The first reviews are in for Echo, the new Marvel series on Disney+ (and Hulu), and well, they are definitely mixed.
Debuting under the new Marvel Spotlight banner, Echo marks a return to the more gritty vibes of the Netflix series, which it pulls off quite readily thanks to the appearance of both Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onoforio’s Kingpin, the latter of whom plays a significant part in the events of the show. Echo also boasts a TV-MA rating, which allows the series to up the violence compared to prior MCU series.
However, there’s definitely a divide among critics about whether the show’s street-level approach offers a breath of fresh air or is just more of the same. Alaqua Cox is clearly formidable in the role, prompting some critics to rave about her character bringing a unique perspective to the MCU. Others were not as blown away and found Echo’s background to be superficial trappings.
You can see what the critics are saying below, but note that these reviews were based on only the first three episodes of Echo that were provided ahead of its full season release:
Mike Ryan, Uproxx:
Echo is a show I want to like but didn’t quite get there. As much as Echo wants to distinguish itself apart from the rest of the MCU – especially the more recent efforts that have turned off a lot of people – there’s, unfortunately, still a sense of, “here we go again.” How Maya’s Native American heritage is used, incorporating flashbacks to ancestors, is interesting. (And anytime Graham Greene shows up is a treat.) But the rest still, at least so far, feels like the typical MCU formula … only with some more violence.
Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge:
It’s going to be very fascinating to see how this pivot to “grownup” superhero projects plays out for Disney going forward, especially considering that Marvel also has its first R-rated MCU film on the horizon. But if Echo’s any indication, the studio knows what it’s doing, and the MCU’s probably going to start getting a bit more bloody around the edges in a very satisfying way.
Aramide Tinubu, Variety:
While “Echo” is beautifully filmed, compressing it down to a two-hour event and cutting away many redundant displays may have increased the emotional impact for viewers. Also, had the series unpacked Maya’s inner thoughts, the audience might feel more intimately connected to a character who has shut out everyone around her. Without this grounding in her psyche, it’s taxing to appreciate her motivations when her end game seems so hazy. Had the series been tapered down, the pacing would have aided in capturing Maya’s pent-up emotions and vulnerability, keeping viewers invested in this antihero overall, and not just enraptured in the fighting and shooting sequences.
Proma Khosla, IndieWire:
“Echo” doesn’t just center a character with disabilities, but builds itself around her. Maya’s identity and life experience — and Cox’s by extension — permeate the entire show. For every network, studio executive, or other powerful creative who recoils from highlighting underrepresented communities, “Echo” is here to humble them, to make the task look not only easy but exhilarating. When shows like “Master of None” and “Only Murders in the Building” made the admirable decisions to share deaf characters’ viewpoints, they inevitably had to retreat from this perspective. … Here, it’s a commitment, not an experiment.
Nick Schager, The Daily Beast:
Cox mostly scowls and grimaces intensely as Echo, and she adeptly handles her more acrobatics-oriented responsibilities. Yet there’s nothing compelling about the protagonist’s quest or her familial frictions, all of which have been conceived in threadbare and clichéd fashion. Another footnote that’s neither interesting on its own nor must-watch necessary in order to keep apprised of the grander MCU saga, Echo continues Marvel’s “Phase Five” floundering.
Sam Barsanti, The A.V. Club:
Throughout all of that, it’s impressive just how good Cox is here. She carries the show completely with her body language, facial expressions, and signing, and it genuinely feels special that Marvel is introducing a hero here who is a deaf Native American woman who uses a prosthetic leg played by a deaf Native American woman who uses a prosthetic leg. As tired of superhero stories as people may be, it’s really goddamn cool that they can be used for stuff like this.
All five episodes of Echo are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
