Looking for something different to watch we thought we look at some of the classic series in the past. All shows we enjoy with the aim to bring them back to the forefront. Expect some regular shows to pop up multiple times and please tweet us any suggestions as to your favourites – @eriseamag.
This Week – Netflix’s Daredevil
Originally this was set to be Marvel’s first TV adventure under the Marvel Comic Universe under a different darker atmosphere. It pushed boundaries and opened up new avenues to Marvel that they did not think of before.
Daredevil, coming off the Ben Affleck Movie needed a new look and a new feel. Gone was the red shiny suit and gone was the weird tinted eyes. Charlie Cox brought new life to a story all comic book lovers love. Don’t go expecting an over the top Bullseye in this one.
Scene by Scene
This section is about what we thought as we watched . So spoilers ahead. Please skip to the conclusion if you want our full thoughts on a series we loved at the time.
We open straight on to the blinding of Matt. It focuses on the father and the urgency of the situation. Toxic waste and lots of it.
Cut to the future, Matt sits in a confession booth talking about his past and his father. The dynamic is shown with both the good parts and bad parts of his past described. The dark underbelly of the city is then show with Matt there to stop it.
The progression of Matt’s character and his suit (knowing where it the series goes is great. The black “make shift” suit and the way he takes a punch – makes the audience think he is like a Batman.
Intro sequence time. Looks like we see New York as Matt would see it – in red.
Time for the day job. Foggy up early and Matt still in bed. Foggy’s bright and cheerful demeanor is a good counter balance to the Daredevil Matt Murdock stuff at times. Meeting a estate agent, we hear that this is set in the Cinematic MCU with them referencing the events of the original Avengers film (in the UK called Avengers Assemble).
Time for a woman with a knife. Bloody hands and a dead body next to her. Hell of an entrance for what would be a key part of the series. Miss Karen Page is in trouble, Matt and Foggy aim to rescue her.
Their initial scenes, Karen, Foggy and Matt shows good dynamics. Matt has a hero complex, Foggy is about helping but is a realist and Karen is full of heart.
We have the good guys, it is time for one of the bad guys. Guy in glasses in a clean cut suit shows off his evilness straight away.
Karen gets assaulted and it pushes the grey areas of the show’s direction. It makes the viewer think the cops are in on it and they will use the law to stop it. Now Karen is in their hands – to help her.
They release her. Matt and Foggy have her back but need her to tell the truth. This scene is full of subtle body language showing off the character’s thoughts and feelings. Karen is showing signs of negativity and frustration and Matt and Foggy are full of caring looks.
Cut to the first steps of Karen and Matt’s future relationship on the show. There are hints of possible romance with her undressing in front of him (yes he is blind) and Matt being semi open with his back story about how he lost his vision.
It turns into a semi investigation scene with the use of Matt’s sense of hearing. He can her Karen’s heartbeat and knows if she is lying. The subtle piano adds to the scene.
Time for another villain to enter. Madame Gao and other villains are present with the main villain’s number 2. This ties together the beginning of the episode with them discussing “the man in black”. The other villains who work for the main “mystery” villain are upset with them for not showing up.
Karen is hiding something and this then threatens her life again – but Matt is aware and engages in a good fight sequence with a Japanese man. Good stylistic choreography and good action scene music choices.
We will stop our scene by scene here with 10 minutes to go, as we are entering full spoiler territory. This should wet your appetite for a great show. The last 10 minutes set the scope for the first season with the main villain revealed.
Overall
At the time, it presented the MCU in a different light to what we had seen so far. MCU films were bright and brash while Daredevil was dark and crime ridden. Daredevil pushes the envelope and we loved it at the time. We still do, watching the pilot again brings us back into why we loved the show.
It gives a underdog character in Matt Murdock who wants to fight for the good guy. He maybe blind but he has his own special abilities to help him try to succeed. The show’s story is terrific with villain’s characters not always being black and white by design. Then in general the show’s focus on deep characters too makes it extra special.
The pilot is a good entry way into the Netflix Marvel saga. Season 1 is the best series of the show and if you have not seen it yet – you have not lived.
Pilot episode is still a 4/5 special.
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