First reaction: “Gloves Off” – Daredevil Born Again season 2

"That was a great milkshake."

After a very busy week, a full review of this episode has not been in the cards, but I hope to be able to write more after we get to episode five in just a few days. I'll keep this one quick and sweet.

So, what to say about this episode that hasn't already been said? This episode currently holds a 9.5 rating on IMDb, the highest for any episode of any Marvel television series ever.

Does Gloves Off earn that position in my book? No. In part because of the outstanding issues with Matt/Daredevil still struggling to shine compared to the rest of the cast, though I suspect that issue might correct itself during the tail end of the season. And, to be fair, he did have some very strong scenes this episode, though I feel like they need their own treatment when I return for a deep dive.

With that said, this is a very good episode in its own right. The treatment of Bullseye's character, and how it shows us his twisted persective as the hero of his own story, trying to balance the scales as if talking about bank accounts rather than humans lives, is brilliant.

It also feels true to the character we were introduced to in the final season of the original show. Sure, we're dialing up the comic book villain aspects, but it works spectacularly well. Bonus points for using a lobster as a murder weapon. I will never look at lobsters the same way again.

This is also a big episode for Vanessa Fisk in what appears to be her last appearance. I suspect her injury is meant to be fatal, though you never know in comics (or comic book shows). Her meeting with the governor, a scene that might at first glance seem out of place or off topic, provides some interesting foreshadowing. The governor views Vanessa as a tempering influence on Fisk, and she will likely be much more willing to meddle in Fisk's affairs with Vanessa gone. Meanwhile, Vanessa's refusal to be sidelined and protected is what ultimately seals her fate. She and Wilson both know that they are under threat, and Vanessa won't have Wilson face that threat alone.

The scenes with Fisk in the boxing ring are also something to behold. While this episode is called "Gloves Off," it would have been just as apt to call it "Mask Off." I don't know wether Fisk actually killed his opponent, or whether he's just looking at some pretty severe brain damage, but the varied reactions in the audience are as interesting as the match itself. BB is in utter shock, and Sheila looks absolutely terrified.

Daniel continues to cheer for his boss, but I have to wonder whether he even realizes just how massively unhinged the whole spectacle is. Perhaps, for some, the setting itself, the official nature of it all provides a sense of security, or even authority that allows people to go along with something far beyond their usual boundaries.

Overall, this is an interesting, amazing-looking, and almost perfectly paced episode that raises the stakes considerably as we go into the tail end of the season. Bravo to all involved!