Daredevil Season 2, Episode 3 Recap And Review: “New York’s Finest”

Episode Three of Daredevil continued to keep things moving as Matt and the Punisher have a get-to-know-you talk on a rooftop in Hell’s Kitchen. What I thought was turning out to be a pretty slow-paced, though very well done episode, turned things up in a BIG way over the last ten minutes, as Daredevil shows us all just how good he is.

As with all these recaps, FULL SPOILERS for the episode follow.

Not-So-Short Summary: After having a vision of a nun trying to help him, Matt wakes up chained to a rooftop while the Punisher begins to get ready for his next “mission.”

Matt tries in vain to get the Punisher to talk about himself — why he’s doing what he’s doing — anything until he can figure out a way to escape. After several dead ends, Punisher finally takes the bait as Matt suggests he could simply walk away from the life he has chosen.

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While Daredevil and the Punisher continue their talk, Foggy heads to the ER to see if he can find out what happened to Matt. There he pleads for Claire Temple (remember her?) for any information she may have. But considering how busy she has been, thanks to the Punisher and how things ended with her and Matt, she is naturally reluctant.

Meanwhile, Karen talks to Grotto, who is just a bit upset about how things went down.

After the landlord of the building rooftop Matt and the Punisher are having their heart to heart on narrowly avoids having a really, really bad day, the two men continue their talk. Matt tries to make Frank (the Punisher’s real name) understand that there is the possibility of redemption in everyone, something Frank doesn’t agree with. What he does has to be done and Matt’s way is just a never-ending cycle that doesn’t work.

While Foggy once again proves what a badass he is to get Claire to help him, Karen shows what a badass she is in her own right as she convinces Reyes’ assistant to give her the files on the Punisher so she can help figure out how to stop him.

The discussion on the roof reaches its conclusion as Matt wakes to find a gun taped to his hand and Grotto in front of him. The choice is simple: kill Frank to spare Grotto, or allow Grotto to die for the murder he committed that Matt didn’t know anything about.

Daredevil finds a third option (because… well, he’s Daredevil) and knocks Frank unconscious, but not before an army of Dogs of Hell gang members storm the building thinking Daredevil is the one who attacked them earlier. Placing the Punisher in an elevator, Matt turns to face the gang alone.

What follows in a pitched battle down hallways and a stairwell as Daredevil fights his way out of the building. After barely making it out alive, he finds that the Punisher has escaped.

As that is all going on, Karen looks over the Punisher files and finds an X-ray labeled “F. Castle” that shows a skull with a bullet hole in it.

Daredevil and the Punisher get to know each other. (Photo credit: Marvel Studios)

Miscellaneous Musings and Thoughts: Okay. I was ready for a slower-paced episode as the lengthy discussion between Frank and Matt necessitated such an episode. And although I missed the action elements, I was enjoying watching as the two characters as they discussed their very different views on justice and redemption.

Then the last 10 minutes happened. Holy Sh*t!

That fight was something to behold. While I don’t think it was quite as epic as the hallway fight from Season One, it was still easily one of the best fight sequences I have ever seen in any Marvel movie or television show. To see Matt just continue fighting, gang member after gang member to finally reach the end was just awesome. It more than made up for any issues I had with the slower pace earlier in the episode.

As for the big talk between Matt and Frank, it was entertaining but for me dragged on a bit too long. The two points of view were pretty straightforward to begin with and watching Matt plead with Frank just made him look a bit naïve and foolish.

Related Story: Daredevil Season 2, Episode 2 Recap And Review

Luckily, Karen and Foggy more than made up for any issues I had with Matt as both had great moments to shine. Foggy and Claire (the returning Rosario Dawson) in the ER was a lot of fun and Karen is quickly showing she can more than hold her own with the strong personalities of Matt and Foggy.

“New York’s Finest” was another stellar episode to what is shaping up to be another winning season for Daredevil.

That fight scene though. How freakin’ cool was that?