REVIEW: ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Episodes 5–6

In many ways, Daredevil Born Again Episodes 5–6 finally give us what we’ve been waiting for. Daredevil masked up, parkouring and twirling through the night to go and protect his corner of the city. And, as has been the case for the entire series thus far, it only half works. There’s a thrill in seeing Matt (Charlie Cox) throw caution to the wind and reclaim his vigilante title, but the best moments are still mere mimicry of what came before—echoes of a better show.

It’s partially what makes Episode 5 the stronger of the two. It’s silly and filler-esque, but Matt here feels more in line with the version of the character who has largely stepped away from nighttime heroics. Matt stopping a burglary is the driving force of the narrative, and it’s what makes it such light fun—as long as he’s on screen, however.

The robbery allows for two key features to help elevate what is, ultimately, a throwaway episode. First is the reintroduction of Yusuf Khan—Kamala Khan, aka Ms Marvel’s father. It could easily be a way to self-insert another piece of MCU lore into the series, but it manages to avoid those annoying winking-at-the-audience theatrics. This is mainly because Mohan Kapoor is charismatic, and he and Cox share a nice, easy rapport.

But it’s the action, silly Bop It-style sound effects, and all that make Daredevil Born Again Episode 5 sing. Despite the iconography of the Daredevil suit, a core truth of the original Netflix series remains true here, too — the action looks better when Matt isn’t in the red, cumbersome costume. So watching the character break out his acrobatics and physicality while just in a suit works wonders, making the action flow better with greater fluidity.

There’s creativity in the fight choreography between Matt and one of the robbers as he slides himself forcibly down a flight of stairs to catch a gun before it clatters to the ground and alerts others. These tricks make for a more watchable entry rather than the series trying to recapture the same tension-fueled effect of close-quarter, hallway-based combat.

Daredevil Born Again Episodes 5–6 mixes highs with definitive lows.

Which is, ultimately, what Daredevil Born Again Episode 6 resorts to. “Excessive Force” finds Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Matt reaching their boiling points. Both are, in their way, dealing with the news of an unsettling serial killer, Muse. Muse tortures and kills his victims and mixes their blood with paint to create graffiti art all over the city. Fisk fathers notorious ‘bad apple’ police officers to develop an Anti-Vigilante Task Force, lumping Muse in this category. His anger stems not from the victims but from how it reflects on him.

Fisk’s teaming up with these officers furthers the series of points of corruption and unchecked power. Especially as Fisk further descends into old habits and his violent urges. The series isn’t too subtle, depicting his mounting rage, from flexed hands to his suit ripping. The show makes a point to show the characters’ oscillating degrees of consumption, from a slight omelet to excessive feasts, when he first faces down Adam in his cell. The rip in the suit is his loss of control. It’s not just that these suits no longer fit him but that this line of work in his life is a bad fit.

It makes his ending showdown with Adam inevitable. Something was bound to break. And so it goes with our hero, too.

Daredevil Born Again Episode 6 has Foggy on the brain. Matt begins the episode by holding his friend’s program from his funeral while reciting a prayer. The camera hones in on the same program when Matt puts the suit back on to save Hector’s (Kamar de los Reyes) niece, Angela (Camila Rodriguez), from Muse.

His boiling point results from all that’s happened to him throughout the season. His suffering is relentless, and learning of the 60-plus victims, his connection to Angela, and her condemnation of those who do nothing pushes him over the edge. It’s a cathartic moment instantly cut off at the knees due to a tension-dissolving sequence of him swinging between buildings. The nighttime action is abysmal.

Muse makes for a terrifying villain. 

But his showdown with Muse is better, mainly due to the desperation that seeps into it. Muse is a formidable villain, and his inhumanity is terrifying. While the hits don’t land with the necessary impact — so many kicks to the face, so much bloodshed, and so few strong sound effects to go with it — it’s largely effective. As Cox bellows a war cry, it genuinely feels like a beast has been unleashed, and he lets his inner darkness run again to serve his city and protect the defenseless.

The only problem with Daredevil Born Again Episodes 5–6 is that these standout moments aren’t wholly earned. They’re good because of our investment in the characters. But, again, how much can we care about Matt when there’s no one in his life he cares about that we’re invested in? Episodes 5–6 also work because, between Yusuf Khan and Angela, we at least find characters of depth.

Heather wants to write a book about vigilantism and why we revere the mask. That’s cool, I guess, as long as it means Punisher is back on our screens.

Daredevil Born Again Episodes 5–6 deliver intense moments with one notable action sequence. However, the series’ most significant issue remains that it is a game of waiting for the next strong scene to make an episode worthwhile rather than consistently being great.

Daredevil Born Again Episodes 5–6 are out now on Disney+.

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