Daredevil Season 3 is the third season of the superhero action drama streaming TV series based on the Marvel Comics character.
Apart from Daredevil and perhaps The Punisher, the quality of Marvel TV-Netflix series has been mixed. The first season of Jessica Jones only succeeded because of its engaging villain, Killgrave (played by David Tennent) while season 2 was decidedly inferior.
The various runs of Luke Cage, Iron Fist (now both cancelled) and The Defenders, cast serious doubt on the future of the Marvel TV-Netflix series.
Thus, much hinged on Daredevil Season 3 and it has delivered beyond expectations to emerge as one of the best superhero TV adaptations of all time!
Fundamentally, season 3 succeeds because it remains focused on the core of the titular character, as Matt Murdock/Daredevil battles his inner (and external) demons, suffers a crisis of faith but is ultimately born again.
In many ways, season 3 recalls the approach adopted by Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight, i.e. a crime drama that just happens to be about a superhero.
Thus, the manner in which season 3 interweaves the return of Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), the corruption of the FBI and the manipulation of Ben Pointdexter (Wilson Bethel) to create Daredevil’s classic arch-enemy Bullseye (who is not named as such in the series).
The most relatable moments involve: –
FBI Special Agent Ray Nadeem (Jay Ali), who is given a significant arc over the thirteen episodes, that will evoke a multitude of emotions in the viewer; Sister Maggie Grace (Joanne Whalley) and of course, the chemistry amongst leads Murdock (Charlie Cox), Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll).
All the performances are uniformly superb and although the set-up of the first few episodes may be slightly slower, once the series picks up pace, it is relentless as the twists and turns come thick and fast.
Where does the Marvel TV-Netflix series go from here. Definitely, to explore characters like Daredevil and Punisher further and perhaps, even Moon Knight?
… still there’s more …