Wow! I just finished watching Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix.  This was one of the most gripping and exciting series I’ve seen in a long time. Daredevil explores the darker side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Where the big name blockbuster movies take on a more family fun tone, Daredevil stays close to its source materials dark and gritty side. That being said the show isn’t without its moments of levity, as is to be expected of showrunners Drew Goddard and Steven S. DeKnight, both alums of Buffy and Angel.

One of the first things I noticed were the fight scenes. Fights in the MCU while incredibly fun so far, have not been particularly brutal and visceral. Daredevil has incredibly well choreographed fight scenes that are chock full of brutality. One scene in particular stands out, where the showrunners gave a nod to “Oldboy” with a several minute long shot of a fight scene set in a dingy hallway.

The acting in this show was also great. Strong grounded performances from all the leads, though Vincent D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Wilson Fisk (aka The Kingpin of Crime) was spectacular. I was relieved that Fisk wasn’t just some one dimension baddie as is sadly how a lot of villains are portrayed in comic book adaptations. Drawing on the rich source material Fisk is portrayed as a vulnerable, yet incredibly brutal and violent man. D’Onofrio delivers the role with the gravitas the character deserves. In the series finale D’Onofrio delivers a monologue where he tells the story of the samaritan which sent shivers down my spine.

Daredevil all in all is exactly what was needed in the MCU. A darker contrast to the lighter more upbeat fare of the blockbuster movies. I’m excited to see more of this in the upcoming Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones. Now if only we could get a Moon Knight show like this!