After Daredevil’s cancellation at Netflix back in 2018, it seemed as though Charlie Cox’s time playing the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen was over and that we’d never get to see him suit up as Daredevil within the MCU. Just when all hope was lost, Marvel surprised fans by bringing Cox back into the fold via a pair of cameos in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk before finally bringing our favorite vigilante of Hell’s Kitchen back for his own original series with Daredevil: Born Again.
Nearly seven years after the series finale of Netflix’s Daredevil series aired, Matt Murdock returns in the new Disney+ series which reunites fans with the iconic hero as well as his equally iconic foil courtesy Vincent D'Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin. The pair are joined by several returning faces from the Netflix series as well as a new group of characters who round out the ensemble’s season 1 cast.
Fans are thrilled to have Daredevil back again with new episodes, but his return does bring about a bit of a change to Disney’s approach to Marvel Disney+ original shows. While most Marvel Studios scripted series have been TV-14 or PG, Daredevil: Born Again becomes the first TV-MA Marvel Disney+ series which has created a lot of questions among Marvel parents regarding just how appropriate the show may or may not be for the younger Marvel fans in the household.
Explaining Daredevil: Born Again’s TV-MA rating
For those who aren’t as familiar with TV age ratings, TV-MA is about the clearest indication that a show is not suitable for children under the age of 17. This rating is often given to shows that are targeted toward a more mature audience as the programs with TV-MA ratings often feature strong language, sexual activity, drug use, and graphic violence.
Of Marvel’s many original series, Daredevil: Born Again is one of only a few shows to actually land a TV-MA audience (Daredevil season 2, Iron Fist season 1, and both seasons of The Punisher also received TV-MA ratings). Because this is a new approach for Marvel’s Disney+ series there are some understandable questions among parents as to what to expect from Daredevil: Born Again, so allow us to help shine a light on what to expect.
Sex & Nudity: Having seen all nine episodes of Daredevil: Born Again season 1, we can confirm that there is no nudity in the season. The closest we get is a shower scene in which Charlie Cox’s character appears shirtless but we only see him from the chest up with no nudity, in that same scene a female character joins him in the shower but no nudity is visible. There are some scenes in which characters kiss and make out, but there is nothing too gratuitous.
Language: While most Marvel shows don’t include many profanities, Daredevil: Born Again does not hold back on its use of profanities including the F-word which is used throughout the season and numerous times in most episodes. We often hear other curse words used at times throughout the series as well, though the use of the F-word is by far the most commonly used curse word within the series.
Violence & Gore: This is where Daredevil: Born Again truly earns its TV-MA rating. Throughout the season, there are graphic displays of violence, especially via the show’s fight sequences which often result in severe bloodshed, breaking of bones, and some gruesome injuries and on-screen deaths. There is also a lot of gun violence featured across the season including some pretty violent death scenes involving the use of a gun among other weapons.
Alcohol & Drugs: For the most part, there aren’t too many storylines involving drugs but there is drug use within the show depicted in various ways. In one episode, we see characters taking shots at a club, while another shows a character taking drugs to get a fix as a struggling addict. Characters are also seen consuming alcohol throughout the series with meals, at social gatherings and a bar does serve as the backdrop to a central storyline thread.
Overall verdict: Daredevil: Born Again is perfect for adults, but not appropriate for kids
While Marvel fans are sure to enjoy the dark and gruesome take on Daredevil, Daredevil: Born Again is by far one of the most violent Marvel shows yet and is not appropriate for younger Marvel fans in the house.
There are some pretty brutal fight sequences across the series which made me shudder as an adult viewer who is used to watching more mature programs as we often hear bones breaking. The finale, in particular, features what might be one of the most gruesome and gory deaths the MCU has seen which would likely be quite upsetting to younger viewers. There is also a lot of dialogue that is not appropriate for younger audiences with frequent profanity within the series.
If you have older teens who fall under the 18 age mark that enjoyed the Marvel Netflix series or shows such as AMC’s The Walking Dead, Prime Video’s The Boys, or even The CW’s Supernatural, then they likely will be okay to watch Daredevil: Born Again as the show’s violence is in line with these series and defintely nothing near as extreme as what you’ll find in The Boys. However, it can’t be stressed enough that this is not a show most will find appropriate for younger kids.