Marvel’s Daredevil Season 3 Goes Back to Basics

Season 3 of Marvel’s Daredevil has finally hit Netflix and Matt Murdock seems a bit tired but ready for a fight. Season 3 is a return to basics which hopefully will put Netflix’s MCU back on track.

Netflix’s Marvel Universe has been a hit-or-miss since the beginning. Back when Daredevil released its first season back in 2015, it changed the storytelling for small-screen superheroes, was more mature than the CW/DC’s Arrowverse and about a thousand times darker than the big screen MCU. Steven S. DeKnight, the showrunner at the time, created a more grounded story of Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) defeat of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime (Vincent D’Onofrio).

Jessica Jones came soon after and continued the hype with Krysten Ritter perfectly cast in the lead role. Then things began to crack with Luke Cage, with Mike Coulter doing a great job playing the lead but couldn’t quite gain a lot of momentum. And then Iron Fist happened and the hype quickly started to die down even more. The Avengers-style team-up series The Defenders couldn’t pick things up. Hope seemed to be lost for Netflix’s MCU series.

But, season 3 of Daredevil seems to be getting things on the right path. By returning to the nitty-gritty of Hell’s Kitchen, new showrunner Erik Oleson (The Man in the High Castle) has brought fans an exciting new season that picks up right where The Defenders left off.

D’Onofrio is exhilarating to watch and his return brings some much-needed energy to the show. He is such a gifted actor that he didn’t need to get so weird with his character, but he does. He is so believable that he could have shaved his head and thrown on a white suit and been the Kingpin. He brilliantly is able to master Fisk’s small quirks, playing the character through almost squinted eyes and small turns of his head. There is so much scheming involved with this character, and D’Onofrio is just amazing at showing the wheels spinning inside his head without giving anything away. It makes his sudden violent outbursts that more frightening.

If season 3 has any real issues, it’s with Matt Murdock himself. Oleson tries to hit hard with Matt’s battle with his faith, but the result feels like he becomes an annoying rebellious teenager always thinking his parents are huge jerks. Luckily, this show has plenty of supporting characters to keep things moving. Deborah Ann Woll has found the perfect balance of rock-solid resolve and emotional nerves for playing Karen Paige. Elden Henson, brings something new to Foggy Nelson.

New addition Wilson Bethel’s Agent Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter, or as he is known in the comics as Bullseye, is sure to spark some discussions. Bethel’s take on the character has delightfully unhinged flashes of a psychopath, but his descent into darkness is both chilling and a little heartbreaking.

Its hard to say where the series goes from here, especially since Iron Fist and Luke Cage were just canceled last week. Now, the fates of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher are unclear. While Jessica Jones and The Punisher both have a new season coming next year, hopefully the three remaining Netflix/Marvel shows will have a long future on the streaming service.