilogy is put on that pedestal, isn't it?), how it's perceived as so "deep" (it's not any deeper than any good comic book film that came before or after) and how these fans claimed B'89 was "campy cartoon" next to it (well, it isn't).

(apologies as I may veer a little, but it's something I have strong feelings about)

I wouldn't say any of the non-Schumacher Batman films is "Batman Forever" next to DD tone-wise - Keaton and Bale are still dark and tortured men, not lighthearted adventurers like Adam West. Jack's Joker isn't a campy prankster, he kills even his own henchmen. The '89 movie is fantastical, but not less "serious" (as a comic book adaptation) because of it; BB's League of Shadows and The Hand are both basically "comic book ninjas".

The reason DD is so great IMO isn't just that it's more "serious" (it's the most serious adaptation featuring a costumed character, yes, but still has its jokes, its quips, its comic book trappings, its comic book villains - The Hand is an army of mystical ninjas) but because its makers love the material and they have the artistic freedom (and the room, at 13 hours per "movie") to develop the characters and story at their own pace and make the audience care about them. They're not limited by feature film or TV show structure, and they make the most of it.

It's also not limited by PG-13. In other cases an R-Rating doesn't automatically mean "adult" but "adolescent" (it's usually teens who love movie gore for its own sake, not adults - productions that cater too much on blood for its own sake actually cater to teens), but in this case its restrained, and a necessary element that adds gravitas.

That's a great observation. I like John Paesano's score a lot, but I hadn't really thought about its application in scenes like the one you highlighted until now. But looking back on it, you're right. It ties in with my point about pacing. I've seen comments from some viewers who think that monologue went on too long. But I found the duration was one of the things that made it seem so raw and natural. The absence of music enhanced that. If they'd added some sentimental melody in the background it would've taken the viewer out of the scene and drawn attention to its length. Smart creative choice by Paesano.

There's another powerful scene in the final episode. I don't want to spoil it in case you haven't seen it yet, but it's a conversation between two characters immediately prior to the final showdown, where they discuss what the future may have in store. There is music during this scene, but it's a subtle, quiet ambient piece playing softly in the background. It beautifully compliments the emotionality of the scene without clumsily drawing attention to it. The drama comes from the writing and acting; the music merely serves to enhance that, not intrude upon it.

Yes totally agree, and this subtle use is also what makes it really shine in other more visual moments, like immediately after when "Red" stands on a piece of Gothic architecture, overlooking the police taking Castle into custody.

As for the climax, fantastic. I love these lengthy exhanges which as you say are not limited by pace. How the music builds as they go behind that door, fantastic. And then Castle on the rooftop, everything about this sequence was an extended geek-out moment.

That fight was insane. In general, this show has the best superhero fight scenes I've ever come across. Practical stunt work, excellent and varied choreography, clearly shot and edited, with some nice touches of humour thrown in. Perfection. I think this particular fight was a tribute to Tony Jaa's restaurant skirmish in Tom yum goong (2005). And just when you think it's over, those three bruisers show up to provide an end-of-stage boss fight.

I love the grin Matt gives when he pulls the trigger at the beginning. A nice nod to Frank Miller's cover art for the 2nd issue of his original Daredevil/Punisher crossover.

And how about Frank's fight scene from episode 9? Yes, that one. Makes me wish Marvel would develop a proper Daredevil videogame. Whenever that topic comes up, people always crack the obvious jokes about it being a 1st person shooter with a black screen. But seriously, they could make such a good game out of this property. I imagine it being a cross between Prince of Persia and the Batman Arkham series.

Yes, and that fight scene with the Punisher. And these co-op sections with Electra. Overall each fight scene is fantastic. This is what they should have done with Batman.

DD is the perfect character for a game - acrobatic and martial arts - Prince of Persia and Arkham are ideal models. A little bit of Infamous too. They COULD have a few challenging first person sections where the visual is limited and the player sees what DD "sees", through his senses, like they briefly showed in series 1.

I'm looking forward to writing that analysis up. There are so many things taken from the comics, it's going to be huge. And I hope you'll post your final score when you've finished the last 3 episodes.

One other thing I'd like to mention is how impressed I was by the way they captured Punisher's coldblooded machine-like persona without making him one-dimensional. That's a pitfall some of the previous adaptations stumbled into. But Bernthal conveyed the damaged humanity beneath the cold exterior with tremendous depth, and he did it without compromising the character's ruthlessness. There were a few points where I thought they might have Frank back down and show mercy, but it never happened.  He's clearly the Punisher through and through and is completely beyond redemption. And that's how the character should be portrayed.

But where should he appear next? Should he return in the next season of Daredevil, or should he get his own spin-off series? How about an R-rated movie developed as a feature-length Netflix original? The character's too good to waste. They've got to bring him back somehow.

I didn't mention Punisher but in some way this was my main draw when I saw the first Series 1 trailers and previews. Back then my familiarity with DD came from his interactions with Castle, this is what I knew of him.

Yes, they finally got him right. Not to take away from previous actors (the problem with those movies wasn't casting the main character - Thomas Jane especially had the potential to be great - that "laundry" short proves it) but Bernthal IS the Punisher.

Looking back, DD was the best way to introduce him, not his own live action series. Despite the darkness, DD is an inherently good guy (Charlie Cox makes him so likeable too) and his story has hope, the Punisher is merciless, a borderline villain protagonist, his story is bleak and hopeless, there can be only one final outcome. Matt Murdock and Karen Page humanize him.

I think he should be around in DD (if they do a particular story involving prison, he MUST be present anyway), but also receive his own series. It's obvious that Garth Ennis is one of their main influences, there are stories to be told even outside NY and Hell's Kitchen.

Do you also think his introduction in the hospital scene was a homage to The Terminator?

[The Laughing Fish]

As someone who thoroughly enjoyed the first season, I got around to finishing watching Season 2 of Daredevil last week. My verdict is rather mixed, unfortunately. Half of this season is great, the other half I thought was forgettable.

I won't give spoilers away, but I'll begin with what I liked. The Daredevil-Punisher conflict is top notch quality. Unlike a lot of moral conflicts in comics and films which feel forced and contrived, I believe this show best uses this dramatic tension to demonstrate the differences between the two vigilantes perfectly.

What I liked about this drama is you can understand where both guys are coming from. You can sympathise with Matt Murdock's point of view about everybody deserving a second chance because let's face it, up until now his brand of justice worked. He was successful in keeping Hell's Kitchen safe without resorting to lethal force. Most importantly however, Murdock makes a good point that taking such an extreme course of action against any criminal would only destroy their own families and repeat the same cycle of devastation that ruined Frank Castle's life. But then there's Castle's own point of view. While no rational person can approve his extreme method of going after a crook in front of innocent bystanders nearby, you can see the damage that criminals have done to his family and his life, and sees those who clearly have no regard for human life nor the intention to rehabilitate must be eliminated to keep the city. It's a complicated conflict that lives up to its potential as compelling drama, and I for one commend the show for adapting it successfully. The Castle storyline that continued on afterwards is brilliant and sets his path into becoming the Punisher perfectly.

Now here is the part that I didn't like: the Hand and Elektra storyline. I won't lie, it didn't get my attention like the Frank Castle plot did, and I didn't understand what the Hand were specifically trying to accomplish. I found Elektra a little bit annoying because she was shifting between a carefree smartass and a bloodthirsty killer. Is that this criticism fair though? Admittedly, I'm not familiar with Daredevil comics, and maybe it's one of those things I'll need to watch again to get a better understanding. But as I watched this for the first time, I didn't feel the Hand's motivations were well conveyed. The main villain didn't make the same impression as Wilson Fisk did for me. Which is kind of understandable, because Vincent D'Onofrio set a very high bar in that area.

So yeah, I have to say that the first season is still better for me. I've watched a review from a fan on YouTube that kinda shared my opinion: first four episodes of the season is some of the best that the show has to offer, except this guy compared everything else afterwards to Arrow's disastrous third season. I would NOT go that far, but Daredevil Season 2 didn't quite live up to the quality of Season 1 for me. It doesn't matter too much though, the show can still bounce back with a superior third season.

[thecolorsblend]

Love this series! I'll read the new posts after I finish off season 2.

[Silver Nemesis]

I'd just like to state for the billionth time how insanely beautiful the fight choreography is in this show. A perfect balance of speed, grace and brutality.

Apparently they don't have a lot of time to choreograph and rehearse the fights. Which makes the end results all the more impressive.

[Silver Nemesis]

"My name is Matt Murdock. An accident with a chemical truck took my sight but enhanced my other senses. Now I protect Hell's Kitchen as Daredevil."

If Daredevil was a CW show, every episode would begin with a voiceover just like this. ^

[Silver Nemesis]

[Silver Nemesis]

Hot Toys has announced a new line of 1/6 scale Daredevil figures based on the Netflix show:

Justice is blind.

We are thrilled to officially announce today, Hot Toys 's highly detailed and amazing collectibles based on the highly-popular Netflix Original series Marvel's Daredevil are coming real soon!

Daredevil fans stay tuned. It's time to get ready for the Man Without Fear and the deadly vigilante Punisher!

http://www.hottoys.com.hk/news.php?newsID=246

[Silver Nemesis]

Finally, a Blu-ray release date has been announced for the first season. Blu-ray, DVD and special steelbook editions will be available in the UK from October 3rd. Just in time for my birthday. No word yet on the North American release date, though presumably it'll be around the same time.

[The Joker]

ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!!

[thecolorsblend]

So far this show is everything I've ever wanted from Daredevil in live action. Matt Murdock is avowedly Catholic but the extremes are avoided. His religion isn't window-dressing, like it was in the movie. And it isn't so all-consuming that the story gets practically lost, as happened with Kevin Smith's "Guardian Devil" story.

In season 1 the priest gives the most articulate, nuanced understanding of the Devil and the nature of evil that I've ever seen a Hollywood production ever do. I'm friends with total theology nerds and they ate that up with a spoon. Incredible writing!

Karen can easily grow into, ahem, what she became in the comics. But she doesn't absolutely have to go in that direction. The showrunners have the flexibility to give her a different fate if they want to.

Foggy isn't presented as a clueless oaf like he was in the movie and occasionally has been in the comics. In many ways, he's the soul of Nelson & Murdock. And he's a lot sharper than he gets credit for too. The show respects that. He discovered Matt's secret identity out of genuine concern for his friend's well being. His actions, frustrations, successes, failures and conflicts derive mostly from how big his heart is.

Matt Murdock is frequently written as a man who isn't as evil as his heart wants him to be... but isn't as virtuous as his soul would like. The push and pull creates a fascinating internal conflict. He wants to be better than he is while at the same time he isn't as bad as he'd like to be.

Amazing show. Season 2 was even better than the first, which I wasn't originally expecting considering Marvel's track record up to now with sequels and followups.