Marvel's The Punisher Season 1 (Netflix) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Well, I'm through eight episodes. I'm enjoying it, but it's not the type of series I like to binge watch so I'm taking more time. I'll probably be done with it by the end of next week.

While waiting on watching some NFL games on Thursday, I ended up watching three episodes. Therefore, I just got done watching the remaining two episodes today. I liked this series a lot as I got emotionally attached to Micro and his family plus Agent Madami and Curtis Hoyle. I wanted to see justice handled out to Agent Orange and

Spoiler

Billy Russo/Jigsaw

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[sleroi]

I'm confused. In the first episode we saw Castle kill "the last one." We caught a glimpse of the leather suit with the skull. And we had some awesome action scenes, first on the construction site and later at the restaurant.

I just finished episode 6, the slowest most boring episode yet. He hasn't put on the suit. He hasn't really punished anyone. And hes still after the people who killed his family. So next season is he going to discover more people involved in the conspiracy.

This has quickly turned into an uninteresting military conspiracy that could have easily played out over half the amount of episodes.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm confused. In the first episode we saw Castle kill "the last one." We caught a glimpse of the leather suit with the skull. And we had some awesome action scenes, first on the construction site and later at the restaurant.

I just finished episode 6, the slowest most boring episode yet. He hasn't put on the suit. He hasn't really punished anyone. And hes still after the people who killed his family. So next season is he going to discover more people involved in the conspiracy.

This has quickly turned into an uninteresting military conspiracy that could have easily played out over half the amount of episodes.

IMO, episode 6 sets in motion what's going to happen in later episodes. I guess it's boring to you because there is no gun play.

 

[sleroi]

Its not just the lack of gunplay. There has been gunplay and action in other episodes that still haven't grabbed me.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but... The first episode showed us a tortured soul who completed his revenge quest and was still troubled. He spent his days demolishing walls with a hammer. When he was befriended he warned the new kid, but still protected him. Castle had found a purpose and identity. Yes the action was brutal and exciting, but it also served the character.

I was hoping the rest of the series would explore this new facet of his life as the punisher. With Homeland security and micro as an overarching threat to his new found purpose in life.

Instead 6 episodes and were knee deep in a military conspiracy procedural. Its boring because its all plot mechanisms and it has abandoned the premise so wonderfully set forth in the first episode.

Its gotten a lot of glowing reviews and I'm happy others are enjoying this. I'm really not trying to thread crap. I'm just really disappointed with the direction of the series.

But since Iron Fist is the only Netflix marvel series I completed and enjoyed, (which I know puts me in the minority), I guess I should have tempered my expectations.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Just finished Episode 10. As expected, this episode and the previous one are stalling for time when it comes to the larger military conspiracy that forms the spine of the season. But wisely, the writers introduced other plot threads early on in the season that come to the fore here in ways that make the episodes largely satisfying instead of frustrating.

Episode 9 is a tense episode with one hell of a final beat.

Episode 10 is a technically well-executed episode, utilizing its Rashomon-like structure in sophisticated ways. There is one major revelation that occurs during the episode, but otherwise it's a lot of sound and fury without much weight underneath it.

 

[Scott McGillivray]

This was really disappointing! I was SO excited for this series to come out. I filmed a movie with Bernthal last year! I am pretty big fan of The Punisher comics. The trailer for this was exceptional!
However, we get a really dull, drawn out show. They try to have the story based in "reality", but by the end, people are walking off wounds that should kill them...or at least put them in hospital for weeks. Shot in the arm? No biggie. Stabbed in the lung? Just rub it a bit and you're fine! It starts happening more and more as the show goes on. It becomes ridiculous.
In the end, nothing seems all that resolved and few seem really "punished"...except maybe Castle. He took the most punishment of all!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Its not just the lack of gunplay. There has been gunplay and action in other episodes that still haven't grabbed me.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but... The first episode showed us a tortured soul who completed his revenge quest and was still troubled. He spent his days demolishing walls with a hammer. When he was befriended he warned the new kid, but still protected him. Castle had found a purpose and identity. Yes the action was brutal and exciting, but it also served the character.

I was hoping the rest of the series would explore this new facet of his life as the punisher. With Homeland security and micro as an overarching threat to his new found purpose in life.

Instead 6 episodes and were knee deep in a military conspiracy procedural. Its boring because its all plot mechanisms and it has abandoned the premise so wonderfully set forth in the first episode.

Its gotten a lot of glowing reviews and I'm happy others are enjoying this. I'm really not trying to thread crap. I'm just really disappointed with the direction of the series.

But since Iron Fist is the only Netflix marvel series I completed and enjoyed, (which I know puts me in the minority), I guess I should have tempered my expectations.

They took the first season to complete his vengeance and to set up the second season for what you're asking for. You didn't like that, but I didn't have a problem with it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

By the way, I have no knowledge of the comics, but only exposure to The Punisher before Daredevil and this series was the Thomas Jane movie.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

My self-restraint failed me and I just finished binging the final three episodes. Definitely the best final quarter of any Marvel/Neflix series so far.

Overall I would rank it behind "Jessica Jones" and probably equal to "Daredevil". Ahead of "Luke Cage" and way ahead of "Iron First" and "The Defenders". I hope it gets renewed.

 

[Robert Crawford]

My self-restraint failed me and I just finished binging the final three episodes. Definitely the best final quarter of any Marvel/Neflix series so far.

Overall I would rank it behind "Jessica Jones" and probably equal to "Daredevil". Ahead of "Luke Cage" and way ahead of "Iron First" and "The Defenders". I hope it gets renewed.

My rankings are the following:

Jessica Jones
The Punisher
Daredevil Season 2
Luke Cage
The Defenders
Daredevil Season 1
Iron Fist

 

[dana martin]

well i kept my self restraint, and honestly, i think this is a great series, leaves nothing on the table, and all the negative reviews from those who have issues with the gun culture about this being too violent , or not understanding, either have never served a day in their lives, or ever read a comic book. (Rotten Tomatoes and Nerdist)

, none of the episodes seemed padded. i don't do the rankings, because each series is a different animal, and while the lines may cross, which in the ever expanding MCU, they are, nice to see it was someone else that isn't the Night Nurse this time. Each needs to be seen and be able to stand on its own merit.If this gets the greenlight for a second season, i am waiting to see what the catalyst is that makes Frank suit back up,and how he gets Micro to help him.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I ended up going back and watching the rest of this season, partly because I grew up reading Punisher comics and he was my favorite Marvel superhero, just ahead of Spider-Man and Deathlok, and partly because my wife was in Georgia visiting her parents for Thanksgiving and I had 4 days at home to myself. Concerning the show: I really didn’t think it got much better (episodes 1 and 13 are really the only two even worth watching) and they could have done in 5 episodes what they took 13 long and boring episodes to do. I’ll go ahead and give this season a pass and watch at least the first few episodes of season 2 when it comes out next year to see what else they can come up with but I’m tempering my expectations and not expecting much. Overall, I would give the first season 1.5 out of 5 stars.

Spoiler

I appreciate the setup for Jigsaw (Russo) to come back in season 2, however, I wish they had stuck to the original mob storyline from the comics because it was much more interesting than the Afghan drug-smuggling story and better explains why Frank is a relentless killing machine hell-bent on destroying the mob, something mostly left out of this interpretation.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Wow!

 

[KevinGress]

Having only read a couple of Punisher comics (one of which was a Punisher / Archie crossover) and seeing him mostly through Spider-Man, I'm not too familiar with the Punisher mythos. But I really liked this series and if pressed, would probably put it up towards the top of Netflix Marvel shows.

I didn't feel that the show started off too slowly or that there was too much padding. The only storyline that slowed the story down, to me, was Lewis'. But I think that it gave the show a 'realness' that the others couldn't have.

It's like how a lot of people gushed over The Dark Knight and said that it transcended super hero movies because of its crime drama quality. When watching The Punisher, one could often forget that it was a Marvel show and in a universe of aliens, flying armor, and multiple realms. And if it didn't have the Marvel label, I could easily see this show up for several awards.

I think Bernthal was well cast and I really liked the Micro and Madani characters. I also hope it gets a second season, and some Marvel cameos wouldn't hurt, either.

 

[Sam Favate]

I'm up to episode 5, and this one had more references to Rambo (the first 2 movies) than I am comfortable with. (The battle in the forest, for one; Frank's "I'm comin' for you!" promise to the leader.) I like the show - the cast is very good, the production values are high, the writing is consistent. But unless the show turns out to be about more than just drug dealers, I will be disappointed. I feel like I have seen so much of this before, in countless movies that were no doubt influenced by the Punisher comic books.

 

[Sam Favate]

Episode 6 had less Ramboism, and more good performances by the cast. I am really impressed with Bernthal. He's obviously channeling Robert DeNiro, circa Taxi Driver, but he does it so well, I can imagine DeNiro in the role if this had been made 40 years ago. I also really like Jaime Ray Newman as Sarah Lieberman. She has this tough but fragile quality about her, and plays the role as though she hasn't moved on from her husband's death and is angry for being stuck where she is.

Say what you will about the Marvel shows but their casting choices have been top notch.

 

[Sean Bryan]

I really enjoyed this show.

I stretched it out over three weekends, which is what I typically do with the Marvel Netflix shows, but there wasn't a single time when I stopped that I didn't want to just keep marathoning through.

Good action, great performances and interesting storyline. I would agree with those that place this in the upper rankings of the Defendersverse.

 

[Sam Favate]

Renewed for season two:
https://mcuexchange.com/punisher-locked-loaded-second-season/

I finished episode 9 today, and thought it was really good. I liked how Frank ended up resolving the conflict without violence, which is certainly not what I was expecting. Strong performances all around too. Glad we haven't see the last of Curtis.

As I've said before, I was never a fan of the Punisher (at least, not as a protagonist) but was drawn in by Bernthal's performance in Daredevil season 2 (and in the great HBO series Show Me a Hero).

 

[Sam Favate]

I finished The Punisher earlier in the week. I thought it was a very good show; good writing, good characters, good actors. It was certainly Marvel's first foray into R-rated territory. Many of those scenes of violence, especially in the last episode, were Game of Thrones-level brutality. No way those scenes could have been in a movie rated anything but R.

In any case, much to my surprise - since I was not and am not a fan of the Punisher - I look forward to season 2.

 

[Citizen87645]

I finished the season last night. I feel like the Russo character wasn't quite developed enough to adequately "explain" his betrayal of Castle and Castle's family. So I'm left with having to extrapolate that his character was basically a sociopath, hints of which were shown in his interaction with his birth mother and talking about his youth in a group home, but the dominant motivation they seemed to be going with was he did what he did to make up for / avenge his upbringing, a reason which I found quite weak.

His character actually reminded me a lot of Paul Spector from the British TV series The Fall, so I found myself filling in the blanks of Russo's motivations with references to that character.