‘Marvel's Daredevil’
Grade: B+
“Marvel's Daredevil” is a riveting, well-plotted take on a classic Marvel superhero. Marvel’s cultural dominance ensured that this show would be widely reviewed. Luckily for this critic and the rest of us, it is well worth the attention.
The protagonist of “Marvel's Daredevil” is Matt Murdock, who was blinded by chemicals as a child after saving an old man’s life. Now an up-and-coming lawyer with his friend, Foggy Nelson, he seeks to clean up the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York City.
He also fights crime at night as the titular vigilante, Daredevil.
Charlie Cox gives an excellent performance as Murdock. He can work wonders with a long monologue or a quick joke. He makes the character charismatic yet humble and is never less than engaging.
The first episode has a main conspiracy — the criminal underworld trying to skim money from efforts to rebuild Hell’s Kitchen after the alien invasion in “The Avengers” — that indicates what “Daredevil” is.
It is clever yet practical, examining how giant events affect ordinary people. It reminds the viewer that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a real place where giant space invasions have human consequences and costs.
There is not a lot of action in this episode, but the fights between Daredevil and various henchmen are both well-shot and choreographed. The show also makes good use of Daredevil’s superhuman senses and ability to tell if someone is lying. In this episode, though, the focus is less about action set pieces and more about establishing characters and situations.
The first episode of “Marvel's Daredevil” isn’t perfect. Deborah Ann Woll plays Karen Page, Murdock and Nelson’s first client, and she does not have much to do. She gives a fine performance with what she has, but it is disappointing that she has to be saved by Daredevil at the end of the episode.
It would have been better to show that she has some knowledge of combat to make her stronger. That scene relies too much on the “damsel in distress” trope and makes her seem weaker than she is.
The dynamic between Murdock and Nelson is also tricky. Though it is fun to watch them banter and plot their next strategy, some of their exchanges feel too forced. Most of their conversations are clever, but some of them feel less like friends talking and more like writer Drew Goddard trying to be witty.
Key characters — such as Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk and Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple — are not introduced right away. That works in the first episode’s favor, however, as it allows it to move more slowly in establishing some of the more central characters.
“Marvel's Daredevil” starts off well. The best thing about this episode, however, is how well it sets up the world of the show. The viewer finishes the first episode and thinks this series can only get better and better.
