The MCU TV show slate on Disney+ has given Marvel Studios the opportunity to explore some of the many heroes in the shared universe who haven't had a chance to stand in the spotlight. Thus far, shows like Wandavision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Loki have taken great pains in giving some of the most popular characters their own voice and centralized stories that may have been missing in the large ensemble movies--and they've done so by busily hopping across genres and tones to create an eclectic mix. From international spy-thrillers to vintage nostalgia to time-traveling sci-fi, the MCU TV shows seem boundless in their potential.

But the most recent entry into the roster, Hawkeye, a solo series focusing on Clint Barton and the newly introduced Kate Bishop, has taken a different direction. Rather than trying to one-up any of the previous shows in terms of genre-bending or stylization, it's gone for a more streamlined approach: It's a Christmas story. Set in December with the pressure of the holidays in full swing, Hawkeye pits bow-and-arrow wielding superspy Barton against his own past as the killer vigilante Ronin and the hope that he can make it home for the holidays. On the surface it's an odd mix. But the strangeness is very intentional, according to executive producer Trinh Tran.