This review will be focusing on from episodes 7 to 13. What a journey. It seems so fleeting considering we were waiting, what seemed like an interminable time for season 2 to arrive, but luckily the reward isn’t any less sweet.
Fans, both casual and hardcore should be pleased with this season as a whole. Let’s dive in a little deeper.
The Pros:
The Storytelling is quite strong. It’s engaging throughout and the pace tires not to let up at any point. Not to say that there aren’t quieter moments. There are, and they only help to enhance the characters and make us care about them.
The supporting cast really stood out this season. Their motivations were more clear by the end of this season. Even Karen Page! The shows creative team seems to be pulling a lot from the comics but they also add their own spin on things, which makes it it’s own thing. As an avid comic fan, it’s nice to be familiar with the source material and see it come to life but it’s also nice to not know EXACTLY what’s going to happen.
The action sequences continue to be strong throughout the rest of the show. It really amps up by the last 3 episodes. It’s almost too much. More on that later. There was a particularly awesome fight and stunt scene involving Daredevil & ninja’s at a hospital that is really something. The camera work is pretty instrumental in making these fight scenes dynamic and memorable. Perhaps not as ” artsy” looking as the first season but a joy to look at regardless.
A big plus was the addition of the new characters. Both Punisher & Elektra were welcome additions to the show. To be honest, they added a lot more depth to the support roles than Karen and Foggy. They were just more interesting to watch but they never overshadowed Matt/Daredevil. This still remains his show. He was definitely the start here. Charlie Cox has done a fantastic job of giving the man without fear life on the screen. He is the Daredevil we deserve AND the one we need.
Big marks also go to both guest stars that show up on the second half of the show. ( SPOILERS) Stick & Wilson Fisk. Stick at odds with Matt is always entertaining. Now throw Elektra into the mix and you get a much more interesting dynamic.
Wilson Fisk wasn’t in it for very long but his episodes were my favorite of the second half. There was a particularly awesome scene between Matt and Fisk at the city jail. A true masterclass in acting from both men.
One of the biggest successes of this season has to be The Punisher. For years, fans have been longing to see an accurate representation of the anti-hero on screen and finally, they have it. Actor, Jon Bernthal is the definitive Punisher, He’s so fitting that for the part, you almost forget there were 3 other actors who attempted to play Punisher. The writers do play a huge role in this. For once, they write Punisher/ Frank Castle as human and not just a killing machine. Yes, he is a very screwed up human, but a human nonetheless. You get to see the layers that this character is capable of having when put in the right creative hands.
The Cons:
I do think that this season would have benefited with less episodes and perhaps, less plot threads. At times, the show was pulling you in so many directions it was hard to keep up. As much as I loved Elektra and Punisher, having them both in the show may have rushed things a bit. I’m not griping much because the end result was still of a very high quality.
While the action was fantastic for the most part, it may have been overdone in a few episodes. I remember watching it with someone and having them remark tiredly, ” again?” when Dardevil was duking it out with some ninjas. To be fair, it is hard to top the fight scene in episode 3.
Having a more centralized villain might have helped keep things together as well. I mean, there was plenty of good baddies this season but not ONE central person pulling the strings. I wouldn’t say that this is a real con but take it as you will.
Conclusion:
A solid sophomore season to the best live action superhero ever done. Is it better than the first? Yes and no. I feel that it’s more entertaining than the first but that the first season felt more focused story wise. But much like season 1 ,there’s something for everyone here. Fans and non fans should be able to enjoy the show and quickly become addicted, and maybe even fall in love with the characters in Daredevil. I know I am.