The last five years have been good for superheroes on television. While it may have been a little quiet following the finalé of Smallville and the painful demise Heroes, the success of Arrow and… semi-success of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has ensured the resurgence of superhero TV shows.
And while we’ve gone through the run-of-the-mill superhero shows, the less run-of-the-mill superhero origin shows that don’t feature the superheroes at all, and the even rarer agents-behind-the-superheroes-but-no-actual-superheroes show, the one kind of show we’ve truly lacked is a superhero comedy. And now we’ve got it.
Powerless is set in an iteration of the DC universe, focusing on a crew of inventors working at Retcon Insurance (smart), a leg of Wayne Enterprises, who strive to make the world a safer place for normal people. Opening with a battle between Crimson Fox and Jack O’Lantern in the busy street of Charm City, we’re quickly introduced to the very mundane reality of living in a world of superheroes and villains. And if you thought it’d be fun, it really isn’t.
The easter egg-filled first episode doesn’t start off at its strongest but slowly finds its footing following the introduction of Alan Tudyk and Danny Pudi—two actors with respectable geek cred—but really finds a backbone with Christina Kirk’s dry sense of humour and matter-of-fact behaviour that somehow sets the right tone for the entire series.
What really seals the deal, however, is the show’s liberal use of references to the DC universe, making the series not just a fun way to be introduced to this fantastic universe through the eyes of people most like us, but also an interesting tool that will allow the DC template of entertainment to really stand out against the current landscape of comic book-inspired adaptations.
And the best part? This is happening on the CW—right alongside Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow!