TV Show Review - Daredevil (Season 1)

Daredevil is a series created for Netflix by Drew Goddard, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and shares continuity with the films of the franchise.

Daredevil follows Matt Murdock, attorney by day and vigilante by night. Blinded in an accident as a child, Murdock uses his heightened senses as Daredevil, fighting crime on the streets of New York after the sun goes down. His efforts are not welcomed by powerful businessman Wilson Fisk and others whose interests collide with those of Daredevil. Though Murdock's day job portrays a man who believes in the criminal justice system, his alter ego suggests otherwise, as he takes the law into his own hands to protect his Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and the surrounding communities.

Creator: Drew Goddard

Stars: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll

First episode date: April 10, 2015

Network: Netflix

Good Points

- Grounded in reality.  More than any other TV superhero series Daredevil feels like in exists in the real world.  Generally, there are consequences to a character's actions.  When Daredevil takes a beating and there alot of beatings, he spends the next episode recovering from his wounds.   

- Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal as Wilson Fisk (never called Kingpin) is the stand out performance.  He plays the character as quiet and measured but there is constant underlying rage that can surface at any time.  

- I also love that Daredevil is far from a polished hero.  He makes plenty of beginning of career mistakes and is far from being a skilled fighter. 

Bad Points

- Slow / uneven pacing at times.

- Not enough tension developed from episode to episode leading up to the finale.  Arrow, especially season 1 and 2, is great example of how to gradually build pressure on the main character that you were not really sure how he would survive it all.  Daredevil lacked this tension between the good guys and the bad guys.      

Final Word

Daredevil's first season establishes the building blocks to become an epic TV show.  While not quit on the level of Arrow, I liked it better than The Flash and it is definitely better than Agents of Shield.  I am really looking forward to season 2.   

                                                            My Rating