Jon Bernthal's 6-Part Netflix Thriller Is Far Better Than His Recent Movies

2 hours ago 7

Published Jun 23, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

Liz Hersey is an Editor and Critic for ScreenRant's TV team, editing, reviewing, writing, and creating content about the iconic shows you love to watch. She began her editing career at ScreenRant in 2019, shortly after joining the site as a Writer that same year.

With a passion for all things books, Liz frequently attends Toronto literary events and conferences, and loves interacting with her book lover community. In addition to being an avid reader of the romance and thriller genres, Liz is a writer of several short stories, and is currently at work on a young adult witch novel.

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While Jon Bernthal's recent filmography may not be boastworthy, 2026 may be the best year in his TV career yet. Bernthal first rose to prominence through television, with his role as Rick's friend turned bitter enemy Shane Walsh in The Walking Dead. From there, Bernthal's fame grew even more when he was cast as Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, in Netflix's Marvel series Daredevil, before getting his own spinoff, The Punisher.

Along the way, Bernthal's film career began to pick up steam, with the actor becoming a reliable supporting presence, known for his roles in The Wolf of Wall Street, Sicario, The Accountant, and Baby Driver, to name a few. However, the average fan may be hard-pressed to name a Bernthal movie released in the past few years.

On the flip side, Bernthal continues to be at the top of his field in television. This past May alone, Bernthal reprised two of his best TV roles, the late Mikey Berzatto in the surprise The Bear prequel special, Gary, and Frank Castle in Disney+'s MCU special, The Punisher: One Last Kill. Earlier this year, he also starred in the smash-hit Netflix thriller miniseries, His & Hers.

Based on Alice Feeney's bestselling novel of the same name, Bernthal leads the cast of His & Hers alongside Tessa Thompson. Bernthal and Thompson play Jack Harper and Anna Andrews, respectively, a married couple who became estranged following the tragic loss of their infant daughter. However, a salacious murder case brings Anna, a former news anchor, back to her hometown of Dahlonega, Georgia, to cover the case whose lead investigator is none other than her husband.

His & Hers features a gripping murder mystery, but what really makes the Netflix series stand out in a crowded genre is its lead performances. Not only does Bernthal have astonishing chemistry with Thompson, but His & Hers is his best work in recent memory.

Jon Bernthal Shines In His & Hers

Bernthal is a phenomenal supporting actor, but his latest movies haven't made use of his talents. Though 2023's Isabel Wilkerson biopic, Origin, was well-received, Bernthal, who played Wilkerson's husband, Brett Hamilton, was barely in the film. Meanwhile, Rami Malek's 2025 spy thriller The Amateur came and went with little fanfare, with Bernthal's role as a CIA operative being little more than a glorified cameo.

While his work in The Accountant 2 as hitman Braxton was more substantial, and the sequel was well-received by audiences and critics alike, it didn't take long for the film to die from the pop culture conversation. Just over a year after its release, nobody is really talking about The Accountant 2, let alone Bernthal's performance in it.

Despite few viewers remembering these movies, Bernthal was excellent in all of them. However, he takes things to the next level in His & Hers, and it's definitely a title that audiences saw, with THR reporting that the Netflix thriller series is the second most-watched TV show of 2026 thus far, behind only Stranger Things.

Bernthal brings his signature blend of intensity and vulnerability to the role of Detective Jack Harper, turning them both up to the nth degree. Jack's connection to the first murder victim sees him attempting to cover his tracks, compromising the very investigation he's meant to be leading, while allowing Bernthal to make an absolute meal out of playing a loose cannon.

However, Jack is more than just a hot-head; he's been left deeply wounded over the dissolution of his marriage, and Anna's return makes things all the harder for him. Whereas Bernthal is fire, Thompson is ice, playing Anna as cold and detached yet also incredibly sympathetic. This contrast ratchets up the tension between them as they burrow further and further beneath the other's skin in the lead-up to His & Hers' shocking ending.

While Bernthal is excellent in this year's Gary and The Punisher: One Last Kill, these are roles we've seen before in arguably tired franchises. His & Hers makes the most of Bernthal's natural talents and firmly makes the case for why he needs to be in more original TV projects.