The Punisher, season 1
release year: 2017
genre: TV crime/drama series (13 episodes)
viewing setting: home DVD 4/24-25/2021
synopsis: Ex-soldier Frank Castle continues to dig into the events behind his family's death, while also doing his best to help people who need help.
impressions: Well, as a lifelong fan of the comic books of this character, I was fairly well-pleased by this series. It mixes in some drama, but there is plenty of action (and it's brutal and bloody.) Sometimes it would get a little slow, but then things would suddenly speed up - and all of the background and characterizations had a purpose. It all came together in the last couple of episodes, and the assault on the warehouse was pretty entertaining.
acting: Jon Bernthal is the main character, who's both haunted by memories of his slain family and determined to set things right no matter what the cost. In pursuit of this, he absorbs an alarmingly high amount of damage. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is a computer hacker who ends up allied with him, to protect his family who thinks he's dead. Ben Barnes is Castle's former teammate, who now has an agenda of his own. Amber Rose Revah is a determined Homeland Security agent. Michael Nathanson is her partner who tries to keep her on track. Jason Moore is another veteran who's close to Castle and helps him out. Daniel Webber is a very troubled young veteran. Paul Schulze is the Bad Guy. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, C. Thomas Howell, and Clancy Brown all have minor roles and went unrecognized by me at the time.
final word: Dark, violent continuation of the character introduced in Daredevil.
back to the main review page