Marvel's The Punisher

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Nov 17, 2017
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 821 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 697 out of 821
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 821
  3. Negative: 88 out of 821
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  1. Elbobbo
    Nov 22, 2017
    7
    The character of the Punisher was introduced to the Marvel TV universe in 2016, during Daredevil’s second season—following three live-action films that failed to make him popular with mainstream audiences in 1989, 2004, and 2008, respectively.

    What made The Punisher so interesting in Netflix’s Daredevil was his antithetical nature to The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. While both characters    The character of the Punisher was introduced to the Marvel TV universe in 2016, during Daredevil’s second season—following three live-action films that failed to make him popular with mainstream audiences in 1989, 2004, and 2008, respectively.

    What made The Punisher so interesting in Netflix’s Daredevil was his antithetical nature to The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. While both characters had the same goal in mind - to rid Hell’s Kitchen of criminals - they had very different ways of going about it. As played by Jon Bernthal, Daredevil’s Punisher makes his intentions very clear from the start.

    Initially, in Daredevil, when gangsters are first being murdered all over the city, he’s mistaken for a paramilitary organization with exceptional force, but it turns out that he’s just one man, with a lot of weapons and an extraordinarily deadly aim.

    Punisher opens with Frank castle finishing of his “mission” from Daredevil after his beautiful wife and two innocent young children — gunned down when unexpectedly caught in the crossfire of a gang war in Central Park, shortly after he was discharged from serving in a mysterious black ops mission in Afghanistan—as a member of “Operation Cerebrus,” a group one soldier says has a reputation for being “the American Taliban.”

    In response, Frank, himself a former decorated Marine, committed himself to a one-man war against all crime in New York City… but in particular, the three gangs involved in that fateful shootout: the Irish, the bikers, and the cartel.

    The Punisher was a harbinger of a brutal era in comics, where heroes toting massive machine guns were suddenly the norm and the death’s-head logo emblazoned on his costume became a ubiquitous cultural symbol.

    Punisher opens with Castle finishing his crusade and then burning his regalia, you could almost say the fire represented his rebirth back into Frank Castle as he leaves that life of the vengeful Punisher behind.

    For Netflix, Frank Castle is that harbinger of death once again. Frank Castle, is the archetypal character of the retributive anti hero – one who makes his own rules and follows his own conscience – is a familiar figure in mass culture, appearing in film, television, video games, and comics. This character represents the frustrations of millions of people who feel powerless and who fantasize about striking back at their enemies, be they real or imagined.

    With all of Marvel’s works the Punisher follows the strict formula that Marvel has in place. The same style and themes creeps into every Marvel movie can be found within the Marvel television shows. And while this works in terms of getting audience and making money, it’s becoming stale and it’s not innovative anymore.

    The thing that has been lacking in both the Marvel cinematic universe and the Marvel televisions shows is the lack of an interesting villain. And that’s what's missing from the Punisher. What set Daredevil season one apart from subsequent shows was the dynamic that Vincent D'Onofrio brought as the Kingpin. That dynamic and power struggle was lacking when Daredevil and the Punisher faced off and is completely missing from the Punisher.

    It seemed the show didn’t know who to put in the Punishers crosshairs in a meaningful way. Due to Marvel setting up his motivation as retribution for his family’s death, we see that by the guilt of Castle’s failure to protect the only thing that mattered to him, his family, he has no other motivation. Tying Castle’s past to a secret military programme as the enemy within this show made no sense until you realise that they had a hand in, you guessed it, covering up the real reasons why his family was killed.

    Ends...    … Expand
  2. nikblu1904
    Jan 15, 2018
    9
    Great actors. Great villains. Great fights. Great kills.

    But Mediocre Story.

    All in All very good.
  3. logele
    Dec 22, 2017
    9
    The first episode was really good but from there it went downhill. These long boring conversations between Punisher and Micro. The Punisher Is so simple that you always know whats coming next. Predictable.
  4. Mrcool1989
    Nov 22, 2017
    10
    Please let there be a season 2 Netflix get on it. This was the punisher a lot us of had been waiting to see for along time. They stay true to the character and that might be a understatement. This really is one of marvels best TV shows right here, and one last thing the last episode is....ok just see it damnit lol
  5. Neth3rtwist
    Nov 23, 2017
    9
    Remember that the critics usually get one or two episodes to review, and then try to base a show's review score on those episodes. The Punisher is a show that does not find its footing until the second half. I have to say that through the first 5 episodes or so, I was truly disappointed- as a John Wick made-for-TV show it was not, and that was what I had been hoping for. Alas, now thatRemember that the critics usually get one or two episodes to review, and then try to base a show's review score on those episodes. The Punisher is a show that does not find its footing until the second half. I have to say that through the first 5 episodes or so, I was truly disappointed- as a John Wick made-for-TV show it was not, and that was what I had been hoping for. Alas, now that I think about it, John Wick for 10-13 episodes would probably have gotten really stale, even with all that frightening violence. What they did here is used the first half of the season to lay groundwork and narrative before upping the ante in terms of pacing and the amount of violence in each episode. If you are a little bored during the first half of the season, don't worry, because it gets much, much better. It definitely felt better to me, after the final episode, than Luke Cage or Iron Fist. Jon Bernthal is a man amongst boys when it comes to violent roles and he carries The Punisher better than anyone before him. Stick with this show and you won't be let down!… Expand
  6. Theninjew
    Nov 20, 2017
    8
    I have been a punisher fan for most of my life, and am thrilled to see him getting another shot at the screen. But like many other viewers, I think that there's just not enough material to fill in the 13 hours. If they'd condensed the entire season into the first 6 episodes, and set up a classic Frank vs. The Mob story arc in the 2nd half, it would have felt right. Bernthal isI have been a punisher fan for most of my life, and am thrilled to see him getting another shot at the screen. But like many other viewers, I think that there's just not enough material to fill in the 13 hours. If they'd condensed the entire season into the first 6 episodes, and set up a classic Frank vs. The Mob story arc in the 2nd half, it would have felt right. Bernthal is unbelievable, and so is Micro, but it's the writing that stagnates. There's so much artificial, unnecessary drama injected into the series just to fill the time that it borders on pulp TV territory. We could do with a few more 'Frank Castle vs. 100 people in 5 minutes' sequences just to remind us that he's actually The Punisher.… Expand
  7. NavyBean
    Dec 21, 2017
    9
    I'm through 4 episodes and I like it a lot. The dude who plays Punisher is perfectly cast and the rest of the performances are solid. I really like the Middle Eastern CIA agents mom. She is so classy looking and elegant. It just takes my mind in the naughtiest places. You know it's always the elegant ones who are the wildest in the bedroom. And yes, she's not a young woman, but just thinkI'm through 4 episodes and I like it a lot. The dude who plays Punisher is perfectly cast and the rest of the performances are solid. I really like the Middle Eastern CIA agents mom. She is so classy looking and elegant. It just takes my mind in the naughtiest places. You know it's always the elegant ones who are the wildest in the bedroom. And yes, she's not a young woman, but just think how much experience she has with her mouth and her nether zones and she is not afraid to pop a finger in you if the situation calls for it.… Expand
  8. JPG127
    Nov 20, 2017
    10
    This is dark, gritty and brutal. They picked a great actor for Punisher. Gave him a flushed out story and has a decent amount of action. It's a shame the critics could not appreciate this.
  9. Danil
    Mar 13, 2019
    10
    All around brilliant show. Honestly, It is in the same league with Breaking Bad, The Wire and Game of thrones. The writing, the acting, action sequences - everything is top notch. It might seem a bit stretched to some people, but I didn't feel bored for a second. It is beyond my comprehension why on Earth the critics tried to sink this masterpiece. Yet another proof you can't trust them at all.
  10. marc5477
    Oct 15, 2018
    8
    Surprisingly good. The show is able to maintain a good balance between suspense and action and does not go over the edge on unbelievable action. It is there, it is a comic book after all, but its not as prominent as other shows which actually makes this better. By keeping action limited to times when you actually need it, rather than filler to draw an infants attention, I actually enjoyedSurprisingly good. The show is able to maintain a good balance between suspense and action and does not go over the edge on unbelievable action. It is there, it is a comic book after all, but its not as prominent as other shows which actually makes this better. By keeping action limited to times when you actually need it, rather than filler to draw an infants attention, I actually enjoyed it when it happened. There is a lot of character building in this show and unlike others like PMS Jones, the brain-dead Fist or Dumbdevil, the villains are much better written and acted. You genuinely dislike them by the time Frank gets his hands on them and he definitely punishes them in fairly satisfying ways.

    If you are looking for mindless action and no story feel free to look up the other marvel (or DC) shows. They are all awful except maybe Luke Cage and season 1 of Gotham. The Punisher however was excellent and I hope they can continue at this level for season 2.    … Expand
  11. MeiLongDong
    May 28, 2019
    8
    I'll sum my up opinion and review the best I can. If you're a fan of John Wick then this is probably your cup of tea. The atmosphere is John Wick like, but just way better imo. Where John Wick is a fun shoot em up/bullet ballet, Punisher is a slow burn but a good one. I was hooked from episode one. The best games I've played and the best movies I've watched have always hooked me in fromI'll sum my up opinion and review the best I can. If you're a fan of John Wick then this is probably your cup of tea. The atmosphere is John Wick like, but just way better imo. Where John Wick is a fun shoot em up/bullet ballet, Punisher is a slow burn but a good one. I was hooked from episode one. The best games I've played and the best movies I've watched have always hooked me in from the start and I couldn't stop till I finished it I couldn't get through one episode of Iron Fist, but this grabbed my attention and held it to the end. 13 episodes went by and it felt like a movie. It's better than any cop show or detective CSI crap I've ever seen. Good writing, characters you care about, and an overall feel that passion went into this.

    BTW The original critic score of 7.8 was more fair and accurate than the current 5.4. No way. It deserves better.    … Expand
  12. DudeFromIceland
    Nov 24, 2018
    9
    After watching season 2 of Daredevil I was very excited to see the continuation of Jon Bernthals's portrayal of Frank Castle/Punisher, and he does not disappoint. Ben Barnes is also fantastic as Billy Russo.

    A very entertaining and dramatic story that goes deep into the life and struggles of Frank with plenty of action along the way and a satisfying conclusion. Season 2 can't come quick enough.
  13. SrPepe
    Jan 13, 2019
    9
    Punisher es una serie impresionante, con unas escenas de acción espectaculares y un Frank Castle más violento que nunca. Casi al nivel de Daredevil, es de lo mejor que hizo Netflix, muy recomendable.
  14. rocgni161803
    Feb 21, 2019
    7
    The critics got this one wrong. This MCU adaptation surpasses Jessica Jones and Daredevil. The acting doesn't seem forced or inauthentic. Visually it looks great. And for someone unfamiliar with the story it really plays well.
  15. TheSpideyReview
    Dec 17, 2017
    8
    Simple, Straightforward, and Tense. Instead of wasting time on the Punisher's Revenge storyline, they talk about Frank Castle's military past catching up to him.
  16. offthewall
    Feb 6, 2022
    9
    I don't have time to watch all the shows I'd like to, but I am able to catch some, and of course, I choose the ones I think look interesting. True Detective season 1 is an all-time favorite, and I liked season 2 as well, although some people didn't. Anyway, The Punisher season 1 is right up there with TD. When I saw a season 2 of The Punisher was released, I decided to rewatch season 1 forI don't have time to watch all the shows I'd like to, but I am able to catch some, and of course, I choose the ones I think look interesting. True Detective season 1 is an all-time favorite, and I liked season 2 as well, although some people didn't. Anyway, The Punisher season 1 is right up there with TD. When I saw a season 2 of The Punisher was released, I decided to rewatch season 1 for the 3rd time and then go on to season 2. Well, once again I enjoyed season 1 immensely and saw things the 3rd time around I'd forgotten. If you like slam-bang action, and interesting characters with heroes and villains, in a show that never gets boring, and keeps in touch with reality (mostly) and isn't some weird fantasy piece, then this show is for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it all 3 times I watched it from episode 1-13. And now I look forward to season 2. I guess I'd already reviewed this once, (I'd forgotten, I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached), and given it a 9. Well, it's stood the test of time so I'm bumping it up to a 10. And the critics, well, they will gush over some artsy, boring movie and then turn up their noses at a show like The Punisher. I can appreciate any movie or show that is done well and interesting, but apparently, some critics can't. Whatever, life goes on.… Expand
  17. potench
    Dec 18, 2017
    10
    Jon Bernthal plays unhinged, unstoppable, can't-tell-if-they're-bad-or-good so well. The show really plays around with the Punisher as an anti-hero - he's somehow super likable but consistently brutal, cruel, and exacting. As a fan of The Punisher I really enjoyed this show, a lot; but it's not going to be for everyone - mostly because it's insanely violent.
    The supporting cast was great    Jon Bernthal plays unhinged, unstoppable, can't-tell-if-they're-bad-or-good so well. The show really plays around with the Punisher as an anti-hero - he's somehow super likable but consistently brutal, cruel, and exacting. As a fan of The Punisher I really enjoyed this show, a lot; but it's not going to be for everyone - mostly because it's insanely violent.
    The supporting cast was great - especially Micro who helps keep the show balanced, fun, and frequently light-hearted.    … Expand
  18. RaduA
    Jan 25, 2019
    9
    I really liked it. The first season was better but... this one is pretty good.
  19. Grachechkovski
    Feb 14, 2019
    10
    The most brutaly and bloody show that I've ever seen in this category. It has realistic scenes with really motivation and actions and one of main soldie's problems after them army's life. The storytelling is good and has logical and marvelous culmination. I'm glad to know that watched it in my century
  20. Lucas565
    Sep 4, 2021
    10
    Uma das melhores séries que eu já assisti eu recomendo ela é maravilhosa mesmo
  21. GarethB
    Oct 21, 2018
    8
    I really enjoyed this series, it went deep into franks past and successfully showed the conflict within him. Some people complain there's not enough action, but the mix of tension, action and plot are just right for me.
  22. Arcypresher
    Feb 23, 2019
    9
    Great writen Characters
    For me very nice Punisher one but some times it's just boring
    But still nice to watch
  23. vikingo
    Jan 22, 2019
    9
    The Punisher is a character that takes justice into his own hands. He's not superhuman, but is super committed to putting an end to bad guys. This character is the John Wick of the Marvel Universe. It's difficult not to sit at the edge of your seat and cheer him on as he sanitizes the city of murderers, perverts, and those that find other ways to prey on others. This show is a winner soThe Punisher is a character that takes justice into his own hands. He's not superhuman, but is super committed to putting an end to bad guys. This character is the John Wick of the Marvel Universe. It's difficult not to sit at the edge of your seat and cheer him on as he sanitizes the city of murderers, perverts, and those that find other ways to prey on others. This show is a winner so long as the character is left to do what he does best!… Expand
  24. geewah
    Jan 6, 2021
    8
    A brutal and entertaining show that stays true to the vigilante come anti-hero comic book.
  25. iCampoRamil
    Dec 13, 2022
    7
    El personaje de Frank Castle, es decir, Jon Bernthol, es lo mejor de la serie, pero de largo, sin él nada de esto sería posible, ni la serie tendría el carisma que desborda, esa chulería con la que camina, me flipa, es super característica de él.
    La banda sonora, otro de los grandes destacados, parecía que iba a ser algún tema puntual, pero esas bases punk-rockeras me gustan, aunque    El personaje de Frank Castle, es decir, Jon Bernthol, es lo mejor de la serie, pero de largo, sin él nada de esto sería posible, ni la serie tendría el carisma que desborda, esa chulería con la que camina, me flipa, es super característica de él.
    La banda sonora, otro de los grandes destacados, parecía que iba a ser algún tema puntual, pero esas bases punk-rockeras me gustan, aunque flojean en ciertos momentos, mantiene un buen hilo por toda la serie.
    El arco argumental de Micro es lo que me hizo pegarme a la serie, a excepción de Frank, evidentemente, pero considero que esa es la mejor trama que tiene la temporada, la relación con Micro, con su mujer, etc.
    Ay, Billy Russo, se venía venir, lo pintan con esos aires chulescos, pero no chulescos como Castle, chulescos de pijo elitista, y se veía venir, no voy a spoilear el qué.
    Sí es verdad que a veces la trama se hace muy lentorra, algunos capítulos sobre todo, quizás esto de extender las series de este estilo a los 13 episodios perjudicó un poco a The Punisher, podrían haber quitado algunos capítulos para darle mayor ritmo a la narración.
    Me esperaba más del final, la verdad, solo voy a decir eso, la trama es una genialidad, pero se va apagando cuanto más se acerca al final, a pesar de que los capítulos van en ascenso todo el rato.
    Concluyendo, lo que mola de la serie es el personaje de Punisher, a parte de la actuación, que van de la mano, contando con algunos detallitos y guiños a los comics y demás. ¿Lo malo? Depende mucho narrativamente de Daredevil, si no estás en el universo y te quieres ver The Punisher individualmente, se te van a ir muchos detalles y tramas secundarias que se tratan en la serie del demonio de Hell's Kitchen. Por último, el cambio de directores entre episodios, aunque parezca que no, a simple vista, se nota bastante, por eso de que algunos episodios sobran. Pero en general, si os molan las series de crimen-acción, es una bastante buena serie.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Most Discussed TV Season of 2017
7
#7 Most Shared TV Season of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 20
  3. Negative: 2 out of 20
  1. The Atlantic
    Reviewed by: Sophie Gilbert
    Nov 20, 2017
    60
    All too often it’s a plodding slog. Bernthal’s performance somehow finds energy in Frank’s pain. ... Lightfoot’s breadth of storytelling is gratifying--he wants to do more than give the cultural landscape another killing machine to idolize. It makes The Punisher less uncomfortable to watch than it could be amid so many outbreaks of extreme gun violence. But it isn’t an easy ride.
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  2. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Lorraine Ali
    Nov 17, 2017
    50
    The show is well-written and Jon Bernthal ("The Walking Dead") is fantastic as Castle, the Afghanistan war veteran turned vigilante. ... But the story itself isn't dynamic enough to punch through all the cultural baggage this show is unfairly (or as some believe, justifiably) saddled with. It doesn't help that the burly character's superpower isn't a superpower at all. It's old-fashioned rage, coupled with special ops training.
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  3. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Allison Shoemaker
    Nov 17, 2017
    50
    Better too rich than too thin, to be sure, but “The Punisher” casts its net so wide that almost none of these stories get a fair shake. When they do, it’s usually the acting that closes the gap — Woll and Bernthal are so good together that it almost doesn’t matter that their scenes get snapped out quickly — but it’s hard to escape the feeling that, in giving us all that story, “The Punisher” doesn’t have much time for substance. It’s simultaneously too much and not enough.
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