The season unfolds right in front of our eyes as everyone’s roles become a lot clearer in episode four. The focus goes back to Matt Murdock and his hard time. If things were bad before, they’re even worse now. He was never as challenged as he’s being right now, and its proving harder and harder to deal with. Despite his attempts to delete Murdock and become solely Daredevil, his old choices are catching up with him. To solve this, Murdock needs The Devil as much the other way around.

One of the highlights of the episode was the developing sympathy between Wilson Fisk and Agent Poindexter. Dex had already realized he had Fisk’s attention when he saw the tape of the convict saving him from a lot of trouble with his superiors, and going in for a confrontation was more of a way to test what would happen than to warn him that it meant nothing. Of course, as a master manipulator, Fisk manages to influence Dex in no time, and watching this trust between them come to life is as worrying as it is pleasant in terms of narrative.

A side character that deserves a lot of praise this time around is Foggy’s girlfriend Marcy. With very few scenes and not that many lines, she’s the one who gives Foggy an idea to protect himself that seems more plausible and safe than surrounding himself with locked doors and security guards. Even better, it turns into a scene in which we see Foggy acting like a real asshole for the first time. It might have been for a good reason, but he did use Blake Tower to get it done. It gives Foggy a new, less passive light. And hey, if this all ends up working out better than expected, we might see him become the next District Attorney.

Speaking of, Foggy he will probaly have a hard time finding his ID, since his resurrected friend stole it from him. The risky plan hardly seemed a good idea just to get some information, but Matthew Murdock is not known for playing it safe. The scene ends up giving us an undescribably amazing uncut sequence, with ten continuous minutes of the camera following Matt as he battles for his life during a prison riot. This moment gave us Matt in his classic suit, while also giving us the great fight choreography and filming from season one. Daredevil‘s back.

One thing that didn’t add up at about it all, though, is Fisk on the phone and watching the footage after he sent someone to kill Matt. The last part is easy, he could’ve done it through his lawyers, but he’s in house arrest, being watched and monitored 24×7. Where on earth was he in the dark, sitting on a chair, on the phone, watching footage from inside a prison that the FBI didn’t see? Where were Dex, Nadeem and all the suited agents that keep an eye on him? Seems unlikely that he could’ve pulled this one without some help from them, but given what we learn moments later, that he faked the attack on himself ealier on, it seems everyone underestimated how in control Fisk has been this whole time. He is exactly where he wants to be.

It is also interesting to notice how little surprised Karen was when Foggy told her about Matt being alive. At this point, she’s seen him go through so much and hide so much from the people he loves that this was just another thing. She continues her investigation as before, and it remains to be seen what will she do about Matt. Meanwhile, he just can’t get a break (or a brake, in this case). Anything is a mistake for The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen at this point, and taking a nap in a cab after fighting for his life ends up getting him in the bottom of the ocean while trapped inside the car. These are some really hard times for Matt Murdock.

VERDICT

5 knocked out guards out of 5

The prison sequence is the highlight of this episode, and perhaps of the whole season. It shows a production team so talented, so competent, that there are few movies that could have pulled a scene like that. For a series, then, it is a feat so spectacular that can only be compared to the hallway fight from season one. That’s not all, since “Blindsided” also gives us some pretty good character development and ends with a tense cliffhanger. So far, this fourth one is easlily the best of the season, and one of the best of the whole Marvel/Netflix partnership.

ONE-SHOTS

  • Again, the show gives us quite a bit of time to develop Agent Nadeem’s family issues. What is going to be the point of it all? How is it going to connect with everything else going on?
  • It’s officially a tradition, now: every season of Daredevil has to have an amazing fight sequence. Season one was in a hallway, season two in a stairwell, and season three in a prison.
  • Biting someone else’s burger is just evil. If you had any doubts as to Dex’s character, there you go.
  • Karen’s got a gun and she’s not afraid to use it! With friends like Frank Castle, why would she?