Grumpy Bird Reviews: Daredevil s02e02: Dogs to a Gunfight

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Daredevil s02e02: Dogs to a Gunfight

director: Phil Abraham

writers: Marco Ramirez & Douglas Petrie

Netflix

Quick Review:

Have you liked what Daredevil has offered over the past year? If so, you will enjoy this episode. There are little things that might be hints (Karen’s dark path, Daredevil leading to more costumes, Matt needing more training) or might just resolve themselves without being fully explored. There is a lot of promise here.

Spoilers lurk below

Analysis:

Is it possible for anyone of my generation to watch a pawn shop scene without thinking of the Crow? Because I can’t. This episode doesn’t rise to the levels of Fun Boy and Jon Polito (or Gideon if you want to use the character name) but we do have a little but of evil. Still, I did wonder about the guy behind the counter. He got what he deserved, but I was left wondering about his salesmanship. I mean, if a guy buys a police scanner and a gun, maybe offer them something more arms related and not a 12-year old girl.

Why am I bringing that up? Because I praised the first episode for feeling authentic. This little moment rang really false. It just seemed to come out of no where to accomplish the objective of giving Frank a reason to kill the clerk. Character first. That goes for one shot lowlifes as well.

Other than that, the show had me riveted. More character development all around. Foggy gets smarter. As does Karen. I still have a worry that she will play the “girl” and be used as a reason for Matt to get help. I really like how Deborah Ann Woll is playing her, but I am still waiting for her to actually do something. Besides flirt or fuss at Matt. (Yes, I’m oversimplifying a bit.)

Also, even while establishing that crooked cops are not as much of an element, this episode also sets the stage for cops being a force to not be trusted. Will this come back? If the established protections are shown to be untrustworthy, is there more of a case to be made for the need of Daredevil? Will this argument extend to the Punisher?

As much as I enjoy watching these guys punch each other, I think I am even more looking forward to a long debate between these two men. These are characters who to some extent agree about a great many points, but have some fundamental differences that will keep them from seeing eye to eye. I want that discussion.

Wrap Up:

One more little nit-pick about the show. That Punisher Daredevil showdown with the snipers firing on them. Was anyone else reminded of Storm Troopers? That was an awful lot, almost distractingly so, of bullets. And they hit very little. Let’s hope they never need a sniper in a hostage crisis, or Hell’s Kitchen is screwed.