journey Daredevil: Rebirth Might become a series of its own. It’s been a bumpy roller coaster, to say the least. From initial order of 18 episodes to guest appearances No way home, She-Hulk and echoto a creative overhaul midway through the shoot. But it finally became a reality. Daredevil: Rebirth Welcome back our blind vigilante and ringleader. The series was created by Dario Scardapane, Chris Ord and Matt Korman and stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio, who reprise their roles from the Netflix original series.
The show is off to a strong start with an impactful first few episodes. From the first episode, it catches you off guard with its brutal violence and bold story decisions, creating what initially feels like a dark, gritty, layered street saga. It tends, or at least tries, to make everything Daredevil A fan favorite – complex characters, deep-rooted stakes, and a world that thrives in the shadows of the Marvel Universe rather than in the spotlight. As the season progressed, however, cracks began to show and the show struggled under the weight of its own ambitions.
One of the biggest problems is the large number of characters and subplots vying for attention. The show introduces multiple new faces and side stories, but none of them have time to breathe. Characters move in and out easily and we barely see some of the main characters. Instead of the tight, focused narrative surrounding Matt and Wilson’s conflict that we’d hoped for, we’re left wandering around in unnecessary places. As a result, we rarely see them face off, which is disappointing. We also won’t see Fisk getting his hands dirty, which would make sense now that he’s mayor.
(LR) Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Kingpin/Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) in Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Rebirth, streaming exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Ruffino. © 2024 Marvel.
The series ends up juggling too much and feels confusing and unfocused. This directly affects Matt’s arc, which feels oddly inconsistent. The Daredevil we see here is getting stranger and stranger with every episode. His journey is nowhere near as compelling as the Netflix original series, and thanks to the strong performance of the first few episodes, it definitely has potential. At times, it felt like the show wasn’t quite sure what to do with him. In episode five, we take him on a very tense little adventure that feels like a forced cameo.
The season has ended and left a lot to be desired as we get to see the Matt Murdock we’ve all been waiting for. Still, the show excels in a few key areas. The action scenes are still top-notch, with well-choreographed fight sequences that remind you why Daredevil has some of the best fighting in the superhero genre. As expected, the acting is also excellent, with Charlie Cox reprising his role effortlessly. Vincent D’Onofrio and Jon Bernthal also return like they never left.
Michael Gandolfini is the standout among the new cast. His character is very charming and likeable. He had instant chemistry with D’Onofrio and they set him up to be almost like Fisk’s protégé. Surprisingly, the most intriguing part is Vanessa and Wilson’s relationship. It’s handled with great care and respect, and takes an interesting turn. Ayelet Zurer is great as Vanessa, thank god they brought her back. Jon Bernthal also stole the show as always with his brief appearance as the Punisher.
(Left) Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) in Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Rebirth, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Ruffino. © 2024 Marvel.
There are some solid twists and turns along the way, too, and the show occasionally finds moments of brilliance that hint at its potential. But if rebirth If it continues down this path, it could become yet another property that succumbs to the pressure to fit into the wider MCU rather than stand on its own. The biggest mistake Dario Scardapan made was retaining six episodes that were shot before the creative overhaul. The episodes that have been filmed since he arrived have been the best episodes to date, and the difference is stark.
Daredevil: Rebirth does a great job of expanding on the street level of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while delivering gritty and dark storytelling that Marvel rarely offers. It started off strong, containing the violence and brutality that made the original show so beloved, but eventually lost focus under the weight of too many characters and distracting subplots. It still delivers thrilling action and great performances, and sets the stage for great content to come in future seasons. Even if you can’t participate in the storytelling, you’ll love seeing our beloved characters back doing what they do best.
Daredevil: Rebirth The first two episodes will premiere on Disney+ on March 4.
