You Should Be Watching: The Punisher (Season 2)
The Punisher Season 2 had the deck stacked against it. During the build up and trailers it was hard to really get excited knowing that it undoubtedly will be cancelled soon. Netflix and Marvel have axed all of their current series not under production including Iron Fist, then Luke Cage and most surprisingly of all Daredevil (despite our review shockingly). It felt like the news that The Punisher and Jessica Jones would be next on the Netflix chopping block once the seasons that were in production were over.
I have to admit if not for the site and thinking it would be a good fit I don’t know when I would have checked it out. It’s not fair that just because the season won’t lead to anything or that because it won’t tie into some greater overall arch that we shouldjust write it off. Maybe we as consumers are to blame, but some of it falls on Marvel themselves. They have conditioned us to know everything feeds a bigger picture. That every cameo, character or storyline is fair game to come up later or hint of what’s to come. Knowing there is no potential for that and that a story is self contained zaps some of that excitement as sad as that is.
So onto the actual series, The Punisher is one of those heroes, that without diving deep into his comic book history, you think what more can you do with him after he avenges the deaths of his family? I mean sure he can still take down goons, but when a hero has only one goal and they achieve that goal where do you go from there? The Punisher answers this question by diving even deeper into the motivations and psyche of the titular hero. Now that Frank has avenged his family, Season 2 shifts the focus to what really goes on in the head of a man like Frank Castle. So many movies and shows that present a revenge angle ask the question “what will happen when you kill that person? It won’t bring them back”. Usually this is used as a way of redeeming the main character from this decision or they never have to deal with the answer. The Punisher Season 2 takes that head on as Frank struggles with what to do next with his life.
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle is the best thing about the show. The guy was tailor made to play Frank Castle. His strengths as an actor and the way he can deliver intense complicated performances is what takes The Punisher off the comic book pages as a gun nut anti hero and makes him a sympathetic hero with a little more to him. Ben Barnes as Franks ex-bestie now nemesis Billy is a good foil and even though the two spend much of the season away from each other when they are together the scenes are charged as the two reconcile with how their relationship and dynamic has changed.
The action is so different than the other Marvel shows on Netflix as well. Daredevil, Iron Fist and others focus a lot on hand to hand fights and choreography with martial arts but The Punisher has gunplay and some very cool scenes with the weapons of choice and the brutality of The Punisher.
The Punisher Season 2 is 100% worth the binge time. I imagine it would be generating a lot more buzz if not for the unfortunate situation revolving around the entire Marvel/Netflix/Disney+. But the performances in the second season of The Punisher and the show taking everything in stride while delivering the best product possible and a show worthy of a third season is enough reason to give it your time.
If not who will avenge The Punisher?
