Daredevil: Born Again was an impressive continuation of the Netflix Marvel series, capturing the original gritty tone and high-octane combat well. Season 2 feels like a different show in its wildly new context, but it's a fine evolution of one of Marvel's best series that propels it into wholly new territory.
Netflix's history has had some genre misfires, including the failed Mark Millar superhero adaptation Jupiter's Legacy. For a brief and beautiful multi-year window, however, Netflix's set of street-level Defenders series provided some of the best superhero series in live-action TV history.
Krysten Ritter was note-perfect in the edgy detective yarn Jessica Jones. Before the greatness of Evil, Mike Colter killed it as the bulletproof Luke Cage. There's a good argument that the flagship series, Daredevil, takes the cake. The show starred Charlie Cox as the famed man without fear, and it's a stunning adult-oriented series that perfectly captures the hero's comic vibe (perhaps only rivalled by its spinoff, The Punisher).
That Netflix universe was introduced into the MCU via Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk and segued into the announcement of Daredevil: Born Again. Fans were excited to see Cox's return but cautious about whether his new home would change what worked with the original Daredevil series. Happily, Season 1 captured much of what made the Netflix series work so well, and Season 2 delivers another top-shelf outing.
Strong Performances Propel a Pathbreaking Born Again Season 2
Season 2 begins with our heroes still reeling from the death of Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) at the hands of Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), including Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Cox) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll). Ascendant mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) has plunged the whole city into a fascist landscape; turns out it's bad to allow a narcissistic criminal to have unchecked political power!
It's a welcome return to the screen for Charlie Cox, who proves a strong actor seasoned at the combat that Daredevil's known for. Season 2 doesn't fully hit the combat heights of Born Again Season 1, but Cox and Bethel's Bullseye get some strong segments of action. Bethel, in fact, gets some of the season's best scenes and lands them with skill and verve. Woll is also exceptional as a more aggressive, danger-ready Karen Page, consistently keeping Murdock's more masochistic tendencies in check.
On the villain front, this season provides new opportunities for Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin to flex his considerable chops. D'Onofrio has long given one of the best antagonist performances in Marvel history, with his Kingpin exhibiting perpetual vulnerability (amidst an obsessive love for Vanessa) that makes him all the more dangerous. That's on full monomaniacal display here, with Fisk's power increased in light of the recognition that he nearly fell to Bullseye's bullet in Season 1.
Adding to the season's villain profile is Matthew Lillard's flamboyant and mysterious Mr. Charles, who reflects the elevated class of antagonists that Fisk now finds himself in upon ascension. While it would be nice to have more of Lillard throughout the season, both in terms of screentime and narrative clarity, he lights up the screen and contrasts well with Fisk's demeanor. Fisk's newfound power is useful to Lillard, but their mutual contrast highlights what's great about the characters.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Excels
Season 2 is a different breed from the Daredevil and Born Again seasons we've seen before. It makes sense, given that Fisk's new institutional authority literally changes the game, but it also creates a season that's more juridical and political than prior iterations. It retains dramatic heft and the series's high bar during action, but it's still slower than fans might expect.
The effects of Fisk's changes in New York under his greater authority are well developed. Fisk enacts martial law through his Safer Streets Initiative, outlawing vigilantes and turning his cadre of cops into a personal vengeance squad. Its operation and escalation are portrayed with excellent realism, and the season's portrayal of the consequences of authoritarianism becomes more incisive.
While Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again is about vigilantes (they're certainly on trial), it's far more of a legal and political thriller than it is an exhibition of vigilante combat. The legal elements are capably developed and work well, and Season 2 builds toward a stunner of a conclusion. The entire cast turns in exceptional performances, with Cox, D'Onofrio, and Woll giving some of their best yet. It's a fine season of television, propelling this wing of the MCU onto brand-new ground.
Final Rating: 9/10
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is streaming on Disney+. Episode 1 is available now, with subsequent installments dropping at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday nights through May 12.
