‘The Punisher’ Recap: ‘Road House Blues’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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​Of the many shows arriving in 2019, there are only a handful that I’ve been supremely excited about watching and one that’s been at the top of my list, is The Punisher. Because I was a huge fan of season one of this series, since it finally gave Frank Castle a quality story to work with on screen since it featured some incredible action sequences and some quality character development and well, it’s the latter of those two elements that had me excited to settle in and watch the brand-new season of this series. After all, Frank Castle in essence received a happy ending at the end of season one, since he was no longer in trouble with the law, or fighting his inner demons, since he settled the score with Billy Russo.
 
Which means that I was dying to know what kind of man Frank was going to become now that he was free of the angry prison he created for himself and oddly enough, the season two premiere of this series, ‘Road House Blues’, wasted no time in answering that particular question. Because we caught up with Frank quickly and came to discover that well, he’s simply living in the moment and enjoying his freedom at this point, and he’s traveling from place to place and when we catch up with him in Michigan he appears to be content and at peace with himself for the first time in a long time, to the point where he’s able to catch the eye of a lovely bartender named Beth and enjoy a little attention and romance for a change.
 
If anything, this was quite a lovely way to reintroduce us to dear Frank since it showed us Frank Castle, the man, a person who needs human contact and connection like the rest of us and it also reminded us that Frank has feelings and genuinely cares for people and it was wonderful to see him connect with Beth and enjoy a little happiness for a change since he enjoyed some laughs with her and her son and lived a taste of the life he thought he left behind and would never see again. But while this was a true delight to watch, the key to this character is that he is always conflicted and always on the prowl to feel the adrenaline rush that comes with trouble and saving lives and since Frank is a beacon for conflict, he found himself surrounded by it in no time, all thanks to a damsel in distress.
 
Because a young woman who clearly has ties to some unsavory people found herself in some serious trouble and well, there was no way that Frank was going to let her suffer when he could in fact do something and well, that’s where the episode made good on the price of admission since The Punisher returned and handled business accordingly, and at great cost since Beth was injured in the ensuing fight. But what matters more when it comes to this sequence of events is the sheer fact that it put the duality of Frank Castle on display. Because he is a man convinced that he can never find happiness because of what’s happened to him and what he’s done so he will flirt with joy before drowning himself in darkness and it was just incredible to see that he has only grown and changed a little bit since the end of season one and that he truly thrives on living within these two extremes.
 
However, when all is said and done, this episode clearly served as the grand setup for season two. For the people that Frank fought, in order to save the girl, are on the hunt for revenge now that he’s harmed so many in their group. And to make matters worse, Billy Russo has awakened from his coma at last and despite those ugly wrinkles, I couldn’t be happier with this episode. It really was a greatest hits reel of season one, with some new and colorful characters thrown into the mix and well, I’m ready for more. Because I have to know who this mystery girl is and who is she mixed up with and of course, if Billy’s up and around, one has to wonder if he will remember anything about his past life and dealings with Frank and well, the only way to find out the answers to my questions, is to watch further. So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for me to enjoy the next chapter in Frank Castle’s wild and violent life. Until next time. 

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