This post will contain spoilers for the full show, stay away if you're not done watching it! I'll keep this relatively brief though, as this is not a definitive review. I'll probably have more to say after I've at least had a chance to watch it again (I have a Defenders marathon scheduled with some friends tomorrow). So... Wow. And not a good kind of wow, I'm afraid. Despite some excellent moments, scenes and characterizations, I would argue that this is the weakest show out of the Marvel/Netflix collaboration to date. And it mostly comes down to the plot. But, let's start at the beginning, and the beginning is actually very good. The early reviews of the first four episodes where somewhat mixed, and many pointed to the fact that it … [Read more...]
Daredevil season 2 – The relationships and their lingering complications
I ran out of time, and wanted to get this up before the premiere of Defenders. So, for the time being, no pictures. Will add them later. And, I didn't proofread it either so I hope it's legible. :) As I mentioned in my review of episode six, I decided to tackle the tail end of season two of Daredevil in a single post rather than one episode at a time. This not only saves a bit of time and space, but it also actually makes it easier to talk about the bigger picture and the broader strokes. As you can see below, I've divided this post into various relationships, simply because I think that's a good way of actually analyzing what's going on. There are certainly big events happening that lie far beyond individual lives, but the story is just … [Read more...]
The 50+ ways in which Marvel’s Daredevil reminds you that Matt is blind (for real)
I did not set out to write a manifesto, but I don't really know what else to call this post. A plea perhaps? I suppose what makes it a "manifesto" is the amount of heartfelt emotion that I've put into this post. For as long as I've been a Daredevil fan, I've always been very protective of his "blind side." Regular readers of this blog (which passed 800 posts just last week) know this. I know quite a few of you agree with me. Others are probably tired of my occasional rants on the subject, but thanks for sticking around anyway. This is me pouring my heart out. Again. And my end goal is this: I want to elevate the way "we" (fans, creators, and critics) speak about this character so that it truly reflects his full complexity. Most people … [Read more...]
Thoughts on Marvel’s Luke Cage
Here's another one of those items on my to do list before The Defenders so let's get to it. I'll keep this relatively brief, and just stick to what I thought were the strengths and weaknesses of Luke Cage. The good Misty Knight is awesome If there's one character I care about more than any of the others on this show, it's Misty Knight. She manages to be both adorable and genuinely hardcore, a combination that makes her human and relatable. She loves her job deeply, gets invested in it – more than she should – and cares deeply about justice. I even dig the way she talks. When I think about what I liked most about Simone Missick's Misty, it really comes down to a series of strong and well-acted scenes. There are the montages of her … [Read more...]
Playing “odd one out” with The Defenders
Hey guys! Well, the bad news is I'm back at work. The good news is that we're only just over one week away from the premiere of The Defenders! For both seasons of Daredevil, I've actually taken the day off, but that won't be doable this time, so I'll start watching in the late afternoon my time and just make an evening with. There's a lot to get to before then, but to warm up I thought it might be fun to compare and contrast the Defenders and look at what the various team members have in common. When I was a kid, there was a hugely popular children's show on Swedish television called (roughly translated) "Five ants are more [numerous] than four elephants." It was one of those shows that managed to be both entertaining and pedagogical – … [Read more...]
The silent ninja conundrum
Well, I could have saved this little detail for my big post about the tail end of Daredevil, season two. But, fearing that it would swell out of proportion in that context, I'm turning this into its own post. Besides, this way it also doubles as a Daredevil science post, and you guys know I can't stay away from those! So, what am I talking about here? Well, at the very beginning of episode eight, when Matt and Elektra are still checking out that mysterious hole in the ground, they're surrounded by a band of ninjas. The thing with these ninjas is that they manage to elude Matt's senses, presumably by moving so very quietly that only their weapons can be heard. There's one (big) problem with this: It suggests that Matt can only detect … [Read more...]
Review: “Regrets Only” – Daredevil season 2, episode #6
You may think I'm crazy for reviewing an episode that came out over a year ago, but what better way to get caught up, work through my issues with the tail end of Daredevil season two, and prepare for The Defenders? After just re-watching all of episodes six through thirteen in preparation for this review though, I've realized its probably wiser to cover all of the rest of them in a single post, just looking at the major themes and developments. That would be less time-consuming, and help me squeeze in other types of posts as well before The Defenders hit in less than three weeks. If there's time, I'll even try to do a post on Luke Cage as well. He's the only one of the Defenders that I haven't at least discussed in his own post. … [Read more...]
Defenders at SDCC and the new trailer!
Hey guys! I hope all is well with you. Well, it's been a pretty exciting weekend with a new trailer for The Defenders, the panel at San Diego Comic Con and even a couple of clips. Not to mention a truckload of cast interviews, and reactions from people who got to see the first episode when it was shown at the panel. We're now also beginning to see reviews for the first four episodes after they've been released to select news sites.Brett White's for Decider.com is free of spoilers and covers the first four episodes. An here's an equally spoiler-free review of the first episode, by Rhiannon at the MCU Exchange. That site is also collecting links and quotes from other reviews, if you're interested. When it comes to the actual panel... … [Read more...]
