When Hawkeye was announced, it was probably on top of very few people’s must-watch pile. That’s not to say that Jeremy Renner’s portrayal of the character hasn’t been interesting so far- it has more to do with the fact that he only gets so much spotlight in team movies. The series also has the most grounded stakes compared to the rest of the MCU TV slate in 2021. There’s no reality-altering spell, no multiversal shenanigans, and no battle for America’s soul. This is simply a Christmas story about the most human Avenger dealing with a potential protégé and the group of gangsters hot on her trail.
Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) is saved by Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) during the Battle of New York and sees him jump off a roof. This inspires her to become a world-class archer. She also develops a healthy disregard for rules which leads her to don the Ronin suite during an auction when it’s attacked by a mysterious group known as the tracksuit mafia. Once Clint sees the suite on TV, he tracks Kate down and helps her deal with the tracksuit mafia, as well as an unexpected death.
Hawkeye thrives on the dynamic between Kate and Clint. Clint is gruff and taciturn, but he can’t help but thaw when badgered by Kate’s endless suggestions about his look and brand. Kate is usually the one who gets them into trouble, but by the end, she pulls a lot more than her weight as she fights off both the mafia and two prominent figures from other parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The action is fun, and it allows Clint to show off his skill and creativity when it comes to making trick arrows.
The Pym arrows, in particular, are hilariously overpowered. Clint also rarely comes away from his fights without scratches or bruises, but he keeps going. The later addition of a recently introduced MCU character also adds variety to the fight scenes, and her dynamic with Clint leads to an emotional (and effective) resolution in the finale.
As for the other MCU character getting introduced in the show, he is portrayed with the appropriate gravitas you would expect from his actor. However, his portrayal in Hawkeye is much more comic-book accurate than his previous showings, which might piss off his existing fans.
Another new character, Maya (Alaqua Cox), has her own subplot in the show. She’s portrayed with the appropriate respect and delicate touch needed for a woman with disabilities. Like in CODA, the actress portraying the character is also deaf, and several actors in the show also learned sign language to communicate better with her.
The presence of these many plot threads does make Hawkeye’s narrative unwieldy at times, but the show maintains good pacing throughout its six-episode runtime. The tracksuit mafia, while undoubtedly fun, are underutilized in the show.
Still, Hawkeye is one of the most consistent MCU shows so far. It’s full of fun and emotionally resonant moments, such as when Kate emphasizes why Hawkeye inspired her, or when Clint has to LARP to retrieve his Ronin suit, and the people he interacts with actually become important accomplices throughout the season.
Unlike Wandavision or The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the show doesn’t over-promise and then disappoint in the finale.
I am not sure if we will get to see a second season, but hopefully, Kate Bishop will pop up in more MCU properties sooner than later.