Hawkeye is a forgettable vision of a secondary hero | TV / streaming

It’s fine for a program to take its time in its early stages, but there’s a difference between setting the table (which “WandaVision” probably did for a month before actually serving the meal) and getting off to a slow start and “Hawkeye “is more like the latter. Renner is often a bit flat like Hawkeye, but he’s actually not bad here – he just has not got much to do. The Marvel Comics versions of Hawkeye often allowed for a more cynical, witty character – someone who was not only the best athlete in space, but also one of the smartest guys – and it’s as if MCU has drained him of some of the “Wolverine-like” charisma.He has a few scenes here, mostly with his kids and later with Kate, which suggests he could be a more charming lead role, but only time will tell.

With the possible exception of the stage-stealing, one-eyed dog Lucky (who fans of the Fraction / Aja cartoon will happily remember and be happy to see here), the show certainly belongs to Steinfeld. It seems that the Disney + programs are being used to distinguish between the character phases of the MCU. The action of “WandaVision” will undeniably affect several characters; “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was really about handing over Cap’s shield to a new holder; “Loki” ended with the revelation of a villain who will definitely be seen again. But “Hawkeye” made me wonder how much these “transitions” are going to hold up on their own. Steinfeld could play Kate Bishop in half a dozen more MCU projects and become a fan favorite, but that potential does not make this introduction rich enough alone.

I wanted a “Hawkeye” that translated the wit and creativity of the Fraction / Aja series into something that stood on its own instead of just reproducing a better work on the page, while I could preview probably better works on the big screen . This series lacks the zipper and polish that Kate Bishop and Clint Barton deserve (though it could certainly get in the back four), and pushes all the good maybe not even until later this season, but in later projects. In phrases that the title character would understand, the arrow here not only misses the bullseye, it feels as if it is shooting at the wrong target.

Two sections shown for review.