If soccer is the sexiest sport to look at, golf may be the least attractive — males in khakis whacking tiny balls sadly lacks the identical oomph (no offense meant to Comfortable Gilmore or the gents of Caddyshack). It may be an exceptionally humorous sport to look at, although, one thing that tremendously advantages the silly-fun new Netflix comedy sequence The Hawk, co-created by and starring Will Ferrell as a former professional golf champion striving to return to glory.
It’s been a very long time since Lonnie “The Hawk” Hawkins was a PGA champion — so lengthy, actually, that one in all his main opponents is his personal son Lance (Jimmy Tatro), whose life and profession are being micromanaged by the customarily bitter Stacy (Molly Shannon), to whom Lonnie remains to be married regardless of their relationship being tempestuous.
The Hawk has his personal particular quirks — a love for white wine, an virtually ever-present visor, a behavior of speaking to golf balls in a gently encouraging trend (versus the Comfortable Gilmore strategy). Like so many Ferrell creations, although, he does have a wholesome sufficient ego to masks any limitations relating to his intelligence. Thankfully, he’s acquired a brand new caddy/driver in his nook named Sam (Fortune Feimster) — Sam doesn’t know a lot about golf, however the two of them have time collectively, and with some luck and arduous work, quickly The Hawk is flying in direction of redemption.
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The Hawk is much from Ferrell’s first sports activities comedy, following Kicking and Screaming, Blades of Glory, Semi-Professional, and naturally Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Nonetheless, it’s been some time since he performed on this explicit sandbox (all of these motion pictures had been made earlier than 2009) — it’s additionally the primary time Ferrell’s been a sequence common on a present for the reason that Saturday Night time Stay days.
Nonetheless, there’s one thing virtually comfortingly acquainted in regards to the sequence, Though there’s no signal of Danny McBride within the 10-episode first season, and it’s an formally sanctioned PGA Tour Studios manufacturing, The Hawk options numerous the identical irreverent DNA that outlined the HBO comedy Eastbound and Down — a present government produced by and infrequently guest-starring Ferrell.
It’s not simply Ferrell’s involvement: David Gordon Inexperienced, who directed a number of episodes of Eastbound, directs The Hawk’s sequence premiere and different episodes, whereas the opposite two co-creators are two longtime collaborators of Ferrell’s: Chris Henchy, who additionally labored on Eastbound, and Harper Steele, who didn’t work on Eastbound however did lately journey the nation with Ferrell within the documentary Will & Harper.
The Hawk (Netflix)
This present does keep away from feeling as callous because it may, due to each the tight bond that emerges between Lonnie and Sam, which leans arduous on the pure buddy chemistry between Ferrell and Fortune Feimster. Feimster could also be higher identified for her stand-up, however whereas she doesn’t precisely disappear into roles, she’s at all times a reliably hilarious performer. And Sam — like practically all of the characters on this sequence — will get a fairly strong arc, with Feimster proving her capability to play a barely shadier character than normal.
There’s additionally a father-son story right here that leans arduous on Jimmy Tatro, who started his profession as a YouTuber however has fairly efficiently transitioned right into a dependable comedy star. He’s an ideal match for not simply Ferrell however Molly Shannon, who glories in enjoying a lady whose give-a-shit broke years in the past. HBO Max’s The Different Two made nice use of Shannon’s candy facet — right here, she will get to wield a a lot sharper edge.
The opposite solid consists of the at all times unimaginable Keith David as The Hawk’s authentic caddy, a steadily unhinged Chris Parnell as a PGA Tour board member, and a bleached-blond Luke Wilson as The Hawk’s greatest rival. (It’s unsettling how a lot the dye job makes Wilson seems to be like his brother Owen.) There are different notable visitor stars scattered all through, together with just a few people enjoying themselves; Tony Hawk (after all) has an particularly hilarious cameo.
There’s a possible argument that The Hawk may have been a film as an alternative of a multi-episode sequence — many episodes finish on the type of cliffhanger that assumes the viewer is binge-viewing. Nonetheless, the abridged model of the primary season would have required trimming numerous the strong character beats that actually make this present sing.
It might be a little bit tighter total, however probably the most fulfilling elements of the present function these characters bouncing off one another in surprising methods, anchored by the charisma that has made Ferrell one in all our most enduring comedy stars. The Hawk isn’t crying out for a second season, however the first one was a free and enjoyable flight.
The Hawk is streaming now on Netflix. Take a look at the most recent trailer beneath.