Daredevil Which is Better--DD S1 or S2?

[scatterax]

Season 2 gets the leg up.

The improvements:
1. The costume at the end of season 1/beginning of season 2 was hard to look at. They made a solid attempt at/and marginally improved upon the cowl (the new gloves are cool too) and the new billy club gets points for effort too.
2. The child acting in season 1 was a huge, huge distractor. It was cut down to a minimum for Elektra's origin and otherwise much more palatable.

The weaknesses:
1. I'm still trying to decide whether Season 2 was lacking focus. It was in no way as focused as season 1 (with everything centered around taking down kingpin obviously). But this one was: take down frank, help elektra, defend frank, confront Kingpin, take down the hand... you get the picture. It felt disjointed, but in the end they seemed to tie things up at least fairly well.

Not disjointed but definitely more episodic. There was definitely structure in how things played out, but this season set up a bigger world, while season 1 was set in a world rules by one man, so it was more laser focused.

 

[psylockolussus]

Season 1 for me.

 

[Gerontophobe]

I preferred season 2 to the first, which really surprised me given how great season 1 was. I think I prefer the structure of the 2nd season. Season 1 built slowly towards the big bad by knocking off smaller villains while DD slowly grows, which I think was necessary. However, I don't think season 2 should have been more of the same and I like that they started with a rapid-fire 4-episode Punisher arc followed by several episodes of lawyer work (which there wasn't enough of in S1) and finally finishing with a shadowy big bad. I scored it a 10 (compared to 9 for S1 and 8 for JJ S1).

 

[Rowsdower!]

I think season one was stronger overall, though there was plenty to like in season two. The Punisher and Elektra were fantastic, and Matt is even more badass than he was the first time around, even if his lawyer career suffers because of it. I feel though that they did that typical Marvel thing where they got caught up in setting stuff up for the future and didn't focus enough on the present. It seems like nothing was resolved at the end. The Hand is still around and we STILL don't know what the hell Black Sky even is. Frank found the guy he was after, but there was something else there that wasn't clear.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

I liked S1 more.

 

[raisethe3]

Season 1 for me. S2 lacks a bit of focus.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

I'm up to episode 8 of season 2, and I will give it one thing the first season never did, and it make me laugh hard, and it's not for being marmie.

I'll need to watch the whole season, and then watch it again, maybe watch both seasons back to back after I rewatch this season, and fully compare notes.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

they're both good, season 1 was better. season 1 was a masterpiece.

 

[famicommander]

Season two, mostly because of Punisher.

Both seasons really fizzle out towards the end.

 

[Mjölnir]

I loved season 1, which made me even more amazed over how season 2 managed to improve upon that in so many ways.

 

[venom892]

As far an overall narrative, season 1 wins. It's plot was laser focused. Season two had two main plots with almost no crossover. However I think season two had better individual episodes. Episode 3 has to be my favorite episode of the show. I'm just happy this is actually a debate and there was no noticeable dip in quality.

 

[Quasimod0]

Easily season 2. It upped the ante in every way. 9.5/10

 

[Vortigern99]

S1 was superior, IMO. The narrative was more clear, the big bad was more present and defined, the fight scenes were better and more organic/believable.

S2 is terrific, but it suffers from some clumsy fight scenes, muddy narrative problems and the absence of a clear, identifiable villain.

 

[afan]

S1, as many have mentioned; a clear focus, an identifiable and understandable villain give it the edge. When will they learn, story-wise less is more.

 

[djsunyc]

i loved both seasons but s1 slightly over s2.

but this is my favorite scene in both seasons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQRsRWVOgwU

 

[Whatupman]

Brilliant scene! Can't wait for a rematch between those two.

 

[ChristoftheRed]

Season 2 had a faster pace. I just loved watching Daredevil, Elektra and The Hand. It was so awesome! Punisher was great, and I felt Daredevil was getting better and more bad ass at what he did.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

While I really enjoyed the first season, there were a few weaknesses here and there, and despite what some posters are saying, to me I felt there were moments where season one felt like a bit of a slog. Moments mind you. Above all else though, there was just something that rang false to me and not executed as well as it could have been in the last two episodes of season one. I felt actually disappointed once Matt actually put on the costume and the fight with Fisk in the context of how they set it up and pulled it off in that last episode felt awkward and rushed in comparison to everything that lead up to it.

Season two on the other hand, no pun intended, just flowed so well, and was a three track thing with the Hand/Stick/Elektra story in one corner, the Punisher/Frank story in the other and the slow dissolution of the Franklin & Murdock practice in another. They balanced all those things well I think and frankly, with all those various conflicts going around and pulling at Matt from different directions, there was no need for an overarching villain to be at the center of it all. That all worked well without a big bad I think.

So, for myself, despite how good season one was I feel season two was surprisingly more satisfying, with some amazing stand out moments of action and drama that topped even some of the best moments in season one.

 

[hafizbat]

I clicked on the wrong button and voted that both aren't good instead of both equally good I have brought shame on myself.

 

[Jeight]

So you are the one vote i was scratching my head about . I found it really odd someone NOT like either of them

 

[RagingTempest]

Hmmm, I'd have to say Season 1 was better. I mean between the origins of Fisk and Matt/Daredevil, it was exceptional!!! What Season 2 lacked was cohesion and an overarching villain. Instead of that, we got 2 arcs with two-anti heroes: "The Punisher" and "Elektra". The problem is that Season 2 has too much story going on. You have DD going after Frank, then teaming up with Elektra, then the Wilson pops up (still a masterful villain!), then the Hand stuff, etc. It's a lot for 13 episodes/one season and could have been spread to Season 3. Not to say the origins of Punisher and Elektra weren't good, but the season would have benefitted from one arc as Frank's story was so compelling and deserved more time spent on it. The first four episodes are nothing short of brilliant and Jon Bernthal OWNS the character that is Frank Castle. He captures both the heart and bada$$ery that is the Punisher. The dueling ideologies scene between him and DD were great as well as Jon's heartbreaking confession at the graveyard.

After that, the season loses a bit of steam. Now I like Elektra but her story wasn't as solid as Castle's. She's an awesome fighter, easy on the eyes and has genuine chemistry with Matt but I just didn't feel any sympathy for her like I did with Punisher. She had a rogue childhood but I felt the writers could have done more. Even the debut of her sais and eventual costume were underwhelming. Then the whole Black Sky reveal was head scratching at times. Season 1 just handled it's story better cause it told one, instead of multiple. I do have to say this season used Foggy and Karen much better with Foggy dealing with Frank's case alone and Karen investigating Frank's past. Even Claire managed to have a better arc for her character and I'm curious with what the writers do next with her.

So I'd say the jumbled mix of story arcs is what hurt the season a bit but otherwise it was excellent. Charlie Cox is still incredible as Matt/DD, the fight scenes are still EPIC (that stairwell fight might just have topped the hallway scene in Season 1), the supporting cast is still top notch and despite what I thought of Elektra's story overall, Elodio Yong gives a charming performance. All the Punisher scenes were executed perfectly and I am looking forward to Season 3!!

 

[Flint Marko]

Season 1 was probably better written, but I prefer season 2.

 

[coluanprime]

I think I like S2 better. The structure of the season and the pacing was much improved even though the plot lacked a little. Karen and Foggy were well used and I really enjoyed Karen's plotline though Frank's conspiracy plotline was underbaked. Also Elektra.

 

[First Avenger]

I like how they made S2 completely different from S1. I felt the pacing was better,it handled the multiple plots well and I don't think not explaining some things was a flaw. They are clearly building up to the Big crossover where Daredevil will need all the help he can get. Both Punisher and Elektra were great,the action was fantastic,the surprise appearance was amazing and the Hand stuff was appropriately creepy while still mysterious.They kept it grounded but it also felt more comic-booky and I always appreciate that kind of stuff.