Bonus: Daredevil’s Writing Lessons (Companion to Ep. 288)

Daredevil isn’t just a great superhero story — it’s also packed with lessons for writers. In this bonus episode, I pull together key takeaways from our Episode 288 breakdown and frame them as quick, standalone insights you can apply to your own creative work. And don’t miss the free companion guide that goes along with this episode!

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Download the FREE guide here: https://www.spuntoday.com/podcast/288bonus 

 

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey everyone, Tony here. Welcome to this bonus episode of the Spun
Today podcast. I'm trying something a little bit different,
breaking down some of the biggest writing lessons from shows and movies that
we all love in a short Q and A format.
Today we're looking at Daredevil on Netflix, and
there's also a free companion guide you can grab to go along with this

(00:22):
episode. Check that out in the show notes. Question 1
what makes Daredevil more than just a superhero show? It's really a
character study about justice, morality, and
guilt. Yes, there's action and fight scenes,
but underneath that, it's also people wrestling with
what it means to do the right thing when there are

(00:45):
no easy answers. Question 2 How does trauma
shape characters in the series? Matt Murdock, losing his eyesight
and his father as a child becomes the blueprint for who he
is. His whole moral code is built on
sacrifice, equaling love. For writers,
that's a reminder to make backstory active.

(01:09):
Trauma should drive decisions that the characters make, not
just sit in the background. Question 3 what's special about the
hero villain dynamic? Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk share
the same wound. Abusive fathers, childhood
violence. But they respond differently. One becomes a protector,
one becomes a tyrant. And that's powerful storytelling because

(01:32):
villains feel more compelling when they're distorted
mirrors of the hero. Question 4 How does the show handle
morality? It's never clean in this show. Punisher,
for example, despises Wilson Fisk, yet he
teams up with him. Daredevil won't kill,
but he constantly wrestles with the temptation. It's a reminder

(01:55):
that gray areas make stories richer than
just strict black and white good and evil characters. Question
5 why does violence in Daredevil feel so effective?
And the answer to that is because it's purposeful. Fisk,
for example, smashing a man's head in a car door is isn't
just gore. It's showing us exactly how much of a

(02:17):
monster he really is. For writers, the lesson is make
violence, reveal character or escalate stakes. Don't
have it in there just for filler. Question 6 Are there any
writing takeaways about world building? Question 6 Any
takeaways about world building? Absolutely. An
example is the Dominican flag that hangs in the gym or

(02:41):
the bustelo coffee and the greca in the kitchen of
the wife of the vigilante that Matt is representing
when he's visiting to get inside information. Those little cultural
details ground the world. They don't need explaining.
They just make it feel lived in. And last, but certainly not least,
question 7 what's the central question of the show?

(03:04):
Justice. Every major character has a different
answer. Daredevil seeks redemption.
Fisk seeks control. Punisher seeks vengeance.
And that one theme ties the entire series
together. And that's a quick hit of writing insights from Daredevil. If
you want to go deeper, grab the free companion guide I put together.

(03:27):
It's linked in the show notes. And if you like this format, let me know.
I plan to do more of these with other shows and movies in the future.
Thanks for listening. Peace.