As the beloved character of Daredevil’s show jumps from Netflix to Disney+, fans like myself are curious to see just how many changes Daredevil’s world is in for, and if Disney can keep the same level of engagement from the original audience.

The Netflix hit Daredevil ran from 2015 to 2018 as part of a collection of Marvel shows featured on the streaming service. The show was set in the same universe as Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. But the Netflix production was much more gruesome than Disney content, often appealing to a more mature audience. In 2022, Disney announced that it would be adding Netflix Marvel shows to its Disney+ platform. In recent years, Daredevil (Charlie Cox) has appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe content of Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, leaving fans in anticipation for his full-fledged return as Daredevil. 

In the Marvel universe of over-crafted and choreographed scenes smeared with over-the-top special effects, the original Daredevil stands out thanks to its use of cool colours of green, yellow, blue and red and its seamlessly shot, brutal fight scenes. Fans resonated with the longer form of production that allowed the series to delve into characters. 

Daredevil: Born Again sees Cox return as the red horned vigilante Matt Murdock, alongside Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, other fan favourites from the original Daredevil show, and new characters. After watching the first 20 minutes, it’s evident that this show is not going to be as similar to the original as some fans may have hoped. Some of the opening action scenes rely too heavily on special effects and complicated shots, taking away from the show’s realism. It felt like the characters in the opening fight scene moved and behaved more like video game characters with pre-determined moves. As the series goes on, there are some creative shots and angles. Especially those contrasting Murdock and Fisk, which highlight the actors’ abilities to display the depth of their characters’ trauma and their internal battles between concepts of justice and vengeance. 

In contrast to the original show, this series so far relies on a tell instead of a show narrative. Compared to the original Daredevil, in Daredevil: Born Again, Fisk often subtly threatens people instead of simply harming them. In the time it took to make the new Disney season, it seems as though Fisk took some anger management classes, now opting for blackmail to control others rather than just decapitating the people he doesn’t like by slamming their heads into doors. Though this choice may help Disney draw a larger audience, die-hard fans may miss out on some of D’Onofrio’s compelling, abrasive nature as Fisk. 

So far, the show’s more intense and graphic scenes don’t meet the intensity of the original show or other Netflix Marvel-produced shows like The Punisher, which is known for its bloody and gory nature. There are still violent and intense fight scenes in the first few episodes, but they don’t quite have the same realistic and chilling effect as the original. The Disney show places more attention to the fight sequences and moves themselves rather than the bloodshed and harm inflicted. Though more violence and action-filled scenes are likely to follow in upcoming episodes, Daredevil: Born Again creates a strong middle ground between the graphic nature of the Netflix productions and the TV-14 content of other Marvel shows. 

The series shows villain and criminal Wilson Fisk elected as mayor of New York. Fisk is depicted as a power-hungry, greedy individual, who claims his unconventional tactics are done in the best interests of those he serves. Yet, the character’s real intentions often involve just looking for more power and attention, and often for his own benefit … sound familiar? Intentionally or not, the eerie similarities between Wilson Fisk and U.S. President Donald Trump only add to the show’s relevance and further ask audiences to examine who the real villains may be in society. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Although this show is quite different from the original, it’s still an overall well-done and entertaining show thus far. With a mix of callbacks, familiar characters like Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), new and developing characters and storylines, this series holds something for both new and old audiences to appreciate, which hopefully will continue in the next episodes.

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Graphic by Forrester Toews