Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Daredevil Season 2

 

The 13-episode second season of Daredevil was released on Netflix in 2016. This season packs a lot in, but it really boils down to the two new characters, Frank Castle (AKA, The Punisher), played by John Bernthal, and Electra, played by Elodie Yung. The first part of the season was about Castle going off and killing members of various gangs involved in killing his family, and Daredevil trying to take him down. Mixed in was the storyline involving Elektra, an old flame of Matt Murdock, which ultimately becomes the focus of the last few episodes and leads into The Defenders series, which brings all the characters from the Netflix Marvel series together. Wilson Fisk also makes a couple of appearances from prison and makes clear he is not totally out of the picture. Of course, a key aspect of the story is Matt's balance of real life as a lawyer (made even more complicated by the fact that Foggy now knows his secret), his feelings for Karen (which become even more complicated because of Elektra), and his vigilante activities.

Like season 1, the show is very violent. There are many fight scenes and lots of blood, not to mention language and sex that you do not get in the MCU movies or Agents of Shield. So, it is definitely a more adult show. It continues to be well-written and acted, and with just 13 episodes the season goes by quickly. For those who get the blu-rays, it is just a MOD set. There are no extras or bonus material. So, really, the only reason to get the discs is if you have a collection of the other movies and TV shows and just want this to have it complete or are one of those who prefer physical media over streaming. But, if you only get discs with a lot of bonus material and extra features, you will probably just want to stream this.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Daredevil: The Complete First Season

 

Daredevil was the first of a series of more adult superhero shows that aired on Netflix starring Charlie Cox as Matt Murdoch/Daredevil, a blind lawyer by day and vigilante by night. Murdoch, while blind has enhanced senses that basically allow him to see something akin to radar pings. The season basically serves as an origin story for Daredevil, showing how Matt transitions to the guy in the suit. The crux of the season one storyline is Daredevil versus different criminal organizations which have exploited Hell's Kitchen in NYC since "the incident" which was the Battle of New York that occurred in the first Avengers movie, and ultimately pits Daredevil versus Wilson Fisk (AKA Kingpin) played wonderfully by Vincent D'Onofrio. The rest of the cast is made up of Elden Henson as Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Matt's best friend and law partner, Deborah Ann Woll (from True Blood) as Karen Page, a legal assistant at Matt and Foggy's firm, and Rosario Dawson as Claire, a nurse that patches up Daredevil and one of the few who know his identity.

The series is basically a serial storyline in which the events of one episode build on another. The writing and acting are both top-notch, and the show has a lot of twists. Charlie Cox does a great job as the series lead, playing Matt as a conflicted, morally grey character who is also trying to keep his loved ones safe while meeting out unsanctioned justice. The show is rated TV-MA and is much more violent than any of the MCU movies. The show generally has more adult content than the movies including some swearing and sexual content. So, it is definitely not as family-friendly as the other MCU projects.

For those who get the Blu-Ray set, it is just a MOD set with the episodes but no other extras. So, the only reason to get this versus just streaming the series is to keep your MCU collection of physical media as complete as possible. That said, it is definitely worth watching.