Daredevil (TV Series)

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Anyone else watching this? It was just released (a whole season at once) on Netflix streaming. Daredevil is one of the Marvel superheroes (there are even some references in the series to events in the the Avengers movie). It’s very good, although there is some strong language and the fight scenes are pretty violent.

The hero is openly Catholic (as he is in the comic book, I’m told), and we see him early in the series in the confessional, and he makes references to his Catholicism on a couple of occasions. There is also a sympathetic older priest (I’m about halfway through the series) who is reaching out to him.

It’s a whole lot better than the Ben Affleck film.
 
I’m about 3/4 of the way through - Murdock’s Catholicism is shown to be something more than mere cultural Catholicism as the series progresses. He genuflects and crosses himself in church, the priest we first see in the confessional has become his moral sounding board - there is an in-depth discussion he has with his priest continuing through the last episode I saw (the one with the prolonged battle with the ninja) on the reality of Satan and the morality of taking a life, and when asked by his friend and secretary if he is religious, he responds simply that he is Catholic…it’s odd to see a heroic character nowadays identify so strongly as one of us…

It’s a very intense series, and although a superhero series, I wouldn’t recommend it for young children or anyone who is offended by strong language or violence. But it does portray a very moral hero who is trying to help those who are defenseless, and who is struggling with the moral issues. The actor who plays Daredevil (not called that yet in the series) is very good, as is all the cast, especially Vincent D’Onofrio, almost unrecognizable as a very human Kingpin. Netflix released all the episodes of the first series at once, so I’ve been binge-watching over the weekend.
 
I’ve only watched the first few episodes but so far this is easily the best of Marvel’s TV offerings. I’m hoping they keep the Kingpin around instead of killing him off, which seems to be the standard for most comic book movies nowadays. The violence and profanity definitely makes it kid unfriendly, but it otherwise doesn’t detract from what has started out as a very enjoyable show.
 
Almost through the series and I don’t want it to end. It’s like The Wire with a superhero.

Matt’s Catholicism was explicitly linked with his unwillingness to kill, unless in self-defense. One other (presumably) Catholic character compared his willingness to suffer to help others to the “saints, martyrs, and saviours” who always wind up bloody. A lot of Catholic imagery in the series - St. Agnes’ Church is even seen as one of the iconic images in the title credits.

Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is amazing - not just a one-dimensional bad guy, but one with an interesting childhood story and an achilles heel in his passion for a woman. He’s like Citizen Kane as a gang leader. Just a great performance.
 
I’m going to quit reading this thread until I’m through with this season.
 
Just finished the series. Wow. I´m not a big superhero fan, but this was outstanding.
 
Arizona_Mike said:
I’m about 3/4 of the way through - Murdock’s Catholicism is shown to be something more than mere cultural Catholicism as the series progresses. He genuflects and crosses himself in church, the priest we first see in the confessional has become his moral sounding board - there is an in-depth discussion he has with his priest continuing through the last episode I saw (the one with the prolonged battle with the ninja) on the reality of Satan and the morality of taking a life, and when asked by his friend and secretary if he is religious, he responds simply that he is Catholic…it’s odd to see a heroic character nowadays identify so strongly as one of us…

It’s a very intense series, and although a superhero series, I wouldn’t recommend it for young children or anyone who is offended by strong language or violence. But it does portray a very moral hero who is trying to help those who are defenseless, and who is struggling with the moral issues. The actor who plays Daredevil (not called that yet in the series) is very good, as is all the cast, especially Vincent D’Onofrio, almost unrecognizable as a very human Kingpin. Netflix released all the episodes of the first series at once, so I’ve been binge-watching over the weekend.
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I am just half way through the episode you talked about where Daredevil really opens up to the priest. I have to say that this is one of the best TV series portrayals of a Catholic priest I have scene in a long time. He is really there for the Daredevil character, in the moral nitty-gritty of his vigilantism and his moral struggles about the possibility of having to kill another, talking him through it, getting him to consider other options, showing him the consequences to his soul in taking such a course. All I have to say is, wow! Really well done.

Again, this show is not for kids, or for anyone averse of pretty intense scenes of violence.

God bless,
Ut
 
Charlie Cox, the star of the series, also played the role of St. Josemarie Escriva in “There Be Dragons” about the founder of Opus Dei. I believe it is still on Netflix.
 
ucfengr said:
Charlie Cox, the star of the series, also played the role of St. Josemarie Escriva in “There Be Dragons” about the founder of Opus Dei. I believe it is still on Netflix.
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Wow, I completely missed that. I knew he looked familiar.
 
From interviews he’s done, Cox is a Catholic.

“Yeah, I was raised Catholic and I spent the best part of my school years trying to find ways and means of getting out of going to services, as all of us did. I’ve had kind of a funny journey since then. I’ve always been curious. I have a lot friends who kind of finished school and then never went to church ever again, and that wasn’t quite my experience. I always kind of went back. I’ve also been very interested and read a lot about other religions as well and found that fascinating.”
 
canis73 said:
Just finished the series. Wow. I´m not a big superhero fan, but this was outstanding.
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LOL, I watched the whole thing over the weekend. I generally watch all the Marvel and DC material as I grew up on the comics, but I was struck with how I never noticed the similarities between Daredevil and Batman. Very complex character (and Catholic to boot). Very good series, I would guess enjoyable to non-comic book fans also.
 
canis73 said:
Just finished the series. Wow. I´m not a big superhero fan, but this was outstanding.
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Ditto. There was a lot I really enjoyed about the series, especially Vincent D’Onofrio. The priest and the handling of Matt Murdock’s faith were two other high points. I’m looking forward to the other series and the next season of Daredevil.
 
The Kingpin’s speech about the Good Samaritan was really chilling.
 
Ben Affleck’s film had the guts cut out of it. The Director’s Cut is sensational and adds a much needed subplot involving rapper Coolio playing a character wrongly accused of murder and Daredevil with his ability to tell who’s lying and who isn’t, is the only person who believes him. The murder gets traced back to the Kingpin, which actually explained how the police found out who Kingpin is.

It added almost 30 minutes to the film which resulted in things being paced much better, the film having a significantly darker storyline and the Daredevil VS Bullseye plot feeling more emotional(Daredevil himself being wrongly accused of killing Electra’s father). The fight scene between Kingpin and Daredevil now feels like “the climax” with Daredevil not seeking revenge, but true justice. Daredevil fights for his dad, Electra and the poor prostitute that got brutally shot…

denofgeek.us/movies/spider-man/13233/underappreciated-movies-daredevil-the-directors-cut
 
I absolutely loved this first season of hopefully a long successful series. Daredevil has always been one of my favorite characters and I liked this portrayal way better than the first portrayal of Daredevil in TV I had ever seen when he appeared in tv spinoff movie of “The Incredible Hulk”, “The Trial of the Incredible Hulk”, but infinitely better than the Ben Affleck film (which I wanted to like so much but just couldn’t).

colliric, if the Director’s cut makes it better, I will definitely have to look for it and check it out.

I’ve been meaning to see what everyone thought of this series, especially since he is openly devout and properly depicted as such in the series much like the comic if I remember correctly. Some things the priest said had me scratching my head, but in the end seemed to make sense.
 
colliric said:
Ben Affleck’s film had the guts cut out of it. The Director’s Cut is sensational and adds a much needed subplot involving rapper Coolio playing a character wrongly accused of murder and Daredevil with his ability to tell who’s lying and who isn’t, is the only person who believes him. The murder gets traced back to the Kingpin, which actually explained how the police found out who Kingpin is.

It added almost 30 minutes to the film which resulted in things being paced much better, the film having a significantly darker storyline and the Daredevil VS Bullseye plot feeling more emotional(Daredevil himself being wrongly accused of killing Electra’s father). The fight scene between Kingpin and Daredevil now feels like “the climax” with Daredevil not seeking revenge, but true justice. Daredevil fights for his dad, Electra and the poor prostitute that got brutally shot…

denofgeek.us/movies/spider-man/13233/underappreciated-movies-daredevil-the-directors-cut
Click to expand...
I definitely agree about the director’s cut of the Daredevil movie. It’s 20 minutes longer even after cutting out some stupid scenes from the theatrical version and it’s much better.
 
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