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Post by trashcanman on Feb 17, 2017 0:28:52 GMT 2
I cannot for the life of me figure out how DC/Warner Brothers can put out os many awesome television series and struggle so mightily with films, but the fact is that programming based on DC Comics makes up the majority of my current television pallet. Or at least it did before the CW pulled from Hulu and I lost Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl all in one fell swoop. But now I've got Powerless, and it might be the best one of all.
Picture Office Space taking place in the DC Universe with cast members from Firefly, Sucker Punch, and Community, and you're on the right track. Basically, it takes place on the fringes of the comics, as portrayed in this very clever opening credits sequence:
The protagonists are part of a Wayne Tech offshoot company working for Bruce Wayne's corporate douchebag cousin and they develop everyday gadgets for life in a world where superhero battles are an everyday thing, like rubble-proof umbrellas. The comedy is on point, Vanessa Hudges is goddamn lovable, and the corporate satire is thick. Love it.
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Post by The Curmudgeon on Feb 17, 2017 10:55:48 GMT 2
Well, shit. I was ready to give this a pass by the description alone (not yours, the one I'd read online). I can't believe they pulled this off, kudos. A sitcom in the DC Universe? I thought that would have tanked by the first ten minutes.
It's not been picked up by any network in the UK yet, but I'll keep an eye out now.
I don't watch any of the DC shows, though, so will that make any difference?
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Post by trashcanman on Feb 17, 2017 20:01:56 GMT 2
Nope. It's only two episodes in, but its tone really would not mesh with the rest of the tv universe they've created so a crossover wouldn't work. ThIs is pure comedy. There are a lot of DC references, but nothing that's going to confuse anyone, assuming you get why people would laugh at somebody who chooses Scarlet Fox over Batman in a superhero fantasy league draft.
I was going to pass too, but I heard it was funny, saw it was only half hour episodes and available on Hulu, and figured what the hell. Then I laughed my ass off and realized I need to spread the word.
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Post by trashcanman on Feb 18, 2017 0:18:23 GMT 2
Alright, just watched the third episode and skimmed the rather dour Metacritic reviews. The second episode was wall to wall hilarious to me, but the third was more of a "had its moments" episode and felt pretty improvised, which is to say it was hit and miss. I just found out that they changed pretty much the entire premise of the show at the last minute.
This is the summary on Metacritic:
"In a world with superheroes, Emily Locke (Vanessa Hudgens) works at one of the worst insurance companies in America with her best friend Teddy (Danny Pudi), her new boss Del (Alan Tudyk) and his personal assistant Jackie (Christina Kirk) in this comedy based on the DC comic."
The show is not about insurance at all (though elements of this were even in the trailer, which confused me), and Emily has no relationship to Teddy aside from being recently hired as his boss. It's not actually based on any comic either. That might explain the inconsistency with the early episodes as it seems like they completely reconfigured the plot pretty close to the show's release and probably had to rush a shitload of scenes and connect them with existing material to cover the new premise. I really enjoyed the first two episodes and I can see this one finding its legs and really getting going considering how amusing it already is in spite of its apparent hardships. Any show that declares the biggest causes of supervillain creation to be falling into vats of Ace Chemicals and winning US elections while losing the popular vote has earned itself a viewer in me.
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Post by The Curmudgeon on Feb 21, 2017 13:18:17 GMT 2
I can imagine it was a hard sell to execs, which explains the skewered synopsis. "A superhero show set in a DC universe..but with no recognisable heroes, and it's a sitcom with jokes only comic book fans are going to get."
Hmm. I'll certainly keep an eye out for it, but I'm not hopeful on it staying around too long.
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Post by trashcanman on Feb 21, 2017 20:01:13 GMT 2
No, I wouldn't expect more than one season. But Community held on for so long in spite of its niche audience that I'm hopeful.
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