The first season of The Punisher worked with villains and a cast that we were already familiar with. While we learned more about why Frank’s family was killed and what he did in the military, there were few surprises. Season two, on the other hand, has added to the cast and the setting. We’re in new territory, and we’ve been treated to a new and mysterious villain.
Let’s talk more about episode 3, “Trouble the Water.”
(Warning: contains spoilers.)
1. Pilgrim is super creepy.
This episode opens with Pilgrim chopping wood outside an old farmhouse while his wife watches from an upstairs window. The scene cuts quickly to him attending a church service, where a chillingly calm Annette O’Toole and a grizzled Corbin Bernsen are respected elders. We learn that Pilgrim’s wife is ill, and the elders are using it as leverage over him. When they give him his marching orders, they don’t wait for the answer. They’re confident that he will comply.
Josh Stewart’s deadpan performance as Pilgrim makes him a fascinating villain. He’s unreadable. When he tells Mr. Schultz “We’re both in your debt,” it’s so polite and restrained that it could be sincere, or merely perfunctory. Does he mean it when he apologizes for waking his wife? Is his tight smile as he leaves her all he is capable of? Or all he wishes to reveal?
Finally, as he changes his clothes, we get a hint of who he is or at least who he was. He has at least three tattoos that he tried to have removed. One of them is the German Iron Cross, on the right side of his chest. On his back, we see the faded outline of a Reichsadler, the Third Reich’s national symbol.
2. We learn more about “Rachel.”
When we rejoin “Rachel,” she snows Deputy Ogden into giving her money for the soda machine. But before she can enjoy the spoils of her con, the sheriff appears and tells us that “Rachel” has “more aliases than Carter has pills.” Finally, under pressure, she tries to tell the sheriff what happened. He doesn’t believe her. Who would?
Giorgia Whigham’s performance in this scene, and throughout the first three episodes, is a highlight of the series. It’s almost impossible to figure out how old she is or is supposed to be. She flips between a confident young woman and a terrified girl, and a confident young woman playing a terrified girl effortlessly, depending on what the situation calls for. And when she tries to be honest, the frustration of not being rewarded for it is palpable.
Later, when “Rachel” spots Pilgrim when he comes to the station in an attempt to retrieve Frank and his mercenary. She reacts immediately, making it clear that she knows who he is. Her involvement in whatever he’s after goes much deeper than a mule for whatever’s in those plastic film containers.
3. Pilgrim raises a small army.
Pilgrim lays siege to the sheriff’s station. As he exits the building, he chases his crooked police lieutenant off and raises one hand. The power and telephones go out. Once again we’re shown that he controls a network of mercenaries. But they’re not all as skilled as the crew that hit the roadhouse and the motel.
They can handle emptying automatic weapons into the side of a building. But it’s Pilgrim that shoots Ogden. When Frank finally gets free, he goes through the men in the woods surrounding the station like butter. Only Pilgrim is left standing. Where did he draw his army from? Were they church members? Local neo-Nazi thugs? Does he have any more people to call on now?
4. You two married?
“You two married? Sure sound married.” These are Bruce Ogden’s first words after Frank and Marlena, the mercenary captured with him, exchange empty threats. I’ve said I was afraid of The Punisher sounding too much like the Marvel films, but little moments like this are just fine with me.
Later, we learn the Bruce was locked up for being drunk and disorderly by his own brother. “Trouble the Water” was a heavy episode, and Bruce’s appearance helped lighten it up just enough.
5. Billy goes ape.
So, it only took about ten minutes of screen time for Billy before we saw that holding a trained-killer-gone-freelance in a minimum security hospital was a mistake. At least the writers deserve credit for not wasting time getting him back into action. But, it’s hard to see how he could have escaped without Dr. Dumont’s help.
Before he was gone, she admitted that “she didn’t want him to get hurt.” I’ll say it again: I don’t like where her character is going. I’ve already seen “Mad Love.” It was great, and I don’t want a remake.
So, that’s my five thoughts on The Punisher’s “Trouble the Water.” What are yours? Let me know below!
