So yesterday Netflix unveiled their latest original series: Marvel's DAREDEVIL. All 13 Episodes. And I spent the whole day watching. I watched all 13 episodes in one day. You can look at this two ways, One: That I wasted an entire day of my life to television. And Two: The show was that good that I had to watch all 13 episodes in one day. Both are right.
As a reinvention of Daredevil, series creator Drew Goddard pulls out all the stops. This show is not for kids. It is dark. It is bloody. It is violent. It is head crushingly violent. This is Daredevil if it were done realistically and the stupid studios didn't get involved and mess up the creator's vision. This is how I would want Daredevil to be. It is a hard R rating. People have been commenting on how dark the show GOTHAM is, but Gotham looks like a kid's program compared to Daredevil.
The show begins during Daredevil's first year of being a vigilante. They intersperse scenes of the origin story between current scenes of ass kicking. Daredevil isn't the Daredevil we know yet. He is new to the vigilante thing and still learning. He doesn't have his iconic red costume nor the moniker nor his tonfa sticks or billy club. He hasn't even chosen whether or not to kill his enemies or let them live. He is simply known as the MASK. As the show progresses he grows closer and closer to becoming the hero we are all familiar with.
I will try to keep the SPOILERS to a minimum but still... tread carefully. Charlie Cox is a fantastic Matt Murdock. Honestly, his approach reminds me of the TV film THE TRIAL OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK. In that film Daredevil (the character's first live action portrayal) is played by actor Rex Smith and is dressed all in black. That portrayal of DD was very effective and quite good. The Netflix series wisely takes a page from that film and treats DD with the same gritty realism. You can tell they are trying to distance themselves from the 2003 film which isn't a bad thing. Charlie Cox and Ben Affleck's approaches are quite different.
Wilson Fisk is portrayed by Vincent D'Onofrio and is probably the best portrayal of the character I've ever seen outside of something animated. First D'Onofrio played Thor in my childhood favorite film ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING. Now he's playing KINGPIN and he is magnificent. He looks exactly like the comic book character (minus a bit of girth) and is brutal and sadistic. He is completely insane and delusional and driven. It reminds me of Kingpin's characterization from Jason Aaron's PUNISHER MAX comic series (the scariest Kingpin I have ever seen!). Every choice in portraying Kingpin in this series is carefully thought out and perfectly executed. His character alone kept me watching. I have to give respect to Michael Clarke Duncan and John Rhys-Davies for their great performances as the Kingpin of crime. D'Onofrio draws a little from both as well creating something his own.
SPOILER ALERT. Melvin Potter (Gladiator), Claire Temple (played by Rosario Dawson), Karen Page (played by Deborah Ann Woll), Foggy Nelson (played by Elden Henson), Stick (played by Scott Glenn), Ben Urich, Leland Owlsley (The Owl), a ninja from the HAND, and more characters round out the supporting cast. Claire Temple is a direct nod to Heroes For Hire and Luke Cage. Near the end there is a huge reference to Iron Fist's main enemy Steel Serpent as well as a hint of K'un Lun kung fu. Carl "the Crusher" Creel a.k.a. the Absorbing Man is referenced as well as a subtle hint of Elektra and Bullseye.
The only complaint I have about the series is when he finally gets his signature red costume, the costume sucks. If there was one thing I liked about the 2003 movie it was the costume. They should have taken that page from Ben Affleck's Daredevil. This new costume looks terrible. Going back to the plus side this series takes place in the same universe as AGENTS OF SHIELD and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So there's potential for more awesome crossovers!
The series has a nice wrap up if it bombs while subtly laying the ground work for other ideas and future shows and plots if it is a success. I liked it. I liked it quite a bit. I hope the show is a success and I hope they make more seasons and more shows (like they're planning). You all should take a look. It's worth it.
Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10
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