For the most part, the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a PG-13 affair, with some detours into darker territory. In particular, that darkness has come from the handful of Netflix series like Daredevil, and has yet to truly be replicated in the Marvel Studios realm.
That looks like it’s finally changed in the upcoming Marvel TV show Echo, which upon the release of its first trailer looks surprisingly bloody and brutal. Of course, when you’ve got Vincent D’Ononfrio’s Kingpin in the mix, that’s kind of expected. But besides that component, Echo looks like a pretty wild ride for Marvel’s first TV-MA rated project; which will be available with both a Disney+ and Hulu subscription. And if you're a binge watcher, you're in luck; as this is also the first Marvel series to allow you to feed your curiosity at your own pace!
Picking up after our introduction to her character in Hawkeye, we’re reunited with Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), as she gets down to business. Tons of explosions, flashbacks, and even a snapped neck greet us, which firmly reminds the audience that we’re not in for another bout of TV-14 fights.
After all of that spectacle, there's a big moment that seals the deal on the more dramatic side. As we’re left with some words from Wilson Fisk, which that’ll probably inform where Echo goes as a limited series, the following point is made; along with a very intriguing question:
You and I are the same. So, who’s the monster?
As Eric Eisenberg gathered in his thoughts on the Hawkeye finale, and as anyone with at least an eye would tell you, Kingpin certainly wasn’t killed off. Which is a good thing, considering that Echo is more than likely going to tie into the new Marvel series that revives Daredevil.
Character wise, that’s a fantastic asset to have on hand to keep this gritty street level world woven together. And if we're being honest, performances like Vincent D'Onofrio in the MCU are the types of roles fans are greedy to see more from. So in this case, Echo is keeping it all tied together, but also using such fantastic characters for a good thematic cause.
But perhaps the greater purpose of Echo will be that the series is testing those new frontiers we previously mentioned. This sort of experimentation is important, especially after the recent Daredevil shakeups that saw Daredevil: Born Again scrapped. The response to this mature Marvel Studios project will undoubtedly serve as vital feedback for the future of the MCU, both in the TV and movie space.
Should this trailer for Echo be an accurate representation of what to expect, the grown-up world of Marvel looks like it’s ready to come out swinging. We'll see soon enough as all episodes will hit Disney+ on January 10th, just in time to help ring in the new year with some Marvel madness. In the meantime, check out what else awaits on the 2023 TV schedule, as that'll be a good distraction from counting the days to Echo Mania.
