The Punisher: 25 WTF Moments

9. Russo Kills Sam (Episode 8, "Cold Steel")

Easily the season's most emotionally effective moment was the death of the show's comic relief, Sam Stein, at the hands of Billy Russo.

After Dinah and Sam find themselves caught in a shootout, Sam manages to get the better of Russo, holding him at gunpoint, but Russo eventually pulls a concealed knife and stabs Sam repeatedly, fleeing the scene just as Dinah shows up to watch Sam quickly bleed out.

There aren't a lot of likeable characters in this show, and though Sam had his cringe-worthy moments as already detailed, he sure as hell didn't deserve a death this savage. It's extra screwed up when you consider that Dinah didn't know that Russo was the killer at this point, and the episode ends with her being consoled and bathed by him. Ewww.

Upsetting though Sam's death was, it worked well dramatically and did a great job ensuring audiences couldn't wait for Frank to get his hands on Russo.