As Netflix continues its reign as the biggest player in streaming, it would be easy for the company to play defense. When you’re at the top, there’s always the temptation to stay safe, color inside the lines and avoid taking risks. If Netflix decided that was its strategy, I wouldn’t blame them. Instead, the streamer seems to have adopted the opposite philosophy: when you’re number one, keep innovating, keep creating and keep entertaining. Controversy be damned.
Recent releases like Little Brother starring John Cena and Eric André, the widely discussed Kevin Hart Roast, and the continued success of the Netflix Is a Joke Festival all reinforce one thing—comedy remains one of Netflix’s biggest priorities. Today, comedians don’t just want a special. They want a Netflix special. It’s become the industry’s gold standard, and continuing that tradition, Netflix has turned to one of the greatest comedic actors of his generation.
Will Ferrell headlines The Hawk, a new comedy series that finds him once again stepping into the world of sports. It’s familiar territory for Ferrell. Whether it was Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Blades of Glory, Kicking & Screaming or Semi-Pro, sports have consistently provided the perfect backdrop for his unique brand of absurd comedy.
But The Hawk isn’t a 90-minute movie. It’s a ten-episode series, and that distinction matters because outrageous antics alone aren’t enough to sustain a full season. What surprised me most wasn’t the comedy—it was the heart. Ferrell plays Lonnie “The Hawk” Hawkins, a once-famous golfer whose pursuit of fame eventually caused his spectacular downfall. His larger-than-life personality and reckless approach to golf evoke memories of a John Daly-type figure—someone whose motto seems to be “everyone else be damned.”
You could easily assume this is another redemption story. We’ve recently seen similar setups in Happy Gilmore 2 and Apple TV+’s Stick, where former golf stars try to reclaim their glory. But The Hawk takes a different approach. Lonnie isn’t just battling the ghosts of his past, represented by his longtime rival Golden Fisk (Luke Wilson). He’s also forced to compete against his own son, Lance Hawkins, played by Jimmy Tatro.
When we first meet Lance, he feels like the modern professional golfer. Disciplined and hyper-focused think Bryson DeChambeau. He’s determined to become everything his father never was and maybe prove he’s better in the process. The father-son dynamic gives the series genuine emotional weight without sacrificing what people came for: laughs.
And The Hawk absolutely delivers those. The opening episode alone features Ferrell dancing to Sisqó’s “Thong Song,” complete with direct-to-camera singing and an unforgettable wardrobe choice that leaves very little to the imagination. Yes, it’s ridiculous. That’s the point. The series isn’t afraid to lean into off-color humor while still building relationships that actually matter.
Ferrell develops a unique chemistry with nearly every member of the cast, but none works better than his partnership with Fortune Feimster, who plays his eventual caddie after the two meet—of all places—in a Walmart parking lot. Apparently that’s where life’s greatest mentors are found. Another standout pairing comes from Molly Shannon and David Hornsby as Radford. Their scenes together are among the funniest in the series, and more than once I found myself wondering how either actor managed to keep a straight face while filming.
What I appreciated most about The Hawk is that it feels like a throwback to the studio comedies that defined an era. It captures the spirit of films starring Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson and Owen Wilson—movies that weren’t afraid to be silly, outrageous and occasionally a little inappropriate in pursuit of making audiences laugh. There’s a confidence to this series that feels refreshing. Comedy works best when it isn’t afraid to swing big, and The Hawk takes plenty of swings. Most of them connect.
I also had the opportunity to speak with the cast, whose enthusiasm for the project was obvious throughout our conversations, and I’ll be sharing some of those interview highlights separately. As for the show itself, I can recommend it without hesitation. If you’re looking for something that will make you laugh while still delivering surprising emotional moments, The Hawk is well worth adding to your watchlist.
Life’s too short to take everything seriously. Thankfully, The Hawk doesn’t.
