1x06 Condemned

Murdock's and Fisk's paths have finally crossed.

After the explositions in Hell's Kitchen, Matt tries to save Anatoly, Russian boss, in order to get futher information of who the player is behind the organized crimed in the city. Stuck in an abandoned bulding, Matt works to save Anatoly's life, while Claire, Foggy and Karen are at the hospital. But nothing goes right for Murdock, who has to contend with dirty cops surrounding the building.

Though the episode is very dialogue heavy, we finally get more than just simple connections or coincidences, we get Fisk and Matt on the phone each trying to get a guage of what the other is like. While Fisk is in total control of the situation, having contigency plans and pawns at this feet, Matt is walking in blindly to the lion's den, trying to get his footing, while knowing next to nothing (as Anatoly reminds him, he is just grapsing at whatever falls into his path with no clear vision or idea of what he is looking for, just hoping to get lucky). Though Fisk can admire Matt's interesting in saving the city, just as he is also, their ideas of what it means to save the city differ greatly. Fisk worms his way into and become the underbelly of the city to take it over and have full control, while Matt is trying to operate and remove the criminal element, trying to avoid becoming the darkness that he wants to cleanse from the city. But at the end of the day, they are both on the same path, ultimate in a collison course toward each other over Hell's Kitchen.

This episode is one of the best of the season, delving deep into who Fisk and Matt are and setting them up as rivals in the race for control of Hell's Kitchen. Loved how Matt has to work with Anatoly in order to get closer to Fisk, while Anatonly still sees him as an enemy who is way over his head.

Things just keep getting more intense and man am I enjoying it. Fisk, even in situations like this, was completely calm and composed, knowing exactly how to deal with Daredevil, using his connections to the media to pin everything on him. Also, I enjoyed the dialogue between Fisk and Matt, where Fisk basically said "were not so different, you and I," because Fisk and Matt both share such similar and opposing ideologies, wanting to do everything they deem neccesary to rebuild Hell's Kitchen and eradicate everything they see wrong with it, but unlike Fisk, Matt doesnt have the social, political or economic power to make radical changes to the corruption of Hell's Kitchen, restricted by what he can do with his own bare hands. I also liked the interactions between Vladimir and Matt, as Matt was trapped in an abandoned building surrouded by cops paid off by Fisk. There interactiosn really highlighted how ignorant Matt was about Fisk's power, all the connects he has in the city, along with his men like Leslie who can connect various mafias and criem syndicates together on an global scale. (i.e working with the Chinese). Also, Vladimir was kinda a wake up call to Matt, essentially telling Matt that the path he's going on will just lead to more violence and eventually murder, making Matt become more like the exact thing he despises. And man, I was enjoying the little duo betwen Vladimir and Matt, it sucks Vlad had sacrificed himself so that Matt could go on by myself, on his quest to take down Fisk. Also poor Matt, having to struggle with slowly becomign what he despises, as he takes this painful and semeingly hopeless path for rebuiling Hell's Kitchen and taking out Fisk. Also, like usual, I enjoyed the moments between Foggy and Karen, and especially seeing how much they cared for Matthew and Mrs C. And man, learning just how close Foogy and Matt are was heartwarming, with them willing to put down there lives to save eachother, and w/them forming an brotherly relationship. Also, my man Ben was right on the scene, I hope this story is a massive scoop for him. Also, man that detective Blake is one awful person.