Echo

Marvel's trajectory in the realm of superhero entertainment has been on a discernible decline, and "Echo" serves as the final nail in the coffin for my interest in their offerings. The show, which attempts to inject vitality into a waning narrative landscape, falls remarkably short of the mark. The utilization of a character like Kingpin, portrayed by Vincent D'Onofrio, is a prime example of this shortfall. Instead of enhancing the show, this move undermines D'Onofrio's previously lauded performances and diminishes the character's legacy.

The overarching narrative of "Echo" is emblematic of the issues plaguing recent Marvel productions. There's a palpable lack of originality and depth, which results in a viewing experience that is both uninspiring and tedious. The show's reliance on established, well-regarded characters to salvage its storyline only highlights its inherent weaknesses. This strategy, rather than adding substance, feels like a desperate attempt to draw in viewers through nostalgia and familiarity.

Furthermore, "Echo" struggles significantly with narrative coherence and character development. These fundamental aspects, which are crucial for engaging storytelling, are noticeably absent, leading to a disjointed and unsatisfactory viewing experience. The show's failure to effectively leverage its source material, combined with a lack of innovative storytelling, exemplifies the creative rut that Marvel seems to be stuck in.

In summary, "Echo" not only fails to live up to the standards set by earlier Marvel productions but also exacerbates the growing sense of disillusionment with their recent endeavors. The show's inability to stand independently, relying instead on the reputation of established characters, is a clear indicator of Marvel's current creative stagnation. For me, this represents a turning point, solidifying my decision to disengage from Marvel's future superhero projects.

The trailers made this seem like the first step into more gritty, adult content ala Netflix's Daredevil and Punisher series, but apart from 1 or 2 overally choreographed scenes it felt more like the worst episode of Iron Fist stretched into 5 episodes.

The concept itself isn't bad, but the writing was atrocious, with no real sense of character development or depth whatsoever. The only real standout being Vincent D'Onofrio's excellent portrayal of Kingpin, but even that is tarnished by the writing and a limp wiltering flower of an ending.

Echo also suffered from bad editing with the pacing and storyline feeling like they were all over the place.

The show had so much promise and I did appreciate the efforts made to honour the native American and deaf communities, but it didn't have to be at the expense of a coherent and gripping story.

I now fear what they're going to do with Daredevil, but hopefully with Dario Scardapane in the driver's seat there may be at least a small glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe...

Much like Secret Invasion before it, Echo was hyped up to be a dark, gritty and mature series like no MCU series before it. It even had the TV-MA rating to go with. However it ends up being a disappointment.

The main actress isn't terrible, she just struggles due to the weak writing and Kingpin is absolutely wasted in this. None of the supporting characters are likable or memorable.

The plot is in shambles, and with only 5 episodes, some of which are only half an hour long, it leaves very little time for much character development.

There were so few actual violent scenes that it could have probably gotten away with a TV-14 rating. There were no real stakes, and nothing significant even happens by the end.

5/10 - Mediocre.

What we have here is Secret Invasion 2.0 as many feared but the end product is less incompetent. Echo herself continues to be rather bland, her shamanic (?) powers feel shoehorned in so that marketing can pretend that they care about Native American culture and all other characters can barely be called as such. Material was cut but not enough if you ask me. The cringy cousin, the bad CGI train, etc. The show´s editing sucks in general.

Iron Fist S1 is better than this 3-hour "film", Arrow has better fight scenes and more on top of that. Daredevil´s one scene is a random half-fight in a flashback that just stops. A delete bit from Hawkeye or a studio mandate to create a trailer shot, unlike his fun use in She-Hulk. The TV-Ma is lastly an unearned marketing gimmick. Watch Reservation Dogs or rewatch Daredevil and Arrow S2. This ain´t it and will be the last time I finish an MCU show for the sake of it. No matter how short! Marvel Spotlight (what does this even mean?) is thus a bust.

PS: The post-Netflix Kingpin continues to suck but D'Onofrio tries his best and has more good scenes here than in Hawkeye. A deleted scene was sadly the only good one there. Why am I praising She-Hulk and Hawkey...?

Disappointing. I'm just patiently waiting for something to come even remotely close to being as good as The Punisher or Daredevil. I thought this was going to be it, with the R-rating thinking it was going to be bloody and gritty and brutal. But no, just boring and a poor storyline. Marvel needs to listen to the people and bring back R-rated series with intense and bloody action sequences like Frank Castle on a rampage or Daredevil. That's real entertainment. Listen to the ratings, those 2 shows easily have the top 2 spots of all the Marvel series outside of the MCU avengers and what not. This show was a real disappointment and would almost say a waste of time, and this is coming from a marvel fanatic...