Review: “Shoot the Moon” and “The Scales & the Sword” – Daredevil Born Again

I'm skipping the first reaction this week and going straight to the review. Which is probably a good thing, because it took rewatching these episodes to be able to separate what I expected (wanted?) them to be, and instead judge them on their own merit. Let's first address that, because there are certain creative (or editing?) choices that keep these episodes, episode two in particular, from being even stronger than they already undoubtably are.

If you look at my previous post about episode one, I made it clear that I was expecting some major repurcussions from Matt's dramatic brush with death. Not only did he almost die, he ended up in that position of vulnerability as a direct result of having a flashback to Foggy's death. Just as he's about to be killed, after being unmasked, the very man who ended Foggy's life shows up to save him in the most spectacular manner. Even for a superhero, this was an unusally traumatic evening.

And yet, the fallout of all of this is little more than a whimper. I'm not saying that it's not addressed at all. You can tell Matt is contemplating this twisted sequence of events in conversation with Karen, while handling Bullseye's knife. But I have to admit, I expected something a little different and more substantial.

Later in the episode, Karen and Matt go to Astoria to check in on Ariana (who's already been arrested by that point), but don't even make it that far because posters of Matt are starting to go up all around them, just as the news that Fisk has declared Matt officially missing starts landing in the cell phones around them. The scene of them responding to this is all of fifteen seconds long, and that includes the parts that are overlayed with Fisk addressing the public. For comparison, the scene of Ariana getting arrested is thirty seconds long.

I'm not saying this to complain that the scene with Ariana was too long. It wasn't. But the scene of Matt and Karen in the street is noticeably shorter than a version of the same scene that was shown in one of the teasers. Why on Earth would they cut those few extra seconds out? That would have given the scene some more room to breathe, which in turn would have given it more weight. Not only that, but Matt's reaction to this new twist is little more than a shrug. I'm sure this will haunt the two of them down the line, but why are they sucking much of the drama out of a legitimately dramatic scene?

We are getting interesting scenes with Matt and Karen. I particularly enjoyed their stakeout at the dock, and their interrogation of Karen's kidnapped AVTF officer. I also have nothing but praise for Daredevil's action sequences, and the continued skillful handling of Matt's senses. However, I still feel like the main character of the show is getting a less thorough treatment than most of the other character in these two episodes.

Going forward, I expect to see as much focus on advancing Matt's story as there is on the (also important) stories of the rest of the cast. Daredevil: Born Again remains an excellent show overall, but this is one crucial area where there's more to be done.

When I mentioned the rest of the characters above, I wasn't just saying that to soften my criticism. There are stories being told here that are absolutely captivating.

For starters, episode three manages to elevate Jack Duquesne from a character whose gimmick in the show reminds you more of Silver Age Daredevil villain The Matador than someone who could fight alongside Daredevil. But this guy is cool. He reasons like a true intellectual, and faces his mock trial with an impressive amount of stoicism. And when Daredevil puts a metal rebar in his hands, his face lights up with boyish delight. Before he, you know, proceeds to do some very serious damage with it. Swordsman, I am impressed!

Daniel Blake is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine. He plays the vital part of the every man who's found himself elevated to play in the big leagues. During the first season of Born Again, I did wonder about his backstory, and whether he had some big scheme up his sleeve. At this point, we can probably disregard any such theories, though I wouldn't be floored if it's revealed that he's got some deeper connection to Fisk that he may not even know about.

Aside from being the kind of character viewers can relate to, actor Michael Gandolfini infuses Daniel with an impressive range and complexity. He is not without a conscience, and seems to be genuinely fond of his new friend BB Urich. While he considers himself incredibly lucky on the one hand, he is also – as BB points out – scared of what might happen if he falls out of favor with Fisk.

Daniel's story is closely entangled with BB's. As many of us suspected from the get go, she is revealed as the person behind the Kingpin mask in those infamous underground videos. I saw some people react negatively to this early reveal, but I think it was necessary. It raises the stakes for her character considerably, and that's the more interesting story than keeping the "mystery" alive.

The scene where BB approaches the camera before removing the mask also shows the viewers how truly frightened she is, which paints a stark contrast to the act she is putting on. The whole scene also has a real horror vibe that I quite enjoyed.

Heather is another character I can't take my eyes off when she's on screen, even though I still think there's work to be done when it comes to really fleshing out her motivations. She seems like someone who is less committed to the cause itself – that cause being Fisk's anti-vigilante campaign – and more committed to her past decision to "enlist" in the first place. 

Here is someone who is desperate to defend her own actions to herself, even if she has to revisit her Muse trauma and drink copious amounts of alcohol to stay on that path. Spending as much time as she does around the people in Fisk's orbit likely brings a sense of normalcy to the insanity of it all.

As much as I enjoy watching Heather's slow descent into madness (or would that be full-blown villainy?), and would like to see her done right, I think some of the screen time devoted to the character could have been better spent on Matt and Karen. Then again, if they would just add a few minutes of material where it's lacking, that wouldn't be a problem at all.

Finally, I want to put the spotlight on Kirsten who gets a lot to do, in episode three in particular. Not only do we get to see her fight impossible odds in the courtroom, she also gets to help Matt – or Daredevil, in this case – break into Red Hook. While drunk. Nicely done Kirsten!

The scene where Kirsten is taken to meet her client while blindfolded is reminiscent of her early date with Matt in the comics, Daredevil (2011) #12 to be precise, and that touch alone is great. When she is later able to use her non-visual recollection of events to aid Matt, in a manner that happens to be perfectly suited to his strengths, this is a very clever narrative device that gives me a great deal of hope for the rest of the season.

Of course, Kirsten's strength as a character goes far beyond what she can do for others. Nikki James infuses her with enough personality that we all want to be her friend. Going out for drinks would definitely be on the table!

There's obviously lots of other characters and plotpoints I could cover. We get short glimpses of Dex doing his thing, including haunting Vanessa's dreams. Angela del Toro is reintroduced to the narrative in a dramatic way, though I'm still unclear on whether she's actually using that amulet in some way, or just wearing it for show at this point.

On the Wilson and Vanessa side of things, the former struggles with having the governor, played by Lily Taylor, intervene in his affairs. Vanessa, meanwhile, seems to be longing for a simpler life. Is it the fear of Dex that's getting to her, or is she starting to grow a conscience?

Cherry seems to be in good hands after the events of episode one, and we also get to check in with Josie, though her appearance is yet another example of a scene that feels frustratingly compressed. There's also verbal confirmation that Maggie is alive and well, in Rome.

I would also be remiss not to mention the big fight scene at the end of episode three, and the whole escape from Red Hook. This whole sequence of events is very entertaining, though Angela showing up bringing some very useful gadgets is perhaps a bit of a deus ex machina. How do those amulet powers work again? 😉

Needless to say, I'm very much looking forward to the next episode. I hope that as the storylines may start to coalesce, we'll start to see Matt come into focus as well.