The six-episode Disney+ series Hawkeye presents the long-awaited story of Avenger Clint Barton. Despite being a part of numerous Marvel-affiliated films, actor Jeremy Renner’s character Hawkeye was the final avenger to be featured under the spotlight.

The Marvel series aired its first episode on Nov. 21 and gradually released episodes throughout the holiday season.

The series takes place following the Blip and Avenger’s battle against Thanos in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame, where Barton meets 22-year-old Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Bishop is a wannabe protégé who idolizes Barton after saving her life in the 2012 film Avengers. The two collaborate to escape the vengeance of the Tracksuit Mafia after encountering Ronin, a costumed vigilante, a role that Bartin used to inhabit. Simultaneously, it also solves the murder of Armand Duquesne III- a wealthy socialite whom Kate found deceased.

One of the most critical aspects of the show is the contrasting personalities of Barton and Bishop. On the one hand, Clint is organized, fatalistic, and brooding, whereas Kate is optimistic, independent, and determined. This aspect of contrasting ideas is also present in the plot of the season as the show contains a festive holiday theme of Christmas in New York but also vigilante-style violence. Unfortunately, although the holiday theme effectively creates a lighthearted tone, the Christmas scenes don’t contribute much to the plot.

While most Marvel Cinematic Universe films feature life-threatening threats, Hawkeye provides a refreshing story by including more minor hazards such as the mafia and underworld crime. By having the smaller-scale threats, the producers offer fans who are bored of the extravagant conflicts something else, well-directed archery battles and thrilling chases.

Hawkeye does a great job incorporating and balancing emotions and action. For example, throughout the entirety of the series, Barton struggles with his inner demons as he’s managing the loss of his former partner Natasha Romanov (Scarlett Johansson) and his dark past as a vigilante while also participating in hand-to-hand combat scenes. Similarly, Kate has to handle her family issues and her accidental involvement in the Tracksuit Mafia.

Like the MCU films, Hawkeye also includes various alternative stories, making the plot even more interesting for the audience as they make connections. For example, during the post-credit scene of the 2021 film Black Widow, a place after the credits where Marvel provides short clips to hint at plot lines of future movies to keep the audience on their toes, Natasha Romanoff’s sister Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) is tasked and motivated to kill Barton. This plotline is well established in the series as Yelena is introduced in Episode 4, titled, “Partners, Am I Right?” and did not disappoint, as Marvel fans were hoping for her entertaining role once again.

Throughout the MCU films, it felt as if Hawkeye was underappreciated. Still, the show matured Jeremy Renner’s character and made the audience realize that he’s a brave family man beyond all the weapons. The show also features a fantastic cast, including the new and charming addition to the MCU, Kate Bishop. The chemistry and dynamic between the two archers compensate for the plot’s complexity. Although the show does focus a great deal on Barton, it almost felt like an introduction to Marvel’s new phase as the series focuses more on Kate’s character and her potential replacement as the new Hawkeye. Despite not being as complex as the other series released throughout the year, the six-episode MCU series is excellent for those looking for a comedic show not wholly bound to the Marvel timeline.