Comic book movies are Hollywood’s cash cow, so it seems odd that television is only now embracing the genre. Since the birth of television, superhero programs have aired on TV with varied results; Smallville lasted 10 seasons while a live-action Flash series (which aired in the early ’90s) didn’t survive its first season. Ten years from now, people will look back at 2016 as the tipping point when comic book based series shifted from niche programming to industry standard. But why now? Several key factors have crested making 2016 ripe for television’s super hero explosion.
1 – Thanks to the success of programs like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, television networks are more ambitious than ever; showrunners, writers and network execs are all pushing the boundaries of what the medium can deliver.
2 – Pop culture awareness of the once esoteric genre is at an all-time high. We exist in an era where there are teenagers that have only lived in a world where Spider-Man and Wolverine own the box office every summer. Before the Marvel movie, Iron Man, Tony Stark was a B-level character, now he is a household name.
3 – The cost of rendering comic book level spectacle is less prohibitive than ever (shout out to budget CGI!). Not so long ago, if a show wished to regularly depict characters that could fly, move at super-speed or shoot lasers from their eyes they had to either save the special effects for only a few times a season, produce effects that looked Ed Wood-level cheesy or bankrupt the studio. While superhero shows still can’t go overboard in the effects department, they strike a solid balance of consistently churning out solid stories while staying true to the spirit of the characters and their abilities.
As a result of the aforementioned advancements, 2016 is bringing forth a tidal wave of comic book series. As of this week, superhero TV impresario, Greg Berlanti alone will be responsible for four different comic book television series currently on the air (Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl and The Flash). The comic book genre covers a wide spectrum, and the current crop of series is no different. This article will cover the five DC Comics series that are currently airing, and outline what’s unique about each program in order to determine if it’s right for you.
*Note: Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow (each produced by Berlanti) all take place in the same universe, meaning that characters move back and forth between shows and what happens on one series may affect the others. Supergirl (also produced by Berlanti) currently exists in its own TV universe, but producers haven’t ruled out the slim possibility of having the show eventually crossing over with the other Berlanti produced series. Gotham exists in its own universe.
** Episode numbers accurate as of Monday January, 18.
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[tps_header]Arrow[/tps_header]
Airs on: The CW
Seasons: Currently amidst season 4
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Episodes: 78
Similar to: Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy
Who should watch it: Fans of fast-paced action
Comicbooki-ness: Medium-High
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The longest running series on the list, Arrow follows the exploits of Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), a billionaire playboy who repents for his past by bringing vigilante justice to his corrupt city. Arrow began as a gritty, quasi-realistic take on the superhero genre (similar to The Dark Knight films) before slowly embracing the more fantastic aspects of the characters rich comic book history. Whereas Oliver began his vigilante career fighting gangsters and drug pushers, the series now throws everything at him from mystics to time travelers.
This series’ iteration of Oliver Queen is a dark and brooding character who rarely stops to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, but that doesn’t mean the show isn’t filled with sex, drama and will they/won’t they romance. Arrow is essentially an action soap opera, there are major plot lines featuring soapy staples such as amnesia, love triangles and long lost fathers. The show is violent and features top-notch action set pieces that lead to plenty of maiming and killing without resorting to graphic violence.
[tps_header]The Flash[/tps_header]
Airs on: The CW
Seasons: Currently amidst season 2
Episodes: 32
Similar to: Smallville
Who should watch it: Anyone that loves superhero movies, life long fans of The Flash comic book
Comicbooki-ness: Super-High
Crime-scene investigator, Barry Allen’s (Grant Gustin) life is changed one night when he’s struck by a bolt of lightning and falls into a coma. Upon waking, Barry finds that he has gained the superhuman ability to move almost imperceptibly fast. Barry puts his newfound abilities to use as a costumed crime fighter known as The Flash, and joins forces with a team of scientists who defend their home, Central City, from numerous meta-human (super powered human) threats.
More than any other show on the list, The Flash unabashedly wears its comic book roots on its sleeve. The series doesn’t shy away from exploring “out there” comic book tropes such as time travel, parallel dimensions and flashy costumes while also featuring off the wall characters like King Shark and Gorilla Grodd (a psychic gorilla that talks). The Flash utilizes a villain of the week format while also spending large portions of the plot weaving in and out of the series larger mythology. Much like Arrow, The Flash is essentially a soap opera; however, the series never skews as dark, utilizes much more humour and features an exuberant tone — the show is flat out charming. Out of all the programs on the list, The Flash should appeal to the widest audience.
[tps_header]Gotham[/tps_header]
Airs on: Fox
Seasons: Currently amidst season 2
Episodes: 33
Similar to: Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Batman films
Comicbooki-ness: Medium-High
Gotham centers on the early career of Gotham City’s future police commissioner and one day Batman collaborator — or the world’s most famous vigilante justice enabler — Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie). Gordon shows up in Gotham City as the only decent cop in a city so crooked that criminals act with impunity. As Gordon does whatever he can to keep the city from descending deeper into chaos, an outrageous brand of criminals starts to emerge from the shadows, beginning on their paths towards supervillain infamy.
The series most closely resembles a procedural cop show, but viewed through an acid-trip induced haze (think of the Tim Burton Batman films crossed with David Fincher’s Seven). Gotham’s first season suffered from an inconsistent tone (too many characters, too many dangling plot threads), but the show seems to have tightened things up during its current run. That being said, the performances are still extremely broad, the plots are way over the top and the violence is gruesome (the show isn’t afraid to depict characters playing with decapitated heads or disposing of severed limbs). Gotham is a divisive show amongst comic book fans (the series takes plenty of liberties with Batman’s sacred mythology); however, those who go in with no expectations may find elements to enjoy.
[tps_header]Legends of Tomorrow[/tps_header]
Airs on: The CW
Seasons: Yet to air
Episodes: First episode airs January 21, 2016
Similar to: The Avengers
Who should watch it: Fan’s of the Arrow/Flash-verse
Comicbooki-ness: Super-High
Legends of Tomorrow is about a team of heroes and villains that are brought together in order to battle Vandal Savage, a time travelling menace who poses a threat to humanity’s past, present and future. Much like The first Avengers film, Legends of Tomorrow features a dysfunctional cast of super powered individuals with strong personalities. Based on what the showrunners have stated, the series consists of equal portions action, adventure and heartbreak. While the show exists in the same universe as Arrow and The Flash, when it comes to exploring the comic book genre, Legends of Tomorrow’s tone will be more in line with the latter series.
[tps_header]Supergirl[/tps_header]
Airs on: CBS
Seasons: Currently amidst first season
Episodes: 9
Comparison: Richard Donner’s Superman
Who should watch it: Life-long comic book fans (particularly Justice League readers)
Comicbooki-ness: High
We all know that Kal-El’s (aka Superman) parents sent him to Earth in order to escape his dying planet, however, outside of hard-core comic readers, not many people know that his older cousin Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist) was sent to Earth in order to protect him. While making the journey to Earth, Kara’s ship gets trapped in a place called the phantom zone (a space-prison containing intergalactic criminals), preventing Kara from reaching Earth. Years later, Kara’s ship manages to escape the phantom zone and reach its destination, but at the cost of creating a breach which allows all manners of alien outlaws to escape onto Earth. The show picks up with a 25-year-old Kara taking on the mantle of Supergirl while also containing alien threats and learning what it takes to be a hero.
Supergirl stands out for accurately capturing the spirit of the character — the show exudes optimism in a genre that is overwhelmingly cynical. The films Man of Steel and The Dark Knight Rises deal with iconic characters Superman and Batman at points in their lives where they are are unwilling to embrace their heroic destinies. In Supergirl, Kara want’s to be a hero even though she isn’t very good at it. Her enthusiasm towards embracing a heroic role as well as bringing out the best in others is what separates the character from our current crop of emo super heroes. Supergirl is just as much about a young woman forging her identity in a man’s world as it is about punching aliens and robots in the face. The series is bright, idealistic and fun and also throws in enough Easter Eggs and beloved characters to keep comic book fans engadged.
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