The journey of Daredevil: Born Again could probably be series of its own. It has been a bumpy rollercoaster to say the least. From the 18-epsiode initial order to the cameos in No Way Home, She-Hulk and Echo, to the creative overhaul midway through filming. But it’s finally a reality. Daredevil: Born Again is welcome return for our blind vigilante and Kingpin. The show is created by Dario Scardapane, Chris Ord and Matt Corman and stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio who reprise their roles from the original Netflix series.

The series sbut istarts strong, with a pretty impactful first couple episodes. Right from the opening episode, it catches you off guard with its brutal violence and bold story decisions, setting up what initially feels like a dark, gritty, and layered street-level saga. It leans into, or at least tries to, everything that made Daredevil a fan favorite—complex characters, grounded stakes, and a world that thrives in the shadows of the MCU rather than under its spotlight. However, as the season progresses, the cracks start to show, and the series struggles under the weight of its own ambitions.

One of the biggest issues is the sheer number of characters and subplots fighting for attention. The show introduces multiple new faces, and side stories, but none of them get the time they need to breathe. Characters go in and out at convenience and we barely see some of the major ones. Instead of a tight, focused narrative that we expected to revolve around Matt and Wilson’s conflict, we linger in unnecessary places. As a result, we rarely get to see them face off, which is disappointing. We also don’t get to see Fisk get his hands dirty, which makes sense now that he’s the mayor.

The series ends up juggling too much, making it feel cluttered and unfocused. This directly impacts Matt’s arc, which feels oddly inconsistent. The Daredevil we get here gets more and more stranger from the one we have known and loved with each episode. His journey is nowhere near as compelling as it was in the original Netflix series, and it definitely had the potential to thanks to the bright first few episodes. Also at times, it feels like the show isn’t quite sure what to do with him. In episode 5, we take him on a very wired little adventure that just felt like it was forced to accomodate a cameo.

By the time we get a glimpse of the Matt Murdock we’ve been waiting for, the season is already wrapping up, leaving much to be desired. That said, the show still delivers in some key areas. The action remains top-notch, with well-choreographed fight sequences that remind you why Daredevil has some of the best combat in the superhero genre. The performances are also excellent, as expected, with Charlie Cox slipping back into the role effortlessly. Vincent D’Onofrio and Jon Bernthal also return like they never left.

Michael Gandolfini was the standout among the new cast members. His character was very charming and likeable. He instantly finds chemistry with D’Onofrio, and they’re setting him up almost like a protege to Fisk. The part that was surprisingly most engaging was the way Vanessa and Wilson’s relationship. It was handled very carefully and respectfully, and takes interesting turns. Ayelet Zurer is so good as Vanessa and thank god they brought her back. Jon Bernthal also steals the show as always with his brief appearance as The Punisher.

(L-R) Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2024 MARVEL.

There are also some solid twists along the way, and the show occasionally finds moments of brilliance that hint at its potential. But if Born Again continues down this path, it risks becoming yet another property that bends under the pressure of fitting into the wider MCU instead of standing on its own. The biggest mistake that Dario Scardapane made is keeping the 6 episodes that were shot proir to the creative overhaul. The episodes that were shot after he come are by far the best episodes and the difference is quite apparent.

Daredevil:Born Again does a great job of expanding the street-level side of the MCU while offering the gritty and dark storytelling that Marvel rarely delivers. It starts off strong, embracing the violence and brutality that made the original show so beloved, but it ultimately loses focus under the weight of too many characters and scattered subplots. it still delivers thrilling action, strong performances, and sets the foundations for something that could be great in future seasons. Even if you can’t get on board with the storytelling, you’ll enjoy seeing our beloved characters back doing what they do best.

Daredevil: Born Again premieres with its first 2 episodes on March 4 on Disney+.