By Josh Nason
With Marvel gearing up for what we hope is the restart of another great run of movies, they still have their eyes on the TV end of things, albeit in a much lighter slate than a few years ago when things creatively went askew.
That brings us to Daredevil: Born Again which completed its second season on Disney+ in May 2026 with a third on the way in 2027. Before you get ready for Spider Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday in the theater, let’s talk about the latest entry into the Marvel TV library in a non-spoiler way if you haven’t checked it out.
Grab your devil horns and let’s go.
Should You Watch Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+)?
How many seasons?
Two with a third coming in March 2027.
How many episodes?
17.
What type of show is it?
It’s a “comic book show” — aka a live action version of the Daredevil character from Marvel Comics set in the MCU.
What year(s)?
2025, 2026
Where can I currently find it?
Disney+.
Who is it for?
Adult Marvel fans, especially those who like their superhero shows a bit more on the violent side. It’s an MA show so keep that mind if your kids are pushing to check it out.
What’s the commit level?
With credits and “Previously on….” you’re looking at 868 total minutes/14.5 hours. If you take out the credits, which are always long with Disney shows, you saw off five minutes an episode which cuts off nearly 90 total minutes bringing the total to 13 hours.
Is there a bailout episode?
I think you know what you’re getting into watching a Marvel show, so I’d say if the first episode doesn’t do it for you, you can go, ahem, blind on the rest of the series.
Any interesting background in the show’s creation?
The original Daredevil series aired for three seasons on Netflix, but was canceled in 2018. Both Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin) signed on to return to the Disney version in 2021 with production starting in 2022.
The show was originally set for a single 18-episode season, later broken up in two seasons after a big internal reboot in order to tie it more to the original series. That was a big talking point when it happened as it was around the time Marvel Studios was much maligned with their TV and movie projects.
Are there actors the average TV watcher would recognize?
Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Matthew Lillard, Michael Gandolfini, Tony Dalton.
What’s the reaction been?
Rotten Tomatoes has the entire series at a very good 86/83 split while Metacritic is at a “generally favorable” 70 (69/73 split). Awards-wise, nothing of any weight which you’re probably shocked to read.
What’s the main plot in a sentence?
The continued adventures of the blind lawyer turned crimefighter against his biggest rival and New York Mayor who bears a big resemblance in demeanor and governing approach to a certain U.S. president.
What’s the rewatch factor?
Low.
If you like these shows or movies, you’ll like this:
The original Daredevil series (duh), The Punisher, The Batman, other more adult-friendly comic book shows
Is this a first or second screen show?
It’s a blend of first and second.
Should you watch Daredevil: Born Again?
I enjoyed both seasons quite a bit, but it wasn’t a lean in/phones down experience like apex level Marvel movies, or even WandaVision, were to me. Outside a fairly bad CGI sequence in the first episode of s1, the action is pretty good and harkens back to the physical style of the Netflix run which featured some AWESOME action scenes (Yes, all caps!). That was the consensus from other fans as well.
There is a bit of a fatigue with Kingpin’s rule being what many associate Donald Trump’s rule to be, complete with a similar January 6th situation in s2. Because of everything going on politically these days, it can make for a more exhausting watch if you’re trying to get away from the news of the day and if you’re watching other similar shows trying to make the same statement.
From a comic fan’s standpoint, Cox and D’Onofrio are perfect as Daredevil and Kingpin as is the Bullseye character (played by Wilson Bethel). The story and casting all make sense, but by the end of s2, I found myself ready for the Daredevil character to move on to different villains and situations. The Defenders getting back together was also heavily teased in s2 and while I didn’t love the Netflix version of that show, I’m up for a second go-round if there’s a better story.
I do wish the show would lean more into the MCU and vice versa. There’s some interesting stories that are just sitting there, but they haven’t really gone there yet which is a letdown.
Ultimately, the question of whether you should watch the show comes down to if you like comic book shows or not. Shows like Born Again don’t have that crossover appeal that a non-fan could just look past.
But, I enjoy that genre so if you are the same, you should watch Daredevil: Born Again.
