Best Daredevil Episodes Ranked

February 1, 2022

Introduction To The Best Daredevil Episodes

Guess who’s back? Back again? Daredevil’s back, tell a friend. Anyway, after the events of No Way Home, it appears Charlie Cox has returned as the blind vigilante: Daredevil. And it’s about time for Daredevil as it’s a (mostly) well-received series by fans and critics. So, without further ado let’s get into some history of the Daredevil TV show. And today we discuss the best episodes of Daredevil.

History Of Daredevil

Daredevil ran from 2015 to 2018, with three series airing on Netflix. It was part of Marvel’s TV plan where four series, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist (sorry no Punisher, Frank Castle fans), would all lead to a team-up series: The Defenders. While most of the shows were received well, all 5 series ended up getting cancelled… Anyway, Daredevil also featured appearances from classic comic characters like his ex-girlfriend Elektra, brutal vigilante Punisher and long-term nemesis Kingpin (I guess D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is back as well..) So, let’s get into the best Daredevil episodes.

Best Daredevil Episodes – Top Ten

10. Speak Of The Devil (S1, E9)

Kicking off the best Daredevil episodes list is Speak of the Devil. Why is this episode featuring? Well, it’s the first time Kingpin and Daredevil meet onscreen in the show. That’s a good enough reason for this episode to feature. Whilst the confrontation feels a bit sluggish, it serves as an omen of not only the rest of the show but also their inevitable confrontation in an MCU film. So, while this episode is worth watching for the confrontation, there isn’t much else in terms of highlights…

9. A Cold Day In Hell’s Kitchen (S2, E13)

Now while Season 2 of Daredevil is easily the weakest, that doesn’t mean there aren’t good episodes hidden away. Case in point, Series 2’s finale A Cold Day in Hell’s Kitchen (Oh, I get it). Anyway, pun aside this episode is a very sombre one with Matt Murdock (Daredevil) struggling with his life. His career as a lawyer has collapsed with even his closest friends set to follow. All this misery gives Daredevil a precarious position heading into the team-up series: The Defenders. Overall, a cathartic and sombre series finale.

8. Daredevil (S1, E13)

Damn, what is it with Daredevil and brilliant series finales? Anyway, after encountering Kingpin three episodes earlier, Charlie Cox’s vigilante finally gets to don the iconic costume. And, despite it dividing comic fans (I know that’s hard to believe) this episode is still a blast to watch. Highlights include a fight between Kingpin and Daredevil ripped straight from the pages of the comic and Daredevil continuing to demonstrate his prowess on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen. While disappointing in some aspects, this episode leaves you craving more from the show.

7. One Last Shot (S3, E12)

The trend of some of the best Daredevil episodes being penultimate or finales continues with One Last Shot. After an alright second series, Series 3 more than made up for fan disappointment. Anyway, One Last Shot sees Daredevil effectively fighting the entire Hell’s Kitchen police force at once thus demonstrating his bravery. Fun fact, this episode is based on the comic book arc ‘Born Again’ where Daredevil abandons his faith during Kingpin’s takeover. Overall, a very good episode that sets up a wonderful series and show finale.

6. Seven Minutes In Heaven (S2, E9)

No, the title isn’t referring to what you might think it is. So calm down the fanfiction community. Also, DAMN, this episode gets violent. Makes sense as this episode centres around Frank Castle aka the Punisher. Basically, this episode sees Castle murder an entire prison block of criminals. Wow. The startling image of Punisher standing covered in blood fits into the darker tone of the series. Now, you might be asking: how isn’t this a Punisher episode? Well, the criminals that Punisher kills work for Kingpin. That’s about the only link I remember…..

Best Daredevil Episodes – Top Five

4. New York’s Finest (S2, E3)

Now yes this is technically an episode earlier but my point still stands. This episode is a classic comic arc: challenge a non-killing character’s no-killing rule. While Batman did it first, our hero did it better. The episode plays out as such: Daredevil is chained up with a gun strapped to his hand. He has to choose between letting Punisher kill a gangster or killing Punisher himself. These are high stakes already which are elevated by great performances from Cox and Bernthal respectively.

Best Daredevil Episodes – Top Three

3. The Devil You Know (S3, E6)

Sneaking into the top three best Daredevil episodes is The Devil You Know. This episode almost goes full slasher film. How? Bullseye (an assassin) dresses up as our hero and starts murdering journalists. It then becomes a cat-and-mouse game between Bullseye and Murdock as Bullseye murders his way through innocent journalists. What makes this episode even more disturbing is the real-world targeting of journalists and media by presidential administrations at the time of this episode’s release. I wonder who could have been doing that….

2. A New Napkin (S3, E13)

And now the show’s finale. A New Napkin manages to do everything a show finale should: tie up loose ends, leave the character in a good place and set up spinoffs. Firstly, it ties up the loose ends surrounding Murdock’s path in life, making him more relentless in chasing Kingpin and Bullseye. Also, it leaves the characters in interesting places for a certain cinematic universe to pick up from. Overall, a fantastic episode that narrowly gets piped to the top spot.