Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Premiere Live Watchalong: I'm Talking Matt And Karen, Matthew Lillard's Arrival And More

Pre-Game Message From Charlie Cox And Vincent D'Onofrio

Who doesn't love seeing these two lovable actors chumming it up before they clash like animals in Season 2?

Now for a few more minutes of anguished thumb-twiddling while thinking about watching The Punisher's upcoming special. Errr, I mean thinking about Daredevil...in the episode that's about to come on. (Sorry, Matty baby!

"Did Mayor Fisk Fix It?"

This is my new favorite tongue twister. Which of the Pickwick triplets did Mayor Fisk fix first?

Boo on propaganda of any kind, but who in their right mind would go on camera and say, "Nope, Fisk didn't do nothin' good, no how." A death warrant.

Hell Yeah, Starting Off With That Black Suit And A Baton Beatdown

The textbook way to start a season of Daredevil is for our friendly neighborhood lawyer vigilante to show off just how well-trained he's been. The fact that he can do it on a boat rocking in the water is even more impressive, as just saying it makes me slightly queasy. Not quite as queasy as seeing a dude's arm break over Matt's shoulder, but close.

I also feel like that wall of water would have killed anything in its path, but props to our guy for surviving it.

Matt And Karen's First Scene

Oh, it was definitely a choice to have both Matt and Karen out of breath throughout their first conversation, right before they start smooching.

Sure, what they're saying is important, and what Matt did to botch that boat shipment is gonna piss WIlson Fisk off. But kissing in the dark cannot be held back for later.

Matthew Lillard Like A Mother

Not the best first scene, sure. But the blasé way he lets this line go is worth it after saying he'd fly up to handle things.

• "I need the miles."

Anyone who talks about airline miles in the first minute you meet them is probably a mega-turd. So I cannot wait to see Lillard at his turd-iest.

Okay, Mr. Charles Is A Boss Kinda Boss

People having the nerve to get in Wilson Fisk's face (rightfully or not) are quickly shut the f--k down as soon as Lillard's Mr. Charles enters the room and foreshadows an ominous but very clearly laid out phone call.

While Mr. Charles is around, nobody messes with Fisk. How will having a spook from Langley affect the more Kingpin-ish side of his agenda and the people who chose to work with him? I'd eff with Fisk specifically to hang out with Mr. Charles, I think.

Tony Dalton Rules, Dr. Glenn Does Not

As if I wasn't already disgusted enough by Margarita Levieva's Heather Glenn for everything that happened in Season 1, she's now suffering PTSD-related hallucinations and is blatantly lying on psychological evaluations. FOR SHAME, DR. GLENN.

John Benjamin Hickey's D.A. Is One More In An Ocean Of Sleazes

This episode is really hammering home how corrupt nearly everyone in positions of authority are, save for Counselor Karen McDuffie and retired detective Cherry.

Matt Almost Definitely Just Doomed Cherry

Anytime a character says something like, "I'll tell you all about it when I definitely see you tomorrow," you know they're gonna die. Matt telling Cherry "That's why I'm gonna keep coming to you" has the same effect to me. Hopefully he doesn't die in vain.

Loving This Fake Kingpin Mess

This telecast takeover by a masked Kingpin is one of the things I've been most excited to see, and I'm glad he's just as disruptive and lo-fi as expected. It's kind of stupid, and I adore it.

Ugh, Powell Sucks Worse Than Dr. Glenn / Anyone Ever

I'm not sure how much sympathy we're actually supposed to have for the pair of ship crew members who were aware of what they were shipping, but even if they were almost the worst people in the world, the worst person in the world would still be Hamish Allan-Headley's crooked-as-a-lightning-bolt "cop" Powell. Nothing against the actor, who makes it super easy to hate this hateful monster, but geez, what a waste of space.

I Want Mr. Charles To Have Dinner With The Fisks All The Time

The combination of Lillard's free-flowing energy and Vincent D'Onofrio's reserved menace, buoyed by Ayelet Zurer's calmer menace, is quite the elixir. I'd like to see this three commentating on Monday Night Football and juding on Top Chef as well.

Karen's Wig Game Is Still At Both A 10 And A 0.5 Simultaneously

I mean, sometimes you gotta go out in public and the only thing you have are your dirtiest pants. And then there's Karen's decision to go out in her wigs.

Foggy Sighting!

It was only in one of Matt and Karen's post-sparring memories, and isn't indicative of anything legitimate, but still.

Cherry Takes A Beating, But Keeps On Ticking

Dammit, Matt. (And probably others.) Cherry got his a-- handed to him until Matt shows up, but at least he didn't die. And he also rattled off a trio of solid "gruffy ol' bastard" lines with:

• "You hit like a kid."
• "No, I'm not okay!"
• "Sure could take a punch a lot better ten years ago."

He's gonna be sore for weeks though.

Matt's Identity Discovered! Until It Isn't!

I was legitimately shocked as could possibly be when Matt's hesitation got him pummeled to the point where his mask was pulled off of his face. My mind started to race, thinking about where this story could go if everyone knows that....

Wait, no, those guys are all dead now.

Bullseye Saves The Day, And So What, Was Everybody Just Hanging Out Outside Of Cherry's Place?

Just when it seemed like New York City's most prominent lawyer-vigilante could no longer keep both personas separate, Matt is saved in a most brutal fashion by an offscreen Wilson Bethel's Benjamin Poindexter, otherwise known as Bullseye.

Would Bullseye not have killed those cops if they hadn't unmasked him? Why was he creeping around out there to even be the hero in that moment? Was he watching Matt and Karen kiss earlier like we were? Ewww, Dex. (But I get it, I guess?)

Also, I get that this dude has impeccable accuracy and all, but how would he have thrown that knife from outside the building and still had it stick straight up and down like that?

ALSO also, does he just have a bunch of knives with different messages on them, or is it only about receiving thanks with this guy?

Woo, Bullseye!

Final Thoughts On The Episode

• I want to see more message-knives from Bullseye.
• I don't like how easy it is to root for Daniel and BB's burgeoning ship-ness, given Daniel's icky career path, but Michael Gandolfini and Genneya Walton look genuinely happy to be around each other.
• Tony Dalton better not get killed off in jail because of what Dr. Glenn did. (I know Jack Duquesne is the character's name, but it's Tony Dalton or nothing from here on out.)
• I can't wait to see the height of Mr. Charles' powers and influence. I want this guy to be able to make the ball drop in Times Square on June 22.
• Instead of getting Foggy back for real, we're just going to see him via Matt's trauma, which is...maybe not as good. Especially if the show tries to mirror Matt's with Dr. Glenn's Muse visions.
• I already need Karen's red wig back.

But the biggest final thought of all is THANKS FOR READING and for joining me on this return journey to Hell's Kitchen.

Find new episodes of Daredevil: Born Again streaming on Disney+ every Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. ET.