The intimidating presence of Marvel Comics anti–hero Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher, is heading to the small screen…or so it would appear.
FOX has reached a deal on a put pilot agreement for a potential new Punisher series from Ed Bernero, who has previously created shows like Third Watch and Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, and ABC Studios. The “put” pilot commitment means that Fox is contractually obligated to air the pilot episode, which also means that in all likelihood the network will make a full season order at some point. If something goes horribly wrong and they decide not to air the pilot, they would have to pay up on some penalties.
The planned new series will be of the highly original hour–long procedural variety, taking the brutal Frank Castle character and putting a new spin on him as a “rising star” detective on the New York City Police Department who, when night falls, becomes a vigilante known as The Punisher determined to help those who the justice system has failed by handling things himself.
Now, I don’t know about you, but this sounds like a horrible idea. I’m not as seasoned in comic books as most, but from the few Punisher books I have read (the MAX series), it has to be thought that Mr. Castle is far too vicious for a network like FOX. I’d have trouble thinking it could even work on an FX or AMC, to be honest.
And even worse, they’re turning it into a procedural show, which means after an ever–growing pile of cop/detective/forensics crap has been dumped on your TVs, now you’ll get to see one of your favorite comic book anti–heroes in one of them…solvin’ crimes and catching the bad guys? Why not. Perhaps I’m wrong (I sure hope so), but this has an undeniably bad vibe to it.
Speak it, comic book fans. What do you think of a new Punisher procedural drama on FOX?
[Source: Deadline]
Cop show Punisher? WTF. FAIL. Wont watch.
Comment by Robert Weston — October 22, 2011 @ 10:39 am
I’ll give it a chance, but Castle as a Detective? WRONG.
Comment by Dave — October 22, 2011 @ 12:08 pm
“The planned new series will be of the highly original hour–long procedural variety…”
Yeah, un-huh, ’cause CSI, CSI:NY, CSI:Miami, NCIS, NCIS:LA, Prime Suspect, Criminal Minds, Criminal Minds:Suspect Behavior The Mentalist, Monk, Psych, Bones, The Closer, Unforgettable, Blue Bloods, Dexter, Against the Wall and the entire Law & Order franchise just to name the ones off the top of my head have somehow missed out on cashing in on the hour-long police procedural formula.
I’m betting this new Punisher gets cancelled faster than the reboot of Charlie’s Angels if it actually makes it to screen.
Comment by burning_chrome — October 22, 2011 @ 1:59 pm
This
sounds like such a bad idea for several reasons.
First, Fox is
involved. That in and of itself is reason enough for me not to give it a chancee. Why? Because even if it is awesome and incredible and the best TV show
ever… they’ll just cancel it. Oh before they cancel it they’ll make the writer put the 3rd episode in the series as the first episode and the 2nd as the 4th and drop the 1st planned episode for no apparent reason. (Yeah, I’m a little bitter about how they screwed Firefly over…)
Second, the Punisher re-imagined as a
cop? Seriously? That’s like… that’s so bad I can’t think of anything worse right now. Except maybe Batman, re-imagined as a lawyer who works in the courtroom with a bat puppet on his hand, through which he communicates to everyone… No, Punisher as a cop is still a dumber idea.
Third, he’s a cop who goes out and becomes the Punisher after work to
kill the bad guys that escaped the law? Poor premise. What if the
Punisher thinks someone is guilty but they get proven innocent? Then he
doesn’t buy it so he goes after them and BAM!… problem solved. Only
there wasn’t a problem. Even if he somehow mystically knows who is guilty and who isn’t, it’s still a really dumb idea.
Fourth, the Punisher has always been pretty darn cool for many reasons but one of those reasons is he doesn’t have a secret identity. He doesn’t wear a mask. He’s so crazy about killing the bad guys that he simply doesn’t care who knows who he is. He has nothing to hide. And with this show, all that changes. He’ll have to have a secret identity or they’ll arrest him when he shows up for work. And if he has a secret identity, he’ll have to wear a mask or people will start asking him some pretty uncomfortable questions such as, “Hey Frank, why do you and the Punisher look like twins?”
Fox has done it again but who’s surprised? The Fox execs have proven they don’t have 100 IQ if they pool their points…
Comment by Steven Smith — October 23, 2011 @ 4:46 pm