From the ashes of Marvel’s Daredevil show rises the phoenix known as “The Punisher.” This new show made its debut Nov. 17 on Netflix with 13 episodes full of intense action. Even with such a short season, at least it seemed to me, the show has me hooked.

Frank Castle, portrayed by Jon Bernthal, appeared in the show Daredevil prior to this one as a minor antagonist and a rather crude vigilante character. Well, now the character has been granted this spin-off show and in my opinion it is quite a good one. We have some familiar characters returning as well, mainly Karen Page from Daredevil played by Deborah Ann Woll. She continues her role as a helper to Bernthal’s character. The show follows Castle as he seeks the truth about his family’s murder and in turn discovers darker events at work.

The actor they procured to play Castle is fantastic. Some of the most intense and good acting I have seen yet. He also fits the role he was given very well and due to this, the show is already that much more enjoyable to watch. I then have to call out Ben Barnes, one of my favorite actors and the one who takes upon the role of Billy Russo, for doing a marvelous job in this show as well. All in all, the cast was very well-chosen and each actor fit their character well.

As for the characters themselves, our protagonist is an anti-hero! Frank Castle is very much not a “good guy.” An ex-marine and trained professional, he has a brilliant tactical mind and that aspect is pretty well-depicted throughout the show. He has nothing against using violence or force, which is a pretty big factor in this show, to make ends meet. Yet he is not portrayed as heartless. He still has that relatable human side and truly did care for his family before they were taken from him. I love anti-heroes, so imagine my excitement when I heard about this show coming out. I actually liked Castle more than I did Matt Murdock (Daredevil’s hero).

I cannot say there are many things that I do not like about this show. It is done very well, is realistic and gritty. However, it is pretty violent. That made it a little bit difficult to watch with other people, which is how I began watching. The first episode or two featured some pretty grisly murders of a few different people. I guess then if I had to say I disliked something, it would be that aspect. Yet I can still see why it is in there and would not call it excessively gratuitous. It is definitely not a “happy” or light-hearted show at all.

I would give this show a very good rating. The story, the characters and their actors are all brilliant. I would also warn potential viewers of the violence present throughout the show, it is not for the faint of heart. It is much more focused on the actual storytelling and dialogue than continual violence to be honest but a warning just to be safe. So, fans of Daredevil and intense, gritty shows⸺ go watch the Punisher!