What I’m Watching: Daredevil

Daredevil: Season 2, Episode 4 “Penny and Dime” (B+)

Now we’re getting somewhere. The start of this episode didn’t impress me all that much, with an Irish mobster showing up to continue this show’s unapologetic brutality and show his minions that he wasn’t going to rest until the Punisher was on his knees in front of him awaiting his execution. What this episode was primarily about was understanding Frank Castle and exactly who he is. He seemed more than ready to take on the entire Irish mob with his bare hands and his gun after they figured out where he was, and he nearly did that before he was taken down by a very high number of shots that were supposed to incapacitate him. While he was being tortured, he seemed normal, and he did what his tormentor would expect him to do, which was to tell him where the money was. That turned out to be a trap, of course, and he managed to cut his bonds and take out those who had tried to kill him and his dog. Daredevil’s arrival as he was escaping was the best part of the episode, since it found them working together toward a common goal with different views on how it should be done. Hearing Frank’s story about coming home and seeing his daughter was extremely compelling, and Jon Bernthal was definitely a great choice to play the Punisher. Daredevil insisting upon the police getting the credit for his collar was great, and it’s nice to see the emphasis on law and order. On a lighter note, it’s good to see Matt and Karen getting close, even if it means that Foggy is now the third wheel.