The new Daredevil series has been one of the most anticipated Marvel shows on Disney Plus. After the news that the project was overhauled and reworked midway through production, asense  of worry crept over the fans who were excited to see him officially enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thankfully, the sudden course correction has borne fruit, and the resulting show, Daredevil: Born Again, is just what the fans of the character have been clamoring for. Charlie Cox reprises his titular role as Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, and once again dons the cowl and horns. That alone is cause for celebration.

Continuing from the group of previous shows focusing on Marvel’s more street-level heroes, "Born Again" picks up some time after the end of that initial series. It isn’t a reboot, as there’s no need for one since those shows are now officially recognized as canon in the MCU.

Nevertheless, Born Again is enough of a series that someone who hasn’t seen the other shows, or any other show in Disney Plus’s extensive library of Marvel material, will have no trouble following along, although many moments and surprises might lose a bit of emotional punch.

Also returning from the previous set of shows are Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson as Matt’s close friends and law firm partners Karen Page and Foggy Nelson. Several episodes in, we also get treated to John Bernthal’s Punisher making his MCU debut.

As you watch, you will surely catch the many callbacks and references to other shows already in the Disney Plus lineup. One doesn’t need to be familiar with the history of these connections to understand the main story, however, for those in the know, they help weave the show into the connective thread of the MCU, firmly anchoring the events in the Marvel continuity.

Daredevil’s world has always been one of dichotomy, of opposing sides pushing and pulling to be heard, and it is in that tension, the drama and human interest shine. By day, Matt Murdock is a blind lawyer from the Hell’s Kitchen district of New York, working to uphold the law and defend the little guy. By night, he patrols the streets as the vigilante Daredevil, stopping crime and dispensing justice outside the legal system he swore to uphold.

The show is also, in many ways, as much about Wilson Fisk, New York’s Kingpin of crime, as it is about Daredevil. Intimidating as ever in the iconic white suite, Vincent D’Onofrio inhabits Daredevil’s arch enemy completely and perfectly. His controlled yet powerful demeanor, with anger and rage always bubbling underneath, barely controlled, is a delight to watch.

Building even further on the idea of opposites, Fisk is now mayor of New York. On one hand, you have an attorney operating outside the law; on the other hand, you have a criminal who is ostensibly the chief upholder of the law itself.

For Cox and D’Onofrio, their compelling performances come out of the inner turmoil of their characters. While both are vehemently opposed to what the other stands for, both sides are also relatable and to a large degree, understandable.

This upending of the normal status quo and how both Daredevil and Kingpin navigate their new positions make for an arresting first season. And to be sure, a second season is coming. While Marvel has not officially declared any solid plans for the return of other Defenders from the previous shows, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones, let me say that this show shifts the odds firmly in their favor. And if the creative minds behind all of these can keep things up, Marvel’s small screen heroes’ futures on Disney Plus look very bright.