The latest Marvel-related series to hit Disney+, Echo, is unique for many reasons. It’s the first series under the new Marvel Spotlight banner, which we’re told is to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen. With this, Echo can focus on what’s in front of it without broadening anything to where you’d need an MCU film to plug any holes. You won’t have to watch any other Marvel series or film to grasp what’s happening.
The five-episode series follows Mayah Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she’s pursued by the criminal empire of Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio). On her way home, she’s forced to confront her past, family, and legacy. Lopez first appeared in Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye, which launched on Disney+ in 2021.
There’s a lot to enjoy about this series and its bourgeoning antihero outside of the fact it’s a new Marvel project. It’s always exciting to see indigenous characters featured in stories and here, Mayah has deep roots in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Native American filmmakers and producers were aplenty on this project and added a specialized touch to everything from production design to language to props. Episodes of the series are directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai)
It’s nice to see more content being produced with a wider range of characters involved. In Echo, we see Alaqua Cox breaking barriers as Mayah, and not just because she’s indigenous. She was born deaf and is an amputee, whose prosthetic can be seen in the series. Bearing visibility across multiple communities, her combat skills and her ability to sign takes the greatness of her character to unseen heights. To communicate with her, the entire cast was able to learn from American Sign Language (ASL) master Doug Ridloff. The visibility and authenticity shown are through the roof.
The original live-action series will make its debut tonight, Jan. 9, 2024, at 9 PM/ET on Disney+/Hulu. The cast includes Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Zahn McClarnon, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, and Vincent D’Onofrio.
ECHO gets an 8 out of 10. The series is rated TV-MA for language and violence, the first Marvel series to ever receive such a rating. At times the language gets pretty vulgar and some fight scenes are more gruesome than others, so kids should be watching with an adult. Outside of that, the series is off to a great start.
-Jon Jones
Watch Echo now on Disney+
Photos: Courtesy of Marvel Studios
[…] and recent successes has now become a shared space for National Geographic, Marvel, and Pixar. Echo was their first foray into a rated-R series while keeping her story tied to the Marvel franchise. […]
[…] everything at the streaming service and going with whatever sticks. While Hawkeye was a hit, Echo was not, and the TV-MA rated series is yet to receive an announcement on another season. Disney […]