The second season of Marvel’s The Punisher has dropped on Netflix, and as a fan of the series’ ultra-violent tone, I am happy to review each episode in the name of science. Season 1 saw Jon Bernthal (Frank Castle/The Punisher) exact bloody revenge on those responsible for his family’s death, culminating in beating one time friend Billy Russo (Ben Barnes) to a pulp. Russo is set to return this season as the villainous Jigsaw, but more on that later.
Season two will also see the return of Frank’s allies: Homeland Security agent Dinah Madani (Amber Rose Revah), Curtis Hoyle (Jason R. Moore) and Daredevil’s Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll). In addition to Jigsaw, the season 2 trailer gives us a glimpse of religious fundamentalist John Pilgrim (Josh Stewart), who isn’t preaching the virtues of peace and love.
After taking down Russo in season 1, Frank appeared to set aside the mantle of the Punisher, but Frank being Frank, it doesn’t take long for him to get into trouble. In season 2, that trouble takes the form of a young woman (Giorgia Whigham) who is in over her head with the wrong people. Whatever adventures Frank gets up, we’re guaranteed copious amounts of blood, violence and bullets. So lock and load and follow along as we review the season!
Episode 201: “Roadhouse Blues”
The first episode of a new season can get bogged down with catching up with all our favorite characters. Shows with large ensemble casts like Game of Thrones can spend the entire episode jumping from plotline to plotline, leaving the audience exhausted. I’m happy to say that “Roadhouse Blues” does not suffer from that problem. Other than oh-so-brief looks at Jigsaw and Agent Madani, we spend all of our time with Frank Castle as he makes his way through the United States on a road trip with no destination.
The majority of the episode centers on Frank meeting local bartender Beth. Their one-night romance brings Frank back to Beth’s no-name town just in time to land himself in the middle of another violent conspiracy. But before we get to that, we get an extended look at Frank’s attempt to live a normal, if rudderless, life. The night Beth and Frank spend together is tender and honest, and ably pulled off by the charismatic Bernthal.
As Beth and Frank’s seemingly innocent romance runs its course, a troubled young woman lurks in the background, running from someone we will soon meet: John Pilgrim, whom we watch calmly strangle the young mystery woman’s contact at a separate location. Pilgrim leaves a cross impression in the man’s neck, which we’re guessing will prove important down the road.
Anyhow, after driving for two hours, Frank turns around to go have another night with Beth. Frank quickly realizes something is amiss when Pilgrim’s thugs show up searching for the mystery girl, and our first action scene of the season kicks off in the bar’s bathroom, as Frank bashes about a trio of thugs. Afterward, Frank attempts to sneak out of the bar but is thwarted, and we’re off to the races.
When the violence finally does properly erupt, bad guys drop faster than Netflix’s Marvel shows. Frank has an ally in the bar’s bouncer, who dies after putting up a valiant fight. Frank leaves a dance floor strewn with bodies but emerges alive, but Beth is wounded in the melee. Frank speeds off to the nearest hospital, gunning down several cars full of bad guys on the way. After it’s all over, Frank isn’t in a good mood, but as he grumbles to his new charge, he hopes there are more bad guys lurking about.
“Roadhouse Blues” is a solid episode. It might seem slow compared to what we’ve seen before, but I’m guessing that’s an anomaly. And in any case, the quiet moments between Frank and Beth are no less entertaining than when the bullets fly later in the episode.
Unsurprisingly, Bernthal stands out. As Frank, he’s naturally charming, but has a blistering rage bubbling just beneath the surface at all times. The pleasure of watching him transition from concerned and compassionate citizen to a violent tornado of mayhem is a big part of the reason why The Punisher is one of Marvel’s better Netflix entries.
Grade: A
Episode 202: “Fight or Flight”
The first episode of season 2 started off with a bang, but in the second episode Frank and the still-unnamed damsel in distress pause for a moment to catch their breath and hole up in a cheap motel. After arguing the rates with the front desk clerk, our damsel books the pair a room, where Frank tends to his wounds. Our protagonists don’t trust each other very much, but at least she reveals her name — Rachel — and helps pull a bullet out of Frank’s ass.
After a nap, Frank questions Rachel, who tries to convince him that she’s simply a college kid caught up in something she doesn’t understand. Of course Frank doesn’t buy it, but he can’t dwell on it too long because there are plans to lay. He rents the room behind their current one and immediately busts a hole through the wall. Frank is preparing to be tracked down by our creepy preacher guy.
Creepy preacher guy has not been idle, and visits bartender Beth in the hospital. Without being explicit about it, he threatens to hurt everyone who sent Beth a get-well card, which is enough to get Beth to give up Frank’s alias. Preacher Man tracks Frank, unemotionally, methodically. He gives me that feeling you get when you ask someone a question and they just stare at you. He’s creepy.
Before we get back to Frank, we get our first extended look at Agent Madani and Billy Russo. And while there’s still a lot of season to go, Madani’s storyline is already boring. Madani is traumatized by Russo’s betrayal in season 1, and is self-medicating her way to a suspension after refusing to believe Russo is actually suffering from memory loss. Billy Russo’s trauma at Frank’s hands feels genuine and far more entertaining. Ben Barnes plays the part to perfection, navigating Russo’s memory loss and bleeding frustration.
But back to our heroes, Frank’s home improvements come in handy when the Preacher Man’s thugs show up. As the group busts into the motel room guns blazing, Frank emerges from his homemade hiding place and eliminates most of them in a matter of seconds. The female thug from the bathroom brawl in Episode 1 survives, and as the duo brawl in the parking lot, local cops show up and take everyone directly to jail. Frank attempts to warn the local sheriff about what’s coming, but he is rebuffed, and after contacting Madani and being similarly turned away, we have the setup for our showdown in the next episode.
All and all, “Fight or Flight” is a solid episode, although it lacks any “wow” moments. The seasonal plots are moving along nicely, and Russo’s angst is extremely watchable. It still remains to be seen if his memory loss is genuine. The action is solid as always, if ever so brief. Bernthal continues to impress, and I’m more intrigued by the preacher every minute we spend with him.
Grade: B+
Episode 203: “Trouble the Water”
As Episode 3 opens, our heroes are still under arrest in the backwoods of who-knows-where, Michigan. Before we get to the good stuff, let’s pause for a second and wonder why there’s a sheriff station by itself in the middle of nowhere. Shouldn’t it be in town?
Okay, back to the action.
Frank continues to try and convince Sheriff Good Guy (does his name matter?) to let him go, if only to spare the lives of his deputies. It isn’t long before creepy Preacher guy shows up with a lawyer in tow, but Sheriff Good Guy gives them the bureaucratic middle finger. Frank knows what’s coming, though. The sheriff remains firms even as the power, phone lines and radio are cut, but once creepy Preacher appears outside the building for a parlay, he comes around.
Deputy Sheriff Good Guy attempts to go find help but is wounded by a sniper, and we’ve officially entered Netflix’s remake of Assault On Precinct 13. Isolated cops defend criminals but some want to give up their charges and save themselves; it’s perfect. One assault results in the rescue of Marlena, the female thug being held alongside Frank. But the Preacher, unhappy with Marlena’s failure to capture Frank or Rachel, immediately executes her.
When we are away from the station, its to catch up with Billy Russo and Agent Madani. Russo gets agitated, temporarily kidnaps his therapist, and escapes the hospital. Madani learns of his escape and believes it to be just another step in his evil master plan. I’m not so sure, though. Ben Barnes is doing a great job of playing Russo’s torment ambiguously. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
“Trouble the Water” also begins to unravel the mystery behind the Preacher, who we learn is not only deeply religious but also some sort of former white supremacist — note the faded body tattoos. We aren’t sure what their game is yet, but it seems our preacher assassin is working for the Schultzs, the ultra-rich benefactors of his local church. Also, Eliza Schultz (Annette O’Toole) and Anderson Schultz (Corbin Bernsen) care for the Preacher’s sick wife, Rebecca.
Back inside the station, our good Sheriff finally sees the light and unleashes Frank on the armed gang. Frank is a Tasmanian devil with a machine gun, and runs amok among the thugs who stand no chance. The Preacher manages to evade Frank’s assault and is on the verge of putting a few rounds into him when Madani shows up in a Homeland Security chopper.
After the Preacher disappears, Madini passes everything off as a Homeland Security investigation, and Frank and the Good Sheriff say their begrudging goodbyes. Madani whisks Frank and Rachel off to New York, hoping to enlist Frank’s help in tracking down Russo.
It’s another solid episode, even if it felt too much like watching an ultra-quick remake of Assault On Precinct 13. Watching the sheriff struggle with releasing Frank is at the core of what the series is all about. The sheriff can follow the law, keep Frank in jail and watch his people die; or he can unleash Frank to save their lives but foreswear his oath. On the flip side, Madani isn’t interested in Frank’s help in order to put Russo behind bars, but to put him down permanently. In either case, people are using Frank’s talent for violence for their own ends, although Frank doesn’t seem to mind.
The action in this episode isn’t quite as brutally in-your-face as usual, although it is loud. That’s not to say it’s boring, just a little different.
Finally, while Bernthal is still at the top of his game, watching Barnes work through Russo’s memory loss is a delight, and I hope we get more of it. The series benefits when it’s not just Frank entertaining us.
Grade: B+
Episode 204: “Scar Tissue”
After the run-and-gun action of “Trouble the Water,” the fourth episode of season 2, “Scar Tissue” slows things way down, to the point that it almost feels like a reset. Gone are the small towns Frank was attempting to disappear into, and back are the bright lights of New York City, the primary setting for season 1. And we get a change of tone along with the change of scenery as we look at the trauma each of our principle characters are dealing with. Oddly, it appears Frank is the most well-adjusted person here.
First up, we fully pull back the curtain on Billy’s torment. There’s an interesting comparison to be made between Russo and Madani, as the latter was shot in the head by the former, and yet does not suffer the memory loss that Russo does. I guess blunt force (Frank’s fists) do more damage than a bullet? Anyway, Russo’s anxiety over not remembering huge chunks of his life come off as genuine. Russo takes out his frustration on an unlucky bus passenger stupid enough to insult him. As an audience member, I’m not excusing Billy’s violent actions, but I believe them to be a result of his scrambled mental state rather than part of some psychopathic evil plan.
Billy’s sole positive interaction is with his therapist, the young Dr. Dumont. Billy clearly trusts her, and even during his escape the previous episode, considered her plea to turn himself in. Later in the episode, Russo tracks down the former manager of his childhood group home, and then brutally murders him. Note to self: if a scar-covered man breaks into my house, do not jab a finger in his chest.
Madani is hot on Russo’s trail, as is the NYPD’s busiest detective, Mahoney, who has appeared in most of the Marvel Netflix series. Madani arrives to Billy’s victim’s house too late, with Mahoney literally right behind her. Madani whirls and shoots Mahoney twice in the chest. Luckily, his vest saves him, but clearly Madani is extremely jumpy. Another note to self: do not sneak up on a traumatized Homeland Security agent with her gun drawn.
Madani only learned of Russo’s potential victim thanks to Frank’s meeting with Curtis (Jason R. Moore), whose return is most welcome. Moore plays the character with a gentle warmth, but clearly he’s not ignorant of the world’s ills.. It’s in sharp contrast to the rest of the cast’s hostility.
Continuing out trauma theme, we also gain some insight into Rachel, whose real name we learn is Amy. After being locked in Madani’s bedroom (why her room has locks on the outside I have no idea), Amy slaps and berates Frank before fleeing the apartment. While out, Amy discovers Frank’s true history courtesy of a Google search, and returns to the apartment for a heart-to-heart with him. It’s the first time we’ve seen her be open and honest. It’s a welcome change from the angry tirades.
Anyhow, Amy reveals she was part of a con artist ring paid to take pictures of a mystery man kissing another man. The benefactor was the Russian gangster killed by the Preacher in the season premiere. Amy happened to be out when the Preacher showed up and massacred her friends, leading to her flight. We aren’t sure where this is going yet, but if all these people are dying because a guy made out with another guy, it’s gonna be pretty lame.
Before the episode ends, Russo shows up at his therapist’s apartment covered in the blood of his former caretaker. Dumont welcomes him in and agrees to help. Seems like the good doctor might be hiding some trauma of her own.
We might have come for the violence, but The Punisher is more than just a mindless revenge story. Sure, not everything here works — Billy’s scars aren’t really bad enough to cause the sort of personality-crushing reset he’s experiencing, for instance — but slowing everything down to examine the consequences of all the violence that happens around these characters is worth the trouble.
I’m still not fully onboard with caring about Madani’s trauma though, as at this point it feels rather generic (pill popping, nightmares, angry all the time, etc). Hopefully they get that turned around. It was nice to see Rachel/Amy do something other than yell at Frank, but the real treat this episode was Russo. Ben Barnes, finally free of that absurd mask, elicits small measures of sympathy, no small feat considering his history.
Grade: A-
Episode 205: “One-Eyed Jacks”
Oh, boy. If you’ve ever had a testy exchange with someone hogging a machine at the gym “One-Eyed Jacks” will be the stuff of nightmares for you. But before we get to the season’s best brawl, the episode also features a great scene between the two characters who are supposed to be driving the plot: Frank and Amy. While the pair are hanging out at Madani’s insanely clean apartment, Amy attempts to teach Frank the time-honored hustle of three-card Monte.
Three-card Monte is a scam, and as a con artist, Amy argues the only way to win is not to play. But Frank, being Frank, argues that no situation is unwinnable and that you simply need to change the rules. It’s a nice bonding moment between the two that illustrates their differing views on life. Without getting too much into the chicken or the egg of the argument, these characters believe what they believe because it’s helped them survive in their worlds, Amy as a con artist and Frank as a soldier. Heavy stuff for a Marvel Netflix show.
Anyway, the conversation inspires Frank to enlist the help of frequent Marvel Netflix character Turk Barrett. Like Detective Mahoney standing in for the police, Turk appears whenever a Marvel character needs help from the criminal underworld, and here Frank convinces Turk to connect him with the Russians who are after Amy. Naturally, the Russians attempt to set up an ambush for Frank, who simply waits for most of the goons to leave their gym headquarters before waltzing in to talk to the head Russian, kicking off an epic brawl that utilizes pieces of gym equipment in a way that is almost certainly against regulations.
From kettle bells to iron plates, Frank employs anything and everything in an attempt to win. Sure, the thugs, led by UFC veteran Keith Jardine, conveniently come at Frank one by one, but we’re gonna be generous and say that getting smacked in the face with a 45 pound iron plate stuns you for a second. Either way, Frank escapes after knocking Jardine’s eye out of his head.
But all this violence has an upside, as Frank learns that the Russians were acting on the behalf of a shady Russian billionaire for still unknown reasons. When Frank returns to the apartment and Amy asks how it went, Frank turns and gives a bloody thumbs up, and it’s hilarious.
Elsewhere, Preacher guy whips himself in a locked closet, because apparently he’s a masochist, before the Schultzs show up and send him to New York to murder all the Russians. We get more time with the Preacher’s sick wife, who is apparently an angel on Earth. Madani and Curtis keep on keeping on, handling their trauma with guns under pillows and group therapy sessions.
If there’s anything on par with Frank’s gym brawl, it’s Russo’s continued ordeal, and his new budding relationship with Dr. Dumont. Clearly, the pair are attracted to one another, and we learn that Dumont has a past history of cutting and may also be a masochist, as she purposely peers over the edge of the window to her high-rise apartment even though it frightens her. Meanwhile, Billy is making new friends everywhere. He befriends an angry veteran at the local bar who mentions that there are plenty more disenfranchised former soldiers like himself. Okay.
This is easily the best episode of season 2 thus far, if for no other reason than the sheer simple oy of Frank’s gym session. I feel like the overall plot should have progressed further than this point, but I’m still having fun, so it’s okay. Marvel’s Netflix series tend to get bogged down around the middle, though.
Grade: A+
Episode 206: “Nakazat”
“Nakazat” is an interesting episode. Even the episode title, which means “punish” in Russian, is odd considering Frank never actually kills anyone, but rather spends the episode doling out mercy. This episode teeters on the edge of falling into the Marvel Netflix trap of spinning its wheels. It doesn’t quite fall in thanks to some wonderfully shot scenes. So let’s talk about those.
First up, Frank and Amy take the highly unusual route of visiting a child pornography studio to process the blackmail film Amy’s merry band of con artists was paid to take. It’s a strange choice, considering the film shows nothing more than one dude kissing another dude, hardly the kind of thing you couldn’t process at a more respectable place. Anyway, Frank wants to execute the guy running the studio, but Amy stops him. Also, she apparently develop pictures, and we’re off to our next stop.
Amy and Frank have another bonding moment when she asks about Frank’s murdered daughter. Rather than simply bite Amy’s head off, Frank is remarkably open about it. Later, the two kidnap Russian boss Poloznev. It’s very slick.
Frank interrogates Poloznev and discovers the Schultz’s evil master plan. It seems the super-rich duo want to put their son in the White House but don’t want the world finding out he’s gay. Let’s follow along here: super-rich white religious fundamentalists are being blackmailed by Russian crime lords (Poloznev) who hired a troop of con artists (Amy) to obtain photos of their son making out with another man. The Schultz’s don’t take it lying down, so they hire Preacher guy to murder his way across the Northeast. Got it?
Moving on, Frank might show Poloznev mercy, but Preacher man has no such qualms, and murders the Russian mobster after Frank lets him go. Elsewhere, Russo is building up a little gang of followers, which seems a bit like a repeat of the disenfranchised veteran-turned-mad bomber Wilson from season 1, but I’m still digging Ben Barnes’ performance, so I can let it go. We also get the next step in Russo and Dumont’s relationship when they share a violent kiss.
Again, this is an odd episode. It’s shot and acted well, but feels a tad unnecessary to the overall plot. But my biggest problem is with the reveal of the reason for the Preacher’s murder spree. Literally dozens of people are being murdered across America because a gay kiss. This show is set in modern times, isn’t it? It’s hard for me to fathom people caring about that so much it requires a worldwide conspiracy involving Russian gangsters. That’s not the fault of actors like Bernthal or Barnes, who continue to turn in stellar performances, but it does drag down the show.
Grade: B-
Episode 206: “One Bad Day”
“One Bad Day” finally manages to make me feel something for Agent Madani. We get an extended flashback to the aftermath of when Russo shot her. Amber Rose-Revah is phenomenal as she recounts the sexual nature of her relationship with Russo to her bosses, who just want the whole thing to go away.
Madani also finally makes up her mind, at least for the moment, about which side she’s on regarding Russo’s ultimate fate. While torturing a member of Russo’s crew to learn his whereabouts, Madani refuses to back down, and it’s a great moment for the character. Luckily, Curtis is around to play good cop, and we learn the location of Billy’s crew, who have been training up to rob a local check-cashing place. If Madani is finding herself again, Russo is on the downturn, seeking control through violence.
Before we get to the episode’s exciting finale, we have to talk about Russo and Dr. Dumont’s newly sexual relationship. It strikes me as both to hard to believe and completely natural at the same time, given the good doctor’s attraction to pain, both physical and emotional. It feels more natural for Dumont, than Billy. Still, it doesn’t appear to last long, as Billy rushes off to conduct his bank heist.
When the attack happens, the owner of the check-cashing shop refuses to open the security door for the thieves, but one of her employees isn’t willing to die for a $15-an-hour job, and Russo ends up walking out of there with a bag full of cash. Frank, disguised as one of Russo’s gang members, rips off a mask and coat to reveal the Punisher’s signature skull vest. Seeing the skull from his nightmares sends Billy into a tailspin. Barnes’ shock and betrayal that his “brother” Frank would try to kill him is powerful stuff.
“One Bad Day” is one of the season’s best episodes, and hopefully marks a beginning of a trend. I can’t emphasize how stellar Barnes is in the show’s closing moments, so much so that it makes you angry at his performance in season 1 and on shows like Westworld. I already knew Bernthal could bring it, but Barnes has been a wonderful surprise.
Grade: A+
Episode 207: “My Brother’s Keeper”
For the first time all season, one excellent episode is followed by another. Russo is shocked to run into Frank for the first time since getting his head based in and finding that he’s the bearer of the skull haunting his nightmares. That shock ends up saving Russo’s life, as Frank hesitates and allows Russo’s thugs to pull focus long enough for their leader to recover. It’s a thrilling gun fight in the streets of New York, complete with snipers and a car chase.
Eventually, Russo hops out of his car and we begin round 2 of the gunfight. Russo seemingly has unlimited ammo stored in every pocket, but when the NYPD show up, both he and Frank flee the scene, but not before Frank and Curtis are forced to knock out Detective Mahoney.
The encounter leaves both men rattled. Later, Frank explains to Curtis why he couldn’t kill Russo: Billy’s heartbreaking and oh-so-genuine response to learning Frank mangled his face. Frank could have killed Russo in season 1, but instead beat him so silly the latter can’t remember ever killing Frank’s family, erasing everything Frank wanted to punish Russo for. #Irony
The realization sends Frank off the rails. He takes his frustration out on Amy when she playfully attempts to disarm Frank and he slams her to the ground and fires his pistol near her head. Dude’s losing control.
Ben Barnes has been a powerhouse this season, and never more than in this episode. After dealing with his gang (i.e. executing everyone who questions his leadership), Russo heads back to Dumont’s apartment. Like Frank, Russo is losing it. Realizing Frank was the one who scarred him clearly hurts more than any physical pain. Barnes is a crazed animal in this scene — he smashes Dumont’s apartment to pieces at the thought that she might betray him too — and I can’t be the only one who feels sympathy for him.
Eventually, both men manage to center themselves. Billy trusts that Dumont might actually love him despite who he is, and Frank visits the grave of his wife to find answers. While Madani, Curtis and Amy have some decent scenes in this episode, it would be stronger if it was boiled down to just Frank and Russo. When they’re onscreen, I couldn’t care less about the Russians, Amy, or the creepy Preacher guy.
Grade: A++
Episode 209: “Flustercluck”
Sigh. We were doing so good there for a minute. The previous two episodes were excellent vehicles for the powerhouse performances of Jon Bernthal and Ben Barnes, but with “Flustercluck,” the show shifts focus to far less interesting characters just when things were getting good between the Punisher and Russo.
But it’s not all bad, so let’s hit the good stuff first. The highlight of “Flustercluck” is Frank’s rescue of Amy, who lands herself in hot water after the Schultzs place a $5 million bounty on her head. Frank shows up in the nick of time to rescue her from a group of thugs, and a thrilling shootout ensues. It’s not quite long enough to equal one of Marvel’s signature hallway fights, but it’s still fun.
At the climax, Amy uses her new skills to finish off the final thug, but with that comes the guilt of committing murder, even if it is to save your own life.
Frank, of course, feels little to no remorse. At the start of the episode, after spending the night at his wife’s grave, Frank tells Madani, Amy and Curtis that he’s always been the Punisher, even before his family was killed. He’s always been different, he says, unable to die and comfortable with death, and has more in common with Billy than anyone else. This touches on a comic book storyline where Frank makes a literal deal with the Devil decades before returning to the civilian world that renders him nigh unkillable, which would explain a lot.
As for Frank’s other half, the show takes everything wonderful it’s established about Billy Russo and flushes it down the toilet. Part of the joy of the past two episodes was watching Russo react to learning that Frank scarred him and caused his amnesia. The next thing for Russo to consider is why Frank would be out to kill him, which would lead Russo to consider his murder of Frank’s family. We start off promisingly, as Russo breaks down at the thought of killing people he considered his own family, but then Russo decides it doesn’t matter because Frank scarred his face.
I’m sorry, what? That’s the stupidest turn I’ve ever seen in a Marvel Netflix show, and I watched the first season of Iron Fist. Russo’s scars look like he had a mildly bad encounter with a house cat, hardly the kind of thing that justifies murdering women and children. A storyline where Russo grapples with the guilt of what he did could have given Ben Barnes more chances to shine. Instead the show shrugs it off, and we’re back to Frank and Russo at odds.
Elsewhere, we spend time with characters I’m no longer interested in. We’re in Episode 9: if Amy or the Preacher were going to be compelling characters, they’d have gotten there by now. We learn a little more about the Preacher’s former life as a White Supremacist enforcer; there’s something about his car breaking down while he was running money for his gang, a bar fight, and something else. Basically Preacher did something bad. I’m not sure he’s worth details.
We also meet David, the Schultzs son, the guy for whom all these bodies have been dropping. David couldn’t care less about running for President; he just wants his dad to love him for he is. And I couldn’t care less about all the characters committing murder over him. Season 2 is dragging. Hopefully this is as bad as it gets.
Grade: C-
Episode 210: “The Dark Hearts Of Men”
Remember when I said that, in the comics, Frank makes a deal with the Devil that makes him virtually unkillable? That would explain a lot about this episode, and getting shot a dozen times and then beat to a pulp isn’t even the worst thing that happens to the Punisher this time. “The Dark Hearts Of Men” is a rebound from last week, but it’s not quite up to par with the season’s best episodes. Let’s jump in!
Last episode, Russo showed up at Madani’s apartment, so she goes to see Dr. Dumont, unaware that Dumont and Russo are involved. Madani is looking for reassurance that backing Frank is the right thing to do. Their chat is amicable and includes a ton of wine. Dumont is clearly probing Madani for something, although it’s hard to tell what. More on that later.
We get an interesting flashback to Frank and Russo’s initiation into the Marine Corps. Their buddies beat them up, and they both seem elated about it; go figure. It jives nicely with what Russo is doing in the present, building his gang of misfits by leaning on the same principles of brotherhood.
Anyway, Preacher John ends up in a wild brawl with his former gang. Afterwards, he falls off the wagon hard, pounding back whiskey, snorting coke and getting oral sex from his hotel neighbor’s prostitute. Our Preacher has demons, but despite a solid performance from Josh Stewart, it’s still hard to care about the characters, or the people he’s serving.
The characters I do care about — Frank, Curtis and Billy Russo — are all conducting stakeouts in the rain: Frank and Curtis are waiting outside Russo’s Valhalla clubhouse, and Russo is watching them from an adjacent rooftop. While waiting, Frank and Curtis discuss what makes Frank and Russo different, with Curtis opining that Frank’s concern for others sets him apart. Frank praises Curtis for wanting to heal people, saying it makes him being better than both Russo and himself. No one says “I love you, bro” but they come close.
Eventually, Frank assaults the Valhalla clubhouse and is ambushed by Russo and his gang. Frank is beaten, stabbed and shot. It’s not looking great. I’m gonna pretend this is where Frank’s deal with the Devil kicks in, because as soon as Russo leaves the room, Frank is on his feet dispatching thugs with John Wick-like efficiency.
But somehow Frank’s ordeal gets worse. Remember Dumont’s conversation with Madani earlier? She learned that Frank would be shattered if he ever murdered someone he deemed innocent, and passes that info along to Russo. (That seems like something Russo should already know, having been Frank’s best friend, but whatever.) Coupled with Curtis’ praise of Frank earlier in the episode, we probably should have seen this episode’s climax coming.
As Russo flees, Frank fires at him, and is later horrified to find that he accidentally killed three women who were friends with some of the gang members, women he thought had left the clubhouse earlier. As predicted, he is destroyed. Jon Bernthal’s shock is heartbreaking; it’s the the best performance he’s given all season. When the police arrive, Frank is still too stunned to even attempt to try to escape. End episode.
“The Dark Hearts Of Men” is a solid episode, although it takes the long way around to get to the end. The stuff with Preacher Man is too little too late, but as we head into the homestretch I’m hopeful that at least Billy and Frank’s final showdown will be worth the wait.
Grade: B+
Episode 211: “The Abyss”
Well, here we are again. It seems like The Punisher only has two kinds of episodes: ones that show off what the actors can do and move the plot forward, and ones that waste the cast members’ talents and spin the wheels of the plot. “The Abyss” is the second type of episode, so buckle up.
After being arrested for the murder of three innocent women, Frank is transported to a nearby hospital under heavy guard. And while the we learn that all the gunfire Frank took last episode was mostly rock salt and rubber bullets, which explains how he’s still alive, the rest of the hour is lacking in the logic department.
Daredevil’s Karen Page shows up to meet with Frank. It’s a sweet reunion, and reminds us of the chemistry these two had back in Daredevil season 2. The Punisher is adamant that he deserves to be punished for killing those women, and urges Karen to steer clear of the whole debacle. Karen Page is more interesting and fleshed out than any of the other female characters on the show, and it’s a shame she’s only here for one episode.
After visiting the scene of Frank’s murder spree, Madani isn’t so sure that Frank was the culprit, and teams up with Karen to prove his innocence. Sure enough, it turns out Russo actually murdered the women before Frank showed up, but I have no idea why it’s so hard for Madani to believe Frank could accidentally kill someone when he’s always spraying bullets around populated areas. At least Karen believes it could have happened, even if she’s still standing by Frank.
Either way, the show squanders a chance to ask interesting questions about Frank’s methods. This is like the reveal of Russo’s role in the murder of Frank’s family. I’d rather see the show dig in to how Frank occupies a moral grey area rather than constantly absolving him of responsibility for terrible things that happen around him.
Back to the plot, there’s still the issue of that $5 million bounty on Frank’s head, which inspires a cop to try and murder Frank. Still under the impression that he murdered the women, Frank eagerly submits to the execution. It’s a sad moment.
Anyway, when Amy intervenes, the assassin turns his attention to her. Frank is furious, but being handcuffed there’s little he can do. Madani and Page show up in the nick of time and conspire to break Frank out of the hospital. But Mahoney intercepts them and whisks Frank off in an ambulance to the nearest police precinct.
Elsewhere, the Preacher learns that his wife has died. That news comes from Rebecca Schultz, who urges him to continue trying to kill Frank and Amy. At this point, couldn’t they just ask Amy for the pictures. I’m still bemused that all this blood is being shed over a picture of one dude kissing another. It’s not a crime, sheesh.
We also learn the source of Dr. Dumont’s physical and emotional scars: her father once tossed her out a window while arguing with her mother. But as with the revelation of Preacher John’s past, I don’t really care anymore. It also doesn’t explain why Dumont jumps from slightly odd psychiatrist to full-blown criminal accomplice. Even more odd is Russo’s insistence that Dumont talk about her past and not hide things from him. Who’s the psychiatrist here?
This is another uneven episode. I don’t know if Marvel or Netflix wanted more episodes per season, but whoever it was made a bad call. We’re wasting a lot of time on characters we don’t care about while avoiding harder, more satisfying questions. With just two episodes left, it seems unlikely that last part will change.
Grade: C+
Episode 212: “Collision Course”
This season of The Punisher has featured some powerhouse performances from Jon Bernthal and Ben Barnes, with flashes of intriguing storylines, but mostly I’m just ready for it to be over. And “Collision Course” does nothing to change that feeling. Rather than building towards some sort of violent crescendo of a finale, the season is limping away into the horizon.
The episode puts out its best stuff first, as Mahoney and Frank are ambushed en route to the police station by Preacher John. There’s a brief but fun car chase that results in Mahoney swerving the ambulance off an overpass. Madani arrives in the nick of time (something this season makes a habit of) and chases Preacher John, who flees in her Homeland Secuirty cruiser. Frank and Mahoney aren’t out of trouble yet, as the ambulance catches fire and forces Frank to rescue his restrained jailor.
That act of heroism forces a stunned and bruised Mahoney to let Frank go, who races off to his next stop: kidnapping U.S. Senator David Schultz, aka the man who, horror of horrors, kissed a dude, thus setting off a multi-state murder spree. David, who clearly has no idea what his parents have been doing to protect his meaningless secret, actually seems like a pretty decent guy. Frank’s beatdown certainly doesn’t feel warranted, but hey, he’s the Punisher and he’s the good guy, so no need to worry.
Frank isn’t the only one in the kidnapping business, as Preacher John uses Madani’s GPS to locate the trailer where Curtis and Frank are hiding out. Curtis and John meet and actually have a decent conversation about protecting your friends, before Amy shows up to wreck the party like usual.
We then get an old-fashioned throwdown, one of the show’s better ones. The enclosed confines of the trailer make for a brutal fight, but eventually John heads off in pursuit of Amy. Unbeknownst to him, Amy has hidden herself in his trunk, because…that’s the last place he’ll think to look, maybe?
Moving on, Madani shows up at Dr. Dumont’s apartment, suspicious after Russo used one of her catchphrases in the previous episode. Dumont is also suspicious of Madani, but instead of say running away, decides to try and murder her, a federal agent. It’s completely nonsensical, as is Billy’s disbanding of his gang after working so hard to form it.
Dumont beats on Madani pretty good, because she apparently has a side hustle as a ninja, but ultimately Madani throws her out a window. That doesn’t seem like self-defense, but the logic train left the station a while ago. Billy is watching from below, and as Dumont presumably dies in front of him on the concrete, his heartbreak seems genuine. He even brought flowers for Dumont. Aw. After Madani comes to the window to survey her ridiculously far throw, Russo has his prey, and the episode ends.
I had high hopes for season 2 after the tight and clean season 1, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to approach that level. There’s only one episode to go, and I don’t see how it could retroactively fix the wildly uneven and nonsensical issues this season has suffered from. Bernthal, Barnes and the rest of the cast are doing their damnedest to pull up the material, but there’s just too much dross weighing them down.
Grade: C+
Episode 213: “The Whirlwind”
We made it, folks. After slogging our way through an up-and-down season we arrive at the finale, “The Whirlwind.” Like the phrase from which the episode takes its name, our characters — good, bad and somewhere in the middle — must deal with the consequences of their decisions ove the course of the season. Is it a satisfying end? We’ll find out, but mostly no.
The last episode ended with Madani tossing Russo’s girlfriend Dr. Dumont out a window. That would have been a fitting end for the character, but there’s an absurd about-face later in the episode where we learn that Dumont survived her fall with what looks like a broken arm. And it’s not the last time the episode pulls that move. I was rolling my eyes a lot.
Anyways, Billy doesn’t realize Dumont isn’t dead and rages off to kill Madani. The two tussle in Dumont’s apartment, and Madani puts a few rounds through Russo’s abdomen. Fueled by heartbreak and hate, Russo still manages to choke Madani to death before passing out himself.
Do y’all remember when I said Russo choked Madani to death? April Fools! Despite lying on the floor limp and unmoving and dead-eyed, it turns out she’s alive. What a twist! Or a stupid plot contrivance, whichever. Madani’s death would have had a powerful emotional impact and raised the stakes, but instead she becomes a bystander from here on in.
Before the cops show up to revive Madani by shaking her shoulder, Russo comes to and escapes. Russo goes to some back-alley doctor to get stitched up, but when he passes out, the doctor grabs Russo’s bag of cash and weapons and drops Billy in a dumpster. Considering Billy’s crimes, its a fitting punishment.
Frank isn’t idle, either. He calls up the Schultzes to arrange to swap Amy for their son David. Frank is on board with David’s innocence but still wants to get Amy back. After hilariously using FaceTime to arrange the swap (and recording the Schultzes admitting to their crimes), Frank gets a call from Amy, who last episode followed Preacher John to his hotel room and then ran. Preacher John only told the Schultzes he has Amy. Frank pulls this trick later when Curtis releases David without permission.
Between the ring-around-the-rosy hostage negotiations, Frank and John engage in a rather silly firefight, trying to blast each other through the wall of their adjoining hotel rooms. Both men seem smart enough to know the other is ducking, but continue to unload a stream of bullets at eye level through the wall. Then they swap rooms and start all over again.
Amy attempts to intervene and is immediately captured by John, who flees to avoid the cops. Those same cops arrive moments later and we get a satisfying brawl with Frank that makes the previous hotel room shootout seem even sillier. Frank goes back to the trailer and realizes Curtis released David. He does some bluffing and convinces Preacher John to bring Amy to him, and then it’s time for round 2.
John and Frank’s junkyard brawl is a thing of beauty. The two use pipes, chains and all manner of blunt force objects as they hammer away at each other. There’s some humor, too, when Frank asks John if he needs a minute between punches. Frank emerges as the battered victor, but after a plea from John not to harm his sons, Frank grants mercy. It’s the one and only time Frank is merciful with his enemies.
Circling back to Russo, who I thought would be the focus of the season, Billy has made his way to Curtis’ basement meeting room. Russo calls Curtis and begs his former comrade not to let him die alone. Instead, Frank shows up, gun in hand. Curtis ratted on Russo. Good for him.
As Russo starts into his final monologue, Frank simply guns him down and turns to leave without saying a word. It’s an abrupt but fitting end for Russo, and emblematic of what we thought Frank represented; brutal and uncompromising justice. If only it happened five episodes ago.
Frank is far less straightforward with the Schultzes. He shows up at their mansion with Amy in tow. When Mrs. Schultz attempts to stab Amy, Frank shoots her in the head before giving Mr. Schultz the choice to follow his “bitch wife” or live to deal with his crimes being exposed to the public. The “bitch wife” is a bit of a jarring line coming from Frank, as is his choice to allow Mr. Schultz the choice of suicide (which he chooses) as opposed to arrest and scandal. Preacher John waits outside with his two boys, and now it’s time for Frank and Amy’s final goodbye.
This relationship never felt fully realized. Things like Frank firing off a gun next to her head were never dealt with, yet somehow their goodbye works. Frank can barely restrain his emotions as he puts Amy on a bus to Florida. It manages to pull on the heartstrings despite everything. I can only imagine what we might have felt if their relationship had been more fleshed out.
Three months later, we pick up the action again as Madani calls to invite Frank to join the CIA, her new employer. Frank declines, saying he already has a job before entering an warehouse to gun down some cartoon caricatures of young gang members. Every single person there deserved summary execution? I guess it’s all good because we get to see Frank screaming and firing automatic weapons…right?
“The Whirlwind” feels like most of the rest of the season: wildly uneven. There are some great moments, including Frank’s brawl with Preacher John and his lightning-fast execution of Russo, but as a capper to a season that dragged itself to the finish line, “The Whirlwind” feels rather rushed, and that’s a shame.
Grade: B-
I’m going to remember season 2 of The Punisher as a season of unfulfilled potential. After season 1 examined Frank on a personal level, season 2 looked ready to follow the same path, but it never quite got around to it. Season 2 raises lots of interesting questions, but never actually bothers to answer them in a satisfying way. Had it never raised them in the first place, I might have enjoyed it more. It’s like season 2 told me I was getting lobster but I only got a microwave burrito.
Less philosophically, many of the characters felt superficial and unneeded. We needed Amy to get Frank back in the game, but she never develops into a fully realized character. Ditto Preacher John, although he started to feel a little like a real person in the season finale.
Ben Barnes did wonderful work as Billy Russo, surpassed only by Jon Bernthal. Choosing not to go back on Russo’s memory loss and reveal he had some kind of evil master plan was a smart choice for the show. Barnes is hamstrung by some terrible plot choices later in the season, but his performances in “One Bad Day” and “My Brother’s Keeper” should become part of his highlight reel.
All of this is a crying shame, because Bernthal is a towering titan of an actor here. Ever since he was announced, it was capital-P perfect casting. If this is his final hoorah as the Punisher, I’m not sure I’ll ever get over it. Bernthal’s real-life rage has landed him in trouble more than once in his life, but it’s perfect here. Like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Bernthal is the Punisher, and elevates the series far above what it would be without him.
If we do somehow get a season 3, hopefully the series can scale it back a bit. Multiple villains with different agendas intertwining rarely works, unless those villains team up. In season 2, we were jumping back and forth between separate stories, and they all suffered. The season had some great moments, and most of the action was fantastic, particularly the hand-to-hand combat scenes. The season doesn’t fail to the degree of Marvel’s worst Netflix offerings, but it never gels, and I’m left wondering what could have been.
Final Grade: B-
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