[Marvel] Echo (on Disney+ / Hulu)

[Smoove_B]

Coming January 2024

[El Guapo]

For the most part I'm fairly Marvel-ed out so not sure I'll watch unless it gets strong reviews. The one thing is that her being deaf creates some interesting artistic presentation options, mainly in terms of them cutting sound in and out. So that could be potentially interesting if done well.

[Smoove_B]

On the other hand, Vincent D'Onofrio.

[Blackhawk]

It looks a lot more down to earth than most MCU fare - it feels more like the various Netflix series.

[Smoove_B]

Yes. While it wasn't a ton of footage, I was thinking it looked more like the original Daredevil run on Netflix than anything Disney+ has released over the last few years in the Marvel universe...

[hepcat]

On the other hand, Vincent D'Onofrio.

That is probably the only hand that's holding me for this.

I still want an entire film based on D'Onofrio's Kingpin like they did with The Joker. Just make it a separate film in a separate universe with him as a crime lord.

[Isgrimnur]

Marvel Studios Unveils ‘Echo’ at Choctaw Day Celebration

The audience members in Oklahoma were also the first to see the new Marvel Spotlight banner, with a musical fanfare composed by frequent Marvel collaborator Michael Giacchino. Marvel Spotlight is rooted in Marvel Comics’ 85-year publishing history: Spotlight was an anthology comic book series first introduced in 1971 and was the origin of beloved Marvel characters like Ghost Rider and Spider-Woman.

Echo will be the first series under the Marvel Spotlight banner, and Head of Streaming Brad Winderbaum said of the decision to launch the new banner with Echo, “Marvel Spotlight gives us a platform to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen, and in the case of Echo, focusing on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity. Just like comics fans didn’t need to read Avengers or Fantastic Four to enjoy a Ghost Rider Spotlight comic, our audience doesn’t need to have seen other Marvel series to understand what’s happening in Maya’s story.”

[Smoove_B]

More on this release and the connection (or not) to the MCU:

Apparently, Echo will be the first entry in a new series called “Marvel Spotlight,” with Marvel’s Head Of Streaming, Brad Winderbaum, saying that the label will be applied to “more grounded, character-driven stories” that focus on “street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity.”

Winderbaum compares it to the way that the Spotlight label is used in Marvel’s comics, where you “didn’t need to read Avengers or Fantastic Four to enjoy a Ghost Rider Spotlight comic.” He says viewers won’t need to have seen other Marvel shows in order to understand Echo, which seems… like it might be a stunning reversal of the whole MCU gimmick.

[Blackhawk]

Deja vu.

[Isgrimnur]

[Smoove_B]

Oh, that's pretty sneaky - all the way at the bottom of your article.

/grumbles

[EvilHomer3k]

I'm in. I enjoyed the more grounded and gritty Netflix shows and want more of that.

[Jaymon]

In My Opinion, I enjoy street level better, is it allows for more character development, becuase the charcters can be allowed to fail more often. At avengers level, the chracters can only fail so much, nd then basically everyone dies and the world ends, sooo, its exciting, but ther is no real drama. You know they are going to win eventually.

At street level, the WORLD is not in danger, so if they fail, as long as the character is still alive, the show can continue. it allows for much more show, much more drama, much more Entertinment.

[Blackhawk]

I like both, but they wrote themselves in to a corner with the core MCU, falling victim to power creep. Each villain had to be stronger than the last, and when that happens, you eventually reach a point at which the villains stop being relatable. And, at the same time, they started leaning more into the action as the core of the stories, while at the beginning the characters themselves were the heart of the films, with the action there to give it meaning. Iron Man didn't even have Iron Man until 2/3 of the way into the film. Thor had no powers until the last act. Cap'n America spent the first half of the film skinny or performing on stage.

By the end of Thor, we knew Thor. By the end of Iron Man, we knew Tony. By the end of Shang-Chi or The Eternals... um, what were those characters about again?

I'm happy for them to offer up a change of pace.

[Blackhawk]

One of those fun coincidences.

I've for the past year or so I've been working through a 'whole universe' Marvel comics reading order list. I'm currently on a 15-issue Daredevil run. It's a well-regarded run (Guardian Devil), and I'm glad to get a better understanding of the character, but I'll be honest - I don't like DD as presented in the comics all that much. The religious element is a little too thick (I feel that Catholicism as a character/plot element is overused), and the character is a little too broody - he puts Batman to shame. That's not to say that the writing or art is bad - it's just the feel of the run I haven't been enjoying. Luckily, that particular story is over, and a new plot has started.

By pure coincidence, that plot is the first appearance/introduction of Echo. Given that I'd never heard of her before (although apparently she was in Hawkeye, which I barely remember), it's great timing.

[Blackhawk]

Also not noticed before at 1:27: Daredevil.

[El Guapo]

By pure coincidence, that plot is the first appearance/introduction of Echo. Given that I'd never heard of her before (although apparently she was in Hawkeye, which I barely remember), it's great timing.

Spoiler:

IIRC she starts out in Hawkeye as working for the main villain (who secretly killed her father or something, I think?), only the heroes expose the villain and she realizes the error of her ways. It's not central to the Hawkeye plot, really, but every Marvel show / movie has to set up a character for a spin-off down the line.

[AWS260]

[Smoove_B]

That looks awesome!

[hepcat]

I had zero interest in this series until that trailer. Bring on Kingpin.

[Blackhawk]

That really looks good, and honestly - Echo was the perfect character to focus on for a Kingpin series. Their connection/relationship is complex and interesting, and makes for a great story. Plus, it puts her right between Kingpin and DD.

[hepcat]

I have to wonder if they just hand D'Onofrio a loose set of instructions and then just let him go. He's so damn good as Kingpin. Goes to show how a talented actor can elevate just about anything.

[Smoove_B]

Watched the first episode last night - quite enjoyable. The first episode is the longest (~50 minutes), but then each remaining episode is progressively shorter (I think). I'm guessing it was written as a ~2 hour movie and then maybe cut into bits...

Anyway, I liked what I saw and I'm going to blast through it over the next few nights for sure.

[Scraper]

Watched the first episode last night - quite enjoyable. The first episode is the longest (~50 minutes), but then each remaining episode is progressively shorter (I think). I'm guessing it was written as a ~2 hour movie and then maybe cut into bits...

Anyway, I liked what I saw and I'm going to blast through it over the next few nights for sure.

I watched the 1st episode as well and I agree. If you liked the other street level marvel stuff then you should like this one too. It didn't hurt that the 1st episode featured DD, Kingpin and Clint Barton.

[Smoove_B]

Just seeing now that there's an official Choctaw Nation website dedicated to the show.

[hepcat]

Wow…this is really good. Color me surprised. I really didn’t want another Marvel Focus Group Show.

But to be honest, they had me at “Make America Skate Again”.

[$iljanus]

Just seeing now that there's an official Choctaw Nation website dedicated to the show.

I was surprised to see that a Choctaw dub is also available. Pretty cool!

And I was impressed with the first episode. Marvel has done a good job (for the most part we won't talk about Secret Invasion) with their streaming shows.

[hepcat]

Episode 3 has an early contender for my favorite bad accent of 2024. A Welsh actor trying to do what I can only imagine is his idea of a New York wise guy accent. It was truly baffling. I thought Charlie Hunnam was a lock for his awful Irish accent in Rebel Moon, but I was wrong.

[JCC]

I finished this up earlier in the week. By and large I was lukewarm on it. ("Meh-cho").

The first ep was great, after that it was all fine with a dash of boring at times. The Dances with Wolves "reunion" was amusing.

[Carpet_pissr]

Episode 3 has an early contender for my favorite bad accent of 2024. A Welsh actor trying to do what I can only imagine is his idea of a New York wise guy accent. It was truly baffling. I thought Charlie Hunnam was a lock for his awful Irish accent in Rebel Moon, but I was wrong.

Not 2024, but maybe of all time (Hank’s Forrest Gump is in that list): something I’ve never seen attempted before: an ear-wrecking unholy mix of Aussie and Southern redneck. It almost makes my brain ‘splode every time I hear it: Jake Weber (UK actor) as Brett O’Keefe (!) in the later seasons of Homeland.

I can only guess that his inclusion was a personal favor to someone because it stands out in an otherwise great show.

[wonderpug]

How much is the MA rating deserved for this? My kids are 11 and 13 now and can handle milder rated R content, but something pushing closer to John Wick level violence would give me more pause. (I guess straight-up nude sex scenes would also be out, but I'm guessing that's not a part of Echo's MA rating.)

[Carpet_pissr]

How much is the MA rating deserved for this? My kids are 11 and 13 now and can handle milder rated R content, but something pushing closer to John Wick level violence would give me more pause. (I guess straight-up nude sex scenes would also be out, but I'm guessing that's not a part of Echo's MA rating.)

Was wondering same.

[Isgrimnur]

One viewer's perspective:

Although marketed as a hard-TVMA series, it is more in line with the higher end of the PG-13 spectrum. Violence can be bloody but no gore or blood is lingered on, no harsh language to speak of, no sexuality (brief non sexual nudity in shadow once), and thematically no heavier than some other Marvel projects. Nowhere near the brutality of the Marvel Netflix series.

[hepcat]

Yeah, this is not really R material. It's probably something that could play on FX or AMC even.

[wonderpug]

Perfect, thanks!

[hepcat]

And finished. It started strong but ended tonally different than what I was expecting. Also, I would have preferred a more scheming Kingpin, but I understand why they did what they did with his time on the show. And they do promise something more for him further down the road. I suspect he’ll be more Kingpinny in the Daredevil series.

[Scraper]

And finished. It started strong but ended tonally different than what I was expecting. Also, I would have preferred a more scheming Kingpin, but I understand why they did what they did with his time on the show. And they do promise something more for him further down the road. I suspect he’ll be more Kingpinny in the Daredevil series.

I completely agree. The first two episodes were good, but then it just kind of whimpered out.

[hepcat]

Also, the Kingpin/Echo relationship just didn't feel....earned. It felt more like a plot device than it did an honestly emotional one. Although there were a few moments where it seemed like it would connect, but then it would back away.

[AWS260]

Just wrapped up Echo. I really liked it! Such a different vibe from the other Marvel stuff. Although I guess the Disney+ shows have mostly done a good job of differentiating themselves.

Highlight of the show is the two old folks who broke up but definitely still have the hots for each other.

[Moliere]