I debated whether to write a review of the whole season along with a review of the finale itself before realizing that everything I had an issue with over the course of the season was exemplified in the finale episode. So let’s talk about it.
Throughout episodes 1-7 I consistently found myself noticing how quickly we jumped from scene to scene with little to no explanation, backstory, or effect shown for anything that has happened. And all of this was compounded, exponentially, in the finale.
- Matt and Karen work with sources for six months , gathering intel and evidence of Fisk's activities, and we see absolutely none of it. We never see any of the work Jess apparently did for them, we never see how they found out about The North Star, or how they managed to infiltrate the boat.
- Fisk decides to bomb the boat and while Matt can apparently tell that people are dying, we never see any follow-up to this whole scene. Does Fisk pay for the funerals of these people? What story does the city run with to explain what happened? How does Matt deal with hearing so many people cry out for help before dying knowing he maybe could have done something to save them?
- They somehow magically infiltrate Red Hook based only on Kirsten's blindfolded descriptions, a handily provided ID card (really, the entire previous season and an additional six months have gone by and the guy just now decides to help Daredevil?), find people being held in literal cages, AND THE ONLY OTHER TIME THIS IS BROUGHT UP IS DURING THE TRIAL IN 2x08 WITH ZERO EFFECT. Fisk had people in cages, confirmed that there were more of them, and we got absolutely no follow-up scenes regarding this. How are Matt and Karen not furious? Are we to assume they didn't check the rest of Red Hook for more prisoners? Didn't talk to anyone else to see if there were others? Never went back to the warehouse for Matt to listen in and see if he can hear other people there? How was this plot point abandoned so quickly?? Not to mention that including a scene with Red Hook but not explaining where Frank is after last season's post credits scene makes no narrative sense. Why didn't Daredevil go in there with a gopro strapped to his head to film what's going on?
Matt is a lawyer as well as Daredevil and Karen was a journalist for a long time. Why are we not seeing more of them playing to their strengths and actually using those skills? Where is the underground paper or blog that Karen is writing exposing everything Fisk is doing? Where is the twitter feed, any sort of social media engagement from the two of them showcasing what's going on?
*sigh*
There were so many choices made this season that I simply did not understand. Why did we spend three episodes and countless mentions on Vanessa's actions and subsequent death and funeral when Foggy didn't even get a single funeral scene? Why did we do a six month time skip and jump straight into a full on Karen/Matt relationship without showing or referencing ANY of what got them together? Why did we see Karen doing almost nothing all season aside from a couple scenes of her hitting a punching bag and her supporting Matt in Red Hook? When in the past she has gone behind Matt and Daredevil's back to investigate something she believed in and get justice for someone, why was she, in this iteration, simply background for Matt's character? Why did Mr. Charles get so little screentime and backstory? Why was Jessica Jones used in so many of the promos and trailers for this show when she had maybe 15 mins of screentime in all across the season? Why was BB's character written as pushy and a bit dim instead of someone who is valiantly trying to put the truth out into the world?
All questions that I desperately wish I could ask the creators.
But I think my biggest problem with this season is how it ended and the complete mockery they made of the concept of justice and all the female characters they sidelined in the name of yet another Matt vs. Fisk "showdown."
What the fuck was that finale?
Let's recap - in a courtroom and not while sworn in on the stand, Matt reveals that he is Daredevil. Without consulting Kirsten or Karen (I do not count their rushed exchange by the police station because there is no fucking way they talked through all the consequences), without considering the ramifications on his legal practice, or on his friends, Matt reveals his alter ego. In order to... *checks notes* provide a witness to disprove Mayor Fisk's claims that there was nothing untoward happening on The North Star. Which, at the time Matt infiltrated the ship, nothing was happening. The weapons had not been delivered yet, there were no manifests or anything proving what they were intended for, and they got the confession from the first mate involving Fisk only after this had already happened. So Matt really did sneak aboard the ship with no evidence (that they showed us or told us about other than saying the word "sources" which doesn't fucking count) and started taking out guards.
And this is supposed to help save Karen??? Fucking, how? On what planet is this beneficial to Karen who is on trial for supporting vigilante activity?
Doesn't Matt admitting he's Daredevil actually make both Karen and Kirsten guilty under the Safer Streets Act for consorting with him in full view of the public eye at this very trial? HOW WOULD HIM DOING THIS BE HELPFUL?
Why would Fisk even agree to being a witness? Why would he tell the truth? This whole trial is supposed to be a sham and Fisk is shown not to give a rat's ass about the rule of law multiple times during this season and the last. Why is he following the rules of the court and actually answering questions??
And then, the "rebellion" that didn’t exist until two episodes ago and seems to appear seemingly at will, is let into the courthouse by Cole North who magically had a change of heart just in this one episode, and the show proceeds to do an extremely poorly conceived January 6th reference.
It's okay because it's the good guys doing it, right? 🤮
Whatever drugs the people who wrote this scene were on, it was too many.
How did no one object to this?? Not one of the actors was like "hey, maybe portraying the people protesting against Fisk as the people who attempted to overthrow the democracy of the US is not in fact the best move." No one??
Fucking hell.
Then everyone has to barricade inside different rooms continuing the January 6th reference that is feeling worse and worse by the moment, including the governor who is there for some fucking reason. Fisk is apparently offered a deal by the AG to go scott free (how in the fuck) and then decides to go on a rampage killing what, a DOZEN random civilians? And there is ZERO fucking follow-up to this. Not one of the other people shouts about him killing someone later on, no one comments about the blood soaking his clothes, NOTHING.
Fisk has killed before, obviously. But unless I'm missing something, each of those has been singular instances either to further his position, keep secrets, increase loyalty, or in extreme anger or grief. He has never gone on a rampage like this and to do this in the finale is an insane choice for the show to make. Why is this the thing that sets him over the edge? And for there to be no effects of this? What the fuck?
And then, the people storming the capital, sorry, the people storming this particular courthouse in this make believe superhero show we're watching, all enter the main room in a nice orderly fashion, Fisk yells about power or whatever, and the people start storming again. And Matt and Jessica only jump in when they start trying to grab Fisk before Matt literally begs on his knees for Fisk to take the deal that lets him go scott free and to a fucking island for all his crimes.
Sheila? Had a couple speaking lines to Fisk regarding the AG's offer and isn't seen or heard from outside of that.
What the fuck did I just watch.
And somehow Karen isn't screaming in frustration in the background of all this? No one at this rebellion has any friends/family/acquaintances that were kidnapped by the AVTF? They're all okay with Fisk just going free?
And then it's an indeterminate amount of time later (presumably a while because Karen no longer has any bruises or scratches and Matt isn't limping from his fucking gunshot wound) and Karen and Matt are talking about being free and then he's immediately arrested. For... reasons. He wasn't arrested during the trial, or after the courthouse when he was fighting as Daredevil. He's arrested later. By the NYPD and not the AVTF. For reasons. Because I'm not sure if the writers of this show know that a mayor or other miscellaneous leader disappearing doesn't actually make all their rules, laws, and institutions disappear.
And then, what may be the most egregious omission in this whole series - we don't get to see Powell get his comeuppance. Fuck this show.
Onto my last point regarding the sidelining of female characters in the show and in the finale especially, to make room for another Matt vs. Fisk moment. Let's start with Karen - I mentioned this earlier, but what exactly did Karen do this season? What investigating or journalist skills did she use? Her trial had no evidence presented of anything she actually did. Daredevil was mentioned, as was Frank. Hector Ayala, and then Mayor Fisk. Literally nothing about her specifically or the activities she was being charged with or on the wanted list for. Why was the task force even after her? For what??
Kirsten? Completely sidelined by Matt in the finale and essentially at Matt's beck and call earlier in the season. Why couldn't we see more of her fighting for Karen? Her at trial with other clients trying to fight the system without Matt by her side? Matt came in and took over the whole trial and she barely got a speaking role in the last 20 mins of the finale.
Heather? Was given Vanessa's earring by Fisk because he was intrigued by her and her mental state and apparently had a mental breakdown, hit a patient she was meant to talk to, sees Muse in every reflective surface, and all of that is pushed aside in favour of her exchanging some snarky words with Matt in the finale.
Why is this what we're doing? Matt and Fisk was handled in season 3, why are we trying again to show their conflict? Wouldn't it be more interesting to come at this from another angle? Matt working at dismantling the systems Fisk has created, being emotional support for all the people he's harmed, using Daredevil as an actual symbol for their oppression?
I have so many 'and another things' to complain about (BB having a picture of Daniel when she's the one who got him killed, the assassin Fisk sent to kill the governor somehow not dying if only to preserve Matt's morality and conscience even though he totally fucking died and Matt is responsible) but I'm honestly not sure if it's even worth it.
If I were Charlie Cox or anyone involved in creating this show, I would be ashamed of myself.
“You been checked for ADHD?” “*shakes head no* but I’ve had several STDs, which were probably caused by ADHD.” Is SUCH a Deadpool thing to say, dear god.
