((Right): Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez in Marvel Studios' Echo, releasing on Hulu and Disney+. | Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2023)
It is not every day that Disney decides to change the formula, but when they do, it creates an amazing experience. All episodes of the Hulu and Disney+ series “Echo” dropped this month, different from their regular shows in which they usually have weekly drops. But this show is special due to it being TV-MA, a rating which Disney has strayed away from to keep the viewership high and the money rolling in from merchandise.
The series follows Maya Lopez, played by Alaqua Cox, who after the events of the “Hawkeye” show, returns to her hometown of Tamaha, Oklahoma in an attempt to create a new criminal empire to rival the likes of her adoptive uncle Wilson Fisk, otherwise known as the Kingpin, played by Vincent D’Onofrio. For a show that wears its violence on its sleeve, the action is brutal and uncompromising. Pun intended, the show echoes the Netflix Defenders shows on how they are street-level and brutal in their violence and subject matter.
Maya Lopez is an amazing anti-hero who not only kills, but also has major representation for deaf people, amputees, and the Choctaw people. This is a hero who fights hard and shows no mercy. Cox plays the role with perfection with every signed conversation showing emotion, gluing one to the screen to see the anguish and emphasis on their faces.
Massive flowers must also be given to D’Onofrio as he makes his grand violent return as the Kingpin from his previous stint in “Daredevil.” While not as hyper-imposing due to the character being somewhat rebooted, he still brings the animosity and quiet demeanor that hides an explosive rage that bubbles underneath.
“Echo” is a show that resonates with many people and shows that Marvel doesn’t need the kid gloves to gain a massive audience. Our only complaint is a rushed finale, but that is usually par for the course with Disney + shows.
9.5 blows to the head out of 10.
Guillermo Guzman (he/him/they) is a Texas-based nerd who loves talking about video games, autism, and entertainment. Follow him on Instagram: @boofy_booferson and X: @Dimpy_Tenders.
Zipporah Pruitt, (she/her) is an L.A. homegrown journalist, who covers entertainment and culture. Follow her on X and Instagram: @zippzapps.
Edited by Nykeya Woods