The Hawk

Summary

Pop Culture Happy Hour: "The Hawk"

Date: July 20, 2026
Host: Aisha Harris
Guests: Tre’vell Anderson (Seated podcast), Ronald Young Jr. (Leaving the Theater podcast)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour dives into Netflix’s new sitcom "The Hawk," starring Will Ferrell as Lonnie Hawkins, a washed-up golfer on a chaotic quest for a career grand slam. The hosts and guests break down the series, examining its throwback sensibility, humor, character dynamics, and Will Ferrell’s return to his signature "frat pack" style. While the show brings together a strong comedic cast, including Molly Shannon, Luke Wilson, Chris Parnell, Fortune Feimster, and Keith David, the hosts grapple with whether the nostalgia lands and if the premise holds up to today’s comedic standards.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Will Ferrell's Return and Overall Premise

• "The show's perfectly pithy theme song gives you pretty much all the setup you need... Will Ferrell’s playing Lonnie Hawkins, a past-his-prime golfer... But he's carrying tons of personal baggage..." —Aisha Harris [00:23]
• Ronald notes the show attempts to revive Ferrell’s classic persona: “They were leaning into Will Ferrell and his Will Ferrell-ness and they were trying to kind of get that old thing back. As I would say, they were playing the hits early on.” [02:20]
• The role is compared to Ferrell’s earlier works ("Talladega Nights," "Blades of Glory"), but with a 2020s update and sports theme.

Fortune Feimster & Standout Performances

• Fortune Feimster’s character Sam, the caddy, is unanimously praised:

  "She was the best part of the show...the sidekick who, like myself, doesn’t know anything about golf. Doesn’t care about golf." —Aisha Harris [03:34]

• Highlights how her comedic presence injects needed energy, but she’s too often sidelined:

  "They kind of couch Fortune Feimster in a way. She becomes kind of background or only a setup to more Will Ferrell jokes." —Ronald Young Jr. [02:44]

• Molly Shannon as Lonnie’s estranged wife is noted for her comedic chops, but the panel questions the depth and likability of her character.

Tone, Nostalgia, and 2000s Comedy

• The panel notes heavy reliance on "frat pack" tropes and nostalgia:

  "There’s a sensibility here that feels like it is trying to call back to the Talladega Nights...That sort of frat pack feel that, like, I’m not sure entirely gels with where we are at now." —Aisha Harris [06:17]

• Tre’vell critiques the formula as dated:

  "It felt like one of those movies that’ll just… be number one on Netflix because we’ll put it on then go wash dishes or something." [04:27]

• Aisha admits to enjoying some nostalgic moments but finds little substance overall.

Pacing, Format, and Structural Issues

• Frequent consensus: "The Hawk" would have worked better as a movie, not a full TV series:

  "Just make it a movie. Make it a movie. We could have been in and out...The fact that they stretched it out into a television show is what, to me, is mostly what kills what we like about Will Ferrell." —Ronald Young Jr. [07:22]

• Overstretched scenes (e.g., an overlong funeral, extended bits for minor jokes), cause the sitcom to drag and lose comedic momentum.

Jokes, Product Placement & Edginess

• Heavy use of brand references (Chili’s, Outback, Popeyes, etc.) is excessive, often making it feel like a commercial.
• Humor leans heavily on old tropes—boner jokes, "Thong Song" sing-a-longs, overly long bits—much to the dismay of the panel:

  "Do I need Will Ferrell, like, mouthing the words to the Thong Song on a golf course with Keith David in the back, like...?” —Aisha Harris [08:44]

Character, Plot, and Messy Dynamics

• Confused character motivations and unresolved arcs, particularly with Natalie (Caitlyn Tarver):

  "I don’t know if she’s good or bad. And then she’s gone. And I don’t understand what her impact was supposed to be." —Ronald Young Jr. [12:55]

• The hosts criticize underdeveloped family dynamics and a lack of clarity over whom the viewer should be rooting for:

  “By the time I got to the final episodes, I was just like, please, just be over already. And it’s an unsatisfying ending. I’m not rooting for anyone.” —Ronald Young Jr. [02:51]

• The show flirts with edginess but feels stuck in a simpler, raunchier earlier era:

  “I feel like it wants to be like unoffensive in its simplicity, but it also has this raunchy, edgy air about it...” —Tre’vell Anderson [15:04]

Missed Opportunities & Representation

• Hosts point out wasted opportunities with actors like Keith David and Molly Shannon, whose characters are underwritten or quickly removed.
• Harper Steele, a longtime Ferrell collaborator and recent documentary subject, is mentioned as a writer, with some disappointment that new perspectives did not translate into fresher storytelling:

  “I was hoping for a little something fresh, a little something different this go around with this project, and it's not there, unfortunately.” —Tre’vell Anderson [15:25]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Fortune Feimster’s Character:

• “Did you know chickens can memorize over 100 faces?” —Fortune Feimster as Sam [04:02]

On Outdated Humor:

• “There are scenes that have no business being as long as they are… if this had been a movie, it would have sped along and it would have worked.” —Ronald Young Jr. [07:22]
• “There are boner jokes. There are also, you know, long extended sequence of the Thong Song…” —Aisha Harris [08:43]

On Family Dynamics:

• “‘So your mom runs up and kisses you after every round you play.’ —‘Only if I win.’ —‘Well, maybe when you win today, you could kiss me instead of your mom.’” —Natalie and Lance [14:12]

On the Show’s Impact:

• “It wants to remind us of this style of a production that many of us are familiar with from the early 2000s… but for me, I just did not feel like there was any evolution. Yes, it feels like a movie that would have came out shortly after Blades of Glory.” —Tre’vell Anderson [15:04]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:23] — Introduction to "The Hawk" and Will Ferrell’s role
• [02:20] — Ronald’s first impressions; Fortune Feimster praise
• [03:34] — Discussion of Sam (Feimster) and plot setup
• [06:15] — Product placement and nostalgia elements
• [07:22] — Pacing and movie vs. TV show format critique
• [08:43] — Critique of humor and specific comedic choices
• [09:49] — Debate on Will Ferrell’s character likability
• [12:55] — Discussion of supporting characters’ roles and impact
• [15:04] — Legacy and style comparison; disappointment with lack of evolution
• [16:11–16:41] — Final thoughts and wrap-up

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Conclusion

The panel agrees "The Hawk" is heavy on nostalgia and big names, but light on fresh comedy, meaningful character arcs, or evolved storytelling. Fortune Feimster stands out amid a muddled ensemble, but the show’s extended format and dated humor ultimately drag it down. As Tre’vell notes, sometimes “they can’t all fly” — and all agree, this bird might’ve been better left as a quick summer movie.

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Transcript

[Aisha Harris]

This message comes from DataIQ. AI is everywhere, but companies struggle to prove results. For that, they need people, orchestration and governance working as1.Data IQ is the platform for AI success built to bring it all together. Visit D A T-A-IKU.com NPR Look, Will

Ferrell is starring in his very first sitcom, the Hawk, and the show's perfectly pithy theme song gives you pretty much all the setup you need. Yes, that is the whole theme song might be the best part of the show, if I'm being honest. But look, the role of a pro golfer known as Hawk isn't really a stretch for Feral. Which is to say, if you've loved watching him play these self absorbed goofballs and stuff like Talladega Knights and Blades of Glory, maybe you'll be into this too. Plus, he's reunited with some funny collaborators from throughout his career. Molly Shannon, Luke Wilson, Chris Parnell. The frat pack vibes are very high, but they're filtered through a very of the moment lens, I'd say. I'm Aisha Harris. And joining me today on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour is journalist and host of the movie Review podcast, Seated Trevel Anderson. Hello, Trevel.

[Trevel Anderson]

Hello, Aisha. I'm excited for this one.

[Aisha Harris]

Ooh, me too. Also with us is Ronald Young, Jr. He's the host of the film and television Review podcast leaving the theater.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Hey, Ronald, long time no see. Aisha, glad to be here with you.

[Aisha Harris]

Ah, yes, always. Always a pleasure. So look, a lot goes down over the course of the Hawks 10 episodes. But the gist is this. Will Ferrell's playing Lonnie Hawkins, a passes prime golfer on a relentless quest to clinch a career grand slam. But he's carrying tons of personal baggage that threatens to derail his aims, most notably a rivalry with his troubled so followed in his dad's footsteps and is also a successful pro golfer. Lance is played by Jimmy Tatro. You'll know Tatro from the first season of American Vandal or more recently, the action comedy movie Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice. The Hawk is streaming on Netflix. And Ronald, I'm gonna start with you. I have a sense of how you feel about this show, but tell me, tell everyone, tell us all, were you into the Hawk?

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Okay, so when the show started, I didn't like it. And they were leaning into Will Ferrell and his Will Ferrell ness and they were trying to kind of get that old thing back. As I would say, they were playing the hits early on.

[Aisha Harris]

You are a ball.

[Liz Metzger]

I am a Man, the classic redemption story. We both come from humble beginnings, yet together we will reach unimaginable heights.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

And then Fortune Feimster shows up. And I felt like it got a lot better when there was interplay between the two of them.

[Aisha Harris]

But.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

But inexplicably, they kind of couch Fortune Feemster in a way. She becomes kind of background or only a setup to more Will Ferrell jokes. And the show just kind of spirals into one long, fratty, nonsensical slog for the rest of the episodes. By the time I got to the final episodes, I was just like, please, just be over already. And it's an unsatisfying ending. I'm not rooting for anyone. By the time it's over, I'm not sure who I'm supposed to be rooting for. I don't know who the protagonists are rooting for. Fortune Feemster, Molly Shannon. Also, great job. But other than that, I'm not sure why we were here, except for the fact that they wanted to give Will Ferrell some money, it seems like.

[Aisha Harris]

So Fortune Feemster. I agree. She was the best part of the show. She is playing Sam, who eventually becomes Lonnie Hawkins, new caddy after his previous caddy and his best friend confidant, who's played by Keith David. Old Henry, he just dies on the golf course within the first 10, 15 minutes of the show. And Sam steps in and sort of his sidekick. But the sidekick who I think, like, at least like myself, doesn't know anything about golf. Doesn't care about golf.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Yes.

[Hafsa Bathema]

Did you know chickens can memorize over 100 faces?

[Aisha Harris]

Where did you say you caddied before?

[Hafsa Bathema]

Oh, I didn't. Cause I haven't. The only time I've been on a golf course was doing donuts in high school.

[Aisha Harris]

And, yes, Molly Shannon is playing Stacy, Lonnie's estranged wife, which I guess gives a lot of comedic. Is it comedy? I don't know. But, Trevel, I need to hear from you before I say anymore.

[Trevel Anderson]

Yeah, I'm right there with Ronald. I did not enjoy this from the beginning, if I'm being honest. Fortune is the best part. And I think in so many ways, the Hawk was trying to give us that ooh, ah, ah sensation of yesteryear. It just didn't work. I was looking for something more, something different. It felt like one of those movies that you'll just, you know, it'll be number one on Netflix because we'll put it on and then we'll go wash dishes or something. You know what I mean? That's the vibe and the energy it gave.

[Aisha Harris]

Yes, yes. I think I'm a little bit softer on this than both of you. Look, I'm not gonna sit here and say that I'm gonna return to this anytime soon or ever.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

I came ready to fight Aisha, so be careful where you go with this.

[Aisha Harris]

Look, I agree that it kind of throws a lot of darts at the wall or throws a lot of putts. I don't know. Golf. It does things. It tries to do a lot of things. And it goes from being sort of this quest for the career Grand Slam. But then also, you know, Lance, his son, Will Ferrell's character. Son. Has a gambling addiction, amongst many other issues. I think you can't have a sports show that's set in the present day now without having that aspect of it. I, at least admire the fact that they try to incorporate something that feels true to the way sports are consumed and the way sports are played. I don't know if the comedic side of that works. I think it takes kind of a lighthearted approach. It tries to balance the darkness of what's going on with Lance's character with the world of Will Ferrell, which I don't think those worlds mesh very well. There's also so many product placement.

[Trevel Anderson]

They're everywhere.

[Aisha Harris]

I think that's. There's a sensibility here that feels like it is trying to call back to the Talladega Nights and whatnot. Especially when you think about nascar, when you think about, well, any sports, it's all about corporate interests. So you get all these references to Middle American franchises like Chili's and Red Lobster.

[Trevel Anderson]

Carrabbas.

[Aisha Harris]

Yes.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Outback, Buffalo Wild Wings, Outback, Popeyes, Mike's Hard Lemonade.

[Trevel Anderson]

All of them.

[Liz Metzger]

Yes.

[Aisha Harris]

I mean, they're not just in the background. It's like they're incorporated into the scri.

[Liz Metzger]

The side. The most perfect baked potato. I mean, just swimming in sour cream and chives.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Oh, you making me hungry.

[Liz Metzger]

And here's the crazy thing. It's just a random outback somewhere outside of Dallas.

[Mike Katsip]

You know, I sure could use some of them blooming onions they got.

[Aisha Harris]

There's a very kind of 2000s sensibility. That sort of frat pack feel that, like, I'm not sure, entirely gels with where we are at now. But, like, overall, the nostalgia, though, like, I feel like there were moments that I enjoy. Like, I like all of these performers, but there's not much to hang your hat on here. Right.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

So I think the biggest problem and I think this would have fixed this immediately. Just make it a movie. Make it a movie. We could have been in and out that they dragged this out. There are scenes that have no business being as long as they are. There's a whole funeral that happens in the show. The Hawk, Will Ferrell, is unable to make it to the funeral. And there's a part I was thinking where if this were a movie, this probably would have been a two to three minute sequence where he shows up late, essentially. Right. The fact that that took 22 minutes for them to get to the point, which wasn't much of a point by the time that they got there. So I didn't understand. And there's multiple sequences like that in the show where I immediately thought, if this had been a movie, it would have sped along and it would have worked. But I think the fact that they stretched it out into a television show is what, to me is mostly what kills what we like about Will Ferrell, especially in this environment.

[Trevel Anderson]

If it was 90 minutes, you're absolutely right, we'd be having perhaps a different kind of conversation. But because they feel the need to fill, you know, 10 episodes with stuff, we end up getting, you know, back and forth about boner jokes, for example, you know, extended. But you like those. Aisha, I think you're laughing.

[Aisha Harris]

Well, no, no, no, no. Those are my least favorite parts.

[Trevel Anderson]

Okay, good.

[Aisha Harris]

But, yes, there are boater jokes. There are also, you know, long extended sequence of the Thong Song. I love that song as much as the next person. I think it's a classic. I will never turn that off if it comes on. But do I need Will Ferrell, like, mouthing the words to the Thong Song on a golf course would keep David in the back, Like.

[Trevel Anderson]

No,

[Aisha Harris]

but that. But that would be like the post credit sequence. Yes, I think that that is the problem. Right. It's like you are trying to both tap into that nostalgia of what Will Ferrell has meant to, like, multiple generations of people, and also what like someone like Molly Shannon has meant to multiple generations of people. But then, like, Will Ferrell's character is just kind of baffling in not just his quest for what he wants to do, but also in just, like, being. I feel like it's calcified. Right. Like the anchorman, the Ron Burgundy. That felt like very pointed satire, where here I think we're supposed to actually kind of like this dude, even though he is awful, like, he's an awful parent, he's not at all attentive to anyone else's desires.

[Trevel Anderson]

Or needs.

[Aisha Harris]

He literally like steals a piece of property off of his dead catty. Like that was the other thing that like if you're gonna have keep David. Yes.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Problematic. Wow.

[Aisha Harris]

Play a character, Dane$old Henry who is a caddy.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Yeah. What was that? Yes, yes.

[Aisha Harris]

And at one point there is a Legend of Bagger Vance reference but like not related to his character.

[Hafsa Bathema]

I haven't seen a black person play golf in like three days.

[Aisha Harris]

Well, they play, they play all the time.

[Hafsa Bathema]

Okay. Tiger Woods. Uh huh. That's who you got.

[Liz Metzger]

Yeah.

[Hafsa Bathema]

It's very obvious.

[Aisha Harris]

Bagger Vance fictional. And so I was just like, we're just going to kind of dance around this whole weird racial dynamic between that character and this character and then you kill him off. Like it made me so angry. Like, why do you cast Keith David and kill him off? And I feel the same way about Molly Shannon where I'm like, I hate to use the word unlikable, but I don't understand who this character is and why we're supposed to care about her. She's very focused on her new alcoholic drink called Teed off, which is a golf play. Ha ha ha. But yeah, I don't know, there's just something, something just like very kind of eh, about it. But at the same time, again, I kind of liked it. I don't know. Well, we've got a lot more to talk about and we'll be right back after this break.

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[Mike Katsip]

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[Aisha Harris]

Welcome back. If you're into what you've heard on pchhh, you'll love what we're sending out in our newsletter. Every week we catch you up on hot Topics, recommend your next watch or listen and go deep into the cultural stories we didn't cover on the show. Subscribe [e-mail] popculturenewsletter or Ronald what are you thinking about?

[Ronald Young Jr.]

I just, I gotta point out, we were talking characters. The Natalie character, I was utterly baffled by that character.

[Aisha Harris]

Caitlyn Tarver.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Yes. She shows up early. I don't know if she's good or bad. And then she's gone. And I don't understand what her impact was supposed to be. If we just go technically and just say the pacing was weird and that the character development was all muddied and to say that it doesn't rise to a level that's funny enough to outpace the those basic issues, to say, like, hey, is Lance good or bad? Is Lonnie good or bad? And my thing is, even if they're not, even if they're somewhere in the middle, you're not even doing a good nuanced job of dictating that to us based on their interactions with each other because it seems like they're all bad enough that they should all get along a lot better without kind of this weird family tension between the three of them. Specifically between Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell and Jimmy Tatrow as Lance, Stacy and Lonnie.

[Aisha Harris]

So, yeah, yeah. And Natalie is playing at the beginning, Lance's fiance. Right. And so there's also a weird dynamic between her character and then the Molly Shannon character. Basically, Molly Shannon is playing a boy mom, and it's kind of weird and gross. And Natalie, his fiance, points it out rightfully.

So your mom runs up and kisses you after every round you play.

Only if I win.

Well, maybe when you win today, you could kiss me instead of your mom.

That's the thing, right? Like, we have so many characters and so much plot. It gets to the point where, like all of these movies of that previous era and shows like this, they always have to amp up the escalation. But the way it ends is just clearly they think maybe there might be a second season, but I'm not sure.

[Trevel Anderson]

Oh, please, no.

[Aisha Harris]

I don't know where that would go.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Don't do it again.

[Trevel Anderson]

Please, please. No. But yes, you're right. They kind of end the show in that way.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Just make it a movie. Make it a second season movie.

[Aisha Harris]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. There's not that much to the show. I think that's the problem. Right. The jokes aren't necessarily landing. That would be fine if maybe there was something, some dramatic tension here, but there isn't. Like this show just kind of exists, right?

[Mike Katsip]

Yeah.

[Trevel Anderson]

I mean, I feel like it wants to be like unoffensive in its simplicity, but it also has this like raunchy, edgy air about it that I think is supposed to, you know, it's supposed to remind us of this style of a production that many of us are familiar with from the early 2000s in particular. But for me, I just did not feel like there was any evolution. Yes, it feels like a movie that would have came out shortly after Blades of Glory. Right. In terms of its, in terms of what it's asking its characters to do. I will also say for myself, one of the co writers of this is Harper Steele, Will Ferrell's longtime collaborator. They did a documentary on Netflix about Harper Steele coming out as a trans woman called Will and Harper and developing their relationship and going cross country. And so I was hoping for a little something fresh, a little something different this go around with this project and it's not there, unfortunately.

[Aisha Harris]

Well, look, sounds like we were not all fans of the Hawk, but we can't like everything. And also, you probably clicked on it and maybe you felt the same or maybe you felt very differently. That's okay. That brings us to the end of our show. Treyville Anderson, Ronald Young, Jr. Thanks so much for being here. And you know, they can't all fly. It's okay.

[Trevel Anderson]

It is okay. Thank you. I usually.

[Ronald Young Jr.]

Thanks for having me.

[Aisha Harris]

This episode was produced by Liz Metzger, Hafsa Bathema and Mike Katsip and edited by our showrunner, Jessica Reedy.

[Hafsa Bathema]

Hello.

[Aisha Harris]

Kamen provides RFE music. Thanks for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from npr. I'm Aisha Harris and we'll see you all next time.

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