Supergirl Set to Debut on CBS (Fall TV Preview)

Image from Entertainment Weekly

Well folks, it looks like DC Comics and Warner Brothers have finally gotten their crap together. Sort of. After years of promising fans TV and movie adaptations, we're finally getting a flood of product, most of it on TV, and most of it quite good. They're not doing it as cleanly as Marvel Comics, having already created multiple continuities rather than one shared live-action universe. But thanks largely to Greg Berlanti (the guy behind Brothers and Sisters, of all things), we have The Flash, (Green) Arrow, The Atom, Firestorm, Black Canary and now Supergirl. Given that Berlanti was behind Green Lantern, a movie I liked, but which was nearly universally panned by fandom (what did you guys want it to be anyway?), I think we're lucky someone at WB had faith in him!

As with The Flash, Supergirl has costume choices that are head-scratchers (Why the blue in the S? Why a different S from the movie Superman?). As with the 1984 movie and the original comic, Supergirl has heavy doses of borderline sexism in the story elements, at least as presented in the trailer. But it looks like it has potential. It looks like it's being given an honest attempt at putting Kara Zor-El on the screen and making it believable. And if Berlanti's previous efforts are any indication, we can probably expect further elements from the comics to show up in ways that reflect the real world and the heritage of the character. I expect for a cat named Streaky and a horse named Comet to figure in eventually, but without the eye-rolling corniness of the 50s and 60s.

I still have no idea why WB/DC have decided upon multiple media universes for these characters, and only hope that Supergirl ties in either with the other TV shows, or with the universe established in Man of Steel. With Gotham already complicating things by being its own thing, it would be silly to make Supergirl come up it's own stand-alone world (CBS and the CW are owned by the same folks, after all). Unless they're setting up a multiverse event? Then, count me in!

 

Sneak Peek of The Flash

"My" Flash, from the 60s, vs. The Flash on CW.
Honestly, I'm a little worried.

As a comic book fan since I could pick one up, I've written many times about my frustration that DC Comics (my favorite) has lagged so far behind Marvel Comics in getting their characters to the big or small screen. I honestly can't figure out how DC, which is owned by Warner Brothers, has such a hard time with such iconic characters in its stable. Superman had to be rebooted because of a lackluster installment (though honestly, I liked Superman Returns), they got no love for Green Lantern (I liked that one too), and the less said about Catwoman, the better.

But on TV, DC has had a bit more luck. Smallville ran for 10 years. Arrow has been getting rave reviews, but I've been leery of getting attached. Now that it's spinning off The Flash, though, I'm taking notice. The Scarlet Speedster is one of my very favorite characters. At one time I had an unbroken string of Flash comics, from the mid-70s to its cancellation in the 80s. But I'm worried that WB is going to muck it up.

Marvel has managed to have three simultaneous movie universes going at once (though they'd love to have them all under one roof, I'm sure). There is some attempt made within them at some internal consistency, especially in the Marvel Studios movies, with Iron Man, The Avengers, Thor, Captain America, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant Man, The Incredible Hulk and even with their TV shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the upcoming Daredevil. DC, on the other hand, has usually had stand-alone movie and TV universes. Lois & Clark was its own thing, the original Superman movies are their own thing (with Supergirl), the original Batman movie series stands alone, and the Dark Knight Batman movies are a self-contained trilogy. Smallville seemed to be going somewhere with a Justice League, but when it ended, so did that universe.

DC seems to be going somewhere, tying things together. Man of Steel will have a spinoff that includes a new Ben Affleck Batman and Wonder Woman. But will it tie to Arrow and The Flash? Will the new Gotham have anything to do with any of them? Does Warner have somebody helming these different projects, to try and create synchronicity? If not, why not?

Fall TV: Melrose Place Redux

It's gonna be stupid. It's gonna be trashy. The acting is going to suck. And I'll watch every episode. Just like I did the first time around. Melrose Place? I'm there.