SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

The Disney Plus shows based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been all over the place when it comes to aesthetics and genre. Wandavision and Loki both gave us more supernatural and sci-fi-focused shows with much less realistic scenarios. But then, Falcon and the Winter Soldier brought in a much more grounded storyline, focusing on no magical elements or no sci-fi elements but rather real-world issues. Hawkeye also goes for a more grounded feel but it steps it up by having its main character have no powers or enhancements to make him different from any other person. Because of this, Hawkeye shows a lot of realistic themes and ideas that blend well together for an enjoyable viewing experience. 

The series follows two main characters: the titular Hawkeye, or Clint Barton, once again played by the iconic Jeremy Renner, as he tries to tackle his past as the vigilante Ronin. Then, there is Kate Bishop, played by the amazing Hailee Steinfield, a young woman trying to unravel the criminal schemes behind her mother’s new fiance. Their paths intertwine after Kate accidentally discovers Clint’s old Ronin gear and uses it to beat up thugs in New York City. They decide to work together to take down a group of criminals known as the Tracksuit Mafia working underneath the noses of the NYC citizens. 

The show is currently on its fourth episode of 6 confirmed total. However, the show has already shown great promise as an interesting look into the post-Endgame world that is now the MCU. With its focus on the non-supernatural stories happening in the criminal underbelly of the MCU’s version of New York City, the show is able to create more relatable characters and themes. 

It is not as grand in scale as the last four shows on Disney Plus, but that does not mean it is not enjoyable. Hailee Steinfield’s performance as Kate Bishop is hilarious and mixes well with Jeremy Renner’s natural feeling as Hawkeye. The two show great chemistry together, even in small scenes where there isn’t a focus on them interacting. Hawkeye, although it is limited in its special effects and giant action scenes like other MCU titles, is able to use its limited nature to its advantage to make the viewer even more invested. 

The show, though small in scale, does lay out the red carpet for future characters, villains, movies, and series. Kate Bishop will most likely return later in the MCU, becoming a Hawkeye-like character in future Avengers titles. The show is also hinting at the return of the main villain from Netflix’s Daredevil: Kingpin, played by Vincent D’Onofrio. One of the main antagonists Echo, played by Alaqua Cox, – who is not just one of the first deaf characters in the MCU, but also one of the first Native American characters in the MCU – is strongly tied to the Kingpin and the comics. Speaking of Echo, that character will be getting a Disney Plus series of her own later in Phase 4 or in Phase 5. 

In conclusion, Hawkeye is easily one of the most immersive and most down-to-earth MCU entries in the past year of so much Marvel content. Fans are growing more eager with every episode to see where this massive franchise leads them next.