Everything (not really)

Created by: Will Ferrell, Harper Steele & Chris Henchy – Starring: Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, Jimmy Tatro, Fortune Feimster, Luke Wilson, Chris Parnell

Will Ferrell has always reminded me of a good baseball hitter. He’s rarely a perfect 10 out of 10, but year after year he’s a dependable .275 to .300 hitter. Not every joke lands, not every movie becomes a classic, but he consistently gets enough on the board to make me glad I showed up.

That’s pretty much where The Hawk sits.

The premise isn’t especially original. A former sports legend chasing one last shot at greatness while struggling with age, family, and relevance is a story we’ve seen plenty of times before. But the first episode finds enough laughs and charm to keep things moving.

Ferrell’s biggest strength has never been subtlety. It’s commitment. Once he finds a character, he throws himself into it completely, and Lonnie “The Hawk” Hawkins already feels like another fully realized oddball. The perpetual sunburn, the wild hair, and his affinity for “The Thong Song” are exactly the kind of ridiculous details that make the character feel fully realized rather than just a sketch.

It’s also fun seeing familiar collaborators again. Molly Shannon and Chris Parnell slip comfortably into this world, and while Fortune Feimster isn’t necessarily reinventing her comedic persona, she’s naturally likable enough that I don’t mind getting another variation on what she already does well.

I also have to admit I’m probably a little pot committed when it comes to Will Ferrell. I grew up watching him on Saturday Night Live and in his movies, so I’m almost always willing to give his latest project a shot.

Whether The Hawk works for you will probably come down to how much mileage you still get out of Ferrell’s style of comedy.

After one episode, The Hawk feels like another solid .280 season from Will Ferrell. It may never make the Hall of Fame, but it’s getting enough hits to keep me coming back.

Verdict: Worth Watching