Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye is here and there is no doubt that a debate about whether or not it’s a Christmas show is on the horizon.
There are two types of people: those that think Die Hard (and various other films) is a Christmas movie and those that think it has no business being anywhere near such classics as Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, and other holiday favorites.
What once started as a Die Hard argument has evolved into an ever-present analysis involving picking apart films and/or TV shows that dare mention winter/Christmas. Gremlins, Batman Returns, and Iron Man 3 have entered the conversation. And while that conversation is usually reserved for films, Hawkeye is the latest story to enter the debate.
But before we can answer if the latest Disney Plus Original is the next holiday classic, we’ve got to determine what makes something a Christmas movie (or, in Hawkeye’s case, a Christmas show).
The Christmas Movie/Show Rules… will Hawkeye pass?
I’ve been thinking about what qualifications could be used in the weeks leading up to Hawkeye’s run. Reel to Reel came up with three qualifiers that certainly came to mind as I watched the show’s first couple of episodes, suggesting that if any movie or show meets at least two of these, it can (and should) be considered a Christmas movie/show:
- Is the film set during the Christmas season? – The bulk of classic Christmas movies have their climax on Christmas Eve, but I feel that any time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is also acceptable.
- Do any Christmas characters play a big role in the project? – For example: Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, and Krampus.
- Does it feature traditional Christmas themes, like love, family, generosity, hope, faith, redemption, or even fear – Most of these are obvious. Fear, at first glance, may seem out of place. But think about one of the most retold Christmas stories out there? A Christmas Carol is about four ghosts who try to scare a cranky old man into becoming a better person.
Using Reel To Reel’s good set of standards to determine whether a film/show is a Christmas movie/show, let’s apply them to Hawkeye and see if it is actually is a Christmas show.
Does Hawkeye take place during the Christmas season?
While the trailers and teasers of Hawkeye essentially answered this, after watching the first two episodes it seems that the answer to this is pretty straightforward. Yes! Hawkeye certainly takes place over the Christmas season. First, there’s all the marketing. The promo images for the show are heavy in references to Christmas, whether it be Christmas lights or the red/green color scheme. The music in the trailers and teasers have also winked at the holiday season as well.
But let’s dive into the first two episodes to understand more. We know for sure that we’re in the holiday season by how New York looks — it’s winter, there are Christmas decorations all around town, and the Barton family go take a look at the most New York Christmas time tradition: the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Christmas has practically thrown up in New York City. Still, all those things could mean that Hawkeye is taking place in December, which isn’t inherently “Christmas”. They are closely tied together, but December doesn’t automatically mean Christmas.
It’s a conversation between Clint and Lila, his daughter (and later between Clint and his wife), that seals the deal. Clint promises his daughter that he’ll be home in time for Christmas, which comes up again when he talks with his wife, Laura. It’s in that conversation that we know the exact time frame we’re in—the week leading up to Christmas day.
It’s official—Hawkeye takes place not only during the Christmas season but the week leading up to the holiday. Christmas is a motivator for our protagonist — he’s got to put an end to this Ronin business and get home to… hold that thought for just a moment.
Do any traditional Christmas characters play a big role in Hawkeye?
Traditional Christmas characters are a broad definition. Some are easy to pick out: Santa, elves, Rudolph, etc. are the first to come to mind. But then there is Scrooge and the Four Ghosts of A Christmas Carol (or any iteration of the like, i.e. Scrooged). There’s the Grinch or even Jack Skellington, who weren’t originally “traditional” Christmas characters, but have grown to be accepted as such. Buddy the Elf from Elf I would think fits in that category too.
Well, in Hawkeye, we don’t have a lot to work with quite yet. However, I think it’s a safe bet that none of the traditional characters mentioned above will be dropping in on the show. Out of all of them, the only one that makes any kind of sense would be Santa. Even then, the MCU would likely lean into the “Santa’s helpers” aspect of mall Santas vs. the actual Kris Kringle.
Before we can officially decide on this qualification, can we look to the pages of Marvel? Are there any comic book characters that could qualify as traditional Christmas characters? According to the Marvel Fandom Database, none that we haven’t already named, or are related to ones we’ve already named.
While there is still time for Hawkeye to bring in Santa as a crucial part of the series, it looks like the show fails to meet this criterion. Remember when I said to hold on for just a minute? Let’s pick up from there.
Are there any Christmas themes in Hawkeye?
Hawkeye is currently split, thus the final qualifier will determine the show’s status as a new Christmas tradition. The first point places Hawkeye in the week leading up to Christmas and it’s overwhelmingly obvious that Christmas is happening during this series. However, there are no traditional Christmas characters, at least thus far. And the likelihood of any showing up, at least in a meaningful way, feels slim. So, do any of the traditional Christmas themes, such as love, hope, generosity, faith, redemption, family, or fear appear?
While I think it’s pretty obvious, we haven’t seen all of Hawkeye just yet. The focus on the show could change. We could see different, or even more, themes pop up. That said, the theme of family takes center stage in these first two episodes. Clint’s story seems more embedded in the Christmas of it all—he’s a dad who has been a superhero forever… he’s definitely missed family time more often than not. When he doesn’t accompany his kids back home, there is an evident worry, especially from his daughter, that he’s going to miss Christmas. The titular hero promises that won’t be the case… he’ll be home in time.
There are hints of redemption in that story too, though I’m not sold on Clint needing to redeem his relationship with his family—it’s simply he, and his family, want to spend the holiday together. Meanwhile, Kate Bishop, who has made a splash in her MCU debut, has her own family struggles in Hawkeye. While it’s clear that Kate and her mother love each other, there is some definite strain there. While it’s not fully there yet, a redemption theme for the Bishops seems like it’s on the horizon.
I feel that hope, and maybe faith, may become part of the Christmas themes in Hawkeye too. Clint and Kate will likely come to some sort of found family relationship. Kate’s looked up to Hawkeye since she was a little girl. She’s modeled her life after him. She clearly wants to bond with him, but Clint is being standoffish. He shuts her out—in his eyes to protect her, but Kate thinks she can hang and wants to help.
But, there it is. Hawkeye checks off two of the three qualifications for a movie or show to be considered a Christmas movie/show. Debate all you want, but it’s official: Hawkeye is a Christmas series.
Hawkeye streams exclusively on Disney+ with new episodes premiering on Wednesdays at 12:01 a.m. PT and 3:01 a.m. ET.
Do you agree that Hawkeye fits the bill as a Christmas series? Will it become one of your yearly traditions to watch during the holiday season? Let us know in the comments below.