Grumpy Bird Reviews: Daredevil s02e06: Regrets Only

Way back when there was a comics experiment that smashed up Marvel and DC properties. One of the results was Bruce Wayne: Agent of SHIELD. Somehow that kept running through my head as I watched this episode. Or, actually, it was Matt Murdock Super Spy, but same thing really.

Daredevil s02e06: Regrets Only

director: Andy Goddard

writer: Sneha Koorse

Netflix

Quick Review:

Okay, I’ll say that the show has recovered a bit from episode five. We’ve got a bit more of that balance I’ve been talking about. We get to see Foggy being sharp, but not overly impressive. Karen has more to do, but still feels limited as a domestic. Matt is off with Elektra, which feels like the “one last job” refrain that never ends. She has a mission, so there is less bored-little-rich-girl but other than bad-people-do-bad-things I don’t really know what the motivation is for this secret mission. Maybe I blinked. Its still good, but it pales when compared to the four opening episodes.

Spoilers Lurk Below.

Analysis:

It isn’t just that the first four episodes are stronger, but that we only get true glimpses of that energy Frank is on screen. Bernthal is just a magnet for attention on this and even chained to a hospital bed he is more arresting than the espionage of the other half of the show. I’m not really even that interested in the mystery of what happened on Frank’s bad day, but I really want to see how Frank reacts when he learns what happens. And I don’t mean that in a “blow em to hell, Frank!” way. I want to see how Bernthal carries Frank through those emotions.

Matt and Elektra attend a fancy party just doesn’t hold my attention as much. Sure, there were a few glimpses of solid fight choreography, but it all goes by so quick. I’m more curious of if we get a prolonged fight sequence will be also get an exhausted Elektra? Will that be something that gets reserved for Matt. I mean, we kind of had it with Frank, but he was more damaged than exhausted.

But other than the Yakuza are doing bad things, I’m not really sure why we are investigating. Maybe that is because our protagonist also isn’t that sure. The end of this episode he is a little curious. Until that point, this is just a chore he has to get through to get rid of an old girl friend. Makes me wonder if having this feel like an obligation to sludge through for our hero is the best way to draw in the audience’s involvement.

Sure, I want to know more about this version of Elektra and I’m sure how she relates to the Yakuza (and the Hand hopefully) will play a part. But so far all we know is that she is incredibly wealthy and had extensive martial training at a young age for reasons. I have to be honest. Person of mystery is less exacting to me than person with a reason a to be interested in. Sometimes mystery is just the absence of substance. Give me more.

Wrap Up:

I’ve lived in Japan for over a decade know. I can’t claim to be fluent, but I like to consider myself highly conversational. If any one is interested, the Japanese on being used this season doesn’t really sound that authentic. It isn’t the worst I’ve heard on TV, but it also isn’t the best. The rhythms feel wrong and stilted. Although, my gangster Japanese is not commonly used. Like never.