Netflix recently hosted a media junket in Milan, Italy, ahead of "Daredevil" season 3's release, and while listening to newly-appointed showrunner, Erik Oleson, speak about his vision for the upcoming season, I couldn't help but nod in appreciation as a line from Hozier's "Take Me To Church" played in my head:
"Amen, Amen, Amen..."
Oleson revealed that his goal for season 3 was to ground the show in a way that brought it back to season 1. Adding that tonally it would be a mash-up between season 1 and the Italian-American crime drama, "The Sopranos".
Oleson explained that he's a huge Daredevil fan and "wanted to bring it back to the core characters".
Hearing Oleson — who has previously worked on the CBS procedural "Unforgettable" and the CW superhero series "Arrow" — speaking out about focussing on season one's core characters really got me excited, because while I enjoyed introductions to The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Elektra Natchios (Elodie Yung) in season 2, I felt that Daredevil's core character was a bit lost in the plot.
And while season 2 set the stage for "The Defenders," I preferred Matthew Murdock's (Charlie Cox) character development in the limited series. He really seemed to come out of his shell while working with fellow Marvel superheroes Jessica Jones (Kathryn Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist / Danny Rand (Finn Jones).
When asked about the main lessons learned from season 2 that was applied in season 3, Oleson said he wanted to leave his own mark on the show.
"I very much wanted to make it my own, taking pieces of what my predecessors had done, but telling an original story that drew on my favourite comic runs and give the fans what they want, but not the way they expect it," he said.
Oleson's vision seems to be paying off after the hype "Daredevil"'s season 3 trailer created when it premiered last week, as fans were introduced to new characters.
Among them, one of Daredevil's greatest enemies, Bullseye, and the return of the OG Kingpin, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio).
Season 3 will see Fisk released from prison and determined to ruin Daredevil.
Last season saw Matt — consumed by rage and disbelief that Fisk was undoing everything he achieved by releasing The Punisher and running the prison — use Fisk's love interest, Vanessa, to try to hurt the Kingpin by threatening to keep them apart.
So it wouldn't come as a surprise if Fisk's vendetta is now deeply rooted in the fact that he might know that Matt and Daredevil are one and the same, hence enlisting troubled FBI agent Benjamin Poindexter (Wilson Bethel) as his henchman.
And while Poindexter won't start as Bullseye, season 3 will tell his origin story and show he's manipulated by Fisk into aiding him in his vendetta against Daredevil, as he frames Matt for a series of violent attacks.
Speaking about the character's introduction to the show, Oleson said he didn't want to give any spoilers away but did reveal that his character would be lethal.
"Bullseye's a lethal character. We are telling an origin story in season 3, where he is a character who starts out a functional member of society. He's troubled but he's on the right side of the law," explains Oleson.
"He's an FBI sharpshooter, someone who uses his skill set to protect and serve innocent people but he falls under the sway of a narcissistic, tyrannical villain [Fisk], who uses people fear to get into their heads and rise to power.
"And unfortunately for people who are on the border of good and evil, they can be drawn into the darkness — so he's gonna be lethal."
Other newcomers to season 3 include Maggie (Joanne Whalley) and Agent Nadeem (Jay Ali).
"Daredevil" season 3 premieres on 19 October and it's going to be lit — or should I say dark?