Daredevil TV show (Part 2 of 2)
The last episode of the series is
probably one of best things I've seen in a while. It is a nice
payoff between the two main characters. It all builds up to that
point. Plus, we finally see a hero embrace his role and villain
finally becoming a true bad guy.
DD has an amazing cast other than
the two main characters. They feel like real people despite the fact
they are based on comic book counterparts. Here are a few worth
noting.
Deborah
Ann Woll as Karen
Page: Yes, she's based on a real character from the books, but
Woll brings something special to her. She is a strong character that
isn't a victim despite the horrible things that happen to her. She
has a few flaws. She is so driven to take down the Kingpin that puts
other people in danger. It was such good decision to have Woll play
this character. Forget female Thor, this is a strong female
character from the Marvel universe, as long as Frank Miller isn't
writing her. .
Elden
Henson as Foggy: Prefect casting as the best friend to Matt.
He's a nerdy guy that starts out as one thing but ends the series a
completely different person. Actually, he's better. Unlike the
movie, Foggy is more fleshed out due to having more time to deal with
his background and relationship to Matt. Henson is just fits right
in as this guy. Midway through the season, he as a major character
arc and decision to make.
Toby
Leonard Moore as James Wesley: He's the Kingpin's right hand
man. He is so loyal to Kingpin that it might hurt him in the long
run. If I had one gripe about this character is that we don't the
history behind why he's so loyal to Fisk. What is the history behind
his friendship with Kingpin?
Vondie
Curtis-Hall as Ben
Urich : They went with a different direction with this character
than what was portrayed in the movie version. Here, they make him
much older and he's portrayed by an African American. Keep mind the
MCU is based on different parts of the various Marvel universes. I
think Hall got the job because he's a great actor and the age thing
plays a huge part in his role. This is set in the modern age where
newspapers are no longer what they were and the Internet is all
powerful. Urich is one of the dinosaurs from that earlier era. He
gets a lot of screen time.
Bob
Gunton : Character-actor Gunton is basically playing himself.
He's a smart-ass that works for the Kingpin. I noticed that Fisk
seems to give this guy a long leash as far as his underling giving
him smart-ass remarks. I like every scene he's in.
Rosario
Dawson : She plays an important nurse in the comic book. Dawson
isn't in the show as much as I would like. She's pretty good in her
part though. Clearly, Dawson will show up in some of the other
Marvel series coming out? Will she show up on Agents of Shield?
There is also something else
going on behind the scenes with certain criminal elements using
Kingpin for other nefarious things. Also there seems to be magical
element going on too with the Japanese and Chinese gangs. Plus,
there is something the Chinese mobster mentions offhandedly that
caught my attention. They're building the mythology with these side
mentions and I like it.
One of my biggest gripes about
the series is it kills off characters gleefully almost in the same
manner as Lost did all those years ago. I would want to know about
the relationship he or she has with another character and suddenly,
the character is killed off. One major marvel character, in the
comic books, is killed off at the end of of the season and it is
rather sad because there could have been a lot potential for this
character to show up in other shows and movies. I understand it was
important to emotional nature of the plot, but I just wanted to see
that character grow and change. There are other really cool
characters that get wiped out before we get to know them better and
it is a bit frustrating.
Anyway, DD is a wonderful series
that fits in well with the larger Marvel Universe world, but it
stakes its claim in the gritty, glory, dark world of a street level
hero. The series is well written and clever and sometimes eve funny.
We get insight into how DD thinks and even see him screw up a great
deal. The action is gritty and well-produced and filmed. There is a
good overall message about fighting corruption in your neighborhood,
but it doesn't hit you over the head. DD has some flaws, but it is a
great series. It is fitting that Marvel is the one that finally gets
the character right in the live media.
Grade A-