The Mosley Review: Hawkeye (Season 1)
If there's one series I was not really looking forward to, it was this. Now I like the titular character, but I never really thought there was much of his story left to tell beyond the films. As we all know, Marvel loves to showcase their characters by giving them more depth and tying off loose ends that may have been introduced in the films. This show did exactly that I was pleasantly surprised how charming and fun it was. Setting it against the most wonderful time of the year was brilliant and added the amount levity needed to balance out the more serious nature of the story. The show juggles many tones so well, but at times it kind of loses its grip on the direction it wanted to take. It wasn't until the third episode the show truly started to take off for me and I loved the three central plotlines and how they wrapped up so neatly. It was fascinating how each character's arc came to a resolution that was earned and not rushed. That's pretty tricky to do in just six episodes.
Haliee Steinfeld joins the MCU as Kate Bishop and she was so much fun to watch. She brings her trademark quirkie since of humor to the character. At first it came off as trying too hard to be charming, but she quickly ensnares you with her level of sincerity and passion. She did excellent in the action scenes and I loved her banter as she fought off many members of the Russian Jumpsuit Gang. Vera Farmiga is always great and I liked her as Kate's mother Eleanor. She may come off as the stereotypical worried mother that happens to be wealthy but as the show progresses, she shows that there is so much more depth to Eleanor. Tony Dalton was charming and fun Jack Duquesne. I liked the subplot of him being the step father for Kate and how she tries to determine if she could trust him or not. The chemistry between all three of them was excellent and rich with conflict and love. Jeremy Renner returns as Clint Barton / Hawkeye and he has never been better. I loved that his past comes back and he has to deal with the consequences of his actions from Avengers: Endgame. I also loved that he shows the humanity of being a superhero and how it has effected him physically and emotionally. He is just a former weapon trying live his life in peace and it was so relatable and sometimes heartbreaking when it came to his family. Linda Cardellini returns as his wife Laura and she continues to be the heart of Clint in every moment they interact. The show really got fun once Clint and Kate began to work together. His chemistry was great with Kate and I liked how he slowly opened up to the idea of having a partner again. The best moments are when he is training her in the apartment scenes.
Alaqua Cox was fantastic and brutal as Maya Lopez. I really enjoyed her vengeance arc and how it tied into Clint's life. I am new to her character and I am so glad that Marvel casted an Native American actress that is in an amputee. She was perfect in so many ways and her emotional journey comes to a satisfying conclusion, but there is so much to explore with her and I can't wait to see more. Her closest friend Kazimierz "Kazi" Kazimierczak was well portrayed by Fra Fee. Even though he was the lackey of the "big boss" of the show, his bond with Maya was the best part of his arc. Florence Pugh returns as Yelena Belova and she continues the mission she set out on from the Black Widow film. She is even more adorable in this series and even more fun to watch. She may be one of the deadliest people on screen, but she doesn't shy away from having all the fun.
The score by Christophe Beck and Michael Paraskevas was fun and emotionally charged in a number of great scenes. I do love it when composers take classic Christmas themes and mix into a more action packed style while keeping the melody intact. The action is on par with the standard action thriller vibes you'd expect from the MCU, but I did enjoy the commentary and usage of the many trick arrows in Hawkeye's quiver. Once again, Marvel Studios has delivered an excellent miniseries that adds to the ever expanding universe while finishing off loose ends. Its definitely a great action series to watch during the holidays and even if the humor doesn't always hit its mark. The Disney+ Original series in now streaming. Do stick around for the end credit performance that is absolutely something I would love to see come to life in another special. Let me know what you thought of show or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
