REVIEW: 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 1 Episode 7: Losing Steam
- Alex Batts
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 9
Daredevil: Born Again delivered its best episode yet last week with "With Interest", and followed it up with a mostly solid episode in "Excessive Force". However, once again, for every step forward this season it takes another back.
Disclaimer: This article contains minor spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1.
Episode 7, "Art for Art's Sake", picks up right where last week's second episode (of the two-part drop) left off. The city and the titular character (and Wilson Fisk) are reeling from the return of Daredevil and the mayhem of Muse. Matt Murdock(Charlie Cox) is visibly shellshocked and distraught that he has slipped back into his old habits, no matter how much he tries to justify his actions. Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onforio) is similarly shaken by the revelation that Daredevil has returned to his vigilante ways.
The episode continuously shows the significance of Daredevil's return and the weight it puts on its main character's shoulders. The gravity of how unhealthy Daredevil is for Matt is one of the highlights of this season, and it's the main focus on this episode. It puts a strain on his relationship with Heather, his work-life balance, and his overall mental health. The audience wants to see Daredevil back on the streets, dishing out vigilante justice, but it is simply not good for Matt.
Muse is... fine
A few weeks ago the Muse teases felt out of place. Since then we've had much more screen time with the character and it's delivered mixed results. The show feels like it wants to be making a larger point with him, but it just doesn't really get there. He's troubled, he had a rough childhood, and he wanted to be an artist, but the show doesn't do the work to dive into that substantially. He hardly moves beyond just being a mass serial killer (60 victims is a frankly absurd number, even for a comic book property) for Daredevil to chase down and thwart.
This episode also has a loose focus on the subplot of Fisk still losing control of the underworld, Vanessa's motivations being altogether unclear, and Fisk's new task force is tasked with taking down Muse all rolled into one. It sort of works. It's a lot that's not given that much compelling screen time. The Vanessa scenes feel very obvious and the task force is similarly basic. The most interesting part of Fisk in this episode is his reaction to Daredevil returning. He reacts with outward disgust, but it's hard not to think he might be a little excited at the return of an old nemesis.
This episode is serviceable. It's not bad by any means, but it's far from the top of the season. Muse is broadly interesting but lacks any genuine depth. Fisk's side of the story feels a bit all over the place. Matt and his relationship with Heather are clear highlights, but they can't take up the entire runtime. It's disappointing to see how incredible this show can be with outings like "With Interest" and then how simply average it immediately falls back to. It's uneven, to say the least.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
About Daredevil: Born Again
Premiere Date: March 4, 2025.
Episode Count: 8
Executive Producer/Showrunner: Dario Scardapane
Writers: Dario Scardapane, Brad Winderbaum
Directors: Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, David Boyd
Production: Marvel Television, Disney
Distribution: Disney
Cast: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, with Ayelet Zurer and Jon Bernthal
Synopsis: In Marvel Television’s “Daredevil: Born Again,” Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a blind lawyer with heightened abilities is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.
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