It’s important to deal with the fallout of Foggy finding out about Matt’s nocturnal activities, and right away this is a tricky proposition, because “fallout” episodes usually rank somewhere below “grieving” episodes in my estimation. Typically it’s a way for a show to pump the brakes so everyone can put on their best Actor Faces. Luckily Daredevil avoids the pitfalls that many shows stumble into, because, well, Daredevil is a really good show. Obviously this conversation was inevitable, but Daredevil should be commended for making its world seem so lived-in that it feels like this Chekhov’s Gun has been on the wall for a while, instead of just nine hours.
“Nelson v. Murdock” is structured very much like a bottle episode with Matt and Foggy, and like previous “bottle” episodes – “Cut Man,” “Condemned” – the show succeeds by giving its actors room to breathe and, you know, act. Matt never once suits up, and Claire has stitched him up before the episode even begins, so there’s a lot of room to Matt and Foggy to address several elephants in the room.
Before we get to that, let’s talk about the surrounding events. Ben and Karen’s investigation is finally interesting me enough to mention it here and not in my pretentious “Few Thoughts” I always do. They take a trip to a hospice facility upstate and strike up a conversation with an old woman named Marlene Vistain. Through talking to her, Ben realizes what Karen (and the audience) already know: this is Fisk’s mother. She alludes to what Fisk did to his father, but never spells it out. It’s obvious that sooner rather than later, Karen and Ben will find out about the patricide, but that’s dangerous information to have. If they leak that to the press, they’ll put themselves right in Fisk’s crosshairs, which is a dangerous place to be. Just ask Anatoly, Vladimir, and Nobu.
Fisk, for his part, doesn’t get a hell of a lot to do in “Nelson v. Murdock,” but that’s okay, because it’s not his hour. He’s told twice – by Madame Gao, then by Leland Owlsley – that his attachment to Vanessa is distracting him. It’s a fair point to make, but as he points out to Leland, he’s in love, and things change. Vincent D’Onofrio continues to defy expectations with his portrayal of Fisk, who seems to actually be in the throes of puppy love. Fisk throws a gala fundraiser, while wearing the biggest bow tie I’ve ever seen (it’s, like, American Hustle big), during which a lot of people, including Vanessa, succumb to some sort of poison in the champagne. It’s fairly obvious that this is Leland’s doing, and one wonders how this will backfire on him (Wesley already doesn’t like Leland, so it’s not like he has a support structure to rely upon).
Anyway, back to the thrust of this episode. Can I take a second to point out that this is the best that Eldon Henson has been all season? He’s much better in the dramatic scenes; his comedic delivery is too broad, as if he knows he’s supposed to make people laugh, but when Foggy has to act hurt, or betrayed, or angry, it’s then that Henson truly delivers. And Foggy is definitely angry. Their conversation is more like an interrogation, as Foggy acts more or less like an audience surrogate, demanding answers to questions like “Is Matt really blind?” (Yes and no.) Intercut with flashbacks of Matt and Foggy meeting during college, the episode takes a turn for the heartbreaking, as the two are openly weeping before Foggy leaves, to return to the office so he can throw away the Nelson & Murdock sign. Daredevil has been so great at showing consequences, I found myself wondering if Matt and Foggy can actually come back from this.
A Few Thoughts
- How adorable were college Matt and Foggy? I’m sure those flashbacks have already inspired a lot of disturbing fan fiction from Tumblr users who can’t watch any show without ‘shipping
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“An old blind man taught you the ancient ways of martial arts? Isn’t that the plot to Kung Fu?”
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“You got your peepers knocked out saving that old dude!”
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“Sometimes the law isn’t enough”
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Two Easter eggs I spotted: Matt pursuing a “Greek girl” in college, presumably a nod to Elektra Natchios; and the framed Bulletin cover on Ben’s wall, sporting the headline “Battle In NY,” which I imagine is an Avengers reference
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