Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Marvel's Native antihero series has intense violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Echo
What's the Story?
ECHO fleshes out the backstory of Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), also known as Echo and first introduced in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. She was once the head enforcer of the Tracksuit Mafia Gang, a group of deadly gangsters under the leadership of Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio). Even before working for Fisk (who Maya called "Uncle"), Maya's life hasn't been easy: As a young deaf Choctaw girl in Tamaha, Oklahoma, a tragic car accident took both her mom and her leg and tore her family apart. When she also loses her father, Maya is taken underwing by a violent crime lord in New York City who manipulates her grief and rage into vengeance for the wrongs that have been done to her and her family. Returning to her community in Oklahoma, she faces a crossroads between who she's been and who she will become.
Is It Any Good?
Fitfully thrilling but uneven, this limited Marvel series fleshes out the backstory of an intriguing antihero in ways both beautiful and frustrating. When it's good, Echo shows viewers something powerful and new, such as flashbacks of Maya's Indigenous ancestors in various historical periods: the 13th century, the 18th century, the legend of their origin, the present day. Gorgeously filmed scenes show the generational trauma that adds fuel to Maya's rage and make a strong case for her need for vengeance. With good stuff like that in the package, Echo's bumpiness is more noticeable. The first episode packs a metric ton of exposition, and then the next episodes drag while nothing much happens. Viewers could use a little help getting inside Maya's head and unpacking her motivations.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Echo's relationship to Hawkeye. Is it meant to be a sequel? If not, why have any similarities at all? Does it do well to distinguish itself from that show?
How does this show's violence compare to that of other offerings? What is the new standard for this type of content? Are we becoming more tolerant of realistic sequences like the ones in this series? Does this have any effect on how we view real-life violence?
How is Maya's Native heritage shown in this series? Do the sequences with Choctaw people help make sense of her motivations and generational trauma?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 9, 2024
- Cast : Vincent D'Onofrio , Alaqua Cox , Devery Jacobs
- Network : Disney+
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 26, 2024
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