Know Your Show: Daredevil #AtoZChallenge

Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan
35

This post is part of my #A2ZChallenge for April 2016 where my theme is TV Sitcoms.
For the letter D, I choose Daredevil.

Premise:

After becoming blind following a freak accident, Matt Murdock's other senses get heightened. When he tries to help fix his ailing city, he realizes that being a lawyer by day is not enough. Sometimes even blind men need to wear a mask.



10 reasons you will love it:

1) Daredevil is one of Marvel's most popular superheroes, often teaming alongside the likes of Spiderman and co. in the comics and even being an Avenger at one point. But his most famous storylines are often dark and hold a sense of personal tragedy. 

2) The general criticism was that Marvel cinematic products were more light & frothy as compared to the darker and sombre movies of DC. In a single show, Marvel's Daredevil showed that they were perfectly capable of being serious and still delivering a wonderful product, if needed.

3) For comic book fans disappointed by the 2003 Ben Affleck based 'Daredevil' movie, this was redemption. The story took the best bits of what is a dark comic book series and gave everyone what they wanted. 

4) The first season deals with his first case as a lawyer defending a young woman wrongly accused of murder which pitches him against opponents who work above the law, necessitating his own brand of vigilante justice and bringing him into the crosshairs of a very unstable villain. 

5) Everyone talks about the hallway fight sequence in the second episode. Taken as a single shot, it shows a beaten and extremely weary blind man taking on a bunch of goons to save a small boy. As Indians, we are used to our heroes beating up dozens without breaking a sweat. This on the other hand is how it would be in real life.



Magnificently shot, the cinematography and colour palettes throughout the series is better than most movies you see on the big screen.

6) Charlie Cox starring as a blind lawyer is absolutely brilliant. Not restricted by a single movie format, you get plenty of time to see him evolve from just a deeply conflicted religious man who wants to do good to finally embracing his identity as a 'necessary devil' of the place appropriately titled Hell's Kitchen.

7) In Vincent D’Onofrio's take of the iconic Wilson Fisk, Marvel gave us one of the best portrayals of a villain from the entire TV and movie franchise ever. A guy who has a different version of how the city can be rebuilt after the aftermath of the alien invasion (the first Avengers movie - see how they linked movies and television there!), he is insecure around people and especially the woman he loves, hates being manipulated by others and eventually grows into the Kingpin everyone fears.   

8) Both sides of the board come with characters who offer a lot more than just being animated background. You really care for the good guys and feel uneasy around the bad as the season carries on:

  • Foggy as Matt's best friend lends levity & Claire Temple (the lovely Rosario Dawson) is the nurse aware of his night activities and trying to stop him from going down a dark path. I loved Deborah Ann Woll as the client Karen Page but fans of the comic book know her presence can only mean sorrow in Matt's life. 
  • The people flanking the Kingpin during his rise include Gao - an elderly Asian woman who knows how to make the Kingpin bow to her every demand - and Nobu, a businessman who definitely is not what he seems.

9) Plenty of twists. Not everyone makes it out alive, which I did not expect though I should have.



10) Personal Opinion: A show that is meant for binge watching as the entire first season is just 13 episodes of short, concise, story telling with excellent cinematography and a wonderful origin tale - both of Daredevil and the Kingpin - keeping viewers hooked.  Season 2 is out and once more, has received high critical acclaim as Daredevil finds himself up against two other characters who have appeared in their own individual movies in the past, the Punisher and Elektra.

If aliens were to judge us based solely upon this show:

They would be confused about our true anatomical and physiological capabilities.
They would also probably avoid masked men in New York City's Hell's Kitchen.

Trivia:


  • A web television series, the whole first (and now second) season was released simultaneously by Netflix. So you get the entire storyline instantly instead of having to wait over a period of six months for a season.
  • Marvel plans four such short series - Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage & Iron Fist - all eventually leading up to an 8 episode team up of them all, called the 'Defenders'.


To see all the shows  I have talked about till date, please CLICK HERE.

Post a Comment

35Comments

Let me know what you think.

  1. Sounds good. Funnily, not even a watched a single of the shows you have mentioned till date.. Oh God! where was I?

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    1. Haha... i still say its early days... now, if you tell me this by the time we get to LMNO, yes I will be worried :D

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  2. I definitely need to watch this show...

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    1. Its very self contained and binge worthy... 13 episodes per season

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  3. I haven't seen this one. Is it airing in India? Need to look it up. Sounds interesting.

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    1. I am not sure if it is airing. It released all at once online though so can be available via that means if not on tv

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  4. A Marvel series, that I'm not aware of?! My son will have to answer for that! Maybe he's watched it! It does sound interesting...but is it only available on netflix?
    @KalaRavi16 from
    Relax-N-Rave

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    1. no. easily available online and plays on tv too though I dont know which channel.
      And its already in season 2... as I said, the full season gets released on the same week.

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  5. Sigh... I really dislike this one to be honest - even if I am a Marvel girl. //fellow challenger www.xoxomake.com

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  6. Another one added to my list. I guess I can finally stop feeling guilty about watching 'too many' shows.

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  7. Goshh when do you watch all these shows Doc with your doctoring, masterful blogging etc

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  8. This has been on my watchlist since long. Let me see if I can scratch out some time for this one :D

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  9. Ever since I watched the Ben Afleck movie, somehow I lost my interest in this superhero. Probably the series is better. Will keep in mind :D

    A Whimsical Medley
    Twinkle Eyed Traveller

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    1. Tv series is miles better. no comparison whatsoever :)

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  10. I've never watched this show, or the movie or read the comic books, but you've piqued my interest. For sure, my husband would enjoy it! That fight scene just went on and on. :) Amazing that a blind man is so good with his fists.

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    1. its a wonderful series... short and succinct and easy for a quick go through...

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  11. Aren't you a TV buff? I haven't watched this one ever :P
    But yes, I am now interested!

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  12. Binge-watched the first season. Itching to binge-watch the second :P
    Wasn't that season finale (S01) something? :O
    GO DEFENDERS!!

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    1. exactly... it was ultimate. So well done.
      And yes, like you havent seen Season 2 yet which is why I didnt comment on it

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  13. It sure is paisa vasool, the concept and narration with heart pounding actions:)

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    1. oh definitely... very well written, excellent cinematography and some brilliant action

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  14. I'm not big on Marvel characters, but I'm familiar with Daredevil. He's always held my interest. So who exactly is Jessica Jones? I'm unfamiliar with her.
    That scene you provided is excellent for wanting me to look into the series. But I don't currently have Netflix. I did have it for a short while, when Arrested Development produced an exclusive fourth series.

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    1. Jessica Jones is a far more obscure character from the Marvel stable... everyone wondered why she was picked. But then the show ended up being pretty darn good, once more thanks as much to the villain as the hero. Perhaps this will help - its my spoiler free review from the week it released,

      http://www.godyears.net/2015/11/review-jessica-jones-why-you-need-to-be.html

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  15. 13 episodes? I would definitely watch then! You love crime and mystery shows, don't you?

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    1. exactly why its worth watching. a whole tale finished in 13 episodes. and brilliantly done.

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  16. Time to torrent it then!

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    1. get season 2 too.. I havent watched it but reviews are pretty good.

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  17. I binge watched both the season 1 and, later, season 2 and I must admit it is one of the most realistic and believable superhero series/movies I have seen so far...I mean the hero actually sweats...You don't see that in many marvel movies...and to others who commented...both season 1&2 are available in torrents easily..do check them out :)

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    1. true... they really worked to keep it realistic in the true sense.

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  18. And yeah...I know it's too early...but when you do reach those letters...these are some shows I hope you consider
    -F.R.I.E.N.D.S (like duh)
    -MODERN FAMILY (easily the best comedy series I have watched)
    -HOUSE (do I even have to say why? )
    -SENSE8 (The Wachowski brothers of the matrix fame directed this crazy series...need I say more? )
    -BREAKING BAD (I know 'b' is over...but this is worth repeating 'b' for)
    -NARCOS (for obvious reasons)
    That's all I can remember now :)

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