"Daredevil" Season Two Talkback (Spoilers)

[Yojimbo]

Please note, this thread may contain spoilers and references to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Series Talkback
Friday, March 18, 2016 @ 12 a.m. on Netflix
Just when Matt thinks he is bringing order back to the city, new forces are rising in Hell’s Kitchen. Now the Man Without Fear must take on a new adversary in Frank Castle and face an old flame – Elektra Natchios.

Bigger problems emerge when Frank Castle, a man looking for vengeance, is reborn as The Punisher, a man who takes justice into his own hands in Matt’s neighborhood. Meanwhile, Matt must balance his duty to his community as a lawyer and his dangerous life as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, facing a life-altering choice that forces him to truly understand what it means to be a hero.

Produced By: Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez
Starring: Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Rosario Dawson, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung, and Stephen Rider
Filming: July to December 2015
Release Date: March 18, 2016
Social Media: Twitter,
Sources: DeKnight 11/30/14, Marvel 4/21/15, Empire 4/23, Marvel 5/8, CB 5/27, CBM 6/4, CBM 6/5, Marvel 6/9, CBR 6/18, CB 6/21, Nerdist 6/26, Marvel 7/7, DD 7/23, /Film 7/28, CBR 7/30, CBM 8/18, DD Tweet 8/19, Bernthal Tweet 9/3, Deadline 9/3, Collider 9/14, Bernthal Tweet 9/16, DD Tweet 9/16, IGN 10/10, CBM 10/10, CBR 10/11, CBM 12/5, CBM 12/28, CBR 12/29, CBR 12/29, EW 12/29, CB 1/2/16, CBR 1/4, CBR 1/7, CBR 1/14, CB 1/16, CBM 1/17, CBR 1/18, CBR 1/18, CB 1/22, CBR 1/29, Collider 2/2, CBR 2/3, CBR 2/17, CBR 2/22, CBR 2/23, CBR 3/10, AOL Build 3/11, CBR 3/15, CBR 3/16, CBR 3/16, CBR 3/17, CBR 3/18, CBR 3/18, CBR 3/18, EW 3/20, CBR 3/21, CBR 3/21, CBR 3/21, CBR 3/22, CBR 3/22, THR 3/22, CBR 3/25, CBR 3/31,
Poster: CBR 10/6, CBR 3/4, CBR 3/8, CB 3/18,
Filming: CBR 7/615, Tweet 7/10, CBM 8/8, CBM 8/28, CBR 12/11,
Teasers: CBR 10/12, CBR 11/17, CBR 1/7/16, CBR 2/7, CBR 2/14, CBR 2/15, CBR 2/18, CBR 2/19, CBR 2/24, Netflix YT 2/25, CBR 3/8, CBR 3/10, CBR 3/15, CBR 3/17, CBR 3/18,

​

This episode is for members to speak about all 13 episodes or the majority of them at once. If you want to only talk about an episode in particular and not be spoiled on the rest of the season:
#1.01: "Bang"
#1.02: "Dogs to a Gunfight"
#1.03: "New York's Finest"
#1.04: "Penny and Dime"
#1.05: "Kinbaku"
#1.06: "Regrets Only"
#1.07: "Semper Fidelis"
#1.08: "Guilty as Sin"
#1.09: "Seven Minutes in Heaven"
#1.10: "The Man in The Box"
#1.11: ".380"
#1.12: "The Dark at the End of the Tunnel"
#1.13: "A Cold Day in Hell's Kitchen"

*Special thanks to RoyalRubble for transcribing the episode titles and loglines!

 

[Peter Paltridge]

I still haven't found time to watch Season One. 9_9

 

[Yojimbo]

There's at least one Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. connection this season.

 

[Mostezli]

Decent start.

There's at least one Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. connection this season.

I missed it. Please spoil.

 

[Yojimbo]

The Dogs of Hell biker gang in the first episode. They first appeared in AOS Season 1 "Yes Men" The Asgardian Lorelei brainwashed the Nevada chapter.

And lot's of Roxxon.

 

[Troy Troodon]

I'm going to be honest, The Punisher is one of my least favorite comic book characters, so seeing him here acting the way he does only makes me wonder "Where's Captain America when you need him? Shield bash some sense into this guy!"

Also, I felt as the show progresses Matt's crime fighting is getting more and more brusk, severely damaging his opponents in a way that would even have Batman shaking his head in disapproval... Then again Batman is a pretty brusk fighter himself, so both these guys kind'a need to take some anger management sessions.

 

[Stu]

What a show. Arguably better than the first season while juggling so much more.

The show pretty much nailed it from the get go, the dynamic being Daredevil has on Nelson and Murdock, his relationships and his Catholasism.

The fight scenes are still the best around, and incredibly, the second episode managed top the hallway fight from last season with this fight down the stairs.

Everything I expected and so much more. Arguably Marvel's finest translation ever.

 

[Wonderwall]

I think the best scene I've seen so far( Im only up to episode 6 ) was Frank and Matt sitting at the graveyard. Their relationship had changed a lot since the earlier encounter from the previous episode. Jon Berenthal really knocked it out of the park with that monologue.

 

[Stu]

That was one of mine too, until something came up later in the season, but I won't spoil it for you.

What did everyone think to the suit this time around? I'm not sure how much it was modified from season one, but I thought it looked a lot more impressive here.

 

[Gold Guy]

I, for one, think the suit is very impressive.

I know at least one TV critic who disliked the modified suit because it took the "danger" out of the fights. I thought it was a silly complaint; obviously, Matt is going to take measures to make his costume stronger, but also, did he miss how Punisher took out Daredevil in episode 1? The suit is durable, but he's still far from Iron Man.

 

[Mostezli]

I'm not sure how much it was modified from season one, but I thought it looked a lot more impressive here.

The mask and the gloves are different as Melvin explicitly stated. His helmet goes over the ears this time and they got rid of the pentagon on his forehead.

It's just an odd decision for the so-called Man Without Fear to be decked out in body armor visually reminiscent of Nolan Batman regardless of the clear-cut reasoning. From the episodes I have seen this season he hasn't been taking on blunt objects or bullet holes to the degree this suit would necessitate. His helmet has been the most useful line of defense.

 

[Wonderwall]

I like the change in the mask since it seems the red is more vibrant and I can see his red eyes a little more clearly. Just looked a little closer to his comics mask.

 

[Yojimbo]

Producers comment on the ending and the season... so spoilers if you haven't finished.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/a...unners-dissect-season-2-finales-major-moments

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/daredevil-season-2-finale-cliffhangers-877258

Spoiler

I'm pretty sure the Hand is going to resurrect Elektra and/or she will be the host of the Beast and/or the big threat in The Defenders.

 

[Freddy]

I finally finnished the second season. It wasn't as good as the first season (which in my opinion is the best live-action superhero stuff on tv ever), but it was still worthy continuation of the story.

One of the best things about the first season was that it only had one main plotline and the whole season was focused on developing said plot and brinning it to satisfying conclusion. The second season has two plotlines, the rise of the Punisher and The Hand/Elektra - conflict, constantly fighting over each other, which leads to neither getting the full attention they deserved. Throughout the whole season, I was expecting them to connect the two storylines in some clever way, but it never happens. Kinda feels like that the showrunners really wanted to tell a big Hand - story, but were forced to add in Punisher and do the groundwork for his own Netflix - series. Like other people have already said, a lot of plot points are introduced and then forgotten, just so they can be potentially picked up later in season 3 and/or The Defenders. The lack of villain as strong as Wilson Fisk also really hurts all the attempts to create suspense.

Despite all these problems, the season still held my interest during all the episodes. Even though the stories didn't get enough room to fully grow, they were still well written and compelling. The best moments easily were Daredevil debating moral issues with other characters. All the action scenes were as brutal as they were in previous season and acting was perfect (even though some Miller purists are going to hate this show's take on Elektra). Plus, all the suprise characters (both from season 1 and Jessica Jones) were great and got me excited to see what they have in store for the future.

Lastly, I have to give credit where credit is due and compliment the pleasent suprise of the season. I'm of course talking about the Punisher. I have never liked comic-Punisher, because in all his grim and grittiness, he is just really immature teenage boy power fantasy, who has nothing to offer that you can't get from some cheap direct-to-video action movie from the 80's. Even the universally praised Punisher MAX by Garth Ennis, I couldn't read beoynd the first seven issues. This show, however, managed to make Punisher into a compelling character. Mostly because they focused on showcasing him as psychopath who has understandable and sympathetic motive, rather than tried to make him look "cool." I would honestly watch Jon Bernthal's Punisher Netflix - show.

tl;dr Despise some of its flaws, Daredevil season 2 is thrilling ride and I'm still excited to see what Marvel/Netflix has in store for next.

 

[rggkjg1]

Concluded the season yesterday. There BETTER be a Punisher show. Or a Netflix Punisher movie. I wish/hope Netflix (or a fan) makes a Punisher only cut of the entire season. I would prefer that for repeat viewings over watching a bunch of key episodes again and again.

 

[the greenman]

Finally finished the season. I have to say I have mixed emotions about it. It was an okay followup, but I felt like either Elektra or Frank Castle could've been shown sparingly. Frank really didn't need to be in the entire season, and Elektra could of (probably should of) had as much screentime as Diana did in BvS. The ending felt forced. I was really disappointed toward the climax episodes.

This Punisher was absolutely perfect. I have always imagined a Deniro-esque Scorcese directed Punisher. Thats what we got here with exception of better dialogue and direction. Elektra was okay, but not all that impressive to me overall. Loved Fisk coming into his Kingpin role, and William Forsythe made me LOL when I saw him. You can't have a bigger name for an evil character actor than him. They clearly set up 'Born Again', which is why this is disappointing. Also, do all superhero love interests show up as pretty damsels in distress and graduate to a position they clearly are not qualified for (*ahem Iris West)?

Spoiler

Elektra's death deserved to be at the hands of Bullseye. So no, didn't care for that or Matt's revelation to Karen.

Sent from my LGMS323 using Tapatalk

 

[Yojimbo]

It will release in the U.K. on May 15, 2017. No word on a U.S. release (I'm not waiting).
*Listing on Zavvi. Zavvi once again has the exclusive Steelbook version.
*Listing on Amazon U.K.

 

[Fone Bone]

Daredevil: The Complete Second Season

Daredevil: Season 2 has gotten mostly favorable reviews from fans and critics, but I personally can't stand it. I hear Iron Fist and The Defenders are outright terrible, but of the four Netflix seasons I HAVE seen (Daredevil 1 and 2, Jessica Jones 1, and Luke Cage 1), Daredevil 2 is the worst by far. And it's not even a contest. If I think something so well-received sucks this hard, I'd hate to see the two seasons fans and critics legitimately hate.

Why do I hate the season? There are two reasons, and they are easy to explain reasons: Elektra and the Punisher. Both of those characters suck. I don't know much about Elektra from the comics or the movies, but I do know that this hot mess, entitled version Netflix has concocted is outright insufferable.

As for the Punisher, I have ALWAYS thought that character sucked, and was literally the worst character in the entire Marvel Universe outside of the Purple Man. But he's possibly worse than Kilgrave simply because the writers think I should be on this sociopath's side. At least I'm supposed to hate Kilgrave. I hate Frank Castle so much because the Marvel Universe and this show are crazy enough to think that I shouldn't.

For the record, whenever Frank Castle goes up against the Kingpin in the future, I will be rooting for Wilson Fisk. Wilson Fisk is a far nicer, more benevolent, and more sympathetic character than he is. Which is completely messed up, especially since the show asks me to think Fisk is a monster and Frank isn't. The show is asking me to root for the wrong murderer.

Also, I have to say that Matt Murdock is pretty stupid and unlikable all throughout the season. That's a problem that happens to many DC Superhero shows, but this is the first Marvel show I've seen with that problem. True, The Inhumans' Royal Family are technically way more despicable than Matt is this season, but they always were from the start. I legitimately liked and was rooting for Matt last year. This is the first time a Marvel show has decided to ruin a character to created artificial drama instead of bothering to come up with good stories. And I don't like it one bit. I expect this from Gotham and Arrow. Not this show.

No best of or worst of list this review, because there is literally not a single great episode on the set, and the worst episodes are not really worthy of any extra attention. Let's just say this season sucked and leave it at that. **.

Bang:

I love Foggy. That thing with the Dogs of Hell was so great and shows his value. It's the fact that he's still talking and there isn't a knife in his throat which suggests they are on the same side. And I think the guy really started to respect Foggy by the end. At first when Foggy comes back he's like "Are you kidding me with this?" but it's the fact that Foggy is unapologetic and brave which makes him think he may be right. I love that Foggy basically runs down the list of how he helped Pope with his veteran's disability. I love that for two reasons. First is the fact that it is so specific which is how the guy knows Foggy was telling the truth. He wouldn't know the details or minutia if he was lying. But it's the fact that he still remembered the details, which shows that this job matters to Foggy. The massacre of the Irish was very interesting. There was one mobster who was drunk and rude and I expected the mob boss to kill him for his insolence. Instead, everyone gets shot by the Punisher right before he can land the bottle on his head. I like that Foggy thinks the idea that he and Mahoney are friends is a brag. Mahoney's disbelief over Foggy calling him "My man," was amusing, as was Foggy telling him he could trust them because they were lawyers. I have mixed feeling about Grotto. I do not believe he actually deserved what Frank Castle wound up doing to him, and I like that he went to Murdock and Nelson because their reputation suggested that they help their clients. And when Matt points their specific clientele is not usually career criminals, Grotto surprised me by suggesting he wanted to change. What Frank Castle did to those guys on the meathooks is not any kind of justice. His is a straight up sociopath. I like that Turk begs Daredevil to just let him go. His hands were busted up pretty bad, and his car windows were trashed, so it already a bad night. It's such a human reaction, and when Daredevil says no, he says, "You know what? It doesn't matter. I'll be back on the street again tomorrow." And Daredevil punches him and tells him he'll see him then. I love Karen completely showing Grotto at the hospital her fearless commitment to her b.s. cover story. And she's all, "One of the nurses cried at that part." Why did Foggy not even seem to care he bumped into that woman at the beginning? Weird, thoughtless reaction from him. I like Matt correcting Foggy that his costume was not underwear. Underwear is comfortable. Interesting opener to a frankly lackluster season. ***1/2.

Dogs To A Gunfight:

I like that Melvin doesn't want to help Daredevil because he promised Betsy he'd stay away from crime. And Daredevil says "I'm not a criminal." To which Melvin replies "You don't have a badge either." When did Melvin get surprisingly insightful? Melvin was wrong about something, and I'm a little miffed the producers see it the way he does. He calls the Punisher shooting Matt in the head a warning shot. That's utter crap. There is no real-world way the Punisher would know Daredevil's mask was reinforced, much less where to hit it to not kill him. Frank only punishing criminals does not hold up to scrutiny just based on the fact that he shot Daredevil in the head. Reyes is a piece a work. I kind of loved Foggy getting the best of her at the station but things went to hell anyways. It was SO funny when he called the attorney general's office. I would imagine after Fisk they were on a first name basis. That guy offering Frank child porn is legitimately the only murder he committed that I don't feel bad about. It's not like I believe in the death penalty, but the truth is, the world is better for that guy being gone. Still, that guy deserved to die simply because he was dumb enough to talk about it openly. Somebody like that would have been caught sooner rather than later. My favorite part of the episode was upon Grotto asking Karen for a kiss for luck, her leaning in and giving him the finger instead. He'll take it. ***1/2.

New York's Finest:

Frank calls Daredevil a half-measure and says that he isn't actually helping the city. And that's possibly true. That part of Matt's entire hang-up. But that doesn't make what the Punisher does any less deplorable. What a gigantic *** he is to put Matt in the position where he'd have to shoot him to save Grotto's life. The notion that Grotto's death would be on Daredevil is completely untrue, delusional, and frankly, stupid. Frank says that not everybody processes traumas in the same way. That's true. But that doesn't mean that every single way a person can process a trauma is valid. There is a right way and wrong way to handle a loss. How does Frank believe his trauma gets him off the hook for processing it the wrong way? My favorite moment in this otherwise underwhelming episode was Foggy talking down those gang bangers at the hospital. Even Claire was shocked he navigated that without bloodshed. Maybe it's not the smartest thing for Foggy to call those two guys selfish and stupid, but perhaps it's the fact that he was being honest which is why they listened to him. I love when Foggy said facial tattoos telegraph that you know what prison meatloaf tastes like. Good line. The stuff with Frank in the stairwell with Murray kind of bugged me. I mean, it's cool they bonded over being soldiers and all, and I like the notion that the gun was theater for Daredevil, but mostly I'm asking myself why Murray never asks what the h*ll happened to Frank's face? Those levels of cuts and bruises are remarked upon. People see someone beat up that bad, they'll often simply call the police. I don't get why everyone gives Frank a free pass for walking around as if his face has been put in a meatgrinder. There was another epic fight this episode to mirror the hallway fight from season one, and as well as it was staged, fight scenes bore me, so the episode does not get any credit for that from me. I think the one stupid thing Matt suggested to Frank in the episode was for him to walk away and forget this whole thing. He walked right into Frank's response of "Could you?" I'm betting Tower wishes later on in the season that he had taken Karen's offer to take down Reyes. Karen may have had nothing to currently offer him, but she was right that ADA's were getting fired left and right, and it was only going to be a matter of time before she threw HIM under the bus. Him telling Karen to get out of his office and to never contact him again will probably go down as the biggest mistake somebody made on the show this season. So-so episode. ***.

Penny And Dime:

I love that Daredevil insists Mahoney get the collar for capturing the Punisher to show that neither his way nor the Punisher's actually work. People need to believe in the police again. What is especially cool about this is that Mahoney declared earlier in the episode that Daredevil was on his own side. Daredevil doing that proved him wrong. Finn makes a hugely disturbing first impression by stabbing that guy in the eye with an icepick and then knocking his son out of his casket. He cares more about that missing money than he did his dead son. Him saying he was known for his generosity made me realize he's a psychopath (as if the icepick didn't already make that clear). I don't find it endearing that Frank is animal lover. He is still a monster. I knew Finn was going to die simply because he wasn't smart enough to kill Frank immediately. Which was dumb, because the money didn't actually mean anything to Frank, so him destroying it should not have been a surprise. I love that Foggy smiles when he sees Matt and Karen getting comfortable. I love that. Foggy likes her too, but it is not an actual love triangle because the two friends choose not to make it a mess. And that is very refreshing and adult. The scene with Matt and Karen in the rain is surprisingly steamy considering no actual sex or nudity takes place. I missed Father Lantom this season. He was a grounding influence in season 1, and I wish this weren't his only appearance this year. I love that Melvin acts surprised when Daredevil asks him if he's been making outfits for bad guys. Of course he hasn't! He's trying to get better for Betsy! And that's pretty much Melvin's entire mantra this season. The Elektra reveal at the end was pretty good. ***1/2.

Kinbaku:

Okay, when Elektra pulls up the scarf at the end? That was awesome. I have very mixed feelings about Elektra, and her and Matt's history. I like their first scene of making love. It was sharp contrast to Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. It was beautiful and joyous while Luke and Jess were gross and awkward. I also like that the romanticism in their relationship tilts towards the dangerous side. Nothing says that more clearly that her casually cutting a wedge of cheese with a razor sharp knife on his chest. I also like that she tosses him a jar of pickles and he catches it blindly as if it's normal. I like these things about them. What I don't like is Elektra bringing Matt Roscoe to kill. Matt was right years later that that wasn't actually fun, but it was also clearly a trauma for Matt that he didn't ask for. I far as I was concerned, she was being presumptuous and rude, and sticking her nose into somebody else's business. Which is a defining trait character for this version of Elektra. But she actually claims to care about Matt. Somebody who actually did wouldn't put him through that. It was NOT her trauma to have to process, and she sucks for thinking that everybody is as bloodthirsty as she is. She strikes me as similar to Frank Castle in being clueless about what healing from a tragedy actually entails. I was actually quite angered that she pouted and acted betrayed and disappointed for Matt being unwilling to kill somebody. But the show is smart enough to flip it around and have Matt (correctly in my book) tell her he was actually disappointed in her. It interesting rewatching Charlie Cox's performance, because in hindsight it is clear he was never tempted even a little to kill Roscoe, and is simply trying to figure out a way to let Elektra understand this without completely offending her. The confused look on his face said "Do I actually have to explain to this crazy person why I don't want to do this?" For most people, that would simply go without saying. I liked Karen threatening to take away the coffees. Foggy gives her a concerned look and drops the subject. He likes that coffee. That restaurant with all of the beautiful colors shows why it is important that the Netflix shows film in New York rather than L.A. or Vancouver. They could never afford to dress up a set to look that good. But New York actually has places like that they can rent out and film for far more cheaply. I really love the evolution of Ellison and Karen's relationship. Most of last season, we thought of Ellison as a hindrance and a jerk, and when Ben and Karen each called him dirty, we only realize how awful that is in hindsight because he didn't actually do anything wrong. A boss is allowed to have a different opinion about what is important than his employee. Ben's accusation actually sucked more because he publicly called him out in front of the rest of his employees. I think the writers wanted me to think it was out of line that Ellison fired him for that, but I think it was quite justified. You cannot work with an reporter who would make that kind of unfounded accusation without actually checking first to see if it was true. As far as I was concerned, Ben was fired not just for publicly embarrassing Ellison. It was for not doing his homework, and actually being a crappy reporter on the subject. And if Ben is wrong about the one thing Ellison actually knows, how can trust his judgment to report the truth? Do you know what I would have loved? If he had actually said all that in front of the roomful of people and completely humiliated Ben about his shoddy reporting with that false allegation. He's insightful enough to make that observation, and I would have loved him for it in hindsight. But I know why the writers didn't give him that particular Crowning Moment Of Awesome. It would have completely tipped off that he was an actual good guy, and with the sense of urgent paranoia running the throughout the city in Season 1, it's probably not a good idea to unclench that particular muscle until the very end. Oh well. What I love about this season (and there were VERY few things about this season I actually love) was that once we knew for sure he wasn't in Fisk's pocket, he is helpful. And he probably always would have been if he hadn't been repeatedly treated so disrespectfully. He clearly did not deserve it, and he's clearly not a bad guy (and he's a good reporter) so it makes me very happy that he decides to take Karen under his wing with Ben gone. And the reason I liked it is because Karen tries to apologize and he's all "Ben was always a pain in the ass. I'd expect nothing less from his friends". Which is a very refreshing and human attitude, and another thing that instantly shows he's actually a good person. So Foggy takes the gray olive out of the drink. My question is did he still drink the drink? Because that would be gross. I liked Marcy mentioning Jessica Jones. Did Foggy just call Matt "Einsteen" at the beginning? Ironic name to pronounce wrong. I feel like the Ellison and Karen stuff didn't take up much of the episode, but it sure as heck raised the episode's final score. ****.

Regrets Only:

I think Elektra is insufferable. I do. She's the kind of person who thinks it's funny and cute to create a huge mess and force someone else to clean it up for her. I think the reason it bothers me so much is that there ARE sociopathic women like that out there, who perhaps don't manipulate friends and lovers into situations that dire and dangerous, but have about as little regard for how the victim of their prank feels about it. I would probably not hate Elektra as much as I do if I did not recognize people I've met in her. She's basically a hot mess to the Nth degree, but when you get right down to it, that is all she really is. For the record, I don't care if Matt was faking having sex with Elektra in that moment (the episode doesn't specify it either way) but it shows he doesn't deserve Karen. Maybe Karen's got the wrong idea later in the season seeing Elektra in his bed. But just him doing that says she should have dumped him before this. I have to say, the pupils not dilating upon the flashlight being shined into them is like the best alibi ever. Matt isn't just pretending to be blind. He actually IS blind. Which means he can pass that test. I was a little disappointed at how heartbroken Foggy seems to be over the idea of Matt and Karen dating. Not only because it turns the friendship into a love triangle, but because it wasn't actually that until this very episode. It's inconsistent is what I'm saying. And since the Netflix shows drop all of their episodes at once, it is much easier to spot those inconsistencies in a binge-watching than watching a season for months on end. I can notice these things when I watch these episodes one after another, writers. The one cute thing that Elektra did was insisting that Matt returning the pie was the deal-breaker. As much as I hate her, I get the appeal, and I get why people are pulled into her nonsense. I equally loved Matt ordering Elektra to leave the waitress the biggest tip she's ever seen. Fighter for the little guy is Matt Murdock. Speaking of which, I love the loser lawyer at the beginning trying to get credit for his first case being a domestic violence case, and Karen just gives him a withering look, and says, "Women everywhere thank you." The Japanese guy ending the scene by saying "Who said I was Yakuza?" was a great mysterious cut-off point for that character in the episode. The fact that he keeps a small box on his desk that appears to contain four severed fingers means this guy holds my interest. I'll tell you why the Japanese lost, and unfortunately, it was a mistake they had no way of knowing wouldn't work. Matt Murdock is literally the only person who would benefit from this particular blunder. But shutting off the lights and power was dumb, not only because that's how Matt fights best, but with it dark there was no way to I.D. the intruders later. I think Matt and Elektra probably would have either been apprehended or at least I.D.-ed if they hadn't done that. I get that Matt's mission seemed to have a higher purpose, but I still felt like playing off fake sympathy for being blind is a pretty low-class move. Upon seeing that, I get for the first time exactly WHY Foggy was so upset Matt was Daredevil. This cannot have been the first time he's done that, and he's probably done it in front of Foggy before, and if you know the truth about Matt, it makes him look like a total scumbag. Granted, not many people actually KNOW Matt's secret, but this scene tells me why Foggy was as pissed as he was. I kind of like that Mahoney is the kind of good cop who is willing to get Nelson and Murdock into Frank Castle's hospital room, simply to spare his life. I know nothing about the rest of Mahoney's politics, but I'm betting we think alike about most things. I kind of like Matt listing Reyes' crimes to her face while Foggy comments that they have the documentation. If that is true, I think Reyes is truly stupid for still trying to rain down hell upon that firm. Karen seemed to have a smug and impressed look upon Matt and Foggy reading her the riot act at any rate. The biggest thing I keep getting from Reyes is rank incompetence, and that she isn't only corrupt, she actually sucks at her job. If she were merely evil, she would still have value. But she creates so many unnecessary problems for her office that I think she's legitimately stupid. I think Karen was right to warn Tower a few episodes ago the way she did. It's too bad she had nothing to offer Tower then, because she ultimately turned out to be totally right. Cassandra is Our Karen. I think Foggy is a bit stupid to keep blaming Matt for how badly the Frank Castle case is going. The blame rest on one person only: Frank Castle. He is a nightmare of a client who tosses away a life preserver when it is tossed down to him, insists on another one, and then tosses that one away too. And keeps doing it. That's not Matt's fault. That's their crappy client. Do you know the messed up thing? I think he pled not guilty solely because he had a crush on Karen and didn't want Foggy's promise of never seeing them again to come true. There is nothing about Frank that doesn't make everything harder for everyone, even people trying to help him. Frank said something extremely interesting to me. He told Matt upon meeting him that he knew him by reputation, and that he was well-known for representing scumbags. Which is complete nonsense. Which tells me Frank is a terrible judge of character. Which is the LAST thing a person who does what he does should be. Frank talking about his loving family life kind of pissed me off. If I take everything he says about his family at face value (and he has no reason to lie about this) his family was kind and loving and wonderful and precisely the kind of people who would be disgusted and appalled at what Frank is doing in their name. They sound like wonderful people, but because they were in Frank's life, their contribution to the welfare of society is strictly on the negative side. Frank's perspective when Daredevil questions what his wife would want is "She's not here." Well, if that's your only excuse for not being a total scumbag, you never deserved her. Frank does not care about anyone but himself. If he truly loved his wife he would question how his actions painted her after the fact. Most people don't like to go down in history for marrying a mass murderer. And she's dead, so she can't rehabilitate her image, and now she will be known for nothing else. But Frank doesn't care what his wife would want, which tells me he never cared about her, and his entire mission is utter b.s.. I truly believe that by the way. I don't think Frank actually loved his family. If he did, he wouldn't do what he does. He sees them simply as a valuable possession that was stolen from him. And once you realize that, he is no longer the avenging vigilante, and is pretty much every cliched mob boss everywhere who goes overboard when their casinos are robbed. Once you understand Frank sees his family as a commodity, he is a lot easier to figure out. The fact that Frank insists he has NO second thoughts or regrets about his mission also shows that he is a sociopath. A truly righteous person would at least question the wisdom of this particular mission at some point. Frank kills people because he likes killing them, not because they actually deserve it. I have always hated the Punisher, but I "like" this season of Daredevil for helping me point out why I hate the Punisher in such specific ways. The MCU is a goldmine for people who hate the character, and think his actions are never justified. I still have not seen his own show, but I doubt it will alter my opinion that he is a narcissistic sociopath. Him asking Foggy to leave the room was a crazy suggestion. I don't care if Karen was okay with it, Foggy never should have consented to that. It's not like it actually wound up helping anything after all. I don't find Frank reassuring Karen she was never in any danger in the hospital reassuring at all. Basically he admitted he shot up and terrified a hospital full of innocent people for dramatic effect. The people he traumatized by doing that do not matter to him. Do you know who does that specific kind of thing? Criminals. Specifically terrorists. I don't feel better about his assurances. I don't feel better at all. Plus, think about it. He says that if he wanted her dead in that moment, she'd be dead. But if that were true, Grotto would have actually died that night. The Punisher's brags of precision and always hitting the correct target might actually be comforting if I didn't see those claims disproven with my own eyes. Which is another thing shows that drop all of their episodes at once should take into consideration. Wait, Daredevil's senses can help him crack safe locks? I think Daredevil is probably the comic book character with the most eclectic set of superpowers, or at least next to The Flash's. I was annoyed with both Elektra and Frank this episode. **.

Semper Fidelus:

Everything about this episode aggravated me, which is pretty much this season in general. The fact that Matt lets Elektra caress the scars on his bare chest and then runs his finger down the scar on her leg tells me Karen should have dumped this scumbag ages ago. Foggy is right that it is on Matt to explain Elektra to Karen. For the record, I would NEVER lie on a couch half naked with a scantily clad woman stroking her body while she stroked mine if I already had a girlfriend. The fact that Matt doesn't seem to understand this particular boundary line actually exists, is the reason he's a scumbag. For the most part I think Foggy is wrong about Matt's culpability for this trial going to hell, but this episode (and probably only this episode) that anger is justified. Matt's all like "It's not my fault! I didn't ask Elektra to do that!" And Foggy goes all Tommy Lee Jones on him: "I don't care!" Which is the right response. For the record, and left unsaid in the season, (which is another mistake by the show), is that I think the reason Elektra threatened the medical examiner was precisely to tank the trial. She wants to ruin Matt's life so she can have him all to herself. It's classic borderline personality, and I am miffed at the show refusing to call it that. Speaking of disrespect to mental disorders, I might consider Frank admirable for refusing to claim PTSD because it's an insult to people who suffer from it, if he literally didn't call them crazy in the very next sentence. If he truly respected their suffering, he would never do that. Frank is as always, full of horsecrap. I am alarmed at Karen for being fascinated with Frank Castle. Her saying he isn't crazy is bad enough (but that also seems to be the dumbass writers' opinion too, so oh well) but her then uttering later on that what he does "works" is truly disgusting. Deborah Ann Woll was fascinating in that moment. Upon speaking that appalling statement, I think the thing that truly frightened her was that she couldn't truthfully walk it back. She legitimately believes something that fudged up, and is a bad person deep down. And I don't think she realized that until she blurted those horrific words out loud for the first time. I like that Matt partly refuses to offer an opinion to her about Frank because he'd probably have to lie to her at some point. That's the feeling I got from how reluctant he was to answer that question. I was amused by the idiot jurors who called Frank a hero and someone who is doing what the police should be doing. Because I actually know Frank better than they do, and know he's a total sociopath, so they sound even more stupid than somebody who had that opinion about a supposedly "righteous" lethal vigilante. Do you know what I hate? That it's all the white dude jurors who hate the Punisher and think he's a criminal, and it's women of color who think he's a hero. That dumb opinion would in real life be the other way around. The one good thing in the episode was Foggy pulling a good opening statement out of his butt. I do not agree with Karen that it was amazing, but it was good enough for the terrible situation, and impressive because it was off the top of his head and sincere. I'm sure Foggy could have done an even better opening statement if he had prepared one. It's the fact that this one wasn't prepared, which is why it is awesome. Speaking of which, that's another plothole. Shouldn't Foggy have prepared a separate opening statement in the first place knowing how unreliable Matt is as The Lawyer? I feel his anger at Matt is justified, but at the same time, it's not Matt's fault Foggy wasn't prepared for a scenario that frankly seemed more likely than not. Foggy chose not to prepare himself on his own. Matt didn't force him to be a slacker. That's also partly on him. So I kind of feel the idea that he is the only one working hard on the case to be b.s. for that precise reason. I hated that racist guy with the Asian hookers and enjoyed every second of Matt and Elektra beating him up. When Reyes calls Castle a "serial killer" that is one of the only purely correct statements she makes this season. I hated this episode. *.

Guilty As Sin:

I hate this episode. And because of this episode, I hate the season. Basically the entire selling point for the series for me was Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson, and Karen Page, sunshine-filled crusaders for justice who love their jobs and each other. And the episode basically killed the series' biggest draw. I might not have been as angry as I am if they had bothered to repair it at the end of the season. People will squee for Wilson Fisk's surprise reappearance, but I think it is ultimately irrelevant and that the episode still sucks. Let us itemize the suck, shall we? I think Matt Murdock is a genuine ahole. Let's say he doesn't believe Stick's story that his family and entire village were massacred, and he pulled the blade he destroyed their killers with out of his dead mother's breast. Let's pretend that with a giant hole in the center of the Earth and ninjas chasing them, that Stick is simply a liar who wants attention. Let's pretend that it is remotely plausible he's b.s.-ing Matt and always has been. My question is what if he isn't? And it's the fact that I know he isn't which is why Matt dismissing his parents murders out loud with a callous laugh is so cold-blooded. I also think this is the season that revealed that Matt is stupid deep down, and nothing says stupid like disbelieving someone who just saved your love one's life from attacking ninjas. If Matt were in a horror film, his personality type pretty much declares he'll be the first person killed off (or second depending on whether or not the movie has a jokey or noble black person). I do not believe the Marvel Universe is a place where skeptics should still exist. The fact that Matt is actually a hero is doubly appalling. For the record, Matt can tell when people are lying to him based on their heartbeat, no? So why doesn't he instantly know that Stick's telling the truth? That particular superpower is only impressive if it always works. I love that Stick is insightful enough to point out that Matt already believes in people rising from the dead. His entire religion of Catholicism centers around the belief of one guy pulling that trick off. And once Stick points that out, as far as I'm concerned, he's won the argument. I love Karen walking in on Elektra in Matt's bed. I love that because Matt has no explanation for it. He can literally not justify it without revealing he is Daredevil immediately then and now. And that is NOT a decision somebody should make in the spur of the moment to placate an angry girlfriend. What I especially love is that if Karen were less angry, she'd realize this couldn't possibly be a romantic encounter. Because what's Stick doin' there? What's an old blind man standing watch outside their room for if they were havin' a booty call? And Matt can't use this as a defense either because he'd have to again reveal he's Daredevil. It's the luck of the draw that Karen believes the worst about the scenario. Because for a more rational person the situation would not actually add up at all. For the record, she's still right to dump him. Five minutes after she does he practically declares his love for Elektra and offers to run away with her in a whirlwind of romance. Nice guy, is our Matt. I love Stick casually saying "Good to meet you," upon Karen angrily exiting. Stick was great in general. Do you know why he waited so long to show up and save the day? Because then the producers would have had to pay Scott Glenn for an extra episode. I thought it was priceless that he kept demanding the tea as he was saving Elektra's life, and when he has it, he calmly drinks it. Matt doesn't seem to actually be annoyed at this bit of insufferable passive aggression, which tells me he just thinks this is "Classic Stick". For the record, I like that the show had Stick tell his mystical story with no visual aids, and relied solely on the two actors making the scene work. I'm not going to say that was a more interesting story choice than had we gotten as actual fantasy flashback, but one of the selling points of the Netflix shows is that the writers take chances, and allow their character long conversations with each other without creating extra outside drama. They trust the audience will stick with it. And since they already paid for it, they probably will. Why do Network TV executives believe people who get TV for free are all that much more impatient anyways? The opposite should actually be true. It's not the TV-MA blood, partial nudity, and swearing that shows that this show has a ton of creative freedom. It's the fact that they are allowed to do that scene without a network interfering and telling them to come up with something more exciting and expensive. I think Matt's cross-examination sucked. Him saying the city needs people like Frank Castle is the stupidest thing ever if it isn't total lawyer jive. And I think he's serious which makes me wanna puke. But the trial blowing up was entirely Frank Castle's own fault. I don't think he knew he was definitively going to incriminate himself on the stand, or whether he was going to accept Fisk's deal or not, but once Matt starts saying he needs help and that he is emotionally disturbed, he cannot let that slide. His ego is so massive he cannot admit that there may be something wrong with him. He is perfect and no-one else is allowed to believe anything differently. Him showing remorse about the kid whose father he killed really annoyed me. Seriously? It never occurred to this scumbag that he's doing the exact same thing to multiple families as what the bad guys did to him? That's the first time after all of the murder and mayhem he's caused that he realized that was a possibility? Frank may be sociopath, but he also very stupid if that is true. I know there are incurious people in the world, but that is an alarming thing to be incurious about. Speaking of stupid, how dumb is Reyes? The mark of a good lawyer is to never ask a question to a witness on the stand that the lawyer doesn't already know the answer to. Which shows again how much she sucks at her job. What is especially galling about her walking into this particular trap is that the Colonel describes the foolish mission leader as having lost an arm, and wow, the Colonel only has one arm. Egads! A clue! A decent lawyer would have been able to put that together. And I'm starting to think that that level of incompetence isn't merely being done by the writers to make her look bad. I think the writers sincerely do not understand how lawyers work, or what the actual nature of their jobs entail. Which considering the premise of the show is quite appalling. Basically Reyes didn't whiff that one only because she a bad lawyer. It's also because the writers are bad writers. Speaking of the Colonel, I'd feel a lot better about his humility and taking responsibility for his own mistakes if it wasn't revealed later in the season he's been working against Frank all along, and was the Blacksmith. Why did they give him this moment this episode if that was true? I was unsurprised Elektra killed the child assassin. What disturbs me is that it surprised Matt. What good is having a human lie detector built into your superpower if it can overlook something this huge? Matt's terrible judgment of character this season says his lie detector power is about as useless and inaccurate as Emma Swan's similar "gift" on "Once Upon A Time". Except a kid never got killed on Emma Swan's watch because of it. If Foggy was truly surprised that the cross-examination blew up the way it did, I have to question his judgment. He specifically wanted Matt to do it because Matt is crazy. He cannot be shocked when Matt says crazy sounding things that egg on their client. That's what he asked for. So, Foggy is not blameless for that mess. He was the one who insisted it should have been Matt instead of him. It's about as much his fault as Matt's. I hated the episode and wound up hating the season because of it. 0.

Seven Minutes In Heaven:

Long teaser. Karen, Matt, and Foggy disintegrating SUCKED but the rest of the episode was boss. The only interesting thing about Karen and Foggy is that when she gives the ultimatum to either tell the truth or cut ties, he cuts ties. He refuses to lie to her even though he can't tell her the truth. That is something very refreshing about Foggy. One of the cool things about Foggy is that after the fight with Matt, he refuses to accept Karen's frame that he was not his best self in that courtroom when he yelled at Matt. And he's kind of right. Him and Karen were kind of rocking that trial, and were totally their best selves the entire time. Saying Foggy was equally to blame for Matt repeatedly screwing them over is not fair to Foggy. The selling point of the episode in my mind isn't Kingpin, it's Karen and Ellison. I love him telling her that people were asking him where he was getting his intel, and when she asks him what he said, he says he took all the credit. Also interesting is that whatever Karen's secret shame is (which we still haven't learned) Ben knew it and didn't care, and now the same is true for Ellison. I love that Ellison absentmindedly corrects Karen's "Who" with a "Whom". People who do that drive me crazy, and I love that I didn't even notice he was that kind of person until I had watched the episode a couple of times. I can't believe Fisk actually thought Punisher wouldn't survive that betrayal. What I absolutely love is that Kingpin is literally the first and only person we've seen kick the Punisher's ass. Including Daredevil who himself punked Fisk. Granted, Castle was already pretty beat up from his ordeal (and handcuffed), but when Fisk agrees that the next time he and Castle meet would be the last, suddenly that particular threat doesn't seem quite as lop-sided as it would if Punisher made it to any other mobster. Because Kingpin has an equal shot in my mind of walking away from that. Vincent D'Offrio was great in general. I absolutely loved his line reading on "I'll trust you can make do." And somehow D'Offrio doesn't just say the words "apocryphal", "violence", and "refreshing", as much chew them up and spit them out. Him "comforting" Dutton while he died, while eating an elegant meal was quite awesome too. Speaking of good line readings, the best thing about Charlie Cox's performance as Daredevil is how smooth and low-key he delivers his lines. When he tells the panicking accountant that if he shoots him, he's probably gonna miss, and he REALLY doesn't want to miss, he does so in a cool tone of voice that suggests he's discussing the weather with this man flipped out of his gourd. I don't much like Matt Murdock this season. But Daredevil the vigilante is just as badass as ever. Nobu being alive and telling Daredevil there was no such thing as death was both awesome and super alarming. Because holy, freaking God, what does it actually take now? Jebus. Can Ellison and Karen have a non superhero related drama spin-off now? Please? ****.

The Man In The Box:

This is the only episode of the season where all of the regular cast members (save Special Guest Star Scott Glenn) are credited and appear. Frank Castle using his entire body as a human shield to protect Karen from a rainstorm of bullets goes a long way in establishing trust. Interestingly, Matt pulled the same trick for her earlier in the episode and received zero gratitude for it. Speaking of which, why was no-one surprised that a blind guy yelled at everybody to get down before the shooting started? I kind of think Karen and Tower would be asking questions about this if this show weren't fiction. Have I mentioned lately that Matt is dumb? His threat to separate Fisk from Vanessa was SO stupid, precisely because he wasn't wearing a mask, and had no protection for what came next. And of course Wilson has no trouble beating up blind guys. What really bothers me about Matt's threat is that is strikes me as indecent and over the line. Just from Fisk's perspective, now him going after Foggy and Karen is totally okay because Matt telegraphed that's how they're actually doing this. Matt somehow crazily made Fisk's most bloodthirsty violent threats seem quite justified, and for the first time ever. I could not believe how stupid Matt was for doing that. Speaking of which, I wonder how Foggy will feel when he learns Matt pretty much put him in Fisk's crosshairs for no good reason whatsoever. Some friend. I especially love that when Foggy is getting kind of cranky to get Matt to not go after the Punisher, Matt throws a "I'm not asking for your permission," his way. Have I mentioned Matt is the worst friend ever? Foggy telling Karen he doesn't need her is him cutting ties completely. But even he can't help but tell her to watch her back. Anyone else think if Reyes had been this cooperative with Nelson and Murdock earlier in the season, none of this might have happened? The end in the dark with the blinking hospital lights was straight out of David Lynch, in using an electrical malfunction to weirdly terrify the audience. The killer zombie kids standing completely still over one of their murdered fathers don't help my heebie jeebies none either. I love Karen being angry at Ellison for the armed guard, and she tells him he never would have pulled this patriarchal crap with Ben. And he says she's right, and he'll never make that mistake with someone he cares about again. And what can she possibly say in response to that? Because he's completely won the argument with that. So she accepts the protection without further grumbling. I kind of feel Stick might have been super P.O.-ed at this Jacques cat, for offering Elektra up his name before he died, with no resistance whatsoever, and zero prodding. She never WOULD have suspected Stick in a million years had Jacques not been the one who brought it up. Whatever Stick paid this guy for his discretion was far too much. I like Claire calling aspirin "Catholic Morphine". It totally is. We never learned whether or not if it was Frank or the Blacksmith who put the skull image in Reyes' daughter's backpack (I suspect the Blacksmith). But if it WAS Frank, he is an evil, irredeemable man. I'm a little alarmed the series did not bother taking the time clarifying the truth about that one thing. Because that was a pretty huge thing to suspect Frank of if he didn't actually do it. I love Fisk in his cell alone at the end of the episode. What class and elegance he projects while cutting and eating steak, listening to classical music, and drinking fine wine out of a plastic see-through Dixie Cup. I'm wondering how the series expects me to take his refinement seriously after that. I like that when Mahoney talks to Claire about their mutual friend she denies she knows what he's talking about. Which, when dealing with a member of law enforcement is probably the safe and smart move. Good episode, but Matt is a moron. ****.

.380:

What I love about Madame Gao is that just based on her personality, nothing in this show has shaken down the opposite of her intentions. I don't know if that's Xanatos-style empty bragging or not, but the truth is, she's the only one of Fisk's allies from last season who is both still alive and still in business as of the end of season 2 (and no, Turk doesn't count). She must be doing something right. Maybe Kingpin isn't the actual Big Bad of the series. Maybe Madame Gao is. Nothing seems to upset or surprise her, including an unexpected visit from the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, so she is not to be underestimated. I appreciated Stick calling Jacques an ahole. Considering the grief he wound up causing him with Elektra, that's an understatement. I love that Frank loves the song "Shining Star". I laughed when he said "Can you just imagine me sitting here and singing along to this?" Frank's spiel about love to Karen might have meant more to me if it hadn't been revealed he was using her as bait. Interestingly, the notion that Frank's wife used to break his heart all the time, and cause him recurring grief makes a lot more sense to me than if she were actually a saint. Because an actual saint wouldn't be with someone like Frank in the first place. As badly as I think of Mrs. Castle's taste in men, that at least explained it a little. Why didn't that waitress raises any fuss whatsoever over the huge and gross bruises blanketing Frank's face? Somebody is beat up that bad, a person usually calls the cops. I am unsurprised Foggy is now fielding various job offers (here the subject is broached by Marcy). He may have lost that trial. But it was a lot closer than such an open and shut case ever should have been, solely thanks to him. The Foggybear plush says that he and Marcy are like the cutest couple ever. I used to like the nurse Shirley, but her going along with the hospital's cover-up made me about as disgusted at her as Claire was. The fact that Punisher grouses that he would have been perfectly happy to kill a guy who wasn't really the Blacksmith, but just said he was, shows this isn't about justice. It's not even about vengeance. It's about narcissism. Frank cares less about being accurate, and more in using murder to process his dainty baby feelings. Let's just say that idea is another mark against the guy. I think the cliffhanger sort of underwhelmed me in hindsight. It was okay the first time I saw it, but it isn't really all that great or memorable, as cool as Scott Glenn is. Karen telling Matt she wasn't his to protect was long overdue. Plus, as far as she knows, he's still just a blind dude. I found it interesting that when Mahoney asks Daredevil at the beginning of the episode if he saw anything in the warehouse, that Daredevil says "No". On the face of it, he is lying. But he is also blind, so he is technically correct, which according to the Central Bureaucracy, is the best kind of correct. Still, I have very mixed feelings about Matt always using his disability to trick and lie to people. That was one of the more blatant examples. ***1/2.

The Dark At The End Of The Tunnel:

Mostly crap due to the Punisher stuff. You can tell something's off with Clancy Brown all throughout the episode until the big reveal. "Shining Star" was a pretty good tip-off Frank was alive though. Ellison's mentorship of Karen sort of kicks into overdrive as he reasons and guides her into realizing the reasons she actually wants to do this, which again makes me think Ellison is amazing. I would feel more for Karen's devastation over Frank killing a guy she begged him not to if this hadn't been his 11 billionth chance with her. What especially disturbs me about Karen repeatedly giving him the benefit of the doubt, is that it is typical of abused women to think their guys are secretly nice and sensitive deep down and have their reasons. What is ironic is that Karen doesn't actually have to suffer the abuse herself, so she doesn't have the same incentive most abused women do in getting away from their abuser. Frank would literally never hurt her. And I think she got for the first time tonight that that doesn't mean he isn't dangerous to everybody else. BTW, You think blind guys tracking heartbeats is cool? Try having them track silent ninjas by breaths. The flashbacks with Stick and Elektra fascinated me. Because Stick falls into all of the loving traps with Ellie that he desperately (and successfully) avoided with Matty. His hug of Matt in the episode, and him telling him he was proud of him, was given extra significance by the flashbacks, which revealed he was always capable of that level of kindness. What frustrates me about Elektra most during the episode is that she pretty much non-stop wants to kill Stick for trying to kill her. See, if it had been me, I would have stopped and actually wondered why he wanted to kill her in the first place. Because it doesn't make too much sense, and a smarter person would suspect something larger is going on. She asks once in a cursory manner, and then doesn't bother to listen to the answer. But if she were truly interested in WHY Stick turned on her, she could have just asked him. I think her young actress in the flashbacks was unusually good for a child actor. When Stick opens the cabinet, the kid truly plays the moment as if she has no idea whether or not her father figure is about to kill her (wide-eyed and with blood on her face as well). It was amazing. I love the guy asking Stick where he found Ellie and he quips, "In a box of Crackerjacks." Seeing Frank with all those guns at the end wasn't cool. It's as if I'm expected to feel excited and a sense of wonder for the Unabomber or Timothy McVeigh finding a similar stash. I am not enough of a comic book fan to enjoy seeing a serial killer get stocked with all of the first degree murder weapons he'll ever need. Shocker. I actually think that's a BAD thing. Weird, right? Those bamboos under Stick's fingernails were easily the thing in the season that made me cringe the worst. Horrid. I both loved and hated Karen's appalled reaction to learning the cops who were hired to protect her were now crossing guards on Staten Island. It's entirely her fault for them getting demoted, but she cannot reveal the truth without revealing that she's an accomplice to a murder. Am I the only person who thinks that because of what happened to those two new crossing guards that Frank is literally the worst person to stick your neck out for? The Punisher ruins lives without a second thought, and he doesn't even have to murder every single life he thoughtlessly ruins to do it. Were they trying to end the episode as cheesy as possible? Because I don't think they could do any worse than the line "Daredevil must die!". At all. **.

A Cold Day In Hell's Kitchen:

Passable ending to a spotty season. I love the stuff with Karen and Turk and the ankle bracelet, and I like that Elektra was ultimately redeemed (for now). I love that Turk is considered one of Daredevil's saves. That would probably be news to him. The big dope actually has to be convinced to turn his ankle bracelet back on, but once they start sawing into his leg, I do a 180 on that opinion and think he's dumb for listening to Karen in the first place. I also laughed at Stick taking out Nobu's final resurrection (even if I saw that particular gag coming a mile away). Fun to see Foggy finally settle his tab at Josie's, and I "Awwed!" upon him telling Karen he'd always be there for him. I think I'm supposed to be happy to see the Punisher skull. Go Team Rooting For Serial Killers! Another ridiculous excited reaction the show seemed to expect from me was the reveal of Hogarth. They played the scene as if I should squee to see Carrie-Ann Moss, but in reality, her and Kilgrave are pretty much the only characters in the Netflix series I hate worse than the Punisher. I hate the idea of Foggy working for her. Because he and Matt were supposed to be the sole virtuous lawyers in the sea of corruption that is Hell's Kitchen. And now he'll be taking his orders from a woman who let a psychopathic murderer loose on her ex-wife. And I don't know WHY the show thinks I should be happy about that. I like that Matt ultimately is there for Mahoney, as dire as the stuff with the Black Sky was. I like that Mahoney was the thing to make him put a pin in it. And it turned out to be related anyways, so no harm, no foul. I noticed how envious Elektra was at the loving and respectful way Melvin looks at and treats Daredevil. She will never have that. That new billyclub WAS pretty boss, wasn't it? Daredevil seems really grateful for it, and if you think about it, he really should be. Melvin gets absolutely nothing out of his partnership with Daredevil. Daredevil claims he'll protect Betsy for him, but as far as I know, he and Betsy have never even met. Melvin basically does what he does for Daredevil out of the kindness of his heart. It's one thing to fix up a damaged suit for a guy, but to create an incredible invention like the billyclub, and simply give it away as a gift because you appreciate what the person has done for the city, shows that Melvin is a very altruistic character. I worry about Melvin's future with Kingpin still out there, but as of now, Melvin seems to be one of the straight up good guys that Matt Murdock has positively influenced by coming into his life. Matt and Elektra's lovey dovey scenes before the big fight almost made me want to puke. And stuff like that is the precise reason I never shipped them and never will. Ellison was right to convince Karen to write her story for the deadline. Although I have to wonder what she'll be able to write about next. She can't very well blab that Matt is Daredevil, can she? I love that Karen is now a reporter named "Page". How perfect is that? It almost struck me as unfair that we were left hanging on the unsolved resolution with her learning the truth that we were, but wondering how she reacted is part of what makes it fun. It explains everything about Matt to her, including his fall-out with Foggy. Except it makes no sense that a blind guy can do that. Does it? I really wish we could have heard Karen getting filled in on the whole story. "I'm Daredevil" and a confused look from Karen would have already been a good way to end the season, but then they do a double cliffhanger, and hint they are going to bring Elektra back to life. Will she be good or evil when she comes back? A lot of balls left in the air here. I mostly enjoyed the last episode, even if I mostly disliked the last season. ***.

Blu-Ray Menus: Fully animated with no special features. Overall: ****.