Daredevil (TV Series) Shadows in the Glass (2015) User Reviews

Story Telling At Its Finest

[kscullynh · 10/10 · 19 August 2015]

I thought this episode was absolutely brilliant! It really could be used in a video class as an example of the power of image to amplify the intensity of the story.

As stated by Mark Drufke in his review "A King is Born", the opening seen is horrifying to watch. Fisk viewing his bloodied child face instead of his own explains where he is trapped mentally, in a horrific memory of his childhood, when he murdered his father (covered powerfully, later in this episode where the reason with his obsession with his cuff links and for the painting he bought from Vanessa's art gallery becomes clear).

What took it to the next level for me was the imagery used to show Fisk's new sense of self, when after a moment of crisis, he bares his soul to Vanessa and she accepts him, offering absolution and support. The scene cuts away to the next morning when he wakes from his recurring nightmare. He begins to turn to the painting, stops and turns instead to Vanessa who is now in bed with him. Next his solitary dressing routine is altered by Vanessa's presence when she chooses his outfit, and very importantly a different pair of cuff links for Fisk to wear (watch the episode and you'll understand). When Fisk views himself in the mirror with Vanessa in the background, he sees himself as he is now rather than the bloody child, breaking his horrific cycle. I won't go into greater detail about what happens after but I get the sense that Fisk has turned a corner, dealing with his self-hatred and doubt, and with his new found sense of self, he will be an even more potent enemy and greater danger to Daredevil.

Story-telling at its finest. Truly 10/10

Respect. You gotta give it if you want it

[jhudson-11704 · 9/10 · 5 August 2017]

We get another episode that explores a character's backstory, and it's arguably the best character in this show: Wilson Fisk. Matt also gets closer to taking down Fisk with info from a dirty cop but then a curveball gets thrown into the mix.

Fisk's origins are shown in this episode as we see a stark contrast between his childhood and Matt's. The obvious comparison is there relationship to their respective fathers. Matt respected and loved his father through his belief and admiration of him. Fisk respected and loved his father through the fear and punishment that his father provoked. Seeing both of their fathers die was truly traumatic moments for both but more for Fisk, as he was the one to actually kill him. This shows greatly in the opening scene, as the white painting he bought is used to comfort him, like the drywall that he stared at to help comfort him as a child, him being alone in his apartment as well as seeing himself as the tortured little kid. It was also compelling to see Vanessa comfort Fisk when he tells her this story to the point where she understands and even sleeps with him.

Matt gets a great chance to expose Fisk as one of the cops that was shot, under the orders of Fisk, during the Russian bombing nights, had woken up. Unfortunately, the cop's partner had poisoned him so the cop had died, but Matt had gotten enough from the dying cop to at least drag Fisk from the shadows, with the help from Ben.

However, this is all thrown out the window as, most likely from the influence of Vanessa, Fisk publicly comes forward to help the city, making himself appear the savior so that anything Ben writes about him being a behind the scenes manipulator seems pointless. This changes thing for Matt and his crew as now they have to prove that this great man is evil and not just reveal him.

Another good part in this episode is Madame Gao meeting with Fisk. She clearly has true power that Nobu, Fisk and Owlsley sort of cower behind. Telling him that he has grown careless, mostly due to his love for Vanessa, engineered a tremendous response from Fisk.

+ Fisk's backstory and its contrast to Matt's + Fisk falling apart but building himself back up publicly + Matt gets closer yet farther + D' Onofrio's performance

Final Score: 9.1/10

My name is Wilson Fisk!

[hiren8484 · 9/10 · 15 April 2015]

Wow! Just wow!! I am absolutely hooked on this show and this episode is one of the reasons why.

We finally get a backstory for Fisk and it's brilliant yet brutal. You can see where the vulnerability comes from and it really makes you feel for the character (and weirdly at the end even root for him!). The acting by D'Onofrio and the kid that plays him in his youth are incredible. We also get to see Vanessa as the rock that supports Fisk - creepy but something he really needed.

It's going to be interesting to see how the story picks up from here...the show is about Daredevil, yet Kingpin has definitely overtaken the character in terms of the show's biggest strengths - but the story is still amazing and continues to entertain the viewer. Possibly one of the best episodes so far.

A King is Born

[ThomasDrufke · 8/10 · 6 May 2015]

Now 8 episodes in, we haven't had a Wilson Fisk centered episode, that is until now. As much as I wanted to learn more about what made Fisk the manipulating guy that he is, I had no idea the amount of suffering that he went through as a kid, and I'm sure I'm glad that I watched it. As we found out more about Wilson, the crew found out more about each other, with some quality trinity time.

The opening scene with the classical music mixed with the haunting images of young Wilson's bloody face along with Wilson's colorless life now was horrifying to watch. D'Onofrio's performance is growing on me as he is no longer a one note powerful businessman. He is a tortured soul that truly believes what he's doing is right. The scene in the episode with Mahoney and Fisk discussing how to take out his partner made it clear that Fisk would rather not do the dirty work, instead he wishes to brush the horrors of his youth onto other people. His father forced him to become a 'man' and beat another person up. In turn, he ended up killing his own father using that same rage. It almost felt like Fargo season 1 all over again with that hammer. So he forces Mahoney into injecting a poison into his own partners body to put him to rest and to get rid of any tracks that led Fisk to his murder. Then to see Fisk give the ending speech to 'save' the city, showed us that Fisk easily has the upperhand and it's going to take a whole lot to stop him.

Fisk is awkward and actually not the most powerful on the show. As you see by the last scene, there are others that are even pulling the strings behind him. So with an abuse scene and just an overall bloody and murderish episode, this didn't feel like Marvel at all. But I think the show is heading in the right direction. Hopefully soon we will finally get the meeting between Fisk and Murdock that we have all been waiting for.

+Fisk is humanized, sort of.

+Poetically tragic opening scene

+The trio catches up with each other

-The abuse tended to go a little far

8.3/10

The Great Fisk Chapter!

[martinleonel-55554 · 10/10 · 9 April 2021]

Wow, how great it was to learn about Fisk's story. What happened as a boy was very hard, and the way they show it is chilling! Now we meet the great enemy-enemy and he has the support of the city. Excellent ending! Great challenge for daredevil. This chapter is a great 10!

Stare at the wall and find your monster

[quincytheodore · 9/10 · 21 April 2015]

It's rare that the origin of villain is actually as engaging as the hero's, or perhaps more. Fisk' past and his state of mind are delicately shown, replacing the mysticism of his name. There are layers of anger, sorrow and sheer will for one sole cause. It's nearly chilling how the show captive audiences with a villain who's not only try to hide his flaws, but embraces and steps passed them.

Vincent D'Onofrio is utterly impressive, his portrayal of Fisk is one of the best performance for superhero series, or any medium for that matter. Usually a villain is depicted having supernatural power or menacing air around him, Fisk is different. He's fragile, a bit broken inside and not always brimming with aura of power, yet this is how he rises. The back story is amazingly told, and it also gives actual motivation for his madness. To give sentiment for a villain and instill doubt whether he's truly evil, this is a great mix of storytelling and acting at play.

The reason why Fisk has so high regard of women like Gao or Vanessa is also revealed. It may be unconventional, though he possesses decent manner and it hurts him the most he's embarrassed in front of them. Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa is D'Onofrion's match. She has charismatic and profoundly soothing. This is the kind of woman Fisk would be affectionate towards, mature and a bit motherly. Yeah, Fisk has all sort of psychological issues, some are so deep rooted they still haunt him.

The development of the character is portrayed with subtle details as barren colors are brightened slowly in the episode. A villain that's not only a physical and psychological threat, but also endearing to the mass and seems more heroic than the hero himself, not that's truly frightening.

"It is the clever man who plays the fool. And a foolish woman... who does not recognize it."

[sebtwister · 10/10 · 24 March 2016]

This episode is absolutely fantastic :) Vincent D'Onofrio is absolutely exceptional as Fisk in this episode as you see why his very nature is violence and why he does so many irrational, horrible things! The episode is about his childhood and its messed up to say the least. Domenick Lombardozzi gives an absolutely chilling performance as Wilson Fisk's father. He's an alcoholic and you see how he abuses both him and his mother. It's rare you see a villain centred episode THIS compelling to watch, plus it gives you more about his associates like Leland Owlsley (Bob Gunton) who constantly doubts everything Fisk does. Also the cold way he gets Sgt. Brett Mahoney to murder his childhood friend to keep him quiet is completely chilling.

Meanwhile Matt Murdock finds out about Karen and Foggy's involvement in the Union Allied investigation and as Daredevil informs Ulrich about Wilson Fisk running everything, which eventually leads to mind games between Fisk and Murdock. It's brilliant writing. Absolutely exceptional episode from beginning to end.

Wilson

[amindostiari · 10/10 · 22 March 2021]

How Wilson came to be. How he got worse, or rather how he changed. It was a good episode and it had an interesting ending.

Keep Kicking Him !!!!!!! Keep Kicking Him !!!!

[rishikada · 10/10 · 23 May 2018]

Wilson Fisk out into the Light. Murdock ! Any plan ??? New strategy????

Very Clever !

[keraghel_mehdi · 10/10 · 23 February 2021]

Great episode , Great directing 👏 -Great character -Clever guy , Clever move again -He's always ahead of everyone -I like the grey suit btw 😏... (it refers to Grey characters , anti villains ...)

Fisk Steals the Show! [8.3/10]

[panagiotis1993 · 8/10 · 15 May 2023]

Live Reaction / Review for Daredevil Season 1 Episode 8: Episode 7 was good, but not as good as the previous episodes, I hope this one is better. A montage of Fisk cooking, I didn't know I needed that, now I know. Wait does Fisk have the same outfit like 30 times? That's so cool. Wow when he looks in the mirror he sees a bloody version of his younger self? Identiny issues it seems, love it. Young Fisk flashbacks? Hell yes. Wait, will that policeman kill his partner for Fisk? Yup, all it took was the right amount of money, disgusting. How did Matt get in there? Damn.

Fisk's dad seems even crazier than he is. Growing up wasnt easy for him. With every episode I like Fisk's character more and more. Fisk speaks Chinese too? Damn I didn't expect that. Wow, the chinese old lady made Fisk really angry. It's amazing how Fisk went from being an innocent kind little boy to a crime boss. His father was absolutely insane, torturing him and his mother. Really messed up situation. Wow he murdered his own father? Cant blame him. What a great ending with Fisk's speech. Overall a great episode, my rating is 8.3/10.

Bravura flashbacks

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 6 August 2021]

I wasn't expecting too much of this one but it deeply impressed me. The story is plot-focused rather than concentrating of action, of which there is almost nil, but it all works very well. And the flashbacks to Fisk's childhood are fantastic - harrowing, bloody, told in sparse detail but immensely powerful with it. Bravo!

Creepy

[klausvarbr · 10/10 · 8 March 2024]

You already know, what a spectacular episode. How are there people who have the audacity to say that D'Onofrio acts poorly as Kingpin? He is the embodiment of it. Scary and full of nuances, just the way I love it (I don't love Fisk, see, I love his developments). Did the Brazilian voice actors for Fisk and Wesley change out of nowhere or was it just me? Both Murdock's father and Fisk's father gave them alcohol as children. Daredevil incriminated himself by going to the hospital. I remember when I preferred villains who didn't have a sad past and who were villains for no reason, which would be easier to hate, but after I matured I realized that it's necessary to humanize the villain a little, to give motivation. A person who makes Kingpin himself uncomfortable and unstable is enough to scare anyone, that's why I'm scared to death of Madame Gao, if I'm walking down a dark street at 3 o'clock in the morning and she's on one sidewalk and on the other sidewalk There's a black cat and two guys on a motorbike, I feel safer on that other sidewalk. This scene of Fisk's father beating Fisk's mother must be in my top 1 of scariest scenes I've ever seen in a movie, series or superhero cartoon, disgusting scene. Fisk wasn't even disturbed by seeing these things and his mother cutting his father. Vanessa listening to the full story. Now I see that I've been spelling Urich's name wrong. It's Ben Urich and not Ulrich (Ulrich is cooler). Episode eight watched on March 8, 2024.