Sitting down to watch all 9 episodes of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 felt like a weird experience at first. After the original Daredevil series got canceled by Netflix back in 2018, and as fan campaigns to bring the show back seemed to fizzle, it seemed like we were finished with Charlie Cox‘s iteration of the character. Cox’s brief MCU introduction in Spider-Man: No Way Home and, subsequently, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law assured fans that his future in the role was safe. While it was nice to see him back, it wasn’t in the violent street-level environment that many were accustomed to seeing Daredevil in. That version of the titular “Man Without Fear” had not yet returned.
Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock gets his true welcoming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Daredevil: Born Again, which picks up years after the third season of the previous Netflix series. Audiences are reintroduced to Matt as he’s embroiled in a personal tragedy. Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is in the middle of making a larger comeback than ever. Once Matt and Fisk interact for the first time in this Disney+ original series, viewers will learn its premise and message: Can these men become better than who they once were, one being on the righteous side of the law and the other morally gray at best?
Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are both given just about equal screen time in Daredevil: Born Again. The narrative is divided between their perspectives. More specifically, their opposing ideals on how to save New York City and ways to deal with vigilantism. With this increased screen time, showrunner Dario Scardapane allows the audience to sit with Matt Murdock truly on his own. Additionally, the Disney+ show features better visualization of Daredevil’s powers and brings the story closer to his perspective as a rogue vigilante. As incredible as his interpretation of Daredevil already is, Cox proves he still has more layers of the character to unpeel.
The commitment of Charlie Cox should be especially praised as he works overtime to introduce new elements to his performance while also retaining Matt Murdock’s older, more recognizable traits from the Netflix show. Similarly, Vincent D’Onofrio showcases that his portrayal of the Kingpin is now arguably the most terrifying villain in all of the MCU. D’Onofrio does an excellent job of reeling in the viewer with Wilson Fisk’s likeable charm, just so when he begins leaning into morally gray actions, people may even find themselves rooting for him. Cox and D’Onofrio were already highly beloved in the Marvel fandom, but Daredevil: Born Again puts them on a collision course to become all-time greats in the superhero genre, period.
Jon Bernthal slips back into the role of Frank Castle/The Punisher like an easy-fitting glove. Undoubtedly, much of his story is left on the table to be explored later. However, the seeds that are planted for Frank are incredibly exciting, and Bernthal’s performance is as commanding and magnetic as ever. One individual who returns from the Netflix series with more time to shine than before is Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa Fisk. Her character is elevated to become an equal to Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again, and Zurer holds her own brilliantly against D’Onofrio’s imposing screen presence. Vanessa’s part in the plot gives it an unforeseen layer of dread, making fans wonder how far off she has fallen as well.
Unfortunately, the new supporting cast is a mixed bag. Setting up new characters that would reach the emotional heights that Matt Murdock had with Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) — and still does throughout this season — was always going to be extremely difficult, but not all of these new supporting players get anything to do here. One exception is actress Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn — a likeable love interest for Matt who also has some interesting threads of her own that begin to weave into the overall narrative of the entire show.
On the other hand, Kirsten McDuffie as former New York assistant district attorney Nikki M. James and Clark Johnson as Cherry, a retired detective who aids Matt in the story, are underbaked at their core. They both share solid moments with Charlie Cox but often feel like stand-ins so Matt can simply verbalize the plot. However, Wilson Fisk’s political arc makes way for another exception: Michael Gandolfini as Daniel Blake. A devoted fanatic who soon becomes an aide to Mayor Fisk, Gandoifini steals each scene he’s in. Whether it’s with a humorous quip or a preachy monologue to appease Fisk, his rise as the Kingpin’s protégé is something to behold, and Gandoifini is a star in the making.
Rounding out the supporting cast are the late Kamar de los Reyes as Marvel comics hero White Tiger and a currently unannounced actor as the villain, Muse. Reyes gets to shine as a co-lead in one of the best episodes of this first season, which mirrors the classic courtroom drama of the original Daredevil show. He brings what could have been a rather comical hero in this grounded adaptation to a harsh reality. When it comes to Muse, though, fans will be disappointed. Muse is a promising antagonist for Daredevil who, admittedly, boasts some freakishly intimidating scenes, but the series is too jam-packed to give him enough focus. He clearly should have been saved for another season entirely.
To address the elephant in the room, the creative overhaul of Daredevil: Born Again, where Dario Scardapane was brought in as the new showrunner to film three completely new episodes and shoot new sequences for the remaining six (all previously written by Chris Ord and Matt Corman) must be discussed. Going through the 9 finalized episodes, the intention of Ord and Corman’s version becomes apparent: a more episodic path focused on Matt and Fisk, the two battling a different issue each week. Even if there were still an overarching narrative hanging over the season, it perhaps would not be as present as it is now.
Chris Ord and Matt Corman’s work on Daredevil: Born Again is felt, nonetheless, and sometimes to significant effect. Episode 5 especially feels like the perfect Matt Murdock story, one to introduce your friends to the character with. Dario Scardapane, though, brings back what fans wanted: a genuine continuation of the original show. This is not achieved by merely bringing back Foggy and Karen but by recapturing the complex character dynamics, gritty tone, and intensity within its trademark action sequences. Having such a creative overhaul could have easily sunk this Disney+ series. Yet, Scardapane flaunts his talents by crafting a first season from different parts that work effectively as one and is on par with the original’s quality.
Series directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead (Something in the Dirt, The Endless) bring New York to life in quite an enticing way as well, personally connecting the audience with stories of the average New Yorker as the events of the series unfold. Bold filmmaking choices throughout affirm the everyday civilians Daredevil protects as an integral piece of the narrative, making the stakes feel all the more real and dangerous. Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 definitely has some rough edges, undercooked characters included, but it all ties together by the end to shape a formidable season of television.
Daredevil: Born Again isn’t different from the original Netflix series; it’s an evolution of everything people loved from that show. That alone already skyrockets it to being the best MCU Disney+ show yet. And if nothing else, getting to spend a whole new eight to nine hours with Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio’s masterful performances is a massive treat that fans have now been waiting 7 years for.
The first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ on March 4. New episodes will then be released every Tuesday!
Created by Dario Scardapane, Matt Corman, & Chris Ord.
Based on Marvel Comics.
Showrunner: Dario Scardapane.
Series Directors: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, & David Boyd.
Executive Producers: Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Chris Gary, Dario Scardapane, Matt Corman, Chris Ord, Aaron Moorhead, & Justin Benson.
Main Cast: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Wilson Bethel, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki M. James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, Ayelet Zurer, & Jon Bernthal.
Composers: The Newton Brothers.
Production Company: Marvel Television.
Network: Disney+.
Episode Count: 9 (Season One).
