Episode 22: Exploring the Senses of Daredevil
On this latest episode of #TalkDaredevil, we are going into full nerd-out mode over one of our favorite topics: senses— how it’s portrayed on Daredevil, what the show did well (and occasionally not so well), and why respecting the science of it all still matters, even on a superhero show!
SHOW NOTES
Team #SaveDaredevil’s resident science expert, Christine, is joined by fellow team members Lauren and Shelby for a full nerd-out conversation over one of our favorite Daredevil topics — senses. They’re digging in deep today, going over talking points like:
Why this topic even matters (2:15)
How Daredevil touches on our own “reality” and real-life science (7:00)
Breaking down actual examples from the show, starting with how Matt discloses his abilities to others and the “world on fire.” (11:44)
Matt and Stick in the park in the episode “Stick” and why remote heat-sensing doesn’t work. (21:40)
Hearing heartbeats - and other scary sounds (27:47)
Focus and attention, Matt’s use of a white cane (29:10)
Is hearing Daredevil’s most important super sense? And is his sense of smell underplayed? (36:10)
More examples from the show: Tracking the Punisher in season two (39:00)
Have writers shied away from leaning into Matt’s senses and blindness? (41:58)
A lightning round for the rest of the scenes we couldn’t get to at length, including touch-reading blueprints, Matt and Elektra at the Roxxon party, the “silent ninjas” in season two, Matt stitches up Elektra, and Matt regaining his heightened senses in season three (43:58)
A note on Freud and cocaine from this episode: Yes, Sigmund Freud did use cocaine (to treat his migraine!). At least according to psychologist and smell scientist Avery Gilbert, in his book What The Nose Knows. Want to know what that’s all about? Listen to this episode to find out!
Have some thoughts or questions you’d like to hear us discuss in an upcoming episode? Send us an email at contact@savedaredevil.com. And if you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing and leaving us a rating + review on your podcast platform of choice!
LINKS:
Recommended reading about the portrayal of blindness in literary history: https://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/library/bolt-Beneficial-Blindness.pdf
Relevant links from Christine’s website The Other Murdock Papers :
About “silent ninjas”: http://www.theothermurdockpapers.com/2017/07/the-silent-ninja-conundrum/
About Matt determining whether women are attractive:
http://www.theothermurdockpapers.com/2015/06/why-matt-murdock-can-tell-if-someone-is-attractive-and-its-not-even-that-weird/What happens when Daredevil has a cold: http://www.theothermurdockpapers.com/2013/02/daredevil-versus-the-common-cold/
Hearing heartbeats: http://www.theothermurdockpapers.com/2009/01/hearing-heartbeats/
[Full transcript coming soon]