The Daily Gamecock

Superhero Sunday: "Daredevil" excels as one of Netflix's exclusive shows

A Netflix-exclusive series, "Daredevil" showcases one of Marvel's most historic human heroes: the red devil of Hell's Kitchen. Matthew Murdock is an attorney by day and a vigilante (Daredevil) of a crime-ridden Hell's Kitchen by night. The show balances Murdock's day life of law with his friends and his secret night life well while also recapping Murdock's intricate past with flashbacks. Early on, taking legal cases beating up general baddies and thugs on the streets of Hell's Kitchen are a mainstay for Murdock, but then he gets deep into the crime origins that plague his city and must resort to different efforts in order to keep his city safe. Oh, and to add to that, Murdock is blind.

"Daredevil" feels like a graphic novel

Let it be clear that, even though it is about a superhero, this is not a kid-friendly show. One of the show's main focuses is being dark and gritty, and the action is just that. Bones are broken, fight scenes end with someone being a bloody mess and nobody is safe in Hell's Kitchen. Most of the fights are not one-sided as Murdock struggles to adapt to either more skilled competition or being severely outnumbered by aggressors, adding to the chaotic atmosphere. As a result, the series runs more like a graphic novel and less like a comic book. The episodes merge together with each episode leaving on a cliffhanger to bridge into the next, creating a continuous story rather than a story-per-episode plot. Unlike in "Arrow" where one episode would satisfy a superhero craving, anything less than binge-watching "Daredevil" would leave a void. Thirteen episodes in the first season is a doable feat in one night, right?

Vincent D'Onofrio is the king of the show

It took three episodes for someone to finally say the name of their "employer," but when Wilson Fisk, played by Vincent D'Onofrio, finally had an on-screen appearance, it set the tone for his first-season character. Towering over everyone else, D'Onofrio playing Fisk is physically intimidating even though the first few episodes portray him as a vulnerable teddy bear of a man—which D'Onofrio portrays at some moments as well. However, there is a single point when the audience realizes why people don't say his name, and when the writers need D'Onofrio to be angry, he becomes angry. He is a complicated character with a messed up past, yet it's really hard to hate him. As he says many times, he only wants to do what is right for his city, no matter how convoluted it may seem. Dubbed "The Kingpin," Fisk's character is rated as the No. 10 villain of all time by comicvine.com, and a top rated character makes for good TV.

The verdict

It is really difficult to find something wrong with the show, and even those shortcomings that can be found constitute me being nitpicky. Even the supporting characters are well developed. Netflix and the show writers did well playing with both the emotions of the audience and the show's characters. The show balances Matthew Murdock and Daredevil, not tipping the scale to one side even though the Daredevil side is enticing to focus on. One of the best parts is that Daredevil isn't too overpowered. Sure, he can do hardcore parkour kicks and punches and ricochet anything off walls into bad guys, but he gets his fair share of beat downs. Even the side story with Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) and Foggy (Elden Henson) give the series solid added content. For a show that has been received so well by critics, it is hard to see why a big time production company didn't pick it up.

Up next week: CW's The Flash


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