The following contains spoilers for Dardevil: Born Again Season 2, published post-release
In its debut season, Daredevil: Born Again pulled every gut-wrenching punch necessary to showcase how viscous and unapologetically character-driven it could be. Like Loki, for different reasons, it was well on its way toward becoming one of the best things the Marvel Cinematic Universe could deliver on the small screen. In its sophomore season it’s a mixed bag—dreary, heavy, and questionable, even when it delivers a number of great episodes and moments.
For starters, I’m generally always the person who’ll want some kind of romance on my screen rather than none, so it’s rare that I’ll say the words, “cut the romance.” I fully believe that love stories elevate the narrative and character journeys, but never when it’s forced. And in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, it’s not only forced, but it’s unbearable. There’s a time and place to allow a couple to get together off-screen, away from the audience seeing it (I.e. Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps), but not in a TV show that’s had the space to develop something profound and worthwhile.
Because of this, individually and as a couple, compelling development has suffered for Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock and Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page. The romance was the season’s most questionable inclusion, and any time we’d get an exploration of it, it feels completely out of place. The heavier narratives in Daredevil: Born Again are a large part of the reason the show stands out, yet when it’s forced into the shadows of strange decision making, it isn’t given the chance to reach its full potential. And in this case, it’s sadly the romance.
Apart from this specific detail, most other beats are executed exceptionally, like Krysten Ritter’s return as Jessica Jones and the show’s means of catching us up with the character. It’s also imperative to highlight Wilson Bethel’s work as Bullseye, considering that everything he brings to the forefront is remarkably unnerving in a way that we rarely see within the MCU. Because of his work, “Gloves Off” and “The Grand Design” result in the strongest episodes of the season.
The penultimate episode is lackluster at best, and while the finale shifts gears by firing on all cylinders toward the end, the season is still mostly fine when we look at the overall big picture. However, while this chapter suffers from a narrative standpoint, the performances and directorial decisions continue to stand out. In addition, while various character beats don’t work for the sake of what they leave us with, the uncomfortable reality the show forces us to sit through is also what continues to make it relevant.
Despite Vincent D’Onofrio’s brilliant performances, I am, simply put, exhausted by Fisk/Kingpin, yet I suppose wanting some sort of justice in a fictional world that’s perhaps trying to mirror reality makes it far more unsettling. There’s purpose in that decision, no matter how uncomfortable it is for me as a viewer to want something a little lighter. (This is why we turn to the romance genre.) This story is far from over, and what we’re left with is gripping enough to continue, but the back and forth makes Season 2 a harder one to rewatch. Still, where it’s good, it’s great, and the rest, surely, something solid can come from it later.
Dardevil Born Again Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+.
First Featured Image Credit: ©JoJo Whilden