Daredevil Season 1 (2015)

Score: A (9.5/10)

When given an open-ended continuity, Marvel properties excel at picking and choosing the best moments offered by their source material. Daredevil Season 1 does exactly that through an impressive and refreshing journey of a blind man searching for justice inside and outside of the courtroom.

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In 2010, Marvel Studios launched Marvel Television to build the evergrowing popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the small screen. The “Television Initiative” became successful across various networks and subscriptions, namely ABC and Netflix, with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and Daredevil as the standouts. However, as the MCU ventured further into its timeline and the introduction of Disney+ in 2019, Disney folded the studio into its parent company. However, fans often forget that many Marvel Television series, minus Legion and The Gifted because of their relation to 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, canonically reside within the MCU. However, much of it’s optional until the MCU reintroduces characters from the shows. Despite this, one character has already done so due to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (of all things): Daredevil.

From the get-go, Daredevil tells a darker and more mature story than the broader MCU has, as of May 2023. A prime example is the one-shot sequence in the show’s second episode, which also offers phenomenal action all on its own. However, the more mature nature of the series is logical, especially considering Matt Murdock is a blind man. The series tackles his blindness exceptionally through backstories well-integrated into the overarching narrative. It also tackles Murdock’s hopes for the safety of New York City through his second life as Daredevil, fighting the surprisingly diverse thug groups in and around Hell’s Kitchen. There’s an uncanny attitude towards them, both from Murdok and the thugs themselves, making the stakes higher than expected for a local hero who stops thugs.

However, it’s what sets Daredevil apart from its friendly neighborhood counterpart, especially with the inclusion of Kingpin. Unlike other iterations of the antagonist, Kingpin is more gruesome and explicit in Daredevil. At a flick of a coin, he will beat the life out of people, especially when his plans go sideways. It often results in his position with New York City’s thug groups and their leaders questioning his decision-making. Kingpin’s plan changes throughout the season, giving the narrative a robust and adaptive backbone to raise the stakes. Kingpin’s romantic endeavors also complicate his plan and relations with other thug leaders, especially towards the ladder half of the first season. None of the antagonists ever feel one-sided or uninteresting, with Kingpin as the shining example as the main antagonist.

Luckily for audiences, the show also exhibits Murdock’s lawyer skills in the first half of season one. There’s an exquisite flow between court cases and Murdock’s life as a crime-fighting vigilante. Murdock’s life is made more complicated by his coworkers, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, who make up their law firm, “Nelson and Murdock.” The show makes court cases, which are mostly uninteresting, entertaining, and necessary to the overarching story throughout the season’s second half. Court cases allow audiences to connect and become familiar with the protagonists, making story and character dilemmas more gratifying.

Many people rave about Daredevil’s outstanding storyline and characters. However, it’s hard for many, myself included, to describe how well the series delivers. It uses several cliches and superhero tropes but shows them in an impressive and thought-provoking way. However, many substantial plot details in the first season’s runtime spoil themselves, making it a less captivating experience for newcomers. Regardless, audiences will enjoy the highs and lows each character goes through. After all, Murdock is one of if not the most down-to-earth take on a titular superhero in the MCU, with the show pacing itself well enough to make the climax well worth the wait.

There is no better statement for Murdock’s journey than a statement I created because of it: “Only when you earn it do you dawn the mask.”