What's News in Pop Culture: 'Daredevil' and 'Righteous Gemstones' Reviewed with a Faithful Lens

Evan Garcia: 00:01:11

Foreign.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:01:14

Do you think that Hell's Kitchen has good deviled eggs? This is systematic geekology. We are the priest of the geeks.

I am one of your geekologists, Kevin Schaefer here with one of my fellow geeks, Evan Garcia. Evan, how are you today?

Evan Garcia: 00:01:28

Hey, Kevin, how you doing, man? I'm doing pretty well. Glad to be on to talk what we've been watching in the what's News without the question mark.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:01:36

It is. This is another what's News episode which we have some great stuff to talk about today.

We are going to be hitting primarily on Daredevil board again later on.

And then first after geeking out on, we're going to talk about the righteous Gemstones, which I am really excited for because I don't think we've done an episode on that before and I know you and I are fans, so not that I could think of maybe like at least not that I've done. So I am looking forward to that. But. But yeah. And we'll also just talk about everything new in the geek culture or stratosphere.

So very glad to have you all here today. So, Evan, before we get into any of those topics, what else have you been geeking out on lately?

Evan Garcia: 00:02:14

I have been geeking out on something very specific and I didn't think I was going to like it, but I became completely obsessed because my wife and my daughter were completely obsessed. And it's the squid game challenge, the game show that's the. I got completely hooked.

Like, I don't usually like game shows anymore because they're all the same and they're very high emotions. I've. I got nothing wrong with them. I just haven't seen them in forever because they're all the same.

But this one hooked me in because the production quality was just like the show, like the sets and the. In my head I was like, oh my gosh. The planning that had to go into this, they were 500 contestants and they were doing the games.

And like I was impressed. And then I became invested in the different characters and how do you carve a storyline from 500 consistence and then you bring it down into one.

Because, because, because from. For what I know the other game shows are very. Yeah, there's like 20 people or so, maybe 50 people this. 500, 456, whatever.

And the person that I wanted to win didn't win. But they play the game right. They played the game good and they deserve to win. But I was like, dang.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:03:42

And just to be clear, unlike the show, you don't have to risk your life to play do, you know?

Evan Garcia: 00:03:47

But like, most of the games, they, like, when the people get. That's eliminated, they get these little squibs on their chest and they like, they. They squirt.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:04:00

Oh, wow.

Evan Garcia: 00:04:00

And then the people kind of get all dramatic and they fall over. It's like, okay, I could do without that cheesiness. Like, I didn't need that.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:04:07

Yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:04:08

But there's a part where they recreate the glass bridge challenge from the show. That one, like, when they, quote, unquote, died, you felt it, like, you thought that they died. It's like they're gone.

It's like, oh, that one was kind of intense.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:04:26

That's wild. Like, again, it's just so. I know you've raved about Squid Game before, and it is just like, such a cultural phenomenon.

And I love that out of this, like, dystopian, like, you know, Hunger Games esque show that a game show has evolved from that. It's fascinating. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's awesome, though. But I love that it's finally, I mean, you and your family are playing. That's really cool.

Yeah, that's awesome.

Evan Garcia: 00:04:49

Yeah, yeah.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:04:50

Very cool. Well, on my end. So. Still severing season two. I know. Like, now that season is almost over.

I'm sure we'll do an episode on that soon because I know Will watches it. I think paying does. I can't really, like, there's that. We have several hosts who do. So it has been a bonkers season.

Like, I mean, it's always been a brilliant show, but they have gone in just so many unexpected directions in this season with both storylines and exploring characters that were more supporting that they've given entire episodes to. And just like, you never really know what to expect each season or where it's going and how it impacts the world building.

It's just a brilliant show all around. So. So I think that. And then also on an apple note, I finally, I.

I binged it in, like, two weeks, both seasons of Shrinking, which is a fantastic show.

Evan Garcia: 00:05:39

Oh, yeah, that's great.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:05:41

Yeah, yeah. Have you seen it or did I really? Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:05:46

I know what it is, though. I've been wanting to see it.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:05:49

It's great. It's great. And like, they just announced for season three that Jeff Daniels is joining the cast, which is fantastic.

Evan Garcia: 00:05:56

Yes.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:05:57

Yeah, yeah. So that'll be it. But it's a delightful show. I think if you're, you know, fans of Ted Lasso, it's a lot of the same Creators, they.

They just switch out Jason. So it's Jason Siegel instead of Sudeikis. But. But yeah, it's a. It's a great fusion of comedy and drama.

I mean, like, there are some criticisms toward it, like, I. That like it. The plotting is a little too ridiculous, or that it, like, you know, kind of, like, tackles on too many things.

But I found it to be a real.

I mean, I would love to do an episode on that, but, like, I find it a really fascinating look at just grief and how it process it and how it doesn't always make sense, the ways we respond to it. And it's not meant to be realistic, but it also says really profound things about grief and the human condition, and it does it with a really.

In a really charming manner. The characters are just people I would love to spend time with, like, if they were real. And I just love their interactions. It's a phenomenal cast.

I just really like the writing and how, again, it fusions, fuses comedy and drama really well. So I thoroughly enjoyed it. I binged through it, and now I'm missing it because I finished it so quickly. Oh, man.

I'll be able to watch it live once we get to season three. So those are some of the big things to geeking out on. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:07:14

That severance of season two, man, the memes are coming in fast and hard with those memes. I love it, dude.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:07:22

And I was talking with some people who haven't watched the show yet, and, like, I was explaining the concept to them, and they were like, okay, now a lot of the memes and stuff I'm seeing make a lot more sense. Like, I didn't spoil the show for them, but I gave them the basic concept, and now they have a better understanding of, like, what.

And he's out against me. And, like, I. Well, it's like last night I was at my Star Wars RPG group, and, like, two of the members are.

They don't work at the same hospital, but they're both hospice chaplains, and they were talking about, like, some of the people they each know and through work and all that, and they're just, like, in this conversation. And I was like, oh, your Audis are talking about your innies right here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

So they like that, but it is a great show, so we'll definitely tackle that. Sweet. Well, right on. So, yeah, getting into the main topics of this episode, so.

And, oh, also before we do that, just want to give a shout out to all of our Patreons and anyone who supports the show. We super appreciate it. And if you're watching on YouTube, Will Rose. Will I.

We're now we're getting into spring weather so he could revive his promise of frolicking through a field of flowers if we get 50 likes on this video or any of our videos. So literally all you have to do if you're watching this is hit the like button. I know it gets annoying when YouTubers say that.

Like, I get annoyed when. But it is not hard. You just hit the button and Will will report himself frolicking through a field of flowers.

So if you don't want to miss that, make it happen and make our dreams come true. But we sincerely appreciate your support. So thank you all for being here. And yeah, let's get on to the main topic.

So the first one we're going to talk about is. Is the Righteous Gemstones because the show just returned for its fourth and final season with the premiere this week.

And I'm very excited to talk about this one. We are going to get into spoilers for this and for Daredevil today because we can't really talk about this without getting it. So.

So there's your first spoiler. Is that Bradley Cooper was the guest of honor in this week's episode. We'll get into more. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So, like, and what a brilliant.

We'll get into that fully. But. But first, I mean, I want to ask, so what's your background with this show? Is it. Who don't know. This is a.

The best way to describe it is a pastor action comedy from Danny McBride and his collaborators about a mega church family that runs this, like, mega church empire in South Carolina. And I describe it as like a Coen Brothers film in TV form because it draws so much influence from that.

Like, it's the same kind of black comedy and crime noir. So we'll get into more of the plot. MC but what's your background with the show? Like, when did you start watching?

Evan Garcia: 00:10:04

I started watching right when it started because I came off of. I had a co worker that he was all about the show, the vice principal show. I don't know.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:10:15

Yeah, yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:10:17

The one that Danny McBride did previous to this. So he got me hooked on that show. And then this show came on like a month later. So I was able to watch them kind of back to back.

I was able to watch vice principals and then, and then, and then, and then start this. And I love this since the beginning. I just love it since the beginning.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:10:43

And that's awesome that you were Watching from the beginning because, yeah, like, I. I had known about it for a while.

I think it premiered in: 2019

But I only started watching back in December, and I fell in love with it right away and binged most of it over the holidays. And then I think I finished season three in, like, early January. So I fell in love with it. But I have not seen Vice Principals.

I'm going to go to that next because I. Again, like, I think about, like, David Bright.

You know, we were a friend and I were talking about this is like, you know, he was known for a lot of, like, the Jedi Apatow comedies and stuff like that, like, kind of the stoner ones and, like, was always super funny. But, like.

And I knew he was a screenwriter on the new Halloween movies because, like, one of his longtime collaborators, yeah, David Gordon Green directed those, and so they wrote those together.

So, like, I knew he was a writer as well, but, like, until I watched Righteous Gemstones, I just didn't know, like, how phenomenal a storytelling storyteller he is. He's just brilliant from, as a. From, as a writer, director. And I just fell in love with this show for multiple reasons.

Like, I mean, it's obviously hilarious, and it's just like, you know that you get into the meat of this family, which is Eli Gemstone, played by John Goodman, is the patriarch and the head of this mega church. And then his three adult children are Jesse, played by Danny McBride. Yes, yes. Like, oh, yes. Oh, yes. I love it.

Like, and then Judy, played by Edie Patterson, who's also a writer on the show. Fantastic. Probably the, like, I think the two funniest characters are.

Might be her and baby Billy, played by Walton Goggins, which we'll get into as well. And then Kelvin, the younger son played by Adam Devine. And, like, all of them are so funny.

But I think what I really like, right from the pilot, what I liked was, okay, here's a show they could easily just make fun of, like, people in the megachurch environment and in, like, Christian circles in general.

And instead it has, like, as funny as that, absurd as it is at times, it also has a lot of depth to the characters because, like, so, for instance, like, I mean, in the pilot, a lot of it, after you do the intro of the characters and you get to know his family a little bit, and they all live on this major estate that the have had for a while. Eli is very rich, and you get a little insight into their lives and.

And then at the end of the episode, Jesse is blackmailed by two masked gunmen in a mall parking lot because they have a sex tape of him that they're going to expose. And you think it's going to, like, just.

The season would end with just getting out and, like, the family gets taken down and all, you know, just be this. But it handles everything so smart. Like, such a smart way where you don't really know where it's going to go.

And it takes a lot of twists and turns, and it is both, again, comedy and drama. And again, it very much like, tackles the absurdities with.

Particularly with megachurch environments and, like, the hypocrisy of a lot of, like, big celebrity pastors and intentionally does that. But it also gives a lot of humanity and depth to each characters, and you continually fall in love with them like.

Like both, you know, with their faults and with their strengths and. And they add new villains each season. It's just like. It's funny. It's, you know, it's like that. Very noir as well. Yeah.

I just really loved it from the beginning. What are some of your favorite.

Before we get into the Season 4 premiere, what were some of your favorite characters or favorite moments leading up to this season?

Evan Garcia: 00:14:38

Wow. I haven't seen him since the premiere, but I remember the. In the previous. In season three, the whole.

The whole thing about Baby Billy trying to get that TV show off the ground.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:14:52

Oh, my God.

Evan Garcia: 00:14:54

That whole kerfuffle, that whole craziness. That was great. And. But this whole show, like you said, it's so easy to kind of make fun of the Christians or.

Which, to be honest, it kind of does, but it does it with heart. And he makes fun of it, but then he slides in the truth. Like, yeah, these people are humans, too. They're trying to deal with this stuff. Sure.

This is exaggerated. And hey, look, if you were probably in this position with. With.

With all this money and all these people, you're probably doing the same thing, too, man. So. And one thing that my co worker at the time said that he went. When he. When he first got me into it, he goes.

He said that Danny McBride's theme, that there's a theme that he likes to do with all his movies and his TV shows is that he likes to bring the. He. He likes to bring people that people put on pedestals and humanize them.

So with, like, Eastbound and Down, the baseball players, the athletes, they do some crazy stuff because they're just human too. Vice principals, people put teachers on pedestals too, for the right reasons. However, they do crazy stuff as well.

Like there's a crazy world of teacherness. You know, it's like so, so, so this is like his, his magnum opus. Almost like.

Like you saw it coming that he was going to tackle the Christians and especially these, the. This certain kind of Christianity that is loud and big and on prosperity gospel, stuff like that. So. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So I am excited to get into the spoilers for this episode. So what do you think about this episode?

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:16:55

Oh, it was phenomenal. And I just want to say that is a great point too about like, like the. How it analyzes.

Because like, because it is, it's the like, it's like if you were to make a show about Joel scene, like, I mean you could just make fun of him the entire time, but it's more right play. So. But it's like that gets boring. What exact.

What like you said, it takes like the mega church prosperity gospel themes and really makes it compelling ensemble and. Oh, I. I agree. Baby Billy. So Baby Billy, played by Walton Goggins, is the brother in law of Eli.

And like when you meet him in the show, you know, he has a wife who's like, you know, younger than the adult children in the show. And like, and he's this older dude and like, also, I love this. So Walton Goggins is also on the season of the White Lotus.

And so like, I like, you know, I love that like Sunday nights belong to Walton Goggins right now because I watch Righteous Gemstones and I watch White Lotus and he's on both now. But yeah, in season three, he creates a show because like, because they have so much money, they have like a whole network through the gemstones.

And so he pitches a show to them called Baby Billy's Bible Bonkers, which is just Family Feud with Bible trivia. And I was on the floor like, that's the other part of the show is like when. Because like I watch a lot of comedy and stuff.

Like if I'm not with people, it's rare that I can like be bust out laughing watching something by myself. And this show does that and it has that ability perfectly him the way.

Evan Garcia: 00:18:28

He did it, I was just like. And the song that he sings later.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:18:32

So yes, the. I. I have that on a playlist. Like there will be a payday. Like I'm not even gonna try to sing. It's like just go look it up on YouTube. It's brilliant.

But yeah, so a lot of great stuff. But yeah. Let's get into the season premiere. So again, this is the fourth and final season and in the premiere this was a wild like. Like we.

None of it.

I don't think anyone was expecting a full on opening and because, like, the show has done flashback episodes before, but they've all been about Eli's younger self and. And Elza.

So Eli's a widow and so the flashback episodes have mainly served to getting into his wife is foundational to who he becomes as a person and his children. And so we get to know her in the flashback episodes and we get a very young elapso. We get several flashback episodes of the.

Of like Judy, Jesse and Calvin as kids. But we. But this episode, which opens in the Civil War in Virginia. So right off the bat we're like, whoa, we're going back to.

So, you know, you think it's going to explore the origins of the gemstone family. And we open at a small church in Virginia. So obviously this is a Confederate state. The preacher there is giving a very like, pro Confederacy sermon.

And we wonder if, like, oh, is this like one of the gemstones, like the founder, you know, is this the. Right. So we meet this and he's talking about how, oh, it's an honor that you, you know, your husbands are out fighting the good fight.

And all of a sudden he gives this like, you know, this message and then has this kind of like lust in his eyes as he's collecting money from congregants and it's gonna go to himself, obviously. And so you're like, oh, yeah, this is a very gemstone thing to do. Like, you know, and it like, piece of that. But then a huge twist and like, so the.

The congregation leaves and then there's this guy hanging in the background and he starts talking and even more like he.

Evan Garcia: 00:20:45

Was sleeping out of a pe.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:20:46

Yes. He just comes out of a pew there to go, like, talk about the. Like after he's collected all the money. And. And you're.

Even before he shows his face, you're like, is that Bradley Cooper? Like, oh, my gosh. Anyway, so we find out that this is actually the gemstone. And what happens is he kills the minister and steals the money there.

And right, right as he's about to leave, the Confederate Confederate squadron knocks on the church door and tells. And they. They assume that he's the preacher, the church, because obviously he's not going to let him in and show the dead body there.

So they think he's the preacher and him. If. Or they tell me he's been assigned to be the chaplain for the Confederacy in this part, the state.

And so he's like, okay, yeah, let me go get my things. Because initially he's trying to turn it down, but then he hears that it pays well, too. And this guy is the ultimate con, right?

50 bucks a month and free meals, so. Which is a lot back then.

So, like, so being the con man that he is, he goes and messes up the minister's face more and writes a letter saying that, like, to fake his identity and say that. That. That he's actually the priest and that the man. Name. What was his. What was the gemstone's first name? Was it. Oh, it was Elijah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So this is Elijah Gemstone, the founder. Yeah. So he. Yeah. Frames it all and, like, leaves the preacher there for dead, goes off the Confederacy, and now he.

And this is where some of the funniest moments, I think, in the show come about, where he's trying. This guy with no minister experience whatsoever is trying to pretend to be a chaplain. And you see echoes of Jesse here.

You see echoes of kind of a younger Eli, but some of the moments here where he's having to pray for some of fallen soldiers. I, like.

I don't know about you, but this is one of the moments I was just, like, on the floor laughing where there's a man dying and he's asking Elijah to pray for him, and he's like, all right, well, just give me a minute. You know, I'm trying to think of the right words here. And by the time he thinks of something, the guy dies.

This is the most righteous gemstones thing he could possibly do. And Bradley Cooper gives a phenomenal performance here. I read, too, that he had never seen an episode of Gemstones before, but.

And he didn't want to before until this episode was finished filming, because he wanted to come in blind and just be able to tackle the character on its own. And it's so funny because, like, he taps into so much. And a lot of it is in the writing and the directing, but still, he taps into so much of.

Again, this is like something Jesse would do. A lot of his behavior.

And this guy is out, like, gambling and drinking, and when another soldier says, like, you know, that's odd behavior for a minister, he fires back and says, like, hey, are you trying to insult a man of God? Because, like, you could go to hell that way. Like. And. And he just, like, the way he does it. I was like, this is such a Jesse Gemstone thing.

So I love how they mirror that.

But then, like you were talking about earlier and how this show does both absurd, over the top comedy and also gives its characters extreme sincerity.

So after, you know, fumbling his way and like BSing his way through his role as like a chaplain here and trying not to be exposed and, you know, and then he gives like a two minute sermon and he's like, okay, are we done here? I think that was, that was good.

Evan Garcia: 00:24:27

That was. I. I could not sit through that. It was so hard to sift through. I was laughing and crying, but not crying in a good way.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:24:36

Oh, my gosh, that was like. It's just one of the best moments. But after all that and then, and then he kills another guy for money. He's still this horrible person.

But then at the very end, when a bunch of soldiers are about to be executed, he has this shift where he gives a very sincere message to them and it really does, like, come from his heart and he's like, trying to think of the raisers. And then at the very end, he starts reading this like, gold sealed Bible and you get that he is, like, on the road to a path of redemption and man.

Yeah. I love this quote. You pulled up. Oh, I did already. It's done. I've been praying the whole time silently in my mind.

Evan Garcia: 00:25:19

Yeah, I choked on my coffee when I, when I, when I watched, when I heard that live. I was. I know that's something that I would have said when I was younger.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:25:29

Yes, yes.

Evan Garcia: 00:25:30

Like when I, when, when I was not comfortable praying with people, you know.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:25:35

Yeah, it's like.

Evan Garcia: 00:25:36

Yeah, I related to what he was like this whole show. Great recap, by the way, of the episode. It was a great to recap. Those were all the great story beats. Those were.

But the show had, like, it had me laughing, it had me crying. It had me feeling things I haven't felt in a while. Like, I felt mad. And I was like, oh, my gosh, it's my cage stage coming back again.

Like, like, like for some reason the show didn't do it, but this episode, in the time frame, in the whole period piece, part of it kind of, kind of felt more real. So, so I was like, oh, no, you can't. You can't pretend to pray with somebody. Like, how dare you?

Like, but then the other side of me was laughing so hard, you know, because I related to it the second. It's just how absurd he's. That he is.

So the whole episode, I Was like, two minds, and I had to, like, reconcile with some of the stuff that I was thinking about it. But overall, I loved it. Bradley Cooper's portrayal of the good con man that, like, you said that.

That it foreshadows what they do hundreds of years later.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:26:57

Exactly. It's just like, this is, like, the perfect origin. And. And I was like, yeah, I read a lot about this episode, and I. I.

Danny McBride said that the idea kind of came to him because he was listening to an audiobook about the Civil War, and. And, like, a part of it mentioned chaplains at the time. And he's like, I didn't even think about that as an actual job people had.

And it's not during times of. You know, that was what gave him the idea, and he wanted in. And, like.

And the thing is, when this episode started, I was like, oh, this is a really cool intro. I was not expecting it to be the full episode, to be a period piece and to be just the Origins of the Stone.

It was a brilliant and a bold choice to start the final season that way. And, like, I don't know if we'll see Elijah again in this season. We might be able to, you know, another flashback.

I don't, you know, maybe like to see some of his early, like, Ministry days. I don't know. But. But even if this is all we get, I think this is just. And it's also. I mean, it points to.

I know we were talking earlier just about how good a storyteller Danny McBride is, and this just shows his chops as a director with the budget. Like, you said it very much. It felt like a really authentic period piece. It really captured the atmosphere, reminded me of.

Evan Garcia: 00:28:13

Yeah, I know that it's a different war, but I remember. Do you remember the movie the Patriot with. Yeah, it reminded me of that. Just the brutality of the violence.

But then they get wholesome almost, with the feelings and stuff like that.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:28:32

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Oh, that's, I think, a good comparison. It comes in that atmosphere. And. Yeah, because there are moments of, like.

Yeah, relevant and funny, and then, like, you know, a brutal moment where he's just talking to soldiers and his head gets blown off and, like. And it doesn't shy away from the violence there. That's, again, the brilliant thing about this show is, like.

Yeah, it is absurd in a lot of ways, and it's funny and it's like. But it's also, like, not afraid to tackle, like, the effects of violence on.

Evan Garcia: 00:29:00

Both sides like that. That. That topic because. Because they saved his life from a executional for the shooting just because he was a man on the cloth.

So that shows that they. That they valued it just enough to have the clergy, but they were still fighting the war, so they still had to fight the war. And.

Yeah, so like you said. Yeah, it shows the struggles of that time and. And which I was not expecting to see from the righteous gemstone.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:29:35

No, not at all. And that's what I love on the show. It continually to surprise you. And. Yeah, I'm gonna miss it when it's gone. Like, I. I am. I mean, I know.

Like, because that was the other thing he.

When they announced it would be the final season, like, he didn't even tell the cast until about they were filming until last episodes because he didn't want to, like, them to be in the mindset the whole time. But, like. But I respected his day. Like, he chose to end on its own terms. Like, they've had like the cast. Yeah.

You can hear them talk about, like, how much fun they have making it. And it's been like a huge passion project. But like, I'm like, as much as I love the show, you know, I mean, it's like Eli is getting older. Like, I.

I don't. Wait one.

I don't want to go on forever and it like, run out of ideas because, like, I really like how they structured each season and they give a really good different villain each time and they've really developed the characters. So. So I think it's smart to do quality over quantity, but nonetheless, I will miss it. But. But, yeah, exactly.

It just like, continues to surprise you and have just like these really sincere themes and characters that balance the absurd comedy and humor of it. And yeah, this episode, I thought was just one of the best. And yeah, Bradley Cooper was fantastic. I am really stoked for where the season because I.

I think now as far as obviously since this episode took place entirely in this era, we don't really know much about what plotline it'll follow once we get back to our, you know, our main cast of characters here.

Evan Garcia: 00:31:02

Yeah, but I think so many threads.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:31:05

There's a lot there to include. But I think the, like, one thing we will see is the. And it's been teased, I think, in the trailer is. Is that gold Bible that.

Yeah, I think that's like a family emblem. So what if they make it like.

Evan Garcia: 00:31:19

Like the Pulp Fiction suitcase or something?

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:31:22

Exactly. Yes. Yes. Yeah, it could be. That could be a total McGuffin. Like, we'll see. So I. I'm really looking forward to that. Yeah. Yeah. But it's a great episode.

Yeah. If you're. I mean, I know a lot of spoilers, but even that. If you. If.

Even if you're listening to this and you haven't watched the show, I highly recommend go and check it out, because it is just, like, you know, it's. It's funny. It's, like, sincere. It has one of my favorite just ensembles, I think, any. I haven't seen me in a while, and it's just.

It's a great show all around, so. Yeah. But anything else you want to say on this premiere or, like, just. Right.

Evan Garcia: 00:31:57

I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

And like you said, I'm glad it's a HBO series in the sense that it's going to have some closure that is not going to go for. For 25 seasons. You know, I kind of like, you know, you kind of make your point, and then you're done.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:32:16

So that's great because it also makes me excited for what Danny McBride is going to do next. Like, same with Bill Hater, with Barry. Like. Like, Barry was brilliant. And I'm still waiting on what Bill Hater is doing it. Oh, my gosh.

Like, that's the thing.

I'm still waiting to see what Bill Hader does next because, like, Bill Hader, Danny Bride, both great examples of, like, you know, like, comic actors who are brilliant filmmakers. And I want to see that, like, whether they'll do another show next or a movie or what.

But, like, I'm all for, you know, like, they're, I think, some of my favorite creators today.

Evan Garcia: 00:32:45

Right.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:32:46

Sweet. Awesome. All right, sweet. Well, let us get on to Daredevil then. And fair warning, this is another. We're gonna get into heavy spoilers here.

As of recording, there are three episodes out so far. This is Daredevil Born Again, which is a continuation. This is the first thing we'll talk about is that this is a continuation of the Netflix series.

I know when they announced that Daredevil's coming back and they had Charlie Cox and Vincent d'onfreo there from the beginning, but there was, like, I think initially they were trying to do, like, a full reboot, and then they eventually pivoted toward making the. Or all. All the Netflix shows canon, and this be a continuation and still.

Still be kind of a soft reboot and, like, jumping on point, but all the events proceeding were canon, and this picks up a few years later. So, yeah, I mean, I'LL just go ahead and say that, like, Daredevil is my favorite Marvel character.

As you can see if you're watching on YouTube and you see my description here. I have met Charlie Cox, I met at Metacon last year, and I've also met Deborah and Wool, who plays Karen, and John Bernthal plays Punisher.

So I got pictures of all them nicest people. So I was beyond stoked because I love the original Netflix series. I was super excited for this series come back and. And what it would do. So.

And right off the bat, it opens with a banger here. But, like, do you want to get.

I mean, you want to give a little bit about what happens in the premiere and the episode so far and feel free to talk about to your background with the character.

Evan Garcia: 00:34:56

Yeah. It's crazy to think it's been, I think, around 10 years since the first premiere of the. Of the Netflix project. I remember that going around when.

When this premiered owl out on Netflix and it's a reboot on Disney plus, but kind of, you know, they are. They. They continue it, like you said. And what happens in this season, it's a continuation. Like, things aren't happy. Like, things are in a good place.

They are at a bar and Foggy's making moves on a girl. Yeah, Matt and everyone, they're. They. They are. They are.

They are just chilling and they introduce some new characters and stuff, which I think were new characters because I don't remember them from the beginning. Like, the guy with the glasses.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:35:53

Yeah, he is like a. Like, they're like. He's like a retired cop and this guy. Yeah. Okay, so he is one they brought in for Born Again. Yeah. Yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:36:03

Okay, well, then they're in a bar, and then Foggy takes a call, and it looks like it's kind of. It looks. It's kind of serious because his little Spidey sense, because Matt's Spidey sense goes off essentially.

You know, and I love how the aspect ratio got big, and if he got big but then got small at the same time, and then you could tell that he was trying to focus on Foggy's phone conversation. And. And it turns out there's a client that he had that he's trying to protect, that he's trying to bunker in his home or in his apartment that has.

That has some bad guys on his tail, and then they all go outside and they start to talk about it. They were a client. And then they're like, why don't you do that? And then out of nowhere, boom.

Foggy gets shot right through the chest, blood flying everywhere. Then Matt will take off, and it turns out it's Bullseye. Bullseye is still alive. There are some things that happen later.

Like, he has some powers now that he can probably not die from things now because of the surgery. But there's a fight, and it's very. It's a good callback. A good callback to the first fights of the first season and the ones after that where him.

They. Instead of going down a building, they go. They go up a building, kind of let the movie raid. They go up a building, and then they fight on the top.

And then Foggy ends up dying, and then Matt, as a daredevil, throws Bullseye, just. Just kind of like flicks him off the top, and you see it all, and he splats on the floor. And I was like, oh, this is how it's going. All right.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:38:02

Right, right.

Evan Garcia: 00:38:04

And then from there, it's the whole political drama. We learned that. That. That. That. That Fisk is coming back, that.

That Vanessa has been running the business while Fisk has been away with the stuff from the Hawkeye series and the Echo. Echo series. Yes.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:38:29

Yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:38:30

Yeah, he was doing that. And he's a changed man now, and he wants to. And he wants to run for governor or for mayor of New York, and there's a little bit of a.

Tension there between him and Vanessa and then. And then it goes a year later and. And. And. And Matt is. Is. He's the lawyer again, and he has a new. So new partners. What's.

Her face is in California, I think it was.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:39:04

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then Kirsten is new partner. Kieran McDuffie, who. Yeah, she's from the comics too. Is his new partner. And so they like.

Yeah, because that. Because after the opening scene, yeah, it jumps a year forward and yeah, it's really like.

So him and Karen aren't working together anymore because it's clear that, like, Matt hit rock bottom after Foggy's death and. And his guys are over and it's like quite distance between them.

And so now he's starting a new firm with Kirsten and new love interest develops and yeah, it's a. So. And then, yeah, Fitz does become mayor and. Oh, man, that. The. The scene between that.

It was teased in the trailers, but between them at the diner was just one of the things they get there, like.

Oh, they get their, like, seat moment where it's just the two of them talking and, like, it's in some ways even better than a Lot of the fight scenes we've seen before, I think that was just such a, like, tense where they each say to each other, like, if you step up, like, I'm coming after you. You know, like. Because at this point, Matt has put behind the Daredevil alias, and he's trying to just, like, do everything as a lawyer. And.

And I want to talk about that first. Like, so, you know, okay, so the title is Born Again, which is a callback to an iconic Frank Miller story in the comics, which I knew it would.

This was. This series wasn't going to be an adaptation of that because a.

They kind of already did a loose adaptation of it in season three of the original Netflix series, along with, like, Guardian Devil there. But, like, they were. The title was more to indicate that, like, okay, Daredevil's back.

Like, this is like a reboot of, like, you know, him being really brought into the mcu. So it just works as a title, but it also speaks to, you know, he does put Daredevil behind him after he.

He promises he's not going to do it again after Foggy's death because he blames himself, which is a classic thing we've seen in a lot of superhero stories before.

But, you know, that's my only thing is, like, I expected him to put on the suit a little earlier because now we're three episodes in and he still hasn't returned as it's been so far, more of a courtro drama. So what do you think about that approach? I mean, I think it's going to happen soon, but, like.

But still, it is a bold thing to have it be sort of a Matt Murdock story for a while there, especially since it's been a while since we've seen there. But how do you feel about that approach?

Evan Garcia: 00:41:38

I kind of feel I'm going to. I'm going to do a parallel to the Last Jedi and, like, where we don't. Being Luke Skywalker, you know, it's here to see Daredevil.

We did see the fight between him Bullseye, which was amazing. And my wife goes, wait a minute, can he fly now? Because he was using his. His. His baton things. And I was like, no, no, no. He's.

He's got these cool sticks with, like, the metal line on them and stuff like that.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:42:08

Yeah, yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:42:09

And. But yeah, I was thinking that, too, that this is. That this. That this show is taking. Taking.

Taking the swing of not having him be Daredevil for at least a good chunk. So I like what they've Done. It's the. His very typical Matt.

He's like, he, like, he takes things to the extreme and that's what he does, you know, and, and to me, that was in line with his character. So. And I like how it's giving us. Or it's. It, it's.

It's him not being Daredevil in the suit is, is letting us get into a glimpse as to what he's been doing and how, and how he's been living since we've done. Since the death of Auggie and since we last left him. And, and, and it's kind of good to see the new. That he's the same old.

But at the end of the, of the, of the second episode, I was like, I'm pretty sure he's straight up because I've never seen the third episode yet, so I'm on the first two. Sorry. He's fine. But. But right now I'm pretty sure he straight up killed those two. Those two thugs in the apartment. So I'm like, so technically.

So technically Daredevil doesn't cure people, but Matt Murdock thugs, apparently. So. Okay, that's where we're at, I guess.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:43:50

That was a pretty brutal fight. And like, I won't like. I'm glad you said you haven't seen episode three yet, because I was about to drop a major spoiler about that.

Evan Garcia: 00:43:57

So.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:43:58

Okay, I won't refrain there, but it just.

But one of the things it looks like too is there's another vigilante character from the comics called the White Tiger that is like, being that he's arrested because he was involved in a scene where a cop was killed. And like, he didn't do it, but. But he's being kind of like framed in and opposed by the nypd.

And now with Fisk as mayor, Fisk is running at a very anti vigilante campaign. So that provides a really interesting dynamic as well.

But all that said, I won't spoil what happens in episode three, but it does indicate that it's pushing Matt closer to, you know, reviving Daredevil very soon. But. But overall, I mean, I'm thoroughly enjoying. I mean, granted, like I said, Daredevil is my favorite Marvel character, so it does.

It's not that hard to please me with like this, like, I mean, you just put him in like, the show is back and you've got Charlie Cox there. I'm happy.

But, but so far, like, I, you know, I like how it builds on everything that's happened within the original series, but still tells kind of a fresh story here. And I like that we're seeing new characters too, you know.

Evan Garcia: 00:45:14

Yes, yes. I like the new characters because it gives a chance to connect to the bigger mcu. Because what I took away from the show was.

Still has the gritty, street level kind of. Kind of feel to it like the previous Netflix show did, but it has this kind of polish, it has this kind of style to it where. Where.

Where that kind of matches and. And that makes it fit into the MCU now because the.

The MCU movies, they are very much cut from the same cloth, like, they've created a style basically, and. And I think this fits very well into that.

And I look very much forward to see the kind of connections that they make between the two series, because I remember I had the hopes of them doing it when it was on Netflix, but it was. That was the. The TV team and the movie team for Marvel. They had some drama and they didn't like to connect and stuff like. So there was no hope there.

But now I think there's going to be hope where, sure, Thor is probably not going to come down and save the day, but he's going to be. There's going to be feelings a part of it. And I'm picking up on this setup because they had.

I could tell from the first episode and the second episode that there was going to be a completely different show, but the way they blended it together was perfect. The way that the first episode ended and then from what I heard, the second episode was pretty much gonna be the premiere show of the show.

So the way they blended that together was beautiful. I was like, right on. They made it so cohesive and like. And I'm kind of.

I'm kind of disappointed that we got the main three and then now we don't have the main three. But. But they still live on in his decisions as, as, as, as Matt Murdock. And this is. I'm starting to see the fingerprints of the writers and the.

And the directors. They're the guys. If you haven't. I'm gonna do a shameless plug for a previous episode that I did with, with, with.

With our guy, Will Rose on the Endless It's Sci Fi show from the same directors. And it is. I could see that on the bigger scale here now with the characters. And I'm loving it. I'm totally loving this.

So I never had a big attachment to Daredevil. I didn't know about him until I seen him, but I didn't. I didn't know about him until the Netflix series.

But I'm glad they are putting this kind of power behind Daredevil 100%.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:48:27

And no, I'm so glad you brought up Justin Benson and Aaron Moore. Like, the end was a great movie and like, yeah, so they directed the pilot and they're listed as executive producers throughout the show.

So I think they're big creative forces here because they were also directors on Moon Knight. So they've been with Marvel for a while. Between them, yes. And Loki.

And so between them and then the Newton brothers doing the soundtrack, it's just like they've got some great talent here. And yeah, that is the cool. I like how they did it.

Of what like we were talking about earlier of they originally had it as a full reboot and like you said that the second episode was gonna be the premiere originally and then but they made it really cohesive and I liked that they gave that. Even though, like I said, it's short lived of like, like seeing the original trio that we love. You're like, oh yay.

Talking Karen are back and they're like, and oh, Foggy's hot. And then Karen's gonna go away. It was brutal.

But it also like, it works as I think a good story beat to kind of like set the series in motion and you know, and I like, I like that they still got to pay homage to them and also recognize that it is moving forward like the way I. Because a friend was asking me because he's seen a lot of the Netflix series but hasn't seen all of it.

And like he wants to check this out, but he's like, can I jump onto this without having seen all of it? And I said yes, because I compare this to like when they change creators for a new comic run of the same character.

Like everything that came before is still canon, but you get a new creative team in a new direction. That's a lot what this feels like. So yeah, you get the same characters and so I think they're handling it really well.

But yeah, again, I'm glad you said you haven't seen episode three, so I will not spoil what happens there. But I'm really enjoying it so far. I just love seeing these characters back. And yeah, Daredevil, someone I've loved for a long time.

I think I was initially introduced in the 90s Spider man animated series and then he quickly became one of my favorite comic characters.

Evan Garcia: 00:50:28

That is a good point because I don't remember him from that show. I remember that show. I remember watching It. I don't. For some reason he went over my head for some reason, I guess when I was.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:50:38

Dude, go back and watch on Disney Plus. Like, he's in several episodes there, but, like, it's okay. Yeah.

And I mean, Charlie Cox is, as you told what you said about this is definitely bringing in the larger mcu. Like, they've dropped Spider man references and everything. Obviously Puncher is back here.

But like Charlie Cox has said, like, he would love to team up with Tom Holland in a Spider man movie and fight Kingpin together. Awesome. It'll be awesome. Yeah.

Evan Garcia: 00:51:04

So they, you know, to tie in our. Both topics today, I realized as I was as, as I was watching the Daredevil, the episodes of Daredevil. Both of these two. These.

Both of these two shows feature prominent large white men in white suits.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:51:31

Power hungry models. There you go.

Evan Garcia: 00:51:34

There you go. I was like.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:51:37

And also I.1.

When you think about a criminal becoming a politician who's like, you know, I mean, I don't know how that's relatable in today's world, but, you know, but yeah, you know, I'll say that for another time, but. But I do think that is very intentional too. And also the, the, the Mayor Fisk run in the comics came out during Trump's first presidential term, so.

Evan Garcia: 00:52:03

That's. Right.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:52:03

There is. It is not a mistake at all that there are a million comparisons there. But yeah, so it is. Yeah, but. But yeah, no, I mean, I love Daredevil.

I, I'm thoroughly enjoying this so far, so I am ready to see him suit up. So I hope it won't take too much longer on this quest.

Evan Garcia: 00:52:20

Maybe. Yeah, that would be great. Finally.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:52:23

It would be awesome. I mean, they teased like multiple costumes too, so I'm really excited.

Evan Garcia: 00:52:28

I was a little skeptical though, in that, in that, in that opening fight, I noticed it could have been my frame rate on my TV or something, maybe. But I think they were CG for a lot of it. And I was like, I don't like that. I don't like that at all.

I hope that's just that they didn't have time to do it or something.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:52:48

And I'm like, yeah, yeah, I want.

Evan Garcia: 00:52:50

Some real gritty action. Sure. You can have special effects and you can do the oners that are not that they're not really Oners, but they are runners. I love that.

But I don't, I don't want to have the, the whole Black Panther effect thing going on.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:53:07

I agree. I mean, Daredevil especially is very street level. Like, I want to see that.

Like, and they did such a phenomenal job with the fight scenes in the original. Like, I do want to see more.

Evan Garcia: 00:53:16

That's it.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:53:17

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sweet. Awesome. Well, before we wrap up, do you have any recommendations either related to these topics or it can be something totally different?

Evan Garcia: 00:53:25

Recommendations. I say to watch the Netflix season again, because they're on. They're on Disney plus. And I.

We are just about to finish them up because my wife, we were on season three, and then we started watching this and then that made her go back and. And I watch and to finish that season.

So, yeah, just kind of watch that and keep a lookout on the output of the systematic ecology, because I think we're putting out some good stuff.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:54:04

Yeah, I love it. Josh will give you bonus points for plugging our podcast, but yeah, that's a.

And I will recommend for the comics, the Daredevil run by Mark Waid and Chris Samney. Other artists too, but they were kind of main ones. That's one of my favorites.

And if you're looking for a story that is, like, it still has, like, all that cost of general stuff, but is also has more levity to it, and you get to see a lot of fun villains there. You get to see characters from this series in there. So Kirsten McDuffie is a prominent player there. It's just.

It's a great run and some of my favorite animal stories. And. And he did. I mean, he wrote that book for years, so that's one of my favorites.

I mean, I love, you know, I mean, the Frank Miller stuff was classic and he, you know, really reinvented the character and is responsible for, you know, particularly this adaptation. But Mark wait's run is one of my favorites. So highly recommend that.

Evan Garcia: 00:55:01

en't read comics since, like,: 2015

I had to kind of put it down, but I was just going through my phone because I listened to. I forgot what.

I don't remember the podcast, but they were interviewing the writers and the directors for this and there weren't any spoilers, but it was really good. But I don't remember the podcast that it was on.

Kevin Schaeffer: 00:55:32

I'll look out because, yeah, they've done a bunch of interviews lately, but, like. But yeah, there's a lot. That's really cool. So cool. Awesome. Well, Evan, pleasure as always. This is a blast.

So this is concludes our latest what's News episode. Oh, it was awesome. But yeah, sweet. Well, and try again for our listeners out there. Thank you so much to our Patreons.

We really appreciate the support. And even if you can't give anything there, just, you know, share the show with your friends.

Like whether you're listening on Spotify or Apple podcasts or on YouTube, wherever you get it, just leave us a review. It really helps. And we appreciate your support. So remember, we are all a chosen people, a geekdom of priests. We will see you next time.

Evan Garcia: 00:56:16

Peace.