Dream Stream: Hawkeye, Maid, and Da Vinci's Demons

Hawkeye

(Limited series – Disney+)

Created by Jonathan Igla for Disney+, Hawkeye is a TV offering from Marvel Studios that dropped last year, and gives us the next chapter in the story of the avenging archer.

The fifth TV series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Hawkeye is based on comics featuring original Hawkeye Clint Barton and the girl that would become his successor, Kate Bishop.

Taking place after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the series sees the joyous return of Jeremy Renner as Barton, and the welcome introduction of Hailee Steinfeld as Bishop on an adventure that will test them both.

Former Avenger Clint Barton has a seemingly simple mission – get back to his family for Christmas. Possible? Maybe with the help of Kate Bishop, a 22-year-old archer with dreams of becoming a superhero. When a presence from Barton’s past threatens to derail far more than the festive spirit, the two are forced to work together and take on the underworld as a team.

Also starring Tony Dalton, Fra Fee, Brian d’Arcy James, Aleks Paunovic, Piotr Adamczyk, Linda Cardellini, Simon Callow, Vera Farmiga, Alaqua Cox, Zahn McClarnon, and Florence Pugh, Hawkeye packs in the talent to deliver a fantastic limited series run.

Propelled by the fantastic chemistry of its two lead stars, this one is one of Marvel’s finest TV entries into its MCU so far, and is thoroughly entertaining with every episode.

Maid

(Limited series – Netflix)

Created for Netflix by Molly Smith Metzler, Maid is a drama series inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive.

Its story focuses on a young mother who escapes an abusive relationship, subsequently struggling to provide for her daughter by getting a job cleaning houses.

Having premiered in 2021, this one has been one of the best TV entries of the last couple of years, and will keep you hooked throughout.

Alex (Margaret Qualley) leaves her abusive boyfriend, moves herself and their toddler daughter into a shelter, and gets a job cleaning houses for Value Maids.

The show follows Alex’s struggles with raising a young child, dealing with both an abusive ex-boyfriend and her own dysfunctional family, and navigating the red tape of government assistance, all while working as a maid and dreaming of a future as a writer.

With an absolutely superb performance from Qualley, and excellent work from a supporting cast including Nick Robinson, Anika Noni Rose, Tracy Vilar, Billy Burke and Qualley’s real-life mother Andie MacDowell, Maid is nothing less than a miniseries triumph.

A show that will take you on a tough emotional journey, this one is not for the feint hearted, but will be worth your perseverance.

Da Vinci's Demons

(Seasons 1-3 – Disney+)

Conceived by the great TV mind of David S. Goyer, Da Vinci’s Demons is an historical fantasy drama series that presents a fictional account of Leonardo da Vinci’s early life.

Starring Tom Riley in the title role, the series was developed and produced in collaboration with BBC Worldwide and was in fact shot in Wales.

The show follows Leonardo as he is implicated in the political schemes of wealthy Italian families and their contrasting relationships with the Catholic Church.

Leonardo is an eccentric genius who has struggled to deal with his inner demons and unruly imagination, as he yearns for acceptance from his estranged father. Their sometimes antagonistic relationship results in Leonardo working for the House of Medici. While doing so, he becomes embroiled in a political scheme to control Florence, as he hunts for a spy who is revealing information to the Catholic Church and the Pazzi family. Not at all content with a quiet life, he also begins an affair with Lucrezia Donati (Laura Haddock), the powerful Lorenzo de’ Medici’s (Elliot Cowan’s) mistress. These events occur alongside Leonardo’s quest to obtain the Book of Leaves as he finds himself entangled with a cult known as the Sons of Mithras. It’s all in a day’s work for a genius...

For those who love a decent fantasy period drama, this one will keep you entertained for hours. With a talented supporting cast including Blake Ritson, Lara Pulver, James Faulkner and Gregg Chillin, this one is stacked with actors of a great calibre.

Any fans of The Borgias, The Tudors, Game of Thrones and Marco Polo will love this one.

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