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Daredevil Born Again Season Two Review

Daredevil: Born Again “The Grand Design” Review

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Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction of this week’s Daredevil: Born Again episode, “The Grand Design.” Today’s post will resemble last week’s in that it’ll be more of a reaction than a full review. Again, I only watched “The Grand Design” a single time (not my typical two or three), but again, this week’s episode remained focused on its principal characters–maybe even more so than last week–and that’s a great development.

I may have been too hasty to pronounce Venessa Fisk deceased last week. But spoilers, she perishes “for real” at the end of “The Grand Design.” This delay gave Daredevil: Born Again the chance to give Venessa the send-off she deserved, and it managed to still lead to a great shock. Perhaps others felt otherwise, but “The Grand Design” lulled me into a false sense of security. Venessa pulled through. I began to think she’s going to make it, and some other event will need to occur to fully unleash The Kingpin. Not so fast.

Venessa’s passing away this way may invoke more trauma within Wilson. The acting was brilliant. The moments between Wilson and Venessa show why they’re a great couple. While I’ll be sad to see her go, I can’t wait to see Kingpin channel his rage toward Bullseye and Daredevil. Oh. There will be a reckoning.

Daredevil and Bullseye share several heart-to-heart talks. These scenes very much remind me of the ones between The Punisher and Daredevil in the original Netflix Daredevil. I mentioned that last week, but it bears repeating. And yet, “The Grand Design’s” emotional center plays out through Daredevil, or rather Matt Murdock, flashbacks with Foggy Nelson. Typically, I don’t care for an abundance of flashback scenes, but they work in “The Grand Design.” Daredevil’s remembering Foggy parallels Kingpin’s journey with Venessa. And like Wilson and Venessa’s flashbacks informing the present-day action, Foggy’s moral code informs Matt’s actions.

Honestly, “The Grand Design” is the farewell I wanted for Foggy over a year ago. I’ve said this before, too, but again, it bears repeating. It’s not that Daredevil: Born Again can’t kill off popular characters; it matters how the show does the deed. Fans got to say goodbye to Foggy. Finally! Matt was forced to reflect on WWFD. What Would Foggy Do? Foggy’s influence caused Daredevil to return for Bullseye. Foggy was the one who preached mercy. Sure. At times, Daredevil: Born Again delivers this message in a ham-fisted way, but the message was important. These scenes showed why Foggy was important.

Returning to the here and now, Blake and Buck make an unconventional tandem. It’s clear the two actors portraying these characters have chemistry. And yes, we receive Buck flashbacks during “The Grand Design.” Like I said, this episode leaned heavily on flashbacks. Anyway, I’ve praised Gandolfini’s (Daniel Blake) performance in the past, and he brought it again this week. Gandolfini’s acting sold the rising tension. Sorry. Gandolfini and Arty Froushan (Buck) sold this rising tension. It’s a joy watching these two switch from a cat-and-mouse game of intentions to mutual respect and friendship. Heck. They manage to portray both facets of these relationship at the same time.

And that brings me back to Daredevil: Born Again’s acting. With a handful of exceptions, it’s superb. The actors care about their characters. They understand what makes them tick. From an action standpoint, very little happens during “The Grand Design’s” runtime, but it doesn’t matter. This episode is the calm before the Kingpin storm. Daredevil: Born Again is about to get loud. My only concern is that the show may begin to lose focus. These past two weeks were great, but I know Jessica Jones is about to make her MCU debut. While I can’t wait to see Ritter reprise the role, I wonder how Daredevil: Born Again will fit in Jones. She’ll need more than the cameo The Punisher received last year. The Punisher is getting his own special in a month. Correct me if I’m wrong, but The Punisher appeared before Daredevil: Born Again season one’s midway point last year. Can the show squeeze in Jones, especially since we’ll be seeing full-throated Kingpin?

Daredevil: Born Again also sidelined multiple characters like BB, Kingpin’s staff, and even Karen Page the past couple of episodes. Kingpin may not be the only one making noise in the season’s final three episodes. 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.

Whatcha Watching Geekly April 2026

Whatcha Watching, Geekly? April 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today, our writers share what they’ve been watching over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching, too, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been watching over the past month.

Kyra’s Movies

I haven’t watched too many movies over the past month, and I’m unsure if Untold: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom counts as a film. But I’m counting it. I’ve watched less and less of sports and sports-related content in the past dozen years. Netflix’s Untold series has a tendency to mischaracterize events (at best) or outright lie about details, so I watched The Death and Life of Lamar Odom with some level of skepticism. Typically, the Netflix Untold series paints its subjects in a glowing–or at least positive–light. The Death and Life of Lamar Odom bears many of Lamar’s secrets.

Let me count the ways. Lamar admits he didn’t invite his family to his and Khloe’s wedding. He confessed that he married Khloe, in part, because he wanted the Kardashian lifestyle. The reality show, Khloe & Lamar, was his idea; Khloe didn’t want cameras capturing the couple’s private life. Lamar initiated his and Khloe’s divorce; Khloe put together an intervention, stating they should separate if he didn’t get clean, and he chose drugs. And we watch candid videos of Khloe nursing Lamar back to health. The two may have even reconciled if Lamar hadn’t relapsed shortly after physical therapy.

Untold: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom holds back few of Lamar’s flaws. I actually felt sorry for Khloe Kardashian. Provided that Lamar Odom endorsed this short documentary, I believe it to be an earnest attempt by Lamar to make amends. The Death and Life of Lamar Odom may not be a hopeful story through most of its runtime, but the ending offers levity. This is one of the better Untold documentaries.

I may have mentioned Woman of the Hour in a previous Whatcha, so I’ll keep this brief. While Anna Kendrick’s debut directorial debut may have received modest reviews, I saw real potential. Kendrick showcases a keen cinematic eye in Woman of the Hour. Ironically, Kendrick doesn’t quite deliver as the title character, Sheryl, but most of the cast nail their portrayals. Zovatto’s Alcala strikes the appropriate balance of fear and unease. Tony Hale’s Dating Game host Ed and Pete Holmes, the creeper acting coach, effectively portray toxic masculinity circa 1970s. Max Lloyd-Jones’ Ken even illustrates how women can be silenced and why they may not come forward after an assault.

There’s so much to love about the characters in Woman of the Hour. The story’s a little clunky. But again, the cinematography is fantastic. The opening and closing sequences will leave one gasping. Is it weird that I put on true crime shows and movies as a comfort? Don’t answer that.

Kyra’s Shows

I may have watched Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun this past month. It was a blur. Or I could’ve been so high, I was on the show. I love watching Aunty Donna sketches on YouTube, so I decided to give their Netflix show a try. Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun plays out like a raunchier and updated Monty Python with an Australian twist. In short, it’s bizarre.

At one point, Broden Kelly dressed as Ellen DeGeneres talks Zachary Ruane through an intergalactic voyage in his “brand new car.” This one scene made me question what was happening. It went on for a good ten minutes. Zach picks up more than one new car on his voyage, and he turns blue. Everyone who passes through a black hole turns blue. You didn’t know that? Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun had plenty of laughs, but there were plenty of head-scratching moments, too. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Each episode’s theme allows the Aunty Donna gang to tie in some callbacks to previous moments. If you’re cleaning up for the Queen visiting your flat, of course, you’re going to sweep up the little man who lives in the corner of the kitchen. We need to hear his story of owning shoes made of buttons and his bubble gum pillow. That’s a taste of what you can expect in Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun. Expect the unexpected.

And I’ve been watching the latest season of Daredevil: Born Again. I review most episodes each Saturday and hope to continue throughout the show’s second season. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of Daredevil: Born Again Season Two. The show does suffer from an abundance of characters, so the episodes that focus on Daredevil: Born Again‘s central cast are typically its strongest. As I write this entry, I have yet to watch this week’s episode, but I’m certain that will soon change.

That’s all I have for what I’ve been watching this past month. Let’s check in with Season.

Season’s Movie

I haven’t watched much recently, but I did rewatch The Devil Wears Prada in preparation for the upcoming sequel. I watched it for the first time when I landed in Japan for foreign exchange and rewatched it several times in my dorm room. At first, I watched The Devil Wears Prada for its story. The subsequent views were for the clothes. The Devil Wears Prada may have come out in 2006, but a lot of those clothes still look fashionable today. With a runtime of 109 minutes, The Devil Wears Prada doesn’t take long, and it’s an easy watch.

The trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 features Simone Ashley (Kate Sharma in Bridgerton) as one of Miranda Priestly’s (Meryl Streep) new assistants. I’m unsure about the story, but I’m liking the new (and old) cast.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. Our movie geek Skye has a hectic work schedule. Hopefully, she’ll be back for next week’s post. But what have you been watching over the past month. Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Tabletop Game Review: Dorfromantik: The Board Game

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Dorfromantik: The Board Game is the rare exception where a video game (that was inspired by board games) made it big, so then a board game version of the video game is made, and that board game becomes an award darling. Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today’s board game review is for Dorfromantik: The Board Game. We covered the original Dorfromantik video game a few months ago (just in time for Christmas), so it’s only fair to review Dorfromantik: The Board Game. We’ll get to the game in a bit, but first, we’ll review Dorfromantik: The Board Game’s credits.

The Fiddly Bits

Designer: Michael Palm and Lukas Zach
Publisher: Berry Games; Pegasus Spiele
Date Released: 2022
Number of Players: 1-6
Age Range: 6 and up
Setup Time: 5-10 minutes
Play Time: 30-60 minutes

Game Mechanisms

Area Majority
Campaign
Cooperative Game
Hexagon Grid
Modular Board
Tile Placement
Variable Set-Up

Game Setup

While Dorfromantik: The Board Game offers concise rules, BoardGameGeek user lenlindsay made a  Dorfromantik: The Board Game full rules on 1 page, where they did the work we typically do here and paraphrased the rulebook to give you a glimpse of Dorfromantik. Thank you, lenlindsay.

1) If playing a campaign game, check-off on the Score Sheet all the components you have unlocked (to remind you that these will be scored at the game’s end).

2) Shuffle and place the Landscape Tiles, Task Tiles, and Task Markers (separated by color) in facedown stacks on the table in easy reach of players.

3) Put 3 Landscape Tiles back into the box (they won’t be used)

–In a campaign, do not mix in Special Tiles till removing 3.

4) Do NOT open any of the boxes until told to do so.

Game Flow

1) Choose a starting player. Then take turns clockwise.

2) One at a time, take 3 Task Tiles with a matching Task Marker and place them adjacent to each other on the table however seems best to your group. (Players take turns doing this.)

3) On their turn a player checks to see if there still are 3 tasks on the playing board. –If not, they take a Task Tile and a matching Task Marker and decide where to place it on the board.
–Otherwise take a Landscape Tile and place it on the board.

General Placement Rules

1) Tiles must be placed adjacent to at least one tile on the board.

2) Train tracks and streams must match on the adjacent tile.

3) Other terrain types need not match (but there are advantages to matching areas of the same terrain type).

Game End

* The game ends immediately when there are no further Landscape Tiles left to place.

* If you place the last Landscape Tile so that it completes a task(s), you may place a new Task Tile(s) until there are again 3 available tasks on the board (at which point the game ends).

We won’t go into detail the endgame scoring rules. Dorfromantik: The Board Game (and lenlindsay) does a great job of explaining this. Dorfromantik: The Board Game is also cooperative, so scoring knowing how to score isn’t cutthroat, but knowing how to score in the game will inform where you’ll place your tiles. We only wanted to share how to play and what you’re doing during a turn.

Review

At first, Dorfromantik: The Board Game plays like a group activity rather than a game. I noticed this when I was first playing Dorfromantik and when I taught Dorfromantik to other new players. But as soon as I busted out the endgame scoring and applied our results to Dorfromantik’s campaign sheet perception of the game flipped.

Dorfromantik: The Board Game may be the first board game I’ve played where the campaign makes the game. Don’t get me wrong, the group activity that is Dorfromantik without the campaign is a lot of fun. Dorfromantik: The Board Game may be the first cozy board game I’ve covered. That sets it apart. I haven’t found too many games where I can board game and chill.

The only tension you’ll find with Dorfromantik: The Board Game is by adding the campaign. Fortunately, the game includes a massive pad of campaign sheets, so one copy of Dorfromantik can accommodate multiple gaming groups. Believe me, I’ve played Dorfromantik with multiple gaming groups. Each time, it’s the same. We’re chilling, making the best city we can from the tiles we draw, and then the endgame scoring occurs. We watch as the score climbs higher and higher. The more points we earn, the more of the campaign track we can unlock. That’s Dorfromantik’s challenge.

After a path or two, your gaming group will unlock one of Dorfromantik’s campaign boxes with new rules and tiles. The campaign will eventually branch, and you can then choose the path you want to take. Each of these paths will include different boxes, rules, and scoring conditions. The campaign’s branching path gives Dorformantik’s its replay factor. And I’ve played a lot of this 2023 Spiel des Jahres (German Game of the Year) winner.

Dorfromantik: The Board Game won’t be for everyone. In fact, I see it as an excellent gateway game (a game for people new to the board game hobby). Dorfromantik includes numerous game mechanisms you may find in competitive games, but since it’s a cooperative game, and a super chill cooperative game at that, Dorfromantik acts like a soft pat on the back for newcomers.

Too Long; Didn’t Read

Dorfromantik: The Board Game is an excellent gateway game (a game for people new to the hobby) because it’s a super chill cooperative game. This game’s campaign is stellar; without the campaign, Dorfromantik plays more like a group activity.

Daredevil Born Again Season Two Review 02

Daredevil: Born Again “Gloves Off” Review

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Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another reaction/review of a Daredevil: Born Again episode. This one may be more of a reaction than previous installments in this series. I only had time to watch “Gloves Off” once (getting ready for this weekend’s convention and sprucing up my board games for the Great Plains Gaming Festival’s gaming library has taken a lot of my time this week). As a result, I didn’t give “Gloves Off” my usual two or three viewings before posting a reaction/review. But I don’t think “Gloves Off” needed a second viewing. It was pretty straightforward, and that may be for the best.

I’m sensing a trend with Daredevil: Born Again. The show uses Bullseye as a catalyst for major change: Foggy’s death at the beginning of season one and Dex shooting Matt at the end of season one. We’ll get the spoiler part out of the way real quick. And just in case you have yet to watch “Gloves Off,” consider this a spoiler warning. Bullseye kills Kingpin’s wife, Vanessa, at the end of the episode. Again, Daredevil: Born Again choreographed this development before it happened. And again, I think this was the right move. “Gloves Off” may have other players sprinkled throughout its runtime, but the bulk of this episode focuses on the main cast. Another great development that I don’t think will continue in future episodes. Getting back to Venessa, her meeting with New York’s governor served as a farewell and foreshadowing.

As soon as Governor Marge McCaffrey said, “I can’t put my faith in Mayor Wilson Fisk…but I can put my faith in Mayor and Mrs. Fisk,” she signed Venessa’s death certificate. I knew immediately Venessa would perish. Daredevil: Born Again needed the tension an unleashed Kingpin would provide, and we saw Kingpin’s rage throughout “Gloves Off’s” runtime. The episode literally ends with Wilson Fisk boxing and killing (?) his opponent. Kingpin looked every part the role of someone who could challenge Daredevil to a physical confrontation. And Bullseye also gets portrayed as a competent killer. Most scenes with Bullseye are fun.

Daredevil: Born Again “Gloves Off” has plenty of dynamite scenes. The Bullseye scene at the beginning, where he takes down an entire squad of AVTF (Anti-Vigilante Task Force) members, was epic. I love it when Bullseye gets to cut loose. After watching this, I did question how Fisk could recruit so many people to the AVTF. Bullseye has been systematically killing off AVTF like they’re nameless Stormtroopers. I can’t imagine too many people wanting to sign up for AVTF duty when the survival rate is so low.

But moving on, Bullseye’s current storyline mirrors The Punisher’s from the original Netflix Daredevil. Bullseye is taking an extreme view, going further than Daredevil would ever consider, and the two (Daredevil and Bullseye) share a debate while they fight. Honestly, I think Daredevil: Born Again did a better job of integrating this debate (of killing versus non-lethal means of subduing enemies) in an action sequence than the original Daredevil. If I remember correctly, the bulk of The Punisher and Daredevil’s debate in Netflix’s Daredevil took place with Daredevil tied to a chimney. I much prefer Daredevil: Born Again’s presentation of this debate. At least, so far.

“Gloves Off” did a great job of tying up some loose ends, like the Northern Star’s first mate. It further develops Angela del Toro (soon to be White Tiger) as a member of the resistance, and Daredevil as the resistance’s symbol. “Gloves Off” does a fantastic job of setting up the idea of Kingpin without his wife, showing him to be a formidable foe (from a physical standpoint), and ending with what should be the catalyst for Fisk embracing the Kingpin moniker again. Daredevil: Born Again even did a good job of showing Wilson Fisk’s disdain for New York, calling him Mayor Kingpin through BB’s underground videos. “Gloves Off” is a great example of a standalone Daredevil: Born Again episode.

I do wonder if Daredevil: Born Again intends to continue using Bullseye as a narrative crutch. The show may be training viewers to perceive Daredevil: Born Again episodes that include Bullseye as more consequential. And Bullseye gets injured at the end of “Gloves Off.” We may not see him again until closer to Daredevil: Born Again’s season finale. You can’t see it, but I’m stroking my chin. Hmm. Bullseye may return closer to Daredevil: Born Again’s season finale. Coincidence?

But what do you think about Daredevil: Born Again “Gloves Off?” Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.