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Apr 08, 2015 By Ryan E.C. Hamm Web Exclusive

Daredevil, the first of four Marvel series and a miniseries to be shown on Netflix, is a glimpse of the darker, grimier underbelly of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whereas Iron Man has to abide by PG-13 boundaries, Wilson Fisk—known to comics fans as The Kingpin—would prefer to slam the decency guidelines of network TV in a car door, splattering brains and blood all over the back seat (this is not a metaphor; it’s just a tiny glimpse of Vincent D’Onofrio’s depraved take on Fisk). While it’s shocking to see this level of violence in a Marvel property, it’s not overdone—after all, this is Daredevil’s Hell’s Kitchen, not a glossy summer tentpole.

The series owes a heavy debt to the Daredevil runs of Frank Miller, Brian Michael Bendis, and Ed Brubaker—Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is plagued by guilt over his aggressive crime-fighting tactics, and is frequently the victim of beatings as much as the administrator of said beatings. The show depicts the struggle between the gangster gentrifiers and the city’s populist denizens, with Daredevil as their defender, both via his law firm and via his masked vigilante activities. It’s dark and, yes, gritty, but the tone fits the character, and it’s obvious the series’ creators have a real familiarity and affection for their source material.

Daredevil plays as a procedural cop drama, legal thriller, and superhero/martial arts beat-‘em-up. Think Justified meets Damages meets The Raid: Redemption and you’ve kind of got the idea. The advantage offered by the format of a Netflix series means that characterization gets top billing-you might come for the action scenes, but you’ll stay because the characters get more compelling as the show continues. It’s a great start for these four series, and brings a welcome bit of darkness to the Marvel juggernaut. (www.marvel.com/tv/show/216/marvels_daredevil)

Author rating: 8/10