Hawkeye: The Best MCU TV Show Yet

The least-fun Avenger finally gets a TV show of his own and lands an impressive bullseye in the process. Offering a perfectly-timed Christmas vibe, solid origin storytelling, charming wit and fun street-level action, Hailee Steinfeld’s Hawkeye is the best MCU TV show yet. And while it might not be the most weird or surprising, or redefining, that’s okay because, with a star in Jeremy Renner as its center, it’s also the most enjoyable.

Unlike the brash, loud and broad Avengers of the MCU TV landscape, the two episodes of Hawkeye that dropped this week on Disney+ are quieter and slower-paced. But this approach pays off early on as the series focuses on the personalities and struggles of its central characters.

This makes it feel more like a gritty drama than an over-the-top superhero spectacle, and is a smart choice that allows a deeper side of the dullest of the Avengers to shine through. The first episode finds Clint Barton struggling to come to terms with his past traumas. In doing so, he adds a depth that could have been missed had the writers simply grafted his personality from Matt Fraction and David Aja’s popular comic run on to the screen. The second episode, meanwhile, takes a different approach to the villains of the show and is equally successful in finding some interesting character beats. The Tracksuit Mafia’s Maya (played by Alaqua Cox) is deaf, and this is a big part of her personality, but it doesn’t define her. Rather, her anger fuels some memorably violent and intense run-ins with Barton.

Both episodes are anchored by the strong performances of its leads. Jeremy Renner, who has been surprisingly under-served in the Marvel films, delivers a solid performance as a man trying to make his way back to his family for the holidays while grappling with some deep wounds. Steinfeld, who was the highlight of last year’s Bumblebee and brings the same charm here, is a solid complement as Bishop, an archer with her own arrows to shoot.

While the two episodes do take their time to build up some character and story, there’s still a distinct difference between setting the table (which WandaVision did for a month before really serving the meal) and getting off to a slow start. Thankfully, the team behind Hawkeye largely avoided the latter pitfall and, as the season progresses, they’ll be rewarded for their efforts.

The first two episodes of Hawkeye are solidly entertaining and a welcome relief from the overwrought storytelling that has plagued some of Marvel’s other new television shows. This isn’t about trying to juggle a dozen plates of grand ideas or breaking any new ground for the MCU, it’s just about doing good by its characters and hitting the target. And, so far, it’s doing just that. The series premieres November 24 on Disney+. Featuring Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Fra Fee, Brian d’Arcy James and Zahn McClarnon. Created by Jonathan Igla.