After a very promising beginning, Marvel’s Netflix shows have proven to be a generally uneven prospect. For every highlight like Daredevil season 1, Luke Cage season 1 and Jessica Jones season 1, we’ve gotten wheel-spinning mediocrity like The Defenders, The Punisher and Jessica Jones season 2. And then there’s Iron Fist. Yeesh. Despite season 2 of Danny Rand’s show being an improvement on the first, it didn’t exactly set the world on fire, so all eyes are on Daredevil season 3 now, which debuts on October 18th.
Promisingly, the early word on it’s incredibly positive. The first six episodes have been released to a select group of journalists who’ve posted their reactions on social media. Paul Shirey of JoBlo was particularly effusive, saying on Twitter:
I’ve seen the first six episodes of #Daredevil season 3 and they are awesome! If you are a fan of Miller’s Born Again run and classic DD villains then…you’re in for a treat. Can’t wait to see the rest of the season. Best of the Marvel Netflix shows BY FAR.
If you’re unfamiliar with “Born Again,” it’s generally considered one of the all-time classic Daredevil comic arcs. Written by a pre-insanity Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzucchelli, the story shows Matt Murdock being driven to the brink of madness by the Kingpin, with him battling to maintain some semblance of a normal life under immense personal and psychological pressure. I don’t want to spoil too much of it because it’s pretty awesome, but check it out if you’d like a taste of what might be coming.
Of course, in the tradition of the MCU, we won’t be getting a direct adaptation of “Born Again,” but rather, more of a remix of its themes and key events. We’re also teased with a lot of Bullseye in the upcoming season, with Shirey commenting that “his story is great.”
Now, this is all pre-release hype, so take it with a pinch of salt. After all, Marvel and Netflix are unlikely to give out advance previews of shows to people who’re going to turn around and badmouth it online. Having said that, Daredevil‘s been one of the more consistent Netflix MCU shows thus far, so I’ll certainly be tuning in with high hopes this October.