Daredevil, Netflix, TV review: Marvel wins first fight in bid for television domination with Charlie Cox's superhero vigilante

Television looks set to be overrun by the comic book franchise - but that isn't necessarily a bad thing

Marvel's Daredevil premiered on Netflix earlier this month (Netflix)

Marvel’s Daredevil which arrived online today, may seem like just another new Netflix Originals series, but beware; it’s actually a plan for global domination — the kind devised by super-villains in superhero stories just like this one.

British actor Charlie Cox plays the defence lawyer by day and masked vigilante by night, sworn to protect the Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood he grew up in (leave it to The Avengers to save the world; as befits the smaller screen, Daredevil takes place on a smaller scale).

The streets are as shadowy as our hero’s morality — that’s to be expected in comic book adaptations — but this series also has distinctive sound design to match the visuals. The same chemical accident which robbed Daredevil of his sight heightened his other senses, meaning he can hear the thumping heartbeat of a lying client, and so can we.

Marvel have already parlayed their intellectual property into a hit films,and clearly TV is next. This is only the first of four new Netflix superheroes who will eventually join forces for mini-series, The Defenders.

Is this massive franchise cause to rue the lack of original ideas in television? Probably, but Daredevil has made such a competent and enjoyable debut, it’s hard not be excited by the thought of more (much more) to come.