Warning: Spoilers for The Punisher Season 2 are discussed below.
If you want to see more from Frank and Karen on The Punisher, you are not alone. Jon Bernthal also wants to see more on that front. When discussing what Frank does next with CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg during the Season 2 press junket, Bernthal said:
I really would have loved to see further what would've happened with him and Karen. There's a really strong connection between those two characters, and they're so different but so drawn to each other. They're sort of equal forces in a lot of ways, and there's nothing that either one of them could do – I think they both been to some pretty dirty dark places – but nothing that the other one can't really handle. So I would be interested. I would hope that he wouldn't completely just completely ward off all human contact. But, you never know, man.
Frank definitely needs to have a healthy dose of human contact. Jon Bernthal’s eloquent and utterly spot-on summation of Karen and Frank will undoubtedly set shipper hearts on fire, although Frank's connection with Karen also works on a platonic -- if somewhat intense -- level.
When it comes to how Jon Bernthal views the Season 2 ending, he obviously believes there is room to explore more from Frank and Karen going forward. Speaking of wanting to keep things going between Frank and Karen, Marvel TV boss Jeph Loeb and The Punisher’s showrunner Steve Lightfoot are both on board. They weighed in, saying:
Loeb: It’s great. Any time you get a chance to work with Deb Ann Woll, work with Deb Ann Woll.Lightfoot: And I think they did such a good job of making Karen part of Frank’s circle in Daredevil, and I was keen to carry that on. I think as long as Frank would be in New York, we’d have him intersect with Karen, and that would be something we do in the show.
It is nice to know that keeping Karen in Frank’s orbit has been a priority. The magic that transpired between them on Daredevil carried over in both of The Punisher’s two seasons. Unfortunately, fans had to deal with seeing less of Karen in The Punisher’s second season.
Still, you could always tell she was never far away from the narrative’s heart with Frank sneaking in a few references to his “friend.” How sweet was that? As a viewer, you could sense that The Punisher knew how vital it was for Karen to be a part of the second season.
Hence, the scenes “Kastle” did share in Season 2 were nothing short of outstanding. As Jon Bernthal said, Frank and Karen share a “strong connection.” In much the same way two magnets find themselves effortlessly drawn together, so do Frank and Karen.
Without Karen pushing the matter, Frank may have gone on believing in Billy’s frame job, and that had destroyed Frank. Thankfully, Karen was there for him. Truly, one of the many highlights of the season.
Karen and Frank have a super refreshing vibe. Their will they/won’t they connection sends a lot of electric energy coursing through the scenes they share. Of course, The Punisher gave us an interrupted moment of what seemed like a near-kiss between them. That was brutal.
If Amy were not so incredibly lovable, it would have been far more irritating. Yes, I did outwardly exclaim “Amy!” when that happened. I am human and want these TV characters together, so there you have it. Still, adore Amy.
The Punisher’s second season did know how to tease fans of the could-be couple. Despite the setback, that a maybe-kiss could have happened was enough to fuel this fan for some time to come. After all, a “Kastle” takes time to build.
The first two seasons of The Punisher are currently available to stream, among other new Netflix content. The series was among many shows debuting new seasons during the midseason on Netflix.
