DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN (Season 1) -- The Man Without Fear is Back, and It Feels Like He Never Left

Review by Camden Ferrell

Netflix’s Daredevil series aired its final episode in the Fall of 2018, and in 2025, Matt Murdock is back in a continuation of the hit series. While the previous series was always part of the official MCU canon, Daredevil: Born Again feels like the character’s unofficial welcome to this larger universe. Viewers who are concerned about a dip in quality after the long break and new streaming home, can relax peacefully. This follow-up series carries on the legacy of its predecessor quite effectively, delivering strong writing, great performances, and some pretty gripping action at times.
 
This show follows Matt Murdock, one of comic industry’s most beloved lawyers turned superhero, and it picks up nicely from where we left off. Elsewhere, Kingpin (who has been having other MCU shenanigans as well) is pursuing his own political endeavors. Like always, these two men are on a collision course with each other while they deal with their own personal turmoil and new challenges, characters, and threats that come in their way.
 
One thing to commend off the bat is that the show feels very new-viewer friendly. Whether it’s your first time watching the show, or if you just might have forgotten what happened before, this show is mostly forgiving. There are a handful of callbacks and some of the backstories are more fleshed out with prior knowledge, but the writers do a great job of making sure this new series stands on its own if need be. On the topic of writing, I’d argue that you would have a hard time believing this show had a 6-year break since its most recent season because the style of dialogue and storytelling feel very consistent. This should ease viewers who are worried this show would be a disaster.

Once again, this show is led by the talented and entertaining Charlie Cox. More and more, this feels like a role he was made for, and he continues to flex his acting and action chops as the Man Without Fear. Alongside him, Vincent D’Onofrio delivers another reliably menacing and nuanced portrayal of Wilson Fisk. While it’s not among their best performances as these characters, it’s still gripping to see them back in action together.
 
While the show is known for its legal elements (and this new series has plenty of that), people also tune in for its stylish action. This season delivers its fair share of heart-pumping action, full of blood and bone-breaking. I will say that the middle episodes aren’t nearly as gripping as the bookend episodes which deliver the most captivating action of the season, but this is a shortcoming that is made up for by good quality storytelling throughout. For those worried this show would go soft on Disney+, I think Episode 1 will put those concerns to rest quite quickly.
 
Daredevil: Born Again delivers a solid first season that acknowledges its past while paving a sturdy future for itself. There are a handful of characters and cameos that people will be excited to see no matter how inconsequential it might seem in the grand scheme of things. It feels like the Netflix series never ended, and it has me excited for what’s in store next season.
 
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 begins streaming its first two episodes on Disney+ March 4 with episodes premiering subsequent Tuesdays. All episodes have been reviewed.

​Rating: 4/5