I’ll be honest—sometimes I like to listen to other critics and pundits after I’ve watched an episode, just to get a different perspective. Not because I can’t form my own opinion, but because I’ve started to notice something about myself: if I really like a show, I can overlook flaws a bit too easily. Moments that might not fully land/work, or questions that should be answered, can get brushed aside because I’m enjoying the experience overall. That’s exactly what happened here.
After listening to a discussion about this episode with John and Shannon (for full disclosure), I started to reflect a bit more critically. One thing that stood out is how much I’ve been relying on the show itself to eventually explain certain plot points, character decisions, or transitions—even when it doesn’t fully do that. Characters sometimes disappear for an episode or two and then reappear and the development feels shallow and while I’ve mostly gone along with it, it’s fair to say those connections aren’t always as strong or clearly developed as they could be.
Now, to be fair, not every criticism they had lands for me. I had no real issue with the therapist and Buck, and Jessica Jones’ introduction worked for me too—it was set up with a small line from Karen, and that was enough in my view. But the broader point does stick: this series could benefit from tightening its narrative threads and being a bit more deliberate in how it connects everything together.
When you look at the bigger picture, it makes sense. This was originally planned as an 18-episode run before being reworked. A lot was clearly cut, reshaped, and refocused to better align with what fans wanted. That likely explains why Season 1 felt like a collection of ideas loosely stitched together. Season 2 is definitely stronger—it has clearer direction, better ideas, and more engaging character dynamics—but those connective gaps are still there and it needs tightening.
That said, when the show hits, it really hits. The core characters remain compelling, the dynamics between them are strong, and the action continues to deliver.
Picking up directly from the previous episode, we see Wilson Fisk grieving over Vanessa’s death—a rare moment of vulnerability for him. But this is still Kingpin, and even in grief, he’s thinking ahead. While a funeral is held, Fisk is already making moves regarding the shipment, showing that his empire doesn’t pause for anything.
Jessica Jones enters the story properly here, crossing paths with Daredevil as she looks for payback. This leads to a warehouse fight involving the AVTF, and it’s exactly the kind of gritty, chaotic action you’d expect when those two characters share the screen.
Elsewhere, Daniel is assigned to feed BB false information to test her loyalty, adding another layer of tension and manipulation behind the scenes.
There’s also growing friction between Matt and Karen, particularly after Daredevil saves Bullseye. Their opposing ideologies are starting to clash more openly, which adds some strong emotional weight to their dynamic.
The episode builds towards unrest outside City Hall, with protesters clashing against the AVTF. What starts as a disturbance escalates quickly, culminating in the death of an AVTF officer and Karen being captured by Officer Powell—raising the stakes significantly heading into the next episode.
Overall, I did enjoy this episode. Seeing Krysten Ritter return as Jessica Jones was a highlight and playing a few notes from her theme qas a nice touch, and it’s interesting to see where she is at this point in her life, so it would be nice to tie these threads together. At this point, we know Luke is coming back, so will Danny Rand?, especially when he gave the Ironfist to Corleen Wing. Also, it would be nice to get Elektra and Clare Temple back. But I do find myself wondering where the story goes from here—especially when it comes to Matt’s path going forward and his evolving dynamic with Fisk now that Vanessa is gone. There’s a lot to like here, but also just enough missing to make you pause and think.
