Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is still failing one side character, but there's still time to fix its misstep. Disney+'s reimagining of the Charlie Cox-led street-level series introduced many new characters, including Clark Pitts (aka Cherry, portrayed by Clark Johnson). Cherry is a former NYPD detective turned private investigator working with Matt Murdock's new law firm alongside Kirsten McDuffie. Cherry was one of the few who knew Matt's secret identity as Daredevil, and their bond deepened in Season 2, when he served as a crucial outside ally, feeding Matt vital intel while he was in hiding from Fisk's forces.
While he is a prominent member of Daredevil's list of allies, many fans find Cherry among the least compelling new additions to Daredevil: Born Again's growing cast, with most agreeing he is not very interesting or well-written, especially compared to everyone else in the show. Some viewers said they were bored during his scenes, finding it a drag compared to the high-stakes rivalry between Daredevil and Mayor Fisk.
Cherry largely exists to fill narrative gaps in Daredevil: Born Again, functioning as a placeholder rather than a fully developed character. He is simply just there, lacking a distinct personality that could make him stand out.
Season 2 attempted to raise the stakes for Cherry by having the Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) raid his apartment and brutally interrogate him, culminating in his heart attack during Daredevil's rescue attempt.
While this sequence gave some fans a strong reason to worry about his fate, it felt manipulative because it served primarily as a trigger for Matt's trauma over losing Foggy rather than as a meaningful development for Cherry himself. To make it better, it would've been great to explore Cherry's own regret of being pulled deeper into Daredevil's dangerous world (thankfully, though, Bullseye saved them in the nick of time).
While fans and critics noted that new characters introduced in the debut season improved in Season 2, most felt Cherry's development still felt lacking, making him stand out as one of the show's weak links despite the strong momentum of its sophomore run.
It is also a shame that someone like Clark Johnson, an Emmy-nominated director and actor who has appeared in over 100 projects and directed nearly 100, has been given such a lackluster role in the MCU.
How Daredevil: Born Again Can Fix Cherry's Portrayal
It's clear that Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 tried its best to fix Cherry by giving him a compelling arc right from the get-go, but many would see it as a forced way of improving the character. The damage has been done, though, because he remains one of the least memorable parts of an otherwise strong street-level Marvel return.
While Cherry largely exists in relation to Matt, if he survives throughout Season 2, Daredevil: Born Again has (another) golden opportunity to improve Cherry's arc in the already-confirmed Season 3. One way to do it is to expand his world beyond the law firm and his role in Matt's life.
Season 2 already planted the seeds by introducing some of Cherry's new and old cop friends, and placing one of his direct allies in danger could force him to confront the harsh, personal truth of allying himself with a vigilante. Doing this would do wonders for the character, revealing his raw guilt for dragging good people into a war that was never theirs.
A storyline like this would transform Cherry from a one-dimensional character into a man carrying genuine weight and regret. Fans would finally see his internal reflection and growing fear that he's become part of the problem, leading him to be protective of the closest allies he knows and loves.
