Comic book antihero Frank Castle has returned in season two of Marvel’s “The Punisher,” released on Netflix Friday, and it’s matched its predecessor with quality acting and the violent, exciting action that follows him everywhere he goes; however, there may have been too many plot lines contained in one season, leaving the series chaotic and unfocused.

In November 2017, Netflix released season one of “The Punisher” as a spinoff to “Daredevil” which saw The Punisher make his first appearance in season two. The series was a success with fans, further setting up high expectations for the second season of “The Punisher.”.

Season two begins after Castle has finished his quest to avenge his wife and children who were killed by the mob. Billy Russo, played by Ben Barnes, was Castle’s lifelong friend and brother in arms before he betrayed his trust and is currently hospitalized, recovering from injuries from Castle with no memory of recent events.

It was assumed from the first season the main focus of the second would be on Russo’s return, with him seeking vengeance on Castle, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, with no memory of his betrayal to Castle, Russo spends nearly the entirety of the season wallowing in self-pity while seeking revenge for the mutilation he suffered. This works in the beginning but becomes repetitive and drawn out, causing the show to lose steam regarding the Russo-Castle conflict.

A second series villain is John Pilgrim, played by Josh Stewart, a Christian hitman hired by his church leader to hunt down Amy Bendix, played by Giorgia Whigham, who possesses photos which threaten the integrity of the church. Pilgrim uses force and murder to get through anyone in his way to achieve results, all while preaching the word of God to justify his actions. The construction of Pilgrim’s character was creative, however, the two storylines felt forced together and didn’t integrate well.

Another issue with the series is the weakness of Dinah Madani, played by Amber Rose Revah. Madani is a homeland security agent who, in the first season, became Castle’s ally after opposing his methods for so long.

Madani proved to be the weakest character in both seasons by emotionally and physically allowing Russo to access everything he needed in order to follow through with his betrayal. In the newest season, her weakness carries over and she becomes more of a hindrance than any help to the protagonists. As a character, she falls short of expectations, becoming someone the show could work without.

Jon Bernthal’s performance, however, is unprecedented, and he seems to have been born to play the role of the Punisher. He embodies the character well, whether during intense moments of combat or emotional moments where memories of his family overtake him.

The excitement and action of “The Punisher” season two met the high expectations set by its predecessor, however, the plot felt forced together to get as much information into it as possible before cancellation like “Iron Fist,” “Luke Cage” and “Daredevil,” which were canceled throughout 2018.