Spoilers for Marvel’s Daredevil. Also, shame on you for not having seen it yet. Just kidding.
Title card for Marvel’s Daredevil
Approximately three years have passed since the disheartening cancellation of what is arguably Marvel’s greatest television show. While the writers managed to provide audiences with a relatively fitting conclusion to the epic series, it would be safe to say that there were plenty of stories left to explore in Hell’s Kitchen should the show have not fallen under the corporate decision maker’s ax. Nevertheless, in honor of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen himself, we have taken the liberty to express the three key reasons why we believe Daredevil to be the greatest Marvel television show to date.
1. The show’s terrific cast
The main cast of Marvel’s Daredevil
Hiring the right actors for this show was never going to be an easy task. This is because, as opposed to being a big action blockbuster superhero film, the scope of a Daredevil television show was always going to be a more grounded drama, more of the up-close-and-personal sort of approach rather than relying on spectacle to keep audiences entertained. Therefore, it was amazing to see Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, two dramatic actors that became the perfect casting choices to helm the series. Couple that with the addition of Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, and Rosario Dawson as Karen Page, Foggy Nelson, and Claire Temple, respectively, and there was certainly never a dull moment in the show whenever these characters appeared on screen.
2. The show’s splendid writing
Daredevil, seen here chained to a chimney by The Punisher
Aside from the glorious fight choreography and terrifically gritty cinematography, Daredevil boasts significantly intricate plotting and dialogue that makes the show all the more compelling to viewers. This makes the show more than just another superhero showdown, as the strong writing allows for the characters to shine both in and out of their superhero and supervillain forms. It allows for the depiction of very layered characters in the show, showcasing their strengths, flaws, rights, and wrongs in near-perfect equilibrium, thereby granting audiences character arcs that they can empathize with regardless of the said character being a hero or a villain.
3. Staying faithful to the comics
Daredevil, seen here with a bloodied grin
Marvel’s Daredevil, much like the comics that inspired it, is a gritty, violent crime-thriller and significantly more than just another lighthearted superhero entry. Despite its ostensible inclusion into the MCU, the television show surprisingly managed to retain much of its more mature-themed story elements in its adaptation, not shying away from embracing its darker moments and display of violence, making it a unique and authentic offering to the cinematic universe.
It is a pity that the show had to end so abruptly, and whether or not we will ever see Charlie Cox reprise his role as the titular Daredevil ever again is anyone’s guess. That being said, we do hope that if we are ever given a chance to see the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen once more on-screen, it would undoubtedly have to be an adaptation worthy of the television series that came before it, nothing less.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Want more Marvel content? Check out our other related articles, or pick up one of our expertly crafted Marvel Comics pewter figurines now.