I’ve actually been fine with the lack of crossover among the shows/characters thus far, with only Rosario Dawson and a brief Carrie Anne-Moss to pave the way. Like you said, the self-contained nature feels both more comic book-y and gives each show its own stakes. We also haven’t really seen anything yet that necessarily demands a crossover; Daredevil has been focused on organized crime and a mystic invasion, while Jessica’s heroing was confined almost entirely to one specific threat. But also, I just assumed in my mind that this is a big enough area that they can all plausibly occupy their own spheres. Hell’s Kitchen has never had the clearest of boundaries in the comics:

What did you think of the secret identity reveal after Matt’s journey this season?

As for Season 3, I’m certain it won’t be any one thing; the fact that this season managed to do an intense Punisher arc, transition to The Hand, and then finish with combinations of each (with sprinklings of Kingpin), all shows that this is a series that will multitask. But there’s also the matter of the Defenders crossover, which appears to be coming before S3 of DD. Since DD has the most cache built up of those Defenders characters, I expect his stuff to be drawn on most heavily.

So here’s what I’m thinking goes down:
1. The Iron Fist show creates its own links to The Hand.
2. Danny brings in Luke, who brings in Jessica.
3. In The Defenders show, The Hand returns en masse, led by Elektra/Black Sky. Daredevil is overwhelmed, but Iron Fist is already on that shit, and they unite to Defend or whatever.
4. Elektra doesn’t die. Somehow.

So
1. Kingpin learns Daredevil’s identity. Still in prison, he starts in on the “Born Again” storyline, systematically destroying Matt’s life.
2. Bullseye comes in as Kingpin’s assassin, takes out all the rivals who’ve cropped up during his prison time. He and Matt have a battle or two during assassination attempts.
3. Partially reformed Elektra?
4. Karen has her own badassery, leading Foggy in a defense of Matt’s destructed life.
5. Midseason or later, Kingpin gets released on some technicality, rather than breaking out, enraging lawyer Matt.
6. The season builds toward Bullseye killing Karen, but pivots last-minute to surprise us by having her survive.
7. No Owl. 🙁

Like you, I freaking loved it. I think it had higher highs than the first season, with 2×3 standing out as a triumph, and possibly the best hour of a superhero show I’ve ever watched, and it just continued from there with an incredible monologue from Bernthal in 4 and 5 bringing the introduction of Elektra. I love that it basically became The Punisher show with Daredevil for a few episodes, and the way the show brings in characters is sublime. They’re not just there to be splashy guest stars. They want to understand them, and are HUGE facets of the proceedings. I think perhaps it was a slight leap to see Frank jump in and help DD in a costume in true team-up fashion at the end (RIGHT after Elektra dies, mind you), but I was more than ready for it.

After such a sterling open, the show struggled at times to keep up with that level of awesome, but my enthusiasm and itch to keep watching never waned.

I think there was a bit of stalling, and I think part of the show’s problem was an inability to really up the stakes in places. Or rather, show us something visually different in the raising of stakes. It kind of became a series of MORE and more fights with the Hand at increasingly poor odds, that even with awesome choreography, felt almost like old hat by the end (the same goes for Punisher’s increasingly brutal gang killings). Of course, the end of 8 and bringing in Kingpin was a brilliant tonic to this, and Elektra grew on me as it went on, with Matt/Elektra’s relationship doing the same.

While I commend the show’s willingness to let us dislike Matt Murdock (and for us to see a hero just outright admit that his ‘real’ identity is the one in the suit, and show his vigilantism is an addiction), it was tough to watch him fail Foggy and Karen so thoroughly, repeatedly. But I like how human and fucked up these heroes are (see: Stick). DD isn’t afraid to admit that Foggy Nelson, Karen Page and Rosario Dawson’s friggin’ awesome Night Nurse are the real heroes.

I agree with you: the stuff with the Hand, Gao and the final fight, did feel a little anticlimactic and the “Black Sky”-ness of it all seemed forced and confusing. As you said, it would’ve benefited from some flat out exposition or clarity. Because it was hard for me to care about it, and it mostly felt/was a reason for Elektra to stick around on the show. I’m not sure if it’s because we both KNEW Elektra’s death was coming that it felt this way. When my girlfriend gets to the end, I’ll be interested to see what her thoughts are on the fact, not knowing Elektra’s place in the canon. And another obvious reason why it was less impactful than it could have, is just how obvious it is that she’ll be back. There’s the Hand macguffin revival chamber thing and the fact that she’s out of her grave in minutes. We don’t really sit with her death for very long at all.

Did you wonder if Jessica Jones or Luke Cage would show up for the finale? I have to admit, given that they’re all in the same neighborhood, it kind of felt weird that they didn’t bump into each other. I had the same thought in the back of my mind during Jessica Jones, especially when it was obvious Jessica could’ve used better lawyer friends. BUT the shows are obviously stronger for having them take care of their own problems, and feel very comic booky in that respect, building up to the crossover.

What do you want to see in Season 3? Is it going to be Matt versus an Elektra-led Hand? Will that feel “fresh” after a Hand dominated second half of season 2? Like how many more punching and kicking scenes can we watch? Daredevil has the best action of any show I’ve ever seen, but even that’s asking a lot.

Is Bullseye going to show up? Will we see young Owl in an Owl costume? Will Kingpin get out or stay in prison? I certainly want him to be the mastermind behind whatever the Defenders have to team up for. Regardless, I’m so stoked, even if I didn’t remotely help answer your question.

I think the answer, as always, lies inbetween: Yes and No.