After debuting its first three seasons on Netflix all those years ago, Daredevil finally officially comes to the MCU properly (though those first three seasons are still canon). How is Daredevil’s first foray on Disney+? Is he more gritty than before, or is this dark superhero tale soften up for the House of Mouse’s streaming service agenda? Read on to find out!

Daredevil Comes Home

For those who don’t know who Daredevil is, here’s the skinny: blind lawyer Matt Murdock works for justice in the day, and fights crime at night as Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. His personal and professional life gets tangled up with crime and with big players like Wilson Fisk a.k.a Kingpin. And it’s all played straight with at least a few bouts of levity.

Within the first 15 minutes, Daredevil Born Again does not waste time as we’re reunited with the gang, only to have the previous status quo pulled from under the rug. This is also perhaps the most shocking first episode for any MCU TV series yet, which isn’t surprising considering that this is technically the third season of this series. The opening credits theme even has shades of the original Netflix theme on it.

Make no mistake: despite being a soft reboot of sorts, the first two episodes make it clear that this is a continuation of the Netflix series. That’s right: its gritty and dark tone is still left intact, just the way core comic book fans of the series love it. That being said, you can still fully understand what happens in Daredevil Born Again with fresh eyes and perspectives.

It’s all done up and shot impressively because even in the first 15 minutes of the first episode, the series shows off a one-take fight scene and perhaps already proving itself to be the darkest and bleakest MCU series yet with a shocking opening. Marvel Studios was not kidding when they said that they wouldn’t be watering or toning down the series after officially bringing it into the MCU fold.

With F-bombs and unrelenting violence, this is just as R-rated as the Deadpool and Wolverine movie was, though with much fewer exploding heads and more broken ribs and bruises aplenty.

After watching the majorityI can already safely say that this is a major contender to become the best MCU TV series hands-down. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk/Kingpin running for the mayor of New York City is the catalyst for the events of Daredevil Born Again. And it seems fitting, not only due to the fact that Fisk is assumingly making right with the city he’s born in.

The release of this series is eerily timely and mirrors real-world events, only several months after the re-election of Trump as the President of the United States Of America. As they say, real life imitates art and vice versa. That being said, Fisk feels like a more ambiguous and grey character this time around, less cartoonishly or blatantly “evil” which lends more complexity to him. I really do wish more villains in the MCU are treated with such care like this, so hopefully Fisk becomes a gold standard for those penning characters from the funny books.

Daredevil Born Again also doesn’t shy away from exploring other complex and mature subject matter such as survivor’s guilt, politics, police brutality, the ethics of vigilantism, economic disparity between wealth classes, redemption, retribution and more. Many of those themes are often explored during tense courtroom drama scenes, which is appropriate and should be given more focus on given the main character’s daytime profession.

However, there are some moments that feel a bit underwhelming or anti-climactic. Some characters that were heavily featured in the promotional material did not get as much screen time or focus in Daredevil Born Again as viewers would expect, which could potentially disappoint some fans. For that reason, Daredevil Born Again loses steam near the end of the season and it feels like it’s missing a more substantial third act.

Darker Than Grey

For those worried about the possible “gentrification” of Matt Murdock’s escapades, worry not, true believers! Daredevil fans will be satisfied with Daredevil Born Again, which is one of the MCU’s best series yet. This is a much-needed spark for Marvel’s TV side after several underwhelming releases such as Echo and Agatha All Along.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100

We received an early access screener of Daredevil Born Again courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. Daredevil Born Again will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia on 5 March 2025.