**This review may contain minor SPOILERS**
Watch the SPOILER review on YouTube
Beginning life as a soft reboot of the Netflix series, “Daredevil: Born Again” was infused with elements to turn it into a continuation that show instead. And despite the seams being visible where the two ideas were sewn together, the overall project works.
Initially this show was supposed to have no connection to the first “Daredevil” series besides the fact it starred some of the same actors. It was also meant to be an 18-episode season with smaller story arcs. With almost half of the season filmed, it was decided to retool it into more or less a fourth season of the Netflix show. Because of this, the plot of this season is a bit flimsy. While Daredevil and Kingpin each have their own season-long arcs, the show itself usually feels directionless. Factor in how rarely Matt suits up as Daredevil, there are moments were it just feels like nothing is happening. Only in the final two episodes, which were both filmed after the overhaul, does the plot really materialize. (The pilot episode was also added later, and a lot of it feels pointless until the penultimate episode where the mystery is brought up again.) There is also a subplot in the background teasing the villain Muse, but his story is a victim of the original episodic structure and just when it looks like it’s going to get good, they move on to the next story arc.
One thing both versions of this show had in common is strong character arcs. The basic concept is fine, as both Daredevil and Kingpin try to make new lives for themselves outside of their alter egos. While it is fun watching them get pulled back into their respective darker halves, some of the story beats are a little bland. Matt’s lawyer stuff is generally pretty good and so is Fisk’s awkward attempts to be a public servant, but both of their romantic subplots are uninteresting. (Although of the two, Fisk’s wife always shines in her scenes.) Most of the supporting cast is sparingly used and are fine for their roles in the story, but the major characters like Karen and the Punisher are huge standouts when they show up.
As expected, the acting from the leads is fantastic. Just about any time two of the main characters is together on screen, magic happens. The fight scenes are decent, but the editing makes it hard to see what’s happening sometimes. And while it’s nice to see Daredevil jumping and swinging around the rooftops, the CG looks mediocre and pulls you out of the moment.
Overall, “Daredevil: Born Again” works as continuing the Netflix series in a new direction, despite the fact that most of what we see was meant to be the opposite. The season’s major plot only seems to exist at the start of the season and the end, but the character stuff is usually enough to keep things interesting…especially with the leads’ great acting. The action is sparse and not as good as the old “Daredevil” series, so couple with the flimsy narrative, the show tends to drag at times.
*** out of *****