Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Daredevil: Born Again reaction/review post. Daredevil: Born Again released two episodes this week, so we’ll have a reaction for the next episode, “The Scales & the Sword,” later today. I’m writing this reaction/review of “Shoot the Moon” after watching the episode twice. I like most of the developments in this episode, but Daredevil: Born Again also continues its penchant for adding more story threads and characters we need to follow. Before long, I may need a roadmap.

Angela del Toro, niece of Hector Ayala (White Tiger) and definitely the next White Tiger, is reintroduced in this episode. I don’t mind having another White Tiger this quickly. Several characters have donned the White Tiger mantle. I like the story centered around del Toro. It gives ICE in Minnesota vibes. Daredevil: Born Again, Season Two may not have shot these scenes as an homage to ICE in Minnesota, but one can see parallels. I’m down for it. My issue from last week stands. Daredevil: Born Again, Season Two has a massive cast. It does a lot of things great, but I don’t know where to focus. I don’t even know if the show knows to place its focus.

The massive cast was my rant from the previous episode. I don’t know if I mentioned enough of the previous episode’s strengths. I do like how Kirsten McDuffie gets roped into Angela’s superhero origin. McDuffie already fights the legal battles for vigilantes. She’s going to war for vigilantes in the courtroom. I can see her helping Angela as the new White Tiger outside the courtroom. This could mirror Foggy and Matt’s relationship way back in the original Netflix Daredevil. I’m all for that. And it’s confirmed. BB Urich is behind the Mayor Fisk smear campaign, and she’s the one dressing up as Kingpin. I think I called that last week. If I didn’t, I certainly thought BB was behind the Fisk mask. Honestly, the reveal wasn’t that big of a shock, so it’s best that it occurred so soon in the season. But the scene between BB and Deputy Mayor Daniel Blake was fantastic.

I liked Daniel Blake’s portrayal from last season. We lost him in the second season’s first episode, but “Shoot the Moon” highlights why Blake is a dynamic character. Michael Gandolfini shows unlimited range in this episode. He switches from affable to terrifying within the same scene. He’s so good in this role. I don’t care if he is or isn’t Wilson Fisk’s son, Richard Fisk, also known as the supervillain The Rose. There are so many great performances on the Wilson Fisk side of the aisle. Sheila Rivera stands on the precipice of learning who Mayor Kingpin is and watching her navigate which path to take is mesmerizing. Vanessa and Wilson Fisk share several heartfelt moments in “Shoot the Moon.” If they weren’t murderers, you’d swoon.

And “Shoot the Moon” brings back Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter into the fold. It’s fun watching Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye get to work. There are so many delicious layered plot threads introduced in Daredevil: Born Again so far. Bullseye takes down the anti-vigilante task force (AVTF). This obviously hurts Fisk’s AVTF and authority. But it doesn’t do Matt Murdock any favors, because Fisk can blame most of the deaths on Bullseye working alongside Daredevil. And I like how Fisk sends NYC citizens after Murdock because he’s a hero, while siccing his AVTF after Daredevil. The only thing I didn’t care for was Matt explaining what’s happening to Karen because whoever wrote the script didn’t trust the audience would pick up on Fisk playing both sides. This was Kingpin acting like Kingpin. There’s a reason we love the big guy. Vincent D’Onofrio is brilliant.

And that brings me back to Venessa and Wilson, and I’ll add Matt and Karen. I like the parallels between these two couples. There’s a reason why the Heather Glenn/Matt Murdock relationship felt like it would be short-lived. The two didn’t have chemistry. Matt Murdock and Karen Page’s relationship is the one that could rival Venessa and Wilson’s, and it’s great to see them together in Daredevil: Born Again. But I do like Heather Glenn as a secondary antagonist. The Vigilante Trials should play a huge role in Daredevil: Born Again’s Second Season. I’m watching these episodes one at a time, so I may contradict myself in the next post. In fact, I’m going to make some predictions before I watch the next episode, “The Scales & the Sword.”

Sword makes me wonder if the Swordsman will get involved. We may see Duquesne, but I think we’re more likely to see him in court, the aforementioned Vigilante Trials, because Scales and the Sword is also the symbol for justice. Red Hook was built up in this episode, so we’ll see Daredevil attempt to infiltrate the facility. And there’s an outside chance del Toro will don the White Tiger amulet. Most likely, she won’t wear an outfit…yet.

I may have focused a lot on the first episode’s shortcomings, but I do like Daredevil: Born Again’s, Second Season. There are a lot of interesting characters and plotlines. I just hope we get some satisfying payoffs. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.