Hawkeye TV Series Review

The series follows Natty Bumppo (Lee Horsley), his Native American friend Chingachgook, and others at the trading post. The story is told in a mix of first-person narrative and flashbacks. It is based on the Leatherstocking Tales, a set of novels by James Fenimore Cooper. The series was created by Kim LeMasters and starred Lee Horsley as Natty Bumppo, and Lynda Carter as Elizabeth Shields. It aired on the CBS network for one season from 1994 to 1995.

Hawkeye is a fun heist/detective/MCU comedy that takes itself less seriously than its peers. Its simplicity allows it to hit its marks more consistently, particularly in the final act when the show’s buried plot threads finally pay off. Unlike WandaVision’s mind-bending twists and loopy Loki, it does not attempt to balance a dozen plates loaded with grand ideas, so it never feels overburdened.

The most striking thing about Hawkeye is how well Jeremy Renner pulls off the role of Clint Barton, a man who has helped save the world countless times and is starting to feel its effects physically, mentally, and even emotionally. Renner’s performance is a key reason the show works, as is Hailee Steinfeld’s charming turn as Kate Bishop, a Gen Z Hawkeye stan who idolizes Clint but still needs guidance when it comes to crime-fighting and general superhero comportment.

While a few of the episode’s plotlines do not fully land, most hit their mark, including Kate’s quest to prove she is her own person, a subplot about Clint and Yelena’s past as Ronin, and the debut of the Tracksuit Mafia’s eponymous villain. The show also has a lot of heart, from the way it treats its supporting characters to a final scene that may finally see audiences forgive Barton for his actions in the MCU.

Hawkeye is a light, enjoyable Marvel series that provides a chance to spend more time with a character who has been overlooked in recent movies while other, more famous heroes get franchises of their own. It is not as grand in scale as the genre-mashing WandaVision or the aforementioned Loki, but it still manages to impress with its fun action sequences and sense of humor. In an era of ever-increasing expectations, it’s refreshing to have a superhero TV show that doesn’t try so hard to do too much.