In 2015, “Daredevil” marked the first series in the Netflix and Marvel TV partnership. With its decidedly dark take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and stylish, unique action, the fledgling superhero series drew critical acclaim and became an instant hit for the streaming service. However, over the next three years, Netflix/Marvel’s iffy output —new shows, returning seasons of previous series’ and the highly-anticipated team-up “The Defenders”— wavered heavily in quality. Nearly all the subsequent shows would fail to reach the heights of “Daredevil” season one. Now, as the streaming service finds itself at a crossroads with its superhero shows—“Iron Fist” just canceled and a new Disney streaming channel on the way, perfectly tailored for Marvel series—“Daredevil” returns after a two-year hiatus and may be the shot in the arm Marvel TV so desperately needs.
READ MORE: ‘Daredevil’ Season 3 Teaser: Wilson Fisk Wants To Watch The World Burn
On the surface, “Daredevil” season three feels very similar to the two previous outings. The signature tone and style hasn’t changed, but make no mistake, “Daredevil” is not the show you remember and that’s a good thing. New showrunner Erik Olsen joins the series and brings a clear “back to basics” approach to the series. Gone are the superfluous Marvel TV crossovers. Same goes for the forced Marvel Cinematic Universe fan service mentions. In their place is a streamlined story focusing on what made the first season so special — the characters. And no character shines more than returning villain Wilson Fisk, played by the incredible Vincent D’Onofrio.
Picking up where “The Defenders” left off, Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil (Charlie Cox) narrowly escapes a certain death, but not without some serious damage inflicted. Murdock’s “superpowers” —his heightened senses that allow him to “see” despite being blind— become crippled leaving the hero disabled all over again. Fortunately for him, he finds saved by Sister Maggie (Joanne Whalley) and the Catholic orphanage that he grew up in. Under her care, Murdock heals but suffers a serious crisis of faith. What does a servant of God do when the Almighty tries to kill him?
Enter Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin. D’Onofrio’s hulking character, through careful manipulation, figures out how to change his scenery from a maximum-security prison to a penthouse hotel room, where he makes one final push to end Matt Murdock once and for all — all in the name of love. The epic showdown drives Murdock to the point of no return, as Fisk systematically ruins his life. Fans of the “Daredevil” comic book series will no doubt see serious shades of the “Born Again” comic book storyline throughout the season, albeit with some necessary, and smart, alterations.
It can’t be stressed enough how the standalone nature of season 3 adds to the overall enjoyment of “Daredevil.” Even if you’re not caught up on any of the previous Netflix/Marvel series, “Daredevil” does everything needed to get you up to speed, without drowning you in needless “Iron Fist” or “Luke Cage” allusions. Matt Murdock is seriously wounded. His friends assume he’s dead. His biggest enemy is out of jail and things look extremely bleak.
And the cast sells the character-based story well. Most of Cox’s scenes are either alone or with Sister Maggie, and his acting never lets up. D’Onofrio, in a similar situation, does even better, giving nuance and, dare I say, sympathy to one of the most unlikeable villains in Marvel history. Rounding out the returning cast are Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson as Karen and Foggy, respectively. Even with their reduced roles in the first few episodes, neither actor phones it in, instead presenting viewers with interesting subplots that seem extraneous at the time but pay off later down the line.
The supporting cast isn’t all good news, however. Jay Ali, as FBI Agent Ray Nadeem, sticks out poorly. Ali is expected to carry much of the action and plot in the early episodes, just never gels with his role. Ali just takes up space and it doesn’t hurt his poorly-written character is nothing more than an exposition machine. A clear missed opportunity.
Special commendation goes to Wilson Bethel, as FBI Agent Benjamin “Dex” Pointdexter. Bethel’s character has an incredible action-filled introduction and from there, he just hits the ground running, playing Dex as a devoted government official that finds himself at a crossroads in his life. While Netflix only gave the first half of the season to critics, it’s no secret who Bethel’s character will eventually become.
While characters rule the day in “Daredevil” season 3, but that doesn’t mean the action takes a backseat. Season 3 presents viewers with a new take on superhero battles. Due to his injuries, “Daredevil” goes to great lengths to show that Matt Murdock isn’t the invincible ninja of previous appearances. He has handicaps now, which leads to our hero losing some fights badly.
With these newfound vulnerabilities, fights in “Daredevil” carry a weight that hasn’t been felt in these Netflix/Marvel shows for some time. The stakes feel high and every time Matt puts on the mask viewers will wonder if he will make it out alive. And yes, there’s a one-take hallway fight. If you’re into those sorts of increasingly-ostentatiously-orchestrated things, you’ll eat this extended sequence up.
After two years of middling/occasionally awful efforts, “Daredevil” season 3 is exactly what Netflix and Marvel TV need right now. Stripping away the unnecessary baggage that Marvel normally embraces, “Daredevil” has found its voice once again, and presents a superhero show that can stand on its own. Just as Matt Murdock rises from the ashes and rubble to save Hell’s Kitchen one more time, “Daredevil” could potentially do the same for Marvel shows on Netflix. [B]
“Daredevil” returns to Netflix on October 19.