THE TV EDIT: DAREDEVIL
I have been enamoured by colourful and rich stories that TV has brought me for as long as I can remember as I am sure most of you have. When I first heard about Netflix releasing a new Daredevil series this year, I was not sure what to make of it. It had been way more than a hot minute since I'd thought of that character and I was already knee-deep in the Agents of Shield tv show that I was not sure I could handle any more Marvel related projects. As soon as it was released my brother and sister, being gigantic Marvel fans, latched onto it without any hesitation and spent the following weeks coaxing me to give it a go. I spent the better part of my free time this past weekend watching all 13 episodes and I cannot say I regret that decision.
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Source: Marvel
I am not one for films or TV shows that are a bit - how do I put this delicately? - pro-gore but it seems this version of Daredevil has somehow struck a balance that I can stomach... whilst I wait for the signal to shut my eyes and block my ears when that balance is tipped. I must admit though that the gritty element of the show only adds to its gravitas. Each one of the 52 minutes long episodes did not fail to seduce my attention span to accommodate the time it would take to finish Season 1 before today. And I am kinda ok with that.
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Source: Marvel
This Netflix original, produced by Marvel Television and in association with ABC studios, was created by Drew Goddard (World War Z; The Cabin in the Woods; Cloverfield) who is no stranger to worlds where the supernatural come out to play quite regularly. It is based on the story of a certain Hell's Kitchen resident, Matt Murdock, who had an unfortunate accident when he was a young lad that left him both vulnerable and acutely aware of his surroundings. We are thrown into a dark and sinister world that has a fair share of shady characters as well as those you come to love almost instantly. For a screen series - I think it is fair to say that this cannot be classed as your typical TV show as Netflix can be accessed on multiple devices - this is pretty darn awesome. The fight sequences are polished. The scenes are intense and seamless. The music and sound in general packs a punch. The costumes are inspirational. The overall quality does not disappoint. I cannot honestly say that I hate it. As most of you know, I am not a die hard Marvel fan and so have little to pretty much zero idea what Daredevil's original story is but what I can tell you is that if you focus solely of the information provided by each episode, you will have a strong chance of being entertained.
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Source: Marvel
The chemistry between the cast is undeniable and made me seriously want to sit in on a casting session. I mean, Charlie Cox (The Theory of Everything; Boardwalk Empire; Stardust) as Matt Murdock? Who would have foreseen this? Not me. He definitely owns this role though. No doubt about it. One of my favourite characters has to be Foggy Nelson who is played by Elden Henson (The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Pt.1; Deja Vu; She's All That). He is such a funny fellow that has the power to disarm you with his great sense of humour and kindness. The smart and driven Karen Page was brought to life by Jessica Hamby from True Blood a.k.a Deborah Ann Woll (Meet me in Montenegro; True Blood; Ruby Sparks). Ayelet Zurer (Man of Steel; Angels & Demons; Munich) is now thankfully back on my radar. She takes on the role of a woman who loves her art and clearly has a very big heart. Law & Order's Detective Rob Goren a.k.a. Vincent D'Onofrio (The Judge; Escape Plan; Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Bob Guton (Argo; 24; Fracture) and Chicago Hope's Dr. Dennis Hancock a.k.a, Vondie Curtis-Hall (Experimenter; ER; Die Hard 2) also star in this electric show. There are other talented actors and actresses who make an appearance in this lovely show but I shall let you find out when you watch it. And you will watch it... right?
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So now that I have done my bit it trying to coax those who are yet to give this show a go to watch at least episodes 1 and 2 (DO IT!), let me know if you think I am wrong or right in thinking that this is a good'un.
Mo x