Echo (2024)

Launching on both Disney+ and Hulu on January 9th, ‘Echo’ sees Marvel looking to assuage claims that it can only ever produce stories that are intrinsically linked to the wider cinematic universe.So even though this is spun off from 2021’s ‘Hawkeye’ (where Alaqua Cox was introduced as deaf criminal enforcer Maya “Echo” Lopez), the new show looks to stand on its own for the most part.

Even if the studio known for its sprawling storytelling can’t help but sprinkle in at least one cameo from another Marvel stalwart.What ‘Echo’ really has to prove, however, is that it’s worthy of existing at all, especially at such a crucially tough point for Marvel (the company had a dreadful 2023 and faces a new year with a reduced number of shows and movies to rely on), and in the wake of rumors that it was heavily re-worked after early cuts were met with dissatisfaction by studio bosses.

Like Maya Lopez herself, this proves to be a scrappy, violent piece of work that often finds itself