All five episodes of Echo were released on Disney+ yesterday and, for the most part, reviews for the series have been positive.
Marvel Studios only sent out three instalments to critics in advance, with the review embargo not lifting until the exact minute the show was released on the streamer. That's an unprecedented move for the MCU and is typically reserved for Star Wars TV shows given the level of secrecy which typically surrounds them.
In Echo's case, there weren't really any surprises to speak of so Marvel Studios may have simply been looking to avoid any negative press heading into the show's launch. Typically, a late embargo leaves fans convinced a movie or TV show isn't going to be very good so the approach may have backfired.
For the most part, they needn't have worried as Echo currently has a respectable, albeit unspectacular, 72% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, this actually makes it the second worst-reviewed MCU/Disney+ TV series as it sits between Secret Invasion's Rotten 53% and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's 77%. On the plus side, it ranks higher than Iron Fist and The Punisher, two Netflix shows made with the same street-level tone in mind.
Looking through the reviews, it's apparent critics picked up on the fact Echo was put through the wringer in post-production, with Marvel Studios' attempt to fix the series and turn it into a bingeable five-episode experience not quite working.
Needless to say, that's going to raise concerns about Daredevil: Born Again, another show which is being overhauled.
We awarded Echo 3.5* in our review and concluded by saying, "Alaqua Cox is a triumph in Echo, a series which may have taken a beating in the editing room, but still manages to deliver a ferocious, culturally significant story which puts Maya Lopez on the map and ushers in a new era of MCU storytelling on TV."
The five-episode streaming event spotlights Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk's (Vincent D'Onofrio) criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy.
Echo also stars Chaske Spencer (Wild Indian, The English), Graham Greene (1883, Goliath), Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon, Stumptown), Devery Jacobs (FX's Reservation Dogs, American Gods), Zahn McClarnon (Dark Winds, FX's Reservation Dogs), Cody Lightning (Hey, Viktor!, Four Sheets to the Wind) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Hawkeye, Godfather of Harlem).
The series is directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai).
All five episodes of Echo are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.