Daredevil

• Title: Daredevil – Shadows in the Glass
• wiki: link

For a show that’s shown us only glimpses of the main character’s past I have mixed feelings about devoting nearly an entire episode to examine the past of the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio). One of the lessons of Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight is that we are given multiple possible origins for the Joker but the truth of his past isn’t important to who the man is today. Wilson Fisk is our bad guy, he’s the head of organized crime in New York with plans of branding himself to the public as a philanthropist. What happened in his past to create the man he is isn’t necessary information for Daredevil (Charlie Cox) to defeat him. Of course the fact the Arrow already did the exact same storyline with Brother Blood (murdered his father as a kid, attempted to take over the city as a shadowy figure, pretending his mother is dead while hiding her away in a private institution) makes the episode feel like slightly under-heated leftovers.

…

Daredevil – Shadows in the GlassRead More »

• Title: Daredevil – Stick
• wiki: link

“Stick” introduces an important character from Matt Murdock‘s (Charlie Cox) past whose introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe raises questions the series either can’t or isn’t willing to answer at this point. Although I’ve enjoyed Daredevil the more I watch the show the less it feels a part of the same universe as the various Marvel films and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “Stick,” both the character and the episode, is a good example of this as Stick (Scott Glenn) doesn’t fit within the rules the previous Marvel Cinematic films and series have set-up. Stick can’t be a mutant, he obviously isn’t an Inhuman, and unless he’s a product of the Super-Soldier program or a some variation his abilities cannot be accounted for in the shared world that still has yet to introduce mysticism as an aspect of this shared universe.

…

Daredevil – StickRead More »

• Title: Daredevil – World on Fire / Condemned
• wiki: link
• wiki: link

“World on Fire” and “Condemned” conclude the Russian mob arc from Daredevil‘s First Season as Wilson Fisk‘s (Vincent D’Onofrio) attempts to pin the murder of Anatoly Ranskahov (Gideon Emery) on Hell’s Kitchen’s new vigilante lead to Daredevil (Charlie Cox) being cornered by the police under the command of the city’s would-be kingpin of crime. Although Vladimir (Nikolai Nikolaeff) will learn the truth about Fisk’s involvement in Anatoly’s death it won’t prevent him from meeting a similar end. Just when I was finally getting intrested in the Russians, whose back story is finally explored here, the show writes both off the show leading to the showdown between the show’s hero and big bad in the season finale.

…

Daredevil – World on Fire / CondemnedRead More »

• Title: Daredevil – Rabbit in a Snowstorm
• wiki: link

Daredevil continues to develop the underworld of Hell’s Kitchen in another episode that touches on the unseen motives of a mysterious new player’s power grab. In terms of the season arc choices made here further basic plot points and character development in the increasing tension between Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), but it terms of logic for this episode “Rabbit in a Snowstorm” leaves more than a little to be desired as Wesley‘s (Toby Leonard Moore) recruitment of Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) to defend a killer (Alex Morf) of their organization on self-defense charges doesn’t in any way help the Kingpin (who had already bought the jury), certainly doesn’t do any damage to the lawyers, don’t make the case look any more legit (because absolutely no one is paying attention to it), and only further reveals pieces of the mysterious adversary for Daredevil to eventually hunt down and hear the name “Wilson Fisk” for the first time.

…

Daredevil – Rabbit in a SnowstormRead More »