Season 1 of The Punisher is arguably the best Marvel/Netflix season to date. Arguments have ranged from trivia nights to living rooms across the country debating which Karen Page co-star has the better show: Matt Murdock or Frank Castle. Both are tormented souls looking to enact missions on behalf of the downtrodden. While Murdock has a moral compass, Castle has only a code: No children, no innocents, no women (unless you are trying to kill him; then, equality… cuz you are equally like to catch this bullet). If you seem like you’re guilty, then you are dead, no questions.
Season 1 weaved this into a psychological study of the pains of PTSD and the ethical ambiguity of war. Season 2 says “nah… we good”, favoring The Punisher stories which comic book readers are familiar: Find a mission, enact that mission, kill (mostly) anybody in the way until the mission is completed.
The mission starts with “dead man walking” Frank Castle (John Bernthal) at a back-country roadhouse bar in Michigan. Going by his pseudonym Pete Castiglione, he finds a nice lady that he may attempt to settle down with until he sees young not-so-damsel in distress Amy (Giorgia Whingam) being hunted by mysterious man of the cloth, John Pilgrim (Josh Stewart). It is something straight out of a Tarantino film: blood spills, bullets fly, people die, and Frank and Amy embark to figure out who is really after her and why. These new characters, and most of the returning characters are what carry this seasons’ entertainment (both good and hilariously frustrating).
Whingam’s dynamic with Bernthal creates a father-daughter relationship
that helps show Frank’s humanity when it is otherwise hard to find whilst he is stabbing everyone else on screen. Her banter-veiled fear fosters that relationship and allows the audience to stick with their story through 13 (three too many) episodes.
Stewart as Pilgrim is absolutely terrifying. His calmly monotone demeanor amidst chaos serves as a chilling foil to Castle’s constant guttural war cries. Cue the unstoppable force and immovable object when their paths conflict for the final time. It is the culmination of a season that gives Bernthal full license to wild out. There should never be another cinematic Punisher because Bernthal encapsulates all aspects of the violent and conflicted soldier.
This season, he had company on the tortured warrior front. Ben Barnes returns as Billy Russo/Jigsaw and is a pleasant surprise. His dramatic range was not expected, and despite a few middling episodes of slight overacting and dumb decisions, he garners sympathy for an unsympathetic character. Especially when the face scarring completely misses its objective: How does cutting up a man’s face make him MORE pretty? Unfortunately for returning characters Dinah Madani (Amber Rose Revah) and Curtis Hoyle (Jason Moore), and newcomer Dr. Krista Dumont (Floriana Lima), they were not as successful in counterbalancing blatant character flaws.
The Punisher Season 2 is slight step down from the preceding season. Both had devilishly glorious, violent journeys with action that pulled no punches. While the first had the underlying emotional plotline, the second had a slightly political tone. It doesn’t beat you over the head with right or left-leaning messages, but it also does not say anything significant. In the end, you came to see The Punisher do some Punisher-like things, and Season 2 more than delivers. The Punisher Season 2 shoots its way to 7/10 screams of “Bill!!!” from Frank Castle auditioning for Kill Bill Vol. 3.