Main cast: Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/Daredevil), Vincent D’Onofrio (Wilson Fisk/Kingpin), Margarita Levieva (Heather Glenn), Zabryna Guevara (Sheila Rivera), Nikki M James (Kirsten Mcduffie), Genneya Walton (BB Urich), Arty Froushan (Buck Cashman), Clark Johnson (Cherry), Michael Gandolfini (Daniel Blake), Kamar de los Reyes (Hector Ayala/White Tiger), and Ayelet Zurer (Vanessa Fisk)
Director: Michael Cuesta
Since watching the first episode of Daredevil: Born Again, I decided that I owe it to myself to find out more about Daredevil. Well, I looked at mostly the image search tab, because oh my, Charlie Cox is one hell of a homework.
After doing some digging, I discover that this show was filmed in two wildly different creative phases. The first half of the season was apparently crafted in the golden age of Disney’s progressive enlightenment, while the second half—after allegedly being deemed too much of a cringe even for their progressive test audiences—was scrapped and reshot. Nothing says quality storytelling like a show that had to course-correct mid-production, right?
Also, it turns out the premiere episode had the lowest viewership since Agatha All Along (ouch) and—brace yourself—even The Acolyte doubled its numbers. That’s gotta sting. But really, who’s shocked? The MCU has spent the last few years joyfully burning audience goodwill like a bonfire party at Disney HQ, so it’s no surprise that people are hesitant to give this show a chance. A shame, really, because so far… it’s not that bad.
Optics sees Matt Murdock taking on a legal case defending a new vigilante, Hector Ayala AKA White Tiger, who stepped in during Daredevil’s absence. Unfortunately, Ayala’s heroics resulted in a cop getting killed, oops.
Naturally, Daredevil: Born Again handles this with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face. The cops? Super corrupt, cartoonishly violent, and of course, white. The disenfranchised? A struggling POC.
Disney, honey, we get it. Social commentary is fine, but could you at least pretend to add nuance? The show presents this as some kind of deep, moral conundrum for Matt, but let’s be real—what moral dilemma? The script basically shouts, “White cop bad, system bad, fight the power!”, and expects viewers to stroke their chins in deep contemplation.
Charlie Cox, bless his pretty face, is doing some heavy lifting to keep this show afloat. Matt Murdock is world-weary, broken, and brooding—perfectly on brand. His conflicted, worn-down performance is engaging, but let’s be honest: the moment he starts throwing hands, we’re all not thinking about complex character arcs. We’re thinking, “Yes, punch people. Hot Cox. More!”
But let’s talk about the real show-stealer here: Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk. Every time he’s onscreen, he pulls focus so hard that I half-expect Charlie Cox to trip over his own narrative. Fisk, fresh from Echo-induced humiliation, is now making big waves as the new Mayor of New York. Sure, because mob bosses always have the best track record in public office. I’d leave people to decide whether that previous sentence is a joke or fact.
Of course, the show can’t resist using Fisk as an increasingly obvious stand-in for a certain Orange Man. He’s got the larger-than-life bravado, the fanatically loyal followers, and enough coded messaging to make it clear what Disney is aiming for. Will Fisk actually be a layered, compelling character, or will he be reduced to yet another villainous political caricature? Given how this episode handled social commentary, I’m not holding my breath.
At this point, I find myself barely keeping track of the peripheral cast, mostly because they’re blending into one giant blob of vaguely important side characters. Maybe if I had a color-coded chart and a spare afternoon, I’d start caring, but right now I’m mostly here for Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio.
Despite the groan-worthy attempts at social messaging and a bloated cast, I’m still intrigued enough by this show. Mr Cox and Mr D’Onofrio are doing their best to carry this thing, and the potential for compelling drama does exist. However, I can’t help bracing myself for the inevitable moment when Disney’s heavy-handedness turns what could be a decent show into another tedious lecture.
In conclusion, so far, so good… but if half the cast mysteriously disappears mid-season, I won’t complain.
