The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been in its flop era since 2021, having taken a turn around the disappointment of Eternals. That's not a very long time chronologically, but it's been more than enough time for exhaustion to set in, with Marvel having since churned out eight movies and eight live-action series (by my count), ranging from so-so to terrible. I, like many people, tuned out a while ago.
But if there were ever a time for the MCU to turn things around, it would be now: with the return of Daredevil, their 2010s series that was originally created for Netflix, since Disney+ didn't exist yet. That show was gritty and violent, full of raw emotions and nuanced, well-developed characters — everything that the modern MCU and its convoluted web of cross-references isn't.
Miraculously, the MCU regains its superpowers in Daredevil: Born Again, a series that's a worthy follow-up to the show's original three seasons, mostly acting like the seven years since the last Daredevil season didn't happen. (It helps that lead actor Charlie Cox hasn't aged a day.)
Born Again picks things back up with Matthew Murdock, the blind and super-powered lawyer who has hung up his Daredevil mask for the past year and built a new law practice following a personal tragedy. Given that this show is called Daredevil, it's not a spoiler to reveal that much of the season concerns Murdock grappling with grief and Catholic guilt while gradually finding his way back to his crimefighting ways.
Despite this show being named after its protagonist, Daredevil: Born Again equally relies on the strength of its antagonist, Wilson Fisk (a.k.a. Kingpin, chillingly played by Vincent D'Onofrio). Much like Daredevil, Kingpin is attempting to take his operations above board: the first episode concerns his mayoral campaign, as he goes from convicted fat-cat criminal to folk hero. When Daredevil premiered in early 2015, such a transformation would have seemed implausible, but now, it's a clear analogue for Donald Trump.
People's reasons for voting for Fisk range from those who nihilistically embrace chaos (essentially: all politicians are crooked, but at least this guy's interesting and says things no one else dares to) to zealot-like devotion (Michael Gandolfini as a Fisk stooge). But if Fisk initially seems like an alternative to the usual sycophantic suits, it's not long before his self-serving policies and force of crooked cops reveal him for what he is.
Born Again balances its allegory perfectly: the real-life parallels are clear, but the plot isn't shackled to symbolism. Instead, it escalates mournfully, minor conflicts gradually drawing Murdock and Fisk out of their detente. Talking head-style interviews with everyday New Yorkers, presented through the social media channels of upstart journalist BB Urich (the niece of Season 1's Ben Urich, played by Genneya Walton), help to flesh out the tapestry of a world on the brink of chaos, evoking the grimy noir tone of DC's Gotham City. There are perhaps one or two too many minor superhero subplots (White Tiger, Bullseye, Muse, the Punisher, a supporting character from Ms. Marvel), but, thankfully, they never distract from the main conflict between Daredevil and Fisk.
Perhaps because of current events, Born Again's depiction of a ruthless businessman-turned-dictator is even more chilling than it was in earlier seasons. For the first time in what feels like ages, Marvel has created a high-stakes story with an urgent emotional core. Maybe it's time to restart that Disney+ subscription.