Daredevil Should they plan for a Daredevil Season 2?

[Mike Murdock]

I've been trying to imagine in my head how I would do a Daredevil season - which story lines, which villains, pacing, etc. The thing I kept coming back to is that it would be fairly light on the rogue's gallery (eschewing many of them in favor of building a genuine story). But then I tried to squeeze in Typhoid Mary and realized there was no good way to do her justice unless she had several episodes and I had to go back to the drawing board because it would be a crying shame not to have her.

The thing is this. Every instinct tells me that the story gets priority, not squeezing in characters. Otherwise, you risk it turning into X-Men Origins: Wolverine and nobody wants that. On the other hand, can you really go in expecting a second season? By the time this experiment ends, we'll be about 60 episodes in. On mainstream TV, that's three seasons. For Netflix, it's four seasons. Plenty of shows have only lasted four seasons. Very few have lasted eight.

So what do you think. Should they try to squeeze in characters just to make sure we have them in the show or would it be best to leave them out and hope there's an opportunity for season two?

 

[Six]

Of course they should plan for multiple seasons. I know there some people who think this is going to be a one off and that boggles my mind... If it is successful, it will get more seasons. And with the Netflix model they have going on, it would be really hard for it to fail.

 

[metaphysician]

Just the fact that trying to fit all the major Daredevil arcs and villains into one 13 episode season is obviously insane should insure that they plan for multiple seasons. The alternative would be either shoving everything into a single season, which would kill the show, or else end the show with, I don't know, Matt Murdoch dead.

 

[the gael]

I don't know what Marvel had in mind (using the netflix series as a jumping point for future movies (like someone from Disney said) or to create the whole "street level superheroes" part of the MCU on Netflix), but 13 episodes are really.... nothing.

DD has so many characters that should be introduced and so many storylines to be told.

Do you really believe that a "Born Again" storyline can be done justice in one 13 episode season ?

Of course they have to plan a second season.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Thanks guys, that's reassuring. Although I do think this project is fairly risky so episode 59 (or 61, depending on how many Defenders episodes they'll make) is still far from certain.

I wonder if they'd go with different characters for a second season - perhaps with Elektra getting her own set of 13, for example.

 

[metaphysician]

If I had to guess, I'd say the plan is for Netflix shows to lead into more Netflix shows. Its an experiment in a new medium, and intent is for that medium to stand on its own. Not be used as a glorified promo for movies.

 

[Saitou Hajime]

Do you really believe that a "Born Again" storyline can be done justice in one 13 episode season ?

Well, obviously you need one or two seasons of building Matt and his world up before you can tear them down, but yeah, I think you can do "Born Again" in 13 episodes. 227-228 could be done in 5 episodes, 229-231 in 4, and then 232-233 for the last 4.

 

[fixxxer]

I've been trying to imagine in my head how I would do a Daredevil season - which story lines, which villains, pacing, etc. The thing I kept coming back to is that it would be fairly light on the rogue's gallery (eschewing many of them in favor of building a genuine story). But then I tried to squeeze in Typhoid Mary and realized there was no good way to do her justice unless she had several episodes and I had to go back to the drawing board because it would be a crying shame not to have her.

The thing is this. Every instinct tells me that the story gets priority, not squeezing in characters. Otherwise, you risk it turning into X-Men Origins: Wolverine and nobody wants that. On the other hand, can you really go in expecting a second season? By the time this experiment ends, we'll be about 60 episodes in. On mainstream TV, that's three seasons. For Netflix, it's four seasons. Plenty of shows have only lasted four seasons. Very few have lasted eight.

So what do you think. Should they try to squeeze in characters just to make sure we have them in the show or would it be best to leave them out and hope there's an opportunity for season two?

I believe you're thinking about this in slightly the wrong way.

Don't think of the other Netflix shows as subsequent seasons of the Daredevil show. Instead think of them as independent shows, of course with cross-overs and above that, links to the overarching MCU. Each show will have independent creative teams, show-runners et al. So, Daredevil's second season will be just that: Daredevil's second season, and not Marvel-Netfilx's sixth season. The Defenders, can basically be thought of as season 1.5 for all four shows.

Remember, Marvel Studios plans things out for years (decades even) in advance. If I were to speculate, I don't think choosing Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, who have strong inter-character ties was an accident. I believe they'll be combined into Heroes For Hire, while Daredevil, who's more of a solo character will continue into season 2. The two open spots can be claimed by new shows for new characters. Say, Punisher and Moon Knight. This is how I would set it up:

Wave 1
Daredevil (season 1)
Jessica Jones
Luke Cage
Iron Fist
The Defenders I

Wave 2
Daredevil (season 2)
Heroes For Hire (Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist)
Moon Knight
Punisher
The Defenders II

Going back to the original question on Daredevil's first season, I'd definitely prioritize telling one tight, compelling story arc (of course, including all the characters that would serve said story arc) over trying to get in as many (possibly superfluous) characters as possible.

 

[Hypestyle]

I hope that the first season ends in a cliffhanger. But one that will be resolved in the Defenders mini-series.

 

[Mr. Dent]

yes absolutely

 

[Infinight888]

I think if any of the Defenders get a second season on their own, it's going to be Daredevil.

 

[Baramos]

Every show should have at least an outline of a story arc for the first three seasons (just an outline, a general idea of where they're going). When shows don't do that they often end up having really big problems with their plotlines. *cough*LOST*cough*

EDIT: They're not going to do a separate "Heroes for Hire" with just three of the heroes, fixxxer.

 

[H.U.S.T.L.E.]

It's perfectly logical to assume that they might do Heroes For Hire, especially since it could include supporting casts from Jessica Jones, Luke Cage & Iron Fist.

There's no reason to think that they wouldn't use people like Misty Knight, Colleen Wing or Shang-Chi as additional characters to fill out a roster.

 

[metaphysician]

Or they could continue to give them solo "seasons", even if there is the in-setting formation of Heroes for Hire.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Well, I finally finished Frank Miller's first run. The stuff at the end with the Hand, Stick, etc. was pretty good too. It would make for a good second season if they didn't mind bringing back Elektra so quickly.

But I could easily see Daredevil Season 2, Elektra, Heroes for Hire (Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones all together), and a fourth one before having Defenders season 2 or something like that.

 

[metaphysician]

I still say, if they borrow from Miller, the Death of Elektra should be season 2 at earliest, and the Hand arc should be the season after that. There's enough material there, especially if you presume multiple subplots throughout a season, that you don't need to compress them into a single season.

 

[H.U.S.T.L.E.]

I still say, if they borrow from Miller, the Death of Elektra should be season 2 at earliest, and the Hand arc should be the season after that. There's enough material there, especially if you presume multiple subplots throughout a season, that you don't need to compress them into a single season.

Exactly. They don't need to rush things since there's so much material to be mined.

Ideally, I'd love for them to spend some of the early episodes on Daredevil's origin & impetus for donning the costume and maybe hold off until the second half of Season 1 to introduce Elektra. That way you could build a DD/Elektra relationship leading up to the finale of Season 2 where she's killed off. It'd be much more meaningful to have nearly 18 hours of development before killing the character & would be impactful to the viewing audience as well instead of rushing through the storyline.

 

[fixxxer]

^

Agreed with most of that, but I would prefer to delay Elektra's death for much later. Possibly towards season 4/5 if we get there, or even a movie follow up to the series... I'm sure they'll have the principal cast sign contracts with future movie options. I would love for the audience to completely fall for Elektra over the course of multiple years before she's taken away.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Bumping this for my own purposes, but I want to reply real quick. Giving more time to build up Elektra is an interesting idea. It's something Miller really did not do. Their history together was something well in the past, which is why I suggested putting it in flashbacks. Their time in the present was relatively light. I do think there's a good argument that there wasn't enough time in Miller's version to get to know her before killing her off. That being said, she was a popular enough character even with killing her early. I think part of the reason to kill her off season 1 is to leave room for other storylines in subsequent seasons.

Awhile ago, I posted my idea for Season 1. I'd like to take a similar shot at season 2. But, before I do that, I have an idea for season 3. However, my ideas involve significant involvement of the Kingpin. Does anyone think casting Vincent D'Onofrio suggests that the Kingpin isn't going to be involved in multiple seasons? That's one concern I have. An actor of that caliber isn't going to want to do the role forever.

My idea for season 3 is pretty simple. It's the Daredevil Born Again storyline. In fact, I think the storyline is so good I'd keep 95% of it without any change whatsoever. Literally, all they should do is figure out how many episodes it would take to tell it and make a season of that many episodes. Then they should beg Chris Evans so he agrees to appear for the final two or so episodes. The only changes I'd make are these:
First, I don't think all of the Avengers need to appear. Captain America is important to the storyline's conclusion, but the rest are not. Second, I'd change the ending. Uh, spoilers I guess:

Spoiler

The story ends with the hired help of the Kingpin being rushed to the Daily Bugle where he spills the beans and cripples the Kingpin's organization.

My suggestion is that Daredevil races to bring him to authorities, but he ends up dying before being of any use. Rather than have the Kingpin get away yet again, he is brought down by Matt Murdock acting through the law. However, the cost is high for Matt, who must reveal himself publicly. That way, season 4 and beyond can play with the modern Daredevil comics where they know who he is, but it gets pushed back until after they've had a few seasons of creativity. Plus, I like the idea that, after all his work as Daredevil, it's his work as a lawyer that finally prevails (the timing would be good because he'd already lost everything, so the storyline would be right to do this as well).

 

[SuperBatman]

I believe you're thinking about this in slightly the wrong way.

Don't think of the other Netflix shows as subsequent seasons of the Daredevil show. Instead think of them as independent shows, of course with cross-overs and above that, links to the overarching MCU. Each show will have independent creative teams, show-runners et al. So, Daredevil's second season will be just that: Daredevil's second season, and not Marvel-Netfilx's sixth season. The Defenders, can basically be thought of as season 1.5 for all four shows.

Remember, Marvel Studios plans things out for years (decades even) in advance. If I were to speculate, I don't think choosing Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, who have strong inter-character ties was an accident. I believe they'll be combined into Heroes For Hire, while Daredevil, who's more of a solo character will continue into season 2. The two open spots can be claimed by new shows for new characters. Say, Punisher and Moon Knight. This is how I would set it up:

Wave 1
Daredevil (season 1)
Jessica Jones
Luke Cage
Iron Fist
The Defenders I

Wave 2
Daredevil (season 2)
Heroes For Hire (Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist)
Moon Knight
Punisher
The Defenders II

Going back to the original question on Daredevil's first season, I'd definitely prioritize telling one tight, compelling story arc (of course, including all the characters that would serve said story arc) over trying to get in as many (possibly superfluous) characters as possible.

I so would love a Punisher Series that would be Awesome.