Marvel Comics’ newest television series Daredevil premiered its first season in full on Friday, April 10, exclusively on Netflix. This series marks the third television tie-in to Marvel’s greater cinematic universe, and the first series produced solely for Netflix subscribers.
Marvel first announced Dareveil as one of five new series for Netflix, with the other four airing at later dates. The next four will feature Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage in their own series with a penultimate miniseries called The Defenders once the four individual entries have finished.
Many viewers perhaps best remember Daredevil as a character portrayed by Ben Affleck in a poorly-received film in 2003. Unlike that film, the Netflix series shows an exciting, dark, and action-packed adventure that only leaves anticipation for more.
Daredevil could be best compared to Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman. Nolan wanted to give Batman a darker, more mature atmosphere to contrast with the more bizarre Batman films released in the 1990s. Marvel took the hint and gave the same treatment to their Daredevil series.
While both franchises feature heroes with no superpowers, each has something that grants them extra abilities when fighting crime. Where Bruce Wayne has the money to finance Batman’s expensive gadgets, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is blind. Some may view that as a disadvantage to crime fighting, but Daredevil’s other enhanced senses allow him to sense the world in ways most people cannot.
From a pacing standpoint, what makes Daredevil a great series is that it does not waste much time focusing on origin story. Murdock was blinded as a child when he pushed an older man out of the way from being hit by a truck. The truck containing a toxic chemical spilled, and the chemical hit young Murdock’s eyes, permanently blinding him. The Netflix series addresses that quickly so that origin does not take focus away from the story in its present setting.
Aside from effectively delivering a quick origin story, Daredevil also treats audiences to a balanced view of both Murdock the man and Daredevil the hero. Unlike heroes Iron Man, Thor, or the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil has no extravagant powers or gadgets to steal screen time. Thus, the series pays equal attention to showing both Murdock as a young, struggling lawyer and Daredevil as a hero who is just starting to develop his vigilante identity. Murdock takes information he gains through his legal practice and pursues more information on it outside the courtroom as Daredevil. Both personas have a fluid connection to one another while also feeling distinct.
The story’s premise is reminiscent of the 2003 film in which both versions of the character are attempting to track down and subdue a mysterious crime boss in Hell’s Kitchen called the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio). However, unlike the Affleck film, the Netflix series portrays a deep, intimate portrait of both characters as episodes progress. This Daredevil does not just wind up patrolling the streets in a professional costume. Rather, Murdock begins in black rags that slowly change into a more appropriate costume over time. The Kingpin is not seen as an outright evil Mafioso, either. Rather, he is portrayed as Wilson Fisk, a troubled man with twisted ideals trying to right the wrongs he sees in the city.
While the overall plot of Daredevil versus Kingpin drives the story along, viewers also experience many other side stories and perspectives within the series. These different perspectives bring a more human element to the show rather than portray a larger-than-life tale of epic heroics. Each episode features scenes that show Murdock’s legal partner, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), handle their legal clients’ affairs all while innocently attempting to woo the affections of their secretary, Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll). Murdock also develops a semi-romantic engagement of his own with Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson), a nurse who helps him in various ways throughout series when he acts as both himself and Daredevil.
Though Murdock proves a complex and interesting character, it is often the villains that steal the show. Nolan’s The Dark Knight attained legendary success not because of Batman, but because of the Joker. In a similar way, Fisk steals the spotlight as Daredevil’s most intriguing character. There is no short answer to defining the dichotomy between Fisk the man and Kingpin the crime lord. Fisk often appears quiet, awkward, and contemplative in the series, while at the same time harboring a relentless rage inside him powered by a strong adherence to personal morals. He is what makes this series both a great superhero program as well as a unique and interesting crime drama.
Daredevil shows audiences that Marvel’s methods can work just as well in a 13-episode series as they do in a few hours on the big screen. With this series making a strong first entry in their line of Netflix original programming, it will be exciting to see what the next four Marvel series hold for Netflix audiences.
IMAGE TAKEN from tvlilne.com
