Samuel Brace with four hopes for Marvel’s Daredevil season 3…
Daredevil season three is nearly upon us, arriving to Netflix in just one week’s time after what feels like far too long away from our screens. Daredevil, ever since its arrival to the platform has been the strongest Marvel offering present, only coming close to being dislodged by 2017’s The Punisher. Season three arrives off the back of a disappointing second season for Jessica Jones and a sophomore outing for Iron Fist which so failed to turn into anything of substantive worth that Netflix has now cancelled the series outright. So, one might say – and I think they’d be right in saying it – that there is quite a lot riding on Daredevil’s next batch of episodes. This one needs to hit the mark and this particular writer is pretty confident that it will. After all, Daredevil hasn’t given us any significant reason to doubt its future success. But what should we be looking for in this upcoming season? Well, it seems to me that there are four main marks to hit, four hopes for season three that if manifested into reality will equate to a mighty fine, if not a mighty great, third Daredevil chapter.
A substantial main plot
Ah, here we are once again, addressing the arch-nemesis of Netflix’s Marvel programming, a foe so deadly that it is capable of turning the most entertaining of seasons into a slog through mediocrity. The existence of too little main plot to cover the allocated number of episodes in a season has been an omnipresent threat in this corner of Netflix’s library, and if Daredevil season three is going to stand a chance of elevating itself to some kind of higher existence it will first have to overcome this most worn of stumbling blocks. How many times has one of these shows been hampered by the fact that the main story of the season hasn’t been designed to span the entire length of the season, instead requiring a vexatious B plot to make up the minutes? Worse still, season two of Daredevil was almost like two shows in one and, as a result, poorly constructed, to say the least. This must be rectified for season three, there must exist a story (side quest free) that takes the full amount of episodes to tell. Failure to do so at this juncture will be virtually unforgivable.
It’s grounded and non-supernatural
Another stumbling block that has been, and will continue to be, utterly inimical to Daredevil’s progress is the presence of the supernatural. Now, of course, Daredevil himself is endowed with super abilities, though they are secondary, perhaps tertiary to the plot of the show and as covert as possibly can be, existing almost surreptitiously in the background, offending no one. The problem is rather the more overt fantastical elements of seasons past, especially season two, with the plot surrounding the Hand being the biggest offender. Daredevil is at its best when Matt is grounded in reality, fighting foes that we might meet in our world, foes like Wilson Fisk and the Punisher. The mythological elements are a hindrance, a bore, and have so far been poorly executed. Now, am I trying to sublimate Daredevil into a show built for my very specifications as a viewer? Sure. But I truly believe my requests and hopes are with the show’s best intentions at heart, that my criticisms are constructive and not just mean-spirited animadversions. With the Hand plot seemingly no more, hopefully, season three can be emancipated from its shadow and become the great show it’s surely capable of being.
It’s a standalone tale
I truly believe that Daredevil, mutatis mutandis, can be a truly wonderful show, but it must first overcome the faults that have so far kept it shackled. Daredevil’s highs have been enormous, and while its lows are nowhere close to the nadirs of the Netflix MCU, they do continue to frustrate. One aspect that has held the series back so far that must be corrected, as it seems like it will from what we know of season three, is its world universe building mentality. Daredevil in the past, particularly season two, has often felt like it was more concerned with setting up spinoffs or piloting new shows than telling a great Daredevil story. Charlie Cox himself has noted this issue and has confirmed that season three will do nothing of the sort, instead telling a standalone tale that yes, builds off past events, but is focused on nothing more than Matt’s struggle against his demons, both corporeal and ethereal. This is just what Daredevil needs and if the show follows through on Cox’s promise, season three could be one hell of a ride. Forget the other Defenders, forget the wider Marvel world, let’s get down in the quagmire with Matt and watch him do battle without worrying how it might impact Jessica Jones.
A fresh Kingpin story
Daredevil’s two best storylines so far have been Matt’s tussle with Wilson Fisk in season one and The Punisher in season two. Now, with Frank having his own series these days, we need only concern ourselves with Fisk, and thankfully, the crime boss is going to be the focus of Daredevil’s crusade this coming season. This should provide some wonderful material and enormously entertaining moments for viewers. The Matt v Wilson struggle seems to be the crux of the whole show so it’s wonderful news that this story is being picked up once more. Our hope should be, however, that the tale we are told in season three isn’t merely a rehash of season one, we can’t have another fistfight at the end that leads to Fisk’s arrest, this must be a new, fresh Kingpin story that captures all that was compelling about season one but that never feels like a repeat. If their clash can keep us guessing at every turn, if it ultimately leads to scenarios wholly foreign to those of season one, and if all of our preceding wishes are granted, Daredevil can truly soar to new heights and hopefully present its best season yet. If it was to achieve the aforementioned, we will have surely watched one remarkable season of television.
What are you hoping to see from Daredevil season 3? Let us know in the comments below…
Samuel Brace
