For all its moving parts, Daredevil: Born Again is all about the struggle between two reluctant foils. The series is a two-hander shared by Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil (Charlie Cox), and the omnipotent Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) — no matter where this story goes, it always leads back to these adversaries, their similarities and differences. And for the most part, that strategy really works: it allows Born Again to invoke its predecessor on Netflix and gives it a thematic focus. But it can also undermine the aspects of the show that stray from the central brief, turning great ideas into mere tools to serve the narrative.
While the problems plaguing Born Again were subtle at first, its pacing issues have only gotten more pressing, and its latest episode shines a harsh light on that reality. After weeks of subtle build-up, the series finally gives the spotlight to a new, dangerous villain, Muse. Our hero has clearly met his match in the tortured graffiti artist: the threat he poses is enough to get Matt to suit up for the first time in months, and their fight finally puts the devil back in Daredevil. Their rematch in Episode 7 doesn’t disappoint either, especially with so much on the line for Matt. It’s just the kind of kinetic, urgent storytelling Born Again has been holding back on — but is it enough to save the show this late in the game?
