One of the most common recurring themes in comic book fiction is the ambiguous morality of vigilantism. If society begins to accept the use of violence as a means to exact justice, the door can open for the emergence of new threats that act with unscrupulous principles and minimal liability. The upcoming Captain America sequel will tackle the human consequences of staging blockbuster action sequences in the real world, but for now fans can enjoy the breakdown of these moral quandaries on an urban scale with the arrival of Marvel’s Daredevil for its hugely enjoyable second season.
We reconvene with Matthew Murdock (Charlie Cox) in the midst of his nightly routine—effortlessly taking down a pack of armed robbers, and managing to crack a surprising smile during the afterglow. The law firm he shares with partner Foggy (Elden Henson) and former client turned love interest Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) is facing crippling financial hardships, strained even further by a new case that garners the unwanted attention of a merciless district attorney. Meanwhile, Matt is left to contend with a dangerous new adversary and a vicious former flame, both of which force him to consider the problematic implications of his heroic ventures.
The greatest thrill of this season is the introduction of these two refreshing new additions to the show’s ensemble. The first of which is The Punisher, played with spectacular subtlety by Jon Bernthal, who dominates the early episodes of this season. Every appearance of this mask-less anti-hero embraces his character’s defining duality: a family man without a family, choosing to numb the pain of his devastating loss through the pursuit of violent retribution. Equally engaging is Elodie Yung as Elektra, Matt’s college girlfriend who returns with a request for help and reminiscences on their complicated history. Her combat prowess reflects her steely personality, which Yung captures with a spontaneous spark and strong, witty delivery. Aside from the joys that these characters bring through performance alone, their presence expands the lore of this universe in unexpected directions—allowing for story arcs that establish a mystical quality in the world of Daredevil while remaining in line with the grounded reality established last year.
Another area of improvement this season is the revitalized dialogue, which shines in the bouts of verbal sparring between Daredevil and The Punisher. The focus of the early installments is to juxtapose each vigilante’s firmly kept ideology, specifically with how they intend to solve the infestation of criminal activity in Hell’s Kitchen. The former finds both a seductive bliss and a crippling guilt in non-lethally pulverizing those that prey on the helpless souls of his city; the latter will end a life in a flash, devoid of any worries or emotions that could potentially interfere with his brand of permanent justice. The opposing sides of this central dichotomy clash through a handful of brutal fistfights, and also—more impressively— one surprisingly balanced debate. The writers’ room manages to provide an honest and thought-provoking examination of this moral dilemma, with neither party sincerely coming out on top.
This is not to say that the quality of the action sequences has diminished in any way. While nothing on display this time around manages to exceed the quality of last year’s hallway fight scene, the choreography is still consistently impressive from episode to episode. Given the binge-watching model of Netflix-produced programs, and the progressively larger screen time allotted to the primary antagonistic group, some consecutively staged fights begin to blend together. This in no way lessens the final achievement, and occasionally a single fight does truly stand out among the pack. In particular, most sequences featuring Elektra provide a lively spark to these savage proceedings. The character is so gleefully acrobatic and carefree in her fighting style, sufficiently entertaining with the slightest remarks and the smallest of gestures.
The format of the storytelling is one of the only significant departures in content. Whereas last year’s big bad Wilson Fisk served as both a principal figure and the ultimate endgame for our hero, his unfortunate arrest leaves a sizable gap that no single presence is quick to fill. Instead, the first several episodes imbue the plotting with an invigorating comic book style, employing distinguishable arcs comprised within individual clusters of episodes.
This change of pace is refreshing while it lasts, but eventually is undermined by the emergence of a new threat at the season’s midpoint. This arc is definitely the weakest of the batch and arrives abruptly without the prior setup necessary for such a story to work. Thankfully the series combats this disappointment by disbursing its best revelations at a relaxed rate, so there is never a long wait between satisfying moments. Karen and Foggy are also afforded complicated and uncompromising new arcs that effectively gauge audience interest even when the main thread fails to impress. I’m glad to see these characters get the meaty roles they deserve, as they could have just as easily been relegated to the sidelines while the flashier roles did the heavy lifting.
Daredevil already proved with its first season that it confidently understands the mechanics of a strong action sequence, which it expertly demonstrates again. But now it proves to be equally entertaining on a cerebral level as well. It doesn’t quite reach the highs of a peak television series, and several noticeable flaws prevent it from truly transcending its genre, but I can wholeheartedly recommend this thrill ride of a show to anyone seeking an engaging and worthwhile use of their time.
Cover image: Televisione Streaming, under Creative Commons Licensing
1 Comment
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