DAREDEVIL Resurrected

Article first published as TV Review: DAREDEVIL Season 3 on Seat42F.

DAREDEVIL has returned to Netflix for a third season. The Marvel show jumped the gun by announcing round three before the character of Daredevil seemingly met his untimely end in The Defenders miniseries, thus nipping in the bud any wondering if he may have survived. So of course, Matt Murdock, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, did make it through his near-death experience and begins to heal, even as his friends mourn his ‘passing.’

Season three takes its time getting the main cast back together, which is keeping in line with pacing from previous seasons. Foggy (Elden Henson) and Karen’s (Deborah Ann Woll) main story thus far is basically just grieving. Karen doesn’t believe Matt is gone, while Foggy is sympathetic, but doesn’t buy into her belief. Instead, he is just a good friend, supporting a pal who is working through her emotions before she can accept the truth.

Little do they know, Matt (Charlie Cox) has been brought to church, his sanctuary. Viewers are introduced to Sister Maggie Grace (Joanne Whalley, The Borgias), a nun who cared for Matt after his father’s death, and now helps him get back on his feet again. Matt is a bit slow to return to fighting form, wallowing in pity for awhile. Maggie is a force to reckon with, helpful without coddling, and it’s easy to see how she helped shape the type of person Matt has become, and can guide him now.

I do wonder how Maggie will play into Matt’s further development. She is listed as a lead for season three, so it’s likely she’s not going away, even though Matt is about ready to leave his resting place behind by the end of the first hour. I can’t imagine she’s a villain; she probably isn’t even as complex as Stick or Elekta, others from Matt’s past who have shown up to complicate things. It’s nice to have another good guy around.

Other new characters for season three include Ray Nadeem (Jay Ali, The Fosters) and Benjamin Poindexter (Wilson Bethel, Hart of Dixie). Ray is introduced in a way that clearly brings him into the Kingpin’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) orbit. The Kingpin is still in jail as the latest DAREDEVIL story gets underway, but that seems poised to change soon, bringing the major villain from season one back to the forefront. Poindexter, known better to comic fans as Bullseye, is also someone (at least on paper) frequently seen with the Kingpin, though he is MIA in “Resurrection,” the season premiere. Again, it is not unusual for DAREDEVIL to take its time getting the plot going, so this is no surprise.

While the first seasons of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage were more enticing, in my opinion, than the freshman outing of DAREDEVIL, season three already feels comfortable and familiar in a very pleasing way. Having only viewed the initial hour thus far, I’m not completely sure where this season is going. But while Sister Maggie hints at the past, there are other signs that this year will move things forward more than the last two, a satisfying development for the players.

As other Marvel series have dropped out of the Netflix lineup recently, DAREDEVIL seems poised to survive, much the way its titular hero has. It was first, and it could very well be the last one left standing. I don’t think the Netflix Marvel shows have run out of steam yet, and this first episode back seems to confirm this one has life still in it. Hopefully it puts it to good use, as early signs seem to indicate will be the case.

DAREDEVIL season three is available now exclusively to Netflix subscribers.

The Borgias Stares Into "The Face of Death"

Article first published as THE BORGIAS Season 3 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 82%

Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons), the lead in Showtime’s THE BORGIAS, has stared into “The Face of Death,” and as season three begins, the wait is on to see if he returns to talk about it. It’s not much of a cliffhanger, of course, as the show would not kill off such an important character this early in the run. But many are anxiously awaiting the results of last spring’s death match, and wonder what consequences it will bring.

I admit, THE BORGIAS is far from the best show on television. It’s schmaltzy and soapy and lacking much historical accuracy. But like The Tudors, and to a lesser extent, the new Da Vinci’s Demons on Starz, it’s a guilty pleasure period piece, full of betrayal, murder, intrigue, and sex.

“The Face of Death” puts sex on the backburner in favor of politics and violence. The Cardinals await the fate of their leader, some of them praying for his survival, many likely hoping for the opposite, though they would never admit it publically until the time is ripe, for fear of losing their positions, while less involved factions plan their next move, hoping to get one up on the crooked leader.

Rodrigo’s family gather by his bedside. There’s: Cesare (Francois Arnaud), who has just admitted to killing his own brother, and awaiting to hear not only if his father lives, but what his dad’s reaction will be to the news; Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), who sends her infant son away under protection, but refuses to budge from her father’s side, and actually outsmarts the doctor in saving him, since the doctor isn’t an important character, and so can’t do something so vital, even when it’s his job; and Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), mother of Rodrigo’s children, who has earned her place by his side.

It’s strange that young Joffre is absent. While not a main character, and missing from season two entirely, he is part of the clan. Why is he not given more prevalence in the story? He is young, to be sure, but the tale is moving along. Will he start to be included at some point, or will he remain a forgotten footnote from the first season?

Less weird is that Giulia (Lotte Verbeek) barely appears in “The Face of Death.” She is Rodrigo’s beloved mistress, but in times of great crisis, only the legitimate family is allowed to be around, not some girl Rodrigo plays naked games with.

As bad as the titular family may be, viewers will still root for them. They are the heart of the show, and painted as sympathetic as they possibly can be, while not shying away from their more heinous acts. Not one wants Rodrigo to die, even though his enemies may be more noble, because we’ve gotten to know him and his family. We want them to survive, as when they are vanquished, their adventure comes to an end, and we lose our show.

Most disappointed when Rodrigo awakes is Cardinal Della Rovere (Colm Feore), of course. He is the man that tries to poison Rodrigo, poetic justice since the Pope did the same to him the season before, and like Della Rovere, Rodrigo survives, bent on vengeance.

Della Rovere returns to the Vatican with the other Cardinals, but perhaps shows his hand a bit much when he states he is there because he heard of Rodrigo’s demise. It is true, whatever Della Rovere says he has heard can be chalked up to a rumor. But Cesare doesn’t take it as such, assuming Della Rovere is giving himself away. And for power players like the two of them, that’s exactly what has happened.

It’s not the most realistic occurrence. There are plenty of plot devices that could explain away this seeming slip of the tongue. And yet, that’s the way THE BORGIAS rolls, allowing one to “figure” things out that can’t be proven, as that’s the only way to move the story forward, and the target audience won’t accept too much ambiguity.

Luckily for Della Rovere, even though Cesare locks him up, he has friends. The pope is unpopular, so of course some are willing to risk their necks to help him escape. He seems to be the likely successor if anyone could ever oust Rodrigo, and historically, he actually does eventually get to serve as pope.

It will be interesting to see if Della Rovere triumphs in the series, or not, and if victory comes at the end, of before. If that were to happen, I think he’d need to be made a more sympathetic character because somehow, even though he’s in the right, I still root for him to fail.

The Borgias’ other enemies are the Sforza family. Cardinal Sforza (Peter Sullivan) has a choice to make when his sister, Caterina (Gina McKee), asks for his help in the murder of the Borgia clan. The good Cardinal chooses his position over his blood relations, and Caterina’s plot is thwarted.

I don’t know if one can call Cardinal Sforza noble. I feel like he only turns because he’s almost caught, and yet, he’s also a bit of a coward. Unlike Della Rovere, it’s hard to see him as a true rival. Instead, he seems like a helpless tool, caught between his powerful family and his powerful boss, unable to truly make up his mind about where his loyalites should lie. Kind of like the rest of the Cardinals, but slightly more involved because of circumstance.

As usual, Micheletto (Sean Harris) proves brave, deadly, and an invaluable help to the Borgias. I wonder if a day will come when he may betray them, or if we will find out why exactly his loyalty runs so deep. As long as he is around and fighting for them, it is doubtful that anyone will get the better of this particular family.

“The Face of Death” is a fitting continuation of the story for those who love the show, but hardly a good introduction for the unfamiliar, nor a prime example of what great television can be. It will remain an entertaining, but not high quality, offering.

 THE BORGIAS returns Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.

The Borgias make "The Confession"

 Showtime's The Borgias concluded its second season last week with "The Confession." Rodrigo (Jeremy Irons) mourns the death of son, Juan (David Oakes), coming not long after losing a younger son, and is disturbed that his other children don't seem nearly as upset about the murder as he is. When Rodrigo vows to find the killer, Cesare (François Arnaud) realizes he must come clean, admitting to Rodrigo that he offed his brother, and asking for Juan's military command. While Rodrigo flounders with this revelation, Cesare goes a step furthering, taking control of the family and ordering that the wedding of his sister, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), proceed, despite his family's grief and objections.

It's hard to single out "The Confession" as a single episode, and judge its story this way. After all, The Borgias is an extremely serial show, with plots continuing for weeks of years, not ending in an hour. "The Confession" is a great finale, bringing to a head many threads, but does not present its own tale, separate from any other installment. Which is not a bad thing, by any means.

"The Confession" will be remembered as the time when Cesare takes control of the Borgia family. In season one, Cesare is a relatively dutiful and obedient son to Rodrigo. But as his frustration with his lot in life grows, doomed to be a cardinal, while watching brother Juan get the military glory Cesare longs for, Cesare strikes out more and more on his own. Taking out Juan is the last straw.

Cesare claims to have killed Juan to protect the family. This claim isn't to be dismissed out of hand. Juan is acting in a disgraceful manner, including lying about an incident where he beat a hasty retreat. Juan's anger makes him unpredictable. His irrational wrath, including hanging the father of Lucrezia's son, makes him dangerous. While Cesare may have some selfish reasons for acting, as well, it will assuredly be a good thing to get Juan out of the way.

The question is, is Cesare growing too big for his britches? He has the audacity to ask his father for Juan's post at the same time that he is confessing to fratricide. He demands a wedding when everyone, including his mother, Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), is against such a celebration in a time of tragedy. These behaviors are reckless, designed only to assert authority. If Cesare continues down this path, he may become as dangerous as Juan, thus negating the good deed that he has done.

Lucrezia isn't sad to see Juan go, given his murder of her lover. While Cesare's lack of sadness comes from a not-quite-fully-just place, Lucrezia only wants what is fair, and to protect her family. In this, she ends "The Confession" in a good, considerably happy state.

Jeremy Irons is a masterful performer, and "The Confession" showcases his talent more than any other episode of The Borgias yet. Deeply sorrowful, and blaming himself for Cesare's devious actions, Rodrigo spends much of this season finale in a state of shock. He cannot believe the ruin that has been brought upon his family, through his own fault, he believes. His machinations have not always been with good intentions, but in this pivotal moment, Rodrigo seems devout, and laid out before God's judgment. Irons handles each nuance and scene with such precision, keeping a lid on insanity, but allowing strong depths of emotion to well up in his emotive face, that his acting is a masterpiece of film. This happens not once, but throughout the hour. This is what a true star does!

Then the twist ending. Della Rovere (Colm Feore), plotting all season to end Rodrigo's reign, sees the chance to make his move. His protege, a young man willing to sacrifice himself to take out the pope, poisons Rodrigo, who collapses on the floor. Unlike the martyr, Rodrigo only takes one small sip, and it isn't clear if he survives or not. After all, Della Rovere lives through the same event last season, and the youth ingests the vile brew several times before taking his fatal gulp. Has Della Rovere succeeded?

The Borgias would not be the same without Rodrigo. Cesare, Lucrezia, and the others are interesting characters, and it would still be fun to watch them weekly, but without the head of the family, the show would suffer a serious directional blow. Irons proves his worth yet again this week, and certainly makes audiences unwilling to lose him. Eventually, his day will come, but it seems a little too early to do so now. Especially when Della Rovere hides in the shadows, depriving the pope of a genuine confrontation.

The Borgias has been renewed for a third season, and will return to Showtime next year.

Click here for every review of The Borgias I've ever written. If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Buy The Borgias DVDs and streaming episodes.

'The Borgias' still TV's baddest crime family

Showtime's The Borgias begins season two with "The Borgia Bull." Cesare's (François Arnaud) attempt to kill Cardinal della Rovere (Colm Feore) fails when the hired would-be assassin spills some of the poison. With della Rovere instead suffering ailment, Cesare returns to Rome, where his rivalry with brother Juan (David Oakes) heats up. Meanwhile, His Holiness Rodrigo Borgia, Pope of Rome (Jeremy Irons) cheats on mistress Giulia (Lotte Verbeek), finds some lost artifacts, and throws a party for his people.

The Borgias is a clever serial series. There isn't a lot of movement in the plot from week to week, but taken altogether, it's an exciting adventure of scandal, betrayal, and lust. "The Borgia Bull" fits into the mixture just fine, moving along the major characters a bit, without any huge developments.

Della Rovere is the biggest thorn in the side for the Borgias in season one. Now, his tongue is swollen and he lies in bed. Considering that Feore continues to be billed as a main character, he will likely recover and come after the family again. Why didn't they just leave him alone? He is lying low, and poses no threat. Sure, he might in the future, but that's no reason that he has to be dealt with now. Or, at least, if they want him taken out, make sure to finish the job. He is currently infirm and in no position to defend himself. By failing to kill him, they may have just reawakened a dangerous enemy who will come at them with renewed purpose.

Of course, overconfidence is a trademark of the current Pope. He seems to devote very little worry to della Rovere. Nor does he concern himself with the King of France (Michel Muller), who may also feel anger at Rodrigo after finding Naples deserted and diseased. These are very real threats. Instead, the Pope lounges with his infant grandchild, whom he even brings to work with him, and sleeps with women who are not his official mistress. He may have reason for this attitude, with the victories he achieves at the end of the first season. But acting this way, with little regard for the things he should be concerned about, will catch up to him.

Giulia is not ignorant of her lover's behavior. She picks up on his dishonesty almost immediately upon returning to the city, not that he's being very careful in hiding it. Interestingly, she goes to the mother of his children, Vanozza Cattaneo (Joanne Whalley), for advice. Even more surprisingly, Vanozza offers realistic words of wisdom. If these two ladies were to pool their efforts, they may be scarier than anything else Rodrigo has to face! Talk about the neck that turns the head!

The struggle for dominance between Juan and Cesare should not last too much longer. Juan gets the upper hand in a horse race, but Cesare strikes back at the party. Cesare comes at the fight with a mixture of bemusement and whimsy, indicating that he does not take his brother too seriously. But Juan has a wicked, cruel, arrogant streak that could get out of hand if not kept in check. It would not be surprising if their actions take a more serious, deadly turn later this season.

An interesting start to the second season. Let's see how they progress from here. Watch The Borgias Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To buy The Borgias on DVD, please click here. Click here for every review of The Borgias I've ever written.

Gossip Girl answers "Yes Then Zero"

     The CW's Gossip Girl returns with "Yes Then Zero." Serena (Blake Lively) is working in Los Angeles, where Chuck (Ed Westwick) and Nate (Chace Crawford) stop by as they finish their summer of travel and fun. All three work on saying yes, which lands Serena a promotion. Serena also bumps into "Charlie," whose real name is Ivy (Kaylee DeFer, now a series regular), who is quite surprised by the encounter. Meanwhile, Blair (Leighton Meester) hides her pregnancy while preparing for her wedding to Louis (Hugo Becker), who disappoints Blair when he won't stand up for her to his mother, Sophie (Joanne Whalley, The Borgias). Dan (Penn Badgley) almost takes advantage of the situation and lets Blair dump Louis, until he is forced to admit the truth.

     Blair's dance card may be entirely too full. Who would have thought, years ago, that Blair would be the one seeking love, and getting it returned on multiple sides, instead of Serena? Yet, that's how things are shaping up. Chuck lets Blair go rather than be with her, knowing she may be happier with a real life prince. Dan is still in love with Blair, but since she doesn't seem to return the feelings, he keeps quiet about it. And, of course, Louis represents everything that Blair thinks she wants, but the reality is a bit rocky. Each of these pairings, especially the first two, have their share of fans rooting for them. Who will get Blair in the end? Yes, Louis is engaged to her now, but that can change. Perhaps whoever impregnated her has a leg up.

     Poor Dan tries to be a good guy, calling on Louis's help to stop an excerpt of a book to be published in a magazine. Said story is about Blair, and it outs Dan's love for her. The magazine agrees not to move forward, but that's far from the end of things. Vanessa has stolen the manuscript, and sends Dan a check, implying that the full work will soon be in print. Will Blair see this and swoon? Or will she be angry at Dan for not telling her about his feelings? Or for making her look foolish? Best case scenario, the book will draw Dan and Blair closer. Reality could very well unfold the opposite.

     It's nice to see Chuck happy. He does seem a little reckless, especially after getting Blair's wedding invite. But he also looks to be moving on, assuring Nate he is fine, and giving great advice. Chuck exhibits a maturity that may come as somewhat of a surprise, but is surely hard earned. It's interesting that Chuck seems to have the best perspective on life out of all of the characters.

     Nate is the one who should be watching out. At a Hollywood party he ends up sleeping with a beautiful older woman named Diana  (Elizabeth Hurley, Austin Powers). Yet, a scene that he is not privy to reveals that she not only knows who he is, but has designs on him. Nate may have lied to get her into bed, something she saw through from the beginning, but he also apologizes. At heart, he is a very sweet guy. Diana had better have the best of intentions, because Nate does not deserve any more sorrow in his life, as the last few years have brought him enough of that.

     Watch Gossip Girl Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

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