Reviews Series / Daredevil 2015

Netflix Presents: The Punisher Featuring Daredevil

...I am not a Punisher fan. I don't hate him. Done properly, I think the character can have a lot of depth and pathos. But I find the vast majority of writers don't do him properly, instead just giving him a lotta meatheads to kill and ignoring the supporting cast. And even when he is done right, he's often just not the kind of character I like reading about or watching unless I'm in a very specific mood.

In that sense, I can safely say this series does handle him well, with a remarkably even-handed treatment of the character, an incredibly strong performance from his actor, and a solid, believable examination of his impact on the setting.

...But come on, man. I came to a show called Daredevil to see some Daredeviling, not to get a huge plateful of Punisher with a bit of tasty Daredevil garnish.

That's not to say the garnish is bad. I liked the parts of what the character page calls the "Secret War," just as I did in the last season. Elektra makes a strong impression, and her character examination and development is compelling, as is her actress's chemistry with Murdock's. And watching Fisk start to rebuild his criminal empire while embracing the self-realizations he came to last season works pretty well.

But this isn't their show anymore. It's Frank Castle's. The Daredevil stuff is all subplot so that we can focus instead on the personal tragedy, rage, and pathos of the Punisher. His capture dominates the first third of the show, his trial the second, and his revenge the third. The primary mystery of the season involves him, not anyone personally connected to Daredevil. Compelling secondary characters from last season, like Father Lantom, are sidelined to make room for more Castle. And I place the blame for the fact that seemingly every episode must feature at least one graphic, dreary, extended torture scene squarely at his feet, since that's more of a Punisher thing too.

It's not a bad show, by any means. The action's still good, the writing's still sharp, the mystery's still well-plotted, the actors still top-notch. I still don't like Karen, but at least her subplot is actually important instead of boring filler, even if she still continually manages to get more-interesting characters killed. Foggy's expanded narrative role is actually quite refreshing, even if I'm not happy with the ending. And, again, I do like the subplots that feature actual Daredevil.

I just can't help but feel like a man who ordered a gyro and got a plate full of lamb souvlaki. It's not that I hate the dish, ma'am, it's that I ordered something else!

(Also, the DA is a terrible character. I can't deny that she fills her narrative role well, but I will never understand why it exists or what people need it in a story for.)