Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
Even in more peaceful times, The Punisher seems like a superhero that's destined to be controversial. Speaking as his superhero is more of a violent mercenary, the idea of making a faithful show dedicated to him in this fraught climate is difficult. It's even delayed the show's release by a few weeks. Still, as one of the breakout stars of Daredevil's mediocre second season, the promise of Jon Bernthal's portrayal of the former soldier holds plenty of promise. The only remaining question is whether or not a character like this is controversial in 2017, especially following mass shootings. He may be fighting for justice, but is it existing in the grey area where even the justified actions can be mistaken as endorsement of violence in general?
If there's one thing that the first episode manages to achieve, it's a sense of character. Little is known about Frank Castle's life before he took the construction job. He's sporting a beard, having flashbacks to his wife being shot, and taking abuse from coworkers. Yet it doesn't phase him. No, he's more obsessed with letting out his aggression in physical actions, doing his best to avoid intervention groups that could help him. Without much established back story, there's already plenty that's understood about him. He is frustrated, and the world is cloying at him to fight back. While it may be a bit surface-level in the pilot's antagonists, it helps to convey a sense of what Frank's struggles are. He has his demons and regrets, but how will he cope with them when all he has is his widowed existence?
It helps that Bernthal has a physicality to the performance that puts it slightly above other Netflix Marvel series' first episodes. He isn't reliant on extensive monologues or scenes that exemplify his strengths. It may in part benefit from his appearance in Daredevil. However, it also helps that his story isn't so much about establishing a season long bad guy, but more a personal struggle. He is a soldier of war, and his mind harbors some horrific scenes. As the first episode ends, he performs his first violent act, leaving the audience to determine how justified it was. Still, it's a gnarly scene, and one that suggests that this show will be as unrepentant as its lead character's name. It may not yet be as gruesome or insane as Punisher: War Zone, but it has a dramatic balance between action and plot that is already stable.
The one hope is that the series doesn't go down the well of Netflix's other series. Save for The Defenders, every Netflix series has suffered from the 13 episode season. Many have complained about needless subplots, with many praising The Defenders shorter run that cut out extemporaneous elements. With that said, the show looks to have a lot to unpack with The Punisher, and it seems more in line with the complex lives of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage than the hollow contemplation of Iron Fist. If nothing else, Bernthal has already proven himself capable of leading this role with a stoic pose and a gruff voice. Action scenes have also been this branch of the MCU's strong point, so maybe The Punisher will have another plus, especially if the show gets creative with how Frank Castle goes around punishing people.
The episode also ends with a cliffhanger that shows a man watching via camera: Micro (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). What is his purpose with Frank? Is he wanting to kill him, or is there a bigger motive behind his obsession? I'm not sure how the show will play out in the long run, but it starts off with one of the stronger premieres of these few shows. If nothing else, The Punisher benefits from having a compelling protagonist that most audiences know. His main struggle is now to be accessible to audiences still jolted by ongoing crime around the country. In theory, The Punisher is supposed to stand for good, but his moral ambiguity shines brightest in the final moments of the episode. Will this be a bigger commentary, or just a pulpy superhero show? Both have their value, though one is probably going to play over better with general audiences looking for a good time.
If there's one thing that the first episode manages to achieve, it's a sense of character. Little is known about Frank Castle's life before he took the construction job. He's sporting a beard, having flashbacks to his wife being shot, and taking abuse from coworkers. Yet it doesn't phase him. No, he's more obsessed with letting out his aggression in physical actions, doing his best to avoid intervention groups that could help him. Without much established back story, there's already plenty that's understood about him. He is frustrated, and the world is cloying at him to fight back. While it may be a bit surface-level in the pilot's antagonists, it helps to convey a sense of what Frank's struggles are. He has his demons and regrets, but how will he cope with them when all he has is his widowed existence?
It helps that Bernthal has a physicality to the performance that puts it slightly above other Netflix Marvel series' first episodes. He isn't reliant on extensive monologues or scenes that exemplify his strengths. It may in part benefit from his appearance in Daredevil. However, it also helps that his story isn't so much about establishing a season long bad guy, but more a personal struggle. He is a soldier of war, and his mind harbors some horrific scenes. As the first episode ends, he performs his first violent act, leaving the audience to determine how justified it was. Still, it's a gnarly scene, and one that suggests that this show will be as unrepentant as its lead character's name. It may not yet be as gruesome or insane as Punisher: War Zone, but it has a dramatic balance between action and plot that is already stable.
The one hope is that the series doesn't go down the well of Netflix's other series. Save for The Defenders, every Netflix series has suffered from the 13 episode season. Many have complained about needless subplots, with many praising The Defenders shorter run that cut out extemporaneous elements. With that said, the show looks to have a lot to unpack with The Punisher, and it seems more in line with the complex lives of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage than the hollow contemplation of Iron Fist. If nothing else, Bernthal has already proven himself capable of leading this role with a stoic pose and a gruff voice. Action scenes have also been this branch of the MCU's strong point, so maybe The Punisher will have another plus, especially if the show gets creative with how Frank Castle goes around punishing people.
The episode also ends with a cliffhanger that shows a man watching via camera: Micro (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). What is his purpose with Frank? Is he wanting to kill him, or is there a bigger motive behind his obsession? I'm not sure how the show will play out in the long run, but it starts off with one of the stronger premieres of these few shows. If nothing else, The Punisher benefits from having a compelling protagonist that most audiences know. His main struggle is now to be accessible to audiences still jolted by ongoing crime around the country. In theory, The Punisher is supposed to stand for good, but his moral ambiguity shines brightest in the final moments of the episode. Will this be a bigger commentary, or just a pulpy superhero show? Both have their value, though one is probably going to play over better with general audiences looking for a good time.
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