The Punisher episode 6 review: The Judas Goat

Frank gets some emergency medical treatment, and a chance to turn his life around, in this slow-paced mid-season episode of The Punisher.

The title of The Punisher‘s sixth episode refers to a goat used on ranches and stockyards for luring cattle and sheep into pens or slaughterhouses. Curtis Hoyle (Daniel Webber) describes a much different use for a Judas goat. In Afghanistan, the Medical Corp trained with live goats intentionally maimed to simulate combat injuries. This would happen to the same goats over and over. For Curtis, this a metaphor for wounded veterans themselves. “You stay in the game long enough,” he says, “You’re gonna get got. How are we any different from that goat?”

Curt’s story of the goat, of course, serves as a metaphor for Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), who almost dies from the wounds he received during episode five. A desperate Micro Ebon Moss-Bachrach) turns to Curt for help, which leads to a surgery scene that’s definitely not for the squeamish. Curt also takes an instant dislike towards Micro, blaming him for dragging Frank back into a life of vigilantism. He knows that despite patching up Frank’s injuries, his friend’s emotional scars have reopened.

We see those scars in the very first scene with another one of Frank’s nightmares–an imaginary Thanksgiving dinner between the Castles and the Lieberman families, gunned down by the Cerberus squad. It does feel repetitive given Frank’s previous dreams, but it does show how, deep down, Frank now regards Micro and the Liberman’s as family, too.

Meanwhile, another sex scene between Billy Russo (Ben Barnes) and Dinah Madani (Amber Rose Devah) confirms that what happened last episode wasn’t just some one-night stand. However, in a moment of pure plot contrivance, Billy finds Dinah’s files on Frank in plain view. He then acts upset that she used him for information, while she tells him to quit embarrassing himself.

Later, Billy confronts Curt, correctly assuming he’s been in touch with Frank all along. Between this and the scene with Dinah, the show has suddenly decided Billy can read people’s body language to know if their lying. Never mind that he somehow couldn’t tell Curt and Dinah were lying about Frank still being alive before.

Point is, he knows Frank is still alive, which Dinah later confirms. She also tells him about her investigation into Frank and Cerberus’ possible involvement with Ahmed Zubair’s murder. Using a recorded message played on a loop, Billy attempts to contact Frank via shortwave using their old call signs. As you might expect, this creates a quandary for Frank. As a fellow Marine and his best friend, Billy is like family, too. Micro, paranoid as ever, isn’t sure how much they trust him, however.

When Frank does meet with Billy, his friend not only offers him a new identity but a job with Anvil, too. It’s a definite path for Frank to get out of “the game” as it were. Just as his visits to Micro’s wife, Sarah (Jamie Ray Newman) are also a potential second chance. Of course, even if you didn’t know who Billy is from the comics, his willingness to help Frank seems more than suspicious. The final scene confirms just how big a mistake Frank made in ever placing his trust in him.

Speaking of the Lieberman’s, it’s more clear than ever Micro faking his death to protect his family is tearing them apart. Sure enough, Micro’s son, Zach, stole the skateboard from another kid. When his mom confronts him about this, he punches his sister, Leo, yelling how their family is nothing but “snitches and traitors.”

Having watched this on Micro’s hidden camera, Frank, towards the episode’s end, visits Sarah and apologizes for missing dinner. Knowing Micro is also watching, he assures Sarah that things will get better, and that it’s her love for her kids is what will help her through the tough times. It’s also a moment where Frank confesses he may have also found something to care about, too. The way the scene plays, he could be talking about either Micro’s family or Billy’s job offer.

As the season’s half-way mark, “The Judas Goat” slows things down considerably after last episode’s adrenaline rush. It’s also the point where you begin to see the series’ subplots heading towards some predictable directions. Nevertheless, there’s some nice character building moments and performances. If The Punisher follows the pattern of other Marvel Netflix series, things are bound to pick up again fast very soon.

• If you’re wondering about what happens with Dinah apart from her relationship with Billy, not much. All she and Sam Stein (Michael Nathanson) do is investigate what we already saw during “Gunner.”
• Not too surprised about O’Connor (Delaney Williams) being a “Chicken Hawk,” and that he lied about his Vietnam service record.
• Lewis Wilson (Daniel Webber) definitely is the other “Judas Goat” of the episode. Unfortunately, it’s still unclear how his story ties in with the rest of the series. After what goes down between him and O’Connor, though, he’s in real trouble.
• If it wasn’t clear before that Sarah finds Frank attractive, it definitely is now.

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