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Well, again, one great scene goes a long way. The scene where Frank and Karen converse in that diner is one of the best in the show. The way that Deborah Ann Woll conveys that she's at her wits end is superb, and Frank's monologue about how feeling hurt means there's a connection to something, and he'd kill to have that connection back is a little trite, but wonderfully performed. It's a powerful, human moment at the center of all this chaos, and the performances make sure it work. The ensuing scene where Frank beats up the mooks in the diner to get the info he wants about the Blacksmith is pretty horrifying, but then again it's supposed to be, and I appreciate the show not pulling punches about how brutal Punisher is, even if it's a bit grusome to watch in practice.

I was less enamored with the whole bit with Clare Temple and Matt. It's always nice to see someone like Clare cut through Matt's martyr complex B.S., but the hospital staff covering up what happened was really vague. I get that they're presumably leaving plot threads that this show or The Defenders can pick up in later seasons, but it didn't feel well developed, and Clare quitting over it seemed like piece-moving rather than something that stemmed purely from her character.

Madame Gao was a treat, and again, I think I find Daredevil's scenes the most entertaining when someone clearly smarter than him is calling him out for not really looking at the big picture. The actress who plays Gao has a great presence about her, and that helps keep the tension up during the expository dialogue. Plus, I even enjoyed the creativity of Daredevil darting among the clothes in the dry cleaner in order to hide. It's a little silly, but it makes sense for what he's trying to do, and helped distinguish this fight from the dozens of others he's had with faceless mooks.

Speaking of which, the final scene on the boat was so-so. Thematically, I like the idea that Daredevil is offering to help Frank, and even to violate his no-killing code in order to do it, at the same time Frank is upset that Daredevil won't even allow him the false moment of peace from killing one of those henchmen. The dialogue itself is clunky, but I like the contrast, that Daredevil doesn't believe in wanton destruction, but maybe in the fact of what Karen's told him and he's learned himself about Castle's background and The Blacksmith, he's willing to make an exception given all that this guy has taken away from Castle and others. Matt crosses himself before saying this, which is another nod to the religious themes that have been floating in the background this season.

The show's pretty much reached the point to where it's mostly just enjoyable pulp with a few scenes that rise above that, but I can appreciate it as slightly heady entertainment, even if it feels like the show is aiming to be more than that at times.