Review: Echo Episodes 1-3

The Disney Plus Marvel shows all seem to have one major thing in common. They all have slow pacing. Their latest anti-hero endeavor appears to be no different. Most of the time, the saving grace of these shows is wit and personality; unfortunately, Echo lacks both. The first three episodes that were provided are painfully slow.

We were first introduced to Maya Lopez, aka “Echo” (Alaqua Cox) in Hawkeye. While there was some backstory, we never fully got a glimpse into her world. Now, she’s given her time to shine in her own spinoff, Echo. There isn’t really an “origin” story but rather a history recap. And it’s done in a really cool way. We get a small look at her Native American roots, which come into play throughout the first three episodes and, I’m sure, in later ones as well. This is a more grounded and gritty show. Following the events of Hawkeye, Maya is setting her own path; what exactly that is, we’re not sure of yet because this is Disney Plus, and as we know, the storylines tend to feel discombobulated and then end abruptly.

When there is action, it’s heart-pumping and fantastic. We get to see Maya’s sheer strength and cleverness in the way she fights. As of now the show is not depicting the “comic” aspect of Echo’s abilities, but I’m intrigued to see if those ever do show up.

The Pros

So far, the pros are that this is a more gritty and grounded show. It’s a street-level thriller that’s not relying heavily on CGI, and that is refreshing. Seeing a strong female lead is another plus. Maya is self-sufficient. She doesn’t really need anyone’s help, but she’s also not afraid to accept when she does. On top of that, she’s a person of color and an amputee, and that type of representation is excellent. Especially since Maya does not let her disability hinder anything. Instead, she uses it as a tool. Also, seeing her Native American heritage elevates the story and

The Cons

As for the cons, Echo suffers from the same problem as all Disney Plus Marvel Shows. It has slow pacing. I fear its pacing may hinder its popularity, but they add a few surprises in the first episode to keep viewers hooked until the next. I feel that its slow pace also results in a lack of personality. With most of the shows we have received in the past, we already knew the characters, so we were well aware of who they were. Then, a few newbies were thrown into the mix, but their personalities were shown immediately. With Maya, I feel like they’re holding their cards to their chest, waiting to show how great of a character she can be. Alaqua does what she can with the script she was given, but they never fully let her shine. They sent critics 3 out of 5 episodes. And we really did need those three episodes to understand some type of plot and to like the characters. With only two episodes left, I really hope we find what’s missing because this show has all the makings to be a hit, but with a misstep, it could just be an echo in the wind.

Can Kids Watch?

This is a brutal show with a TV-MA rating. To be honest, there is violence, but I’ve seen worse. There is also some crude language, so viewer discretion is advised. So far, there isn’t really any nudity, the first scene seems like there is, but then you realize everyone is covered up. Personally, what I would do is give it a watch first and then decide if it’s ok for your kids to see.

Echo is dropping all five episodes on Disney Plus on January 9th. I think they, too, realized this show could benefit from binging, and I’m hoping that’s the case.