Daredevil: Born Again is a bold, ambitious mess. The Marvel series takes the devil-hell concept from the comics and builds a season around it, complete with demonic possession, a hellish realm, and a body count that rivals any horror film. It is also the most divisive show Marvel has put out in years, and its final episode is the clearest proof yet that the company’s writers still don’t know how to handle the ending of a story.
Trailer, via Marvel Entertainment.
The Devil-Hell Premise
The season opens with a simple setup: a man named Ben Urich is possessed by a demon named Mephisto. That demon wants to bring hell to Earth, and the only thing standing in its way is Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer who became Daredevil. The show spends its early episodes building tension through flashbacks, political intrigue, and a growing sense that everyone in Hell’s Kitchen is being watched.
The writing is sharp, and the performances are strong across the board. Jon Bernthal returns as Matt Murdock with a weary intensity that feels earned after years of playing the character. His scenes with Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin are electric, and the show finds moments of genuine warmth even as the world around it collapses.
The Middle Stretch Stumbles
The middle stretch drags. The show introduces a new character, a young woman named Ava, who becomes a central figure in the conflict, but her arc feels rushed and underdeveloped. Her relationship with Matt Murdock is meant to be tender, but the chemistry never quite lands, and her fate in the finale feels like a plot convenience rather than a character choice.
The pacing also suffers. Some episodes feel padded, with scenes that add nothing to the story beyond filler. The show’s best episodes are the ones that focus on the investigation, the political maneuvering, and the slow descent into chaos. When it leans into those elements, Daredevil: Born Again is a gripping procedural. When it leans into the supernatural, it loses focus.
The Finale Problem
The finale is where the show collapses entirely. After a tense build-up, the final act rushes through a resolution that feels like a checklist of plot points rather than a satisfying conclusion. The reveal of Mephisto’s true plan is telegraphed well in advance, and the twist that follows feels like a cheap trick rather than a genuine surprise.
The show also fails to resolve its central question: why did Mephisto want to bring hell to Earth? The answer, when it comes, is thin and unsatisfying. It reads as a missed opportunity rather than a clever payoff.
“The devil is in the details.”
What Works
Despite the flaws, there are moments that work. The action sequences are well-choreographed, and the show’s visual effects are impressive. The score is moody and effective, and the cinematography captures the gritty streets of Hell’s Kitchen with a sense of dread that permeates every scene.
The ensemble cast also deserves credit. Elden Henson returns as Foggy Nelson with a grounded warmth, and his scenes with Bernthal are some of the best in the series. The supporting characters, from the corrupt politicians to the street-level vigilantes, are given enough depth to feel like real people rather than cogs in a machine.
The Verdict
Daredevil: Born Again is a show with ambition and talent, but it falls short of delivering on either. The premise is strong, the performances are solid, and the direction is confident. What it lacks is coherence. The finale is a failure, and it leaves viewers feeling cheated rather than satisfied.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
