Season one of Daredevil was a massive hit for Netflix. Season two introduces us to new characters and new mysterious enemies. Does it continue the success or suffer from character overload?
Who:
Starring: Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung, Rosario Dawson, Vincent D'Onofrio
What:
Science Fiction
Why:
Season 2
When:
Released 2016
Where:
Hell's Kitchen, New York as part of the Marvel Universe
Season one of Daredevil went down the tried and trusted path of establishing the origin story for Matt Murdock's alter ego Daredevil, whilst pitting him against Wilson Fisk and his machinations taking place in Hell's Kitchen.
This second season begins with Fisk safely behind bars and life in Hell's Kitchen all seeming quite rosy for Murdock and his friends and associates: Karen Page and Franklin "Foggy" Nelson. Their law firm, although not thriving, is certainly generating clientele. Foggy is starting to reluctantly agree that Murdock's nightly forays as Daredevil is something that he is going to have to accept.
Entering this scene is Frank Castle aka the Punisher as played by Jon Bernthal. Castle is trying to find out who is responsible for the personal tragedy he has suffered; that has driven him to extremes and is going to stop at nothing until everyone involved is dead and buried.
For Murdock it is about catching the criminals and getting them put behind bars where they belong. If he can't do it as part of his day job, then he will achieve this goal as Daredevil. For Castle it is about making sure that these scumbags won't live to commit any further atrocities by putting them six feet underground. There are no second chances or attempts at redemption as far as he is concerned.
Adding to this mix is Elektra Natchios; an old flame of Murdock's from their college days together. Now Elektra appears to also be a crime fighter but one who follows her own set of rules. Her motivations are more of a grey area and her relationship with Murdock looks like it will only complicate matters further.
This concept of a person's set of values and set of rules that they live by is something explored throughout the thirteen episodes. We now have three characters all with their own agenda's and coda that they follow and which one is right or wrong seems to change from episode to episode.
One minute you will be thinking Matt Murdock is right with what he is doing and then the next you will be agreeing with Frank Castle's methods after he takes out a particularly vile strain of human being. Similarly Elektra appears to be in the right frame of mind when dealing out death if it means her own and Daredevil's identities will be safe.
The main premise for season two is exploring these particular character traits and what exactly it means to be a vigilante. Who gets to decide what is right or wrong? Why is one person more entitled to do what they are doing than another? Should the criminal element be incarcerated or is death are more suitable option?
These are all valid questions and it is left to Matt Murdock to ponder each issue and really delve into his own choices to decide if what he is doing is the right way to go about it. While this theme is not nearly as engrossing as watching the mental and psychological issues covered in Marvel's Jessica Jones; it still makes for interesting viewing.
The inclusion of both the Punisher and Elektra prove to be great additions. Jon Bernthal and Elodie Yung give their characters depth and feeling, neither one settles for comic book caricatures. Bernthal in particular is excellent; you really do feel sympathy for what could be an unsympathetic person who has no compassion whatsoever towards the people he executes. He provides pathos to a chaotic role and it's the moments when he gets to put forward his reasoning that this strength really comes to the fore.
At first Elektra appears to do what she is doing just for the thrill of it. You get the sense that she is nothing more than a spoilt rich girl out for a good time with no regard for anyone who gets caught up in the whirlwind she leaves behind. As the show carries on though her personality becomes more layered and Yung's performance starts to stand out as she allows us to step that little bit closer into understanding her psyche.
The returning co-stars from season one are also given their moments to shine. Elden Henson's Foggy Nelson could be considered the comic relief. It was certainly the impression I got from the first couple of episodes in the first series, however as that developed so too did Nelson to the point where he wasn't anywhere near as annoying as what I was expecting his character to be.
In this season Foggy really steps out from Murdock's shadow. We saw glimpses of his expertise in the last season but here, he is front and centre in dishing out his Law know how and really gets to put people in their place; particularly District Attorney Reyes. Foggy's coming of age if you will, was definitely a highlight of this run of episodes and I can't wait to see where he goes from here.
Karen Page ably supports Nelson in this enterprise. She proves to have exceptional investigative skills which she puts to good use in building the court case. Page is given far more of a central role, instead of appearing in more of a supporting role this time around. She is heavily involved in the Punisher's storyline throughout. Deborah Ann Woll goes on a roller coaster ride of emotions when dealing with Castle and his back story.
We are also treated to the blossoming romance developing between Murdock and Page. It's a relationship that feels organic as well, it doesn't come across as forced at all which is refreshing in itself. Personally I would have liked Page to go for Foggy but I have to admit I like where they are taking this arc.
But from all the returning cast it is Wilson Fisk's brief appearances that leave the most indelible mark. Vincent D'Onofrio embodies this role so well; his mere presence on screen draws your attention. The vulnerability he is able to give to this person while also showing you the raging menace that is simmering just below the surface is quite intense.
When Matt Murdock decides to visit Fisk in prison we are treated to one of the best scenes from the show so far. The whole exchange between the two balances on a knife's edge just waiting to explode. By the conclusion of this confrontation you are left begging for the return of the Kingpin to the streets of Hell's Kitchen.
Of course we wouldn't be watching this show if it skimped on the action and was just about court cases and the morality issues associated with being a vigilante. Season two definitely delivers when it comes to the fights. Where as in the first season a lot of the action revolved around hand to hand combat, here we have the Punisher using all manner of heavy weaponry to get his particular brand of justice across.
That is not to say that there isn't a fair share of fisticuffs though. When you have two martial art experts in Daredevil and Elektra as well as the brute force of Frank Castle then hand to hand fighting is going to feature prominently.
Towards the end of the second episode in the first series there is a much vaunted fight sequence all filmed in one take between Daredevil and a group of thugs set in the confines of a hallway. It is an amazing sequence; superbly choreographed and executed that reminds me of a similar one take scene in the movie Oldboy which would definitely have been an influence.
It is one of those scenes where you wonder if they can match it again, let alone top it. Well in season two we have not one, but two contenders that come very close to surpassing this terrific fight sequence. Episode three features Daredevil descending a buildings stairwell while fighting off Dogs of Hell bikie members. Later on in episode nine, the Punisher takes on a group of hardened criminals in one of the bloodiest sequences of the show to date.
Neither of these fights is filmed in one take the same as the one mentioned above but the choreography that has been arranged by fight coordinator Philip J Silvera and his crew has to be applauded. Fist fights can become very monotonous but it is scenes such as these that really help to keep things feeling fresh and exciting.
There is definitely an emphasis on more bloodier conflicts than the first season. Whether that's a reflection of the methods employed by the antagonists or a decision by the writers I am not too sure. You do find yourself squirming in your seat at some of the more graphic moments. Again though, it is another example of freshening things up a bit and shows these confrontations in a more naturalistic light; after all if someone is hit, stabbed or shot there will be blood and they are not afraid to show the after effects of these injuries.
Lastly because I didn't review season one; I just have to mention that the main title sequence and theme music that opens each episode are some of the best titles in recent memory. They both really push all the right buttons in getting you in the mood for what is to come.
There is often a bit of a misstep after the origin story has been told when it comes to the second outing for superheroes. I am mainly talking about films here but the same thing equally applies to small screen versions too. Daredevil is no exception as while this second run has its strengths it also has a few issues too.
This season suffers from the same problem that affected Iron Man 2 in that it wants to introduce a few different elements that will pay off in future instalments; whether that is in further outings of Daredevil or the expanded universe of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage et al.
We have not only the Punisher and Elektra but the ninja cult of The Hand as well as the bikie group Dogs of Hell introduced. Whether the Dogs of Hell will feature heavily in the future it is hard to tell but it is strikingly obvious that The Hand certainly will.
With the introduction of The Hand we also have the Chaste who are the sworn enemies of The Hand. Add to this the already established Yakuza enemies as well as Irish mafia and the reintroduction of an old drug dealing adversary and Matt Murdock certainly has his hands full.
While Murdock had to deal with a variety of criminal elements in the first season, they were all working for a common cause under the overall leadership of Wilson Fisk. Each faction had their own leaders but all were unified under Fisk. This created a more streamlined story and gave the show far more focus as to who the enemy were.
Having so many different elements to deal with this time around creates a lot of sub plots to keep track of. Also the focus isn't solely on Matt Murdock but also Frank Castle and to a lesser extent Elektra. That isn't forgetting the extra emphasis the storylines place on Nelson and Page who also have greater roles to play.
This certainly feels more like an episodic season as opposed to one where a main theme is playing out over the course of the show. As each instalment ends you feel you are getting closer to a major resolution come the conclusion of the season. Whereas here it does feel more like the writers came up with three or four different shorter stories that they could play out over a number of episodes before moving on to the next tale.
There are also plot points that don't seem to go anywhere or have much resolution. I am sure that is because they will be cropping up in the future somewhere but it is very frustrating in relation to this season. We literally have a gaping hole in one story which never gets mentioned again for the rest of the show and leaves you wondering what on earth that was all about!
It is to the detriment of the show as it does feel more disjointed and just as you find yourself immersed in what is unfolding it is either put on pause to be picked up later; or concludes and we are on to a new set up. Now don't get me wrong, the actual storylines themselves are entertaining and the characters created are also interesting; it just would have been better if one theme had more emphasis placed on it which would have provided a bigger impact overall.
One of the huge strengths of season one was D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk and this season is sorely lacking having a major villain for Daredevil to face off against. His running battles with Castle and various thugs and ninja's are all well and good, but he doesn't really have one particular person to pit his wits against like he did with Fisk.
It is telling that Fisk's brief appearances are some of the biggest highlights. I have already stated how enjoyable his exchange with Murdock is and it would have been so much better if an equally strong bad guy was present for Murdock to tussle with throughout the other episodes.
I did think we had already covered Foggy's disapproval of Matt Murdock's alter ego towards the close of the previous season. I was obviously wrong as the same issues come to a head between the two of them again. This time it is affecting their work to a greater extent and you do feel sympathy for Nelson but at the same time I couldn't help wondering haven't we done this already?
The attitude that Murdock displays aligns his sentiments a lot closer to Castle's than he would probably like. It does paint him as a selfish person who is out to serve his own agenda and to hell with how that affects his friends and co-workers. The characteristic is not something that makes him very appealing and you do find yourself siding against some of his actions.
Out of all the characters in the show I had a difficult time with Karen Page. While I did enjoy the developing romance between her and Murdock, I did not enjoy her transition from a legal aide to become a researcher at the Bulletin because of the whim of the paper's editor. This was just far too convenient for the sake of moving the story along.
I am pretty sure it takes a few years to get a degree in journalism and you can't just come along and get a job by flicking through some old back issues and stumbling across an interesting Lead. I know anyone can type out a few words on a computer and claim to be a writer but it takes years of study to have the certificate to prove it (and before you say "those in glass houses" remember I'm an Inquisitor not a writer!).
With all the bureaucracy involved with being part of a union I am sure there would have been uproar in the offices of the New York Bulletin at Page's appointment! But hey, this is a series based on a comic book and it does need to move the narrative along so maybe I am being too harsh.
Deborah Ann Woll does get on my nerves a little bit too so I could be a bit biased in my opinion of where they are taking her character. I had trouble with her in True Blood and the same issues have carried over to her portrayal of Page. I find she is often teetering on the brink of a meltdown and relies far too heavily on the same mannerisms as part of her acting.
Despite this seasons problems there is still a lot to enjoy and they have definitely laid the groundwork to take this show in some exciting new directions. I only hope that Wilson Fisk is reintroduced sooner rather than later come season three.
Verdict:
Daredevil might not be quite as successful here in cleaning up the streets as he was last time around; but he is still performing his crime fighting duties. Therefore I am willing to give him a chance to prove he can still be entrusted with this unenviable task and let him go free into the night.
Evidence:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daredevil_(TV_series)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daredevil_(season_2)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3322312/
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