REVIEW: Marvel Does a Disservice to ‘Echo’
In November of 2021, Maya Lopez, aka Echo, was first introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Disney+ series, Hawkeye. Played by Alaqua Cox, the character was considered a villain turned anti-hero by the time the last episode aired. In the season finale of Hawkeye, we learn the man Echo thought killed her father, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), was indeed not his killer. The killer was Echo’s boss, and “uncle,” Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), aka Kingpin. With this knowledge in hand, Echo “kills” the notorious crime lord and leaves his criminal organization, the Tracksuit Mafia behind.
Merely weeks after the release of Hawkeye, Marvel Studios announced it was developing a series based around the Echo character. After months of pushbacks, the series is finally being released on Disney+. In Echo, we find Echo (Cook) still in New York City, but working for a new criminal organization. When she learns that Fisk and his team have their sights set on her, she flees the city and returns home to Oklahoma. Here she must confront her past, and her family if she hopes to stop Fisk and his team before it’s too late.
Considered a Marvel Spotlight, this is the first time a Marvel Studios series has been released in its entirety on Disney+ and thank goodness it was. Having seen the first three episodes of the series, weekly drops would not have been beneficial due to the lack of material to keep the audience entertained week after week. Honestly, there is barely enough material to keep you wanting to sit through one episode. The series went through a number of reshoots over the years and you can see why. The writing is lackluster, and the storylines have no consistency. Each episode feels as if they were written as standalone episode rather than a continuation. Characters introduced into the series aren’t introduced with a purpose. You have no idea what part they play in the overall narrative, besides, having some form of connection to Echo.
Cox returns as Echo but was done a disservice in this series. She is a great actress and could have really made a name for herself as this character, but the writing wasn’t there. D’Onofrio reprises his role as Fisk and falls into the same category. The acting in this series is great. The characters could be great. The creative team was not great. From direction to writing, everything just fell flat.
This Marvel’s darkest series, and the one shining light is the action scenes. The stunt team does a phenomanal job executing every scene with grit and preceision. Now, if only they had given this much effort on the rest of the series. Plus, it will be interesting to see if the character makes a return in Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again series after this. If so, I say wait until she reappears there then tune in for this. There are no major cameos nor jaw dropping moments, at least in the first three episodes, to warrant sitting through this series.
Grade: D
Photo credit: Marvel