Without even releasing a movie, the DC Cinematic Universe will take their first L of 2017 this Thursday (we don't count Ben Affleck not directing Batman as one). Why? How? Because NBCâs Powerless is yet another TV-sized serving of everything that the movies arenât, which only further underscores the question of what we even need Zack Snyderâs universe for.
Of course, Â âDC TV >>â isnât a new argument. It was shouted from the rooftops all throughout last year as an alternative to the incoherent nonsense of Batman v Superman and then Suicide Squad. For anyone wanting a superhero story that knows how to shift tonal gears beyond bleak and broody, where the plots are coherent and more imaginative than gyrating witches, and the team-ups hinge on more than moms with the same name, The CW had the answers. Arrow took what couldâve been a Batman Begins photocopy and somehow made the Green Arrow into one of the most formidable action shows on TV. Supergirl is a fresh reminder that not every hero needs to brood. And The Flash is the most balanced helping of superheroics available right now, equal parts emotional and fun as fuck with special effects that defy normal TV budgets. Whatâs funnier, Arrow and Flash werenât even operating at their narrative peaks last year and still, two series dedicated to B-heroes were more entertaining by leaps and bounds than their silver screen A-listers. Last week, both of those shows resumed the hot streak that theyâve been on since fall, and now with Powerless, hereâs another slap in the face.
Powerless is a different beast, to be fair. Itâs the workplace sitcomâs answer to the superhero genre, and one thatâs unlikely to ever crossover with The CWâs ever-expanding world ofFlash, Arrow, Supergirl and co. Itâs set in Charm City, at a Wayne Enterprises off-shoot run by a Wayne family afterthought, Bruceâs cousin Van. Our protagonist is Emily Locke, the plucky head of R&D whoâs there to galvanize the company into taking care of the regular people who tend to get overlooked while superheroes and supervillains are doing battle around them. That loose premise is ripe for presenting the daily nuisances of everyday office life in the context of Gotham or Metropolis, like when Van treats a villainâs broadcast feed on his laptop the same way weâd treat an intrusive ad.
The pilot episode is full of promise, despite not being a total home run. As Emily, the only optimist in an office full of cynics, Vanessa Hudgens somehow out-peps herself. Combined with the showâs overall upbeat tone, it all comes across a little too saccharineâat the end of the pilot, one Wayne employee laments how much heâd rather work for Batman, before Emily flashes a 1000 watt grin at the camera that one day they all just might. Cue eyeroll. But thatâs an alchemy that can easily be evened out as the season progresses and finds its footing. Nevertheless, Iâm curious enough to keep watching and see how Powerless takes shapeâwill it be formulaic and episodic or more freeform with narratives and arcs? Will they incorporate some of the more ridiculous DC villains that no series as straight-faced as Arrowâlet alone the big screen propertiesâwould care to touch? Who will emerge as comedic MVP between the equally great Danny Pudi and Alan Tudyk?
DCâs movie slate only fosters morbid curiosity, at best. Every misfire (three in a row, to be precise) betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of what makes these characters work and why we love them. The 2016 fumbles in particular have sapped any semblance of anticipation for their upcoming releases, only anxiety at how bad Wonder Woman or Justice League could be. An angst-ridden Superman, or a Batman who kills people and does crossfit isnât inspiring much optimism for the â17 slate, which will mark Wonder Woman and Justice Leagueâs first big-screen adventures. Is there any reason to care about a Flash movie from Snyderâs team when Grant Gustinâs emo-Seth Cohen take already feels definitive? DC TV is out here staging week-long event crossovers that see the likes of Supergirl, Flash, Green Arrow, and the Legends of Tomorrow teaming up, while configuring ways to progress the universe in other genres. More importantly, as weâre seeing with Flash and Arrowâs resurgences, their creative teams are actually paying attention to feedback and diagnosing the problems with immediate results.
Weâre just not seeing the same type of response and innovation from the people in charge of the big screen adventures, despite having 10 times the budget and a grander playing field. Hopefully theyâre tuned into shows like Powerless and taking notes. Because if DC canât get both mediums on the same page creatively, they really donât stand a chance against Marvel.