My Current Problem with The CW's Superheroes

I love superheroes. I love them. They’re fantastical, they’re engrossing, they’re inspirational. They present to me an example of how to be the best person I can be – to be able to overcome fear, to stand up for others as well as yourself, to be a man who can do good by others. And so, I love the fact that we live in an age of superheroes. We have movies, video games, books, even LEGO based on the tight-wearing, muscle-covered super-beings that at one time only used to inhabit colorful, twenty-page chapters one had to find every month at their local drugstore. The comics laid down foundations for all themes to be depicted in both mature and humanizing ways; from the issues of addiction to equality, comics have done it all. It then frustrates me to see high-profile television shows facing the difficulties that comics have already conquered.

Now bear with me, I understand that comparing comics to television isn’t exactly fair, but keep in mind that they function the same way. Both mediums have a certain budget in which to tell a story, and face similar deadlines. Whether it be 30 issues or 22 episodes, comics and television shows often have to fight the same storyline obstacles of both progressing a central narrative while at the same time giving the audience something captivating to enjoy. Now, I’m not saying that all superhero television lacks the enjoyment necessary to hold my attention – Daredevil and Jessica Jones are perfect examples of how this can be done right – no, I’m talking about DC’s current run of shows, specifically those that air on the CW Network.

The CW is known for its dramatic flair; most of its shows happen to be variations of a soap opera in one way or another. And when this all started, it seemed ludicrous to attempt a superhero show in that vein. All of that changed when we saw how fantastic Arrow was in its freshmen year. Action-packed, gleefully dramatic, and with a pinch of the right amount of humor, it seemed like all superhero shows should work their way into this format. And after the success that the series saw, it seemed as though the executives thought the same way. Taking the time in season 2 to carefully and thoughtfully expand their world, we were introduced to a likeable Barry Allen, who would go on to be The Flash the following year. Taking an alternate but similar approach, The Flash decided to lead with a tone that suited the character better. It was lighter on the themes, but still blissfully complex when presenting the relationships of characters juxtaposed to the scenario of the episode. The Flash was fun, delightfully so, and it was even more fun when it got to the point where we could see these two casts interact with one another. To see the gritty Star City vigilantes bump heads with the light-hearted crew from Central City was a fun romp, and it put into perspective how both shows could stand on their own but still be so consistent in quality. And at the same time, this is when things went off the rails.

While both shows keep to the relationships that have been established with the central characters, never slacking off so much as to make them seem like caricatures rather than actual people, I felt an immediate change in priorities that lay underneath the surface. Almost immediately after the introduction of Barry Allen, the showrunners began to launch a campaign to find any B-list or C-list DC character not slated for a film in the next seven years and throw them to the screen. We saw the emergence of The Atom, Black Canary, Katana, Wildcat, Firestorm, and even Constantine. These characters are all very cool, and some of them have even grown to be enjoyable to watch (I personally enjoy Firestorm the best), but there became a very real feeling within the shows to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. There became this idea that the superhero made the show, rather than the show making the superhero.

I can wholeheartedly disagree with that. For the beginning of both season 4 of Arrow and season 2 of The Flash, viewers were treated to what the showrunners called “table setting.” They described it as using the early episodes of these shows to launch their recently-started DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Before the winter television break, we had to deal with seven episodes that helped jump-start the new series. Seven episodes where dedicated fans had to trudge through characters and plots separate from the overall story. Seven episodes where the show’s own characters had to make room for sub-plots. That irks me in ways you can’t imagine. When I sit down to watch a show, it shouldn’t be expected of me to begin investing my care and attention on characters I may or may not watch at other times anyways. Especially at season 4, I’m returning to a show for one reason, and one reason only: give me an epic struggle for my hero. Don’t make him or her have to take time away from their own issues to deal with someone else’s. If the crossover occurs naturally, I’ll allow it. For example, last year’s crossover had Team Arrow going to Central City to track down Captain Boomerang, and Team Flash went to Starling to continue the search. A central goal to bring these two heroes together is good fun. 

This year, they did the same thing, but it was still table setting means: Vandal Savage was hunting down Cisco’s girlfriend Kendra, and Team Flash went to Team Arrow for help. Maybe it’s just me, but there was never any hint a threat like Savage was looming. At least with Boomerang, we knew that he’d been on the run from A.R.G.U.S.’s Suicide Squad for quite some time, and causing havoc in the process. When a show expects me to suspend all of my disbelief, it rubs me the wrong way, especially when their plan is to just get me to sit through more of their content.

Does ANYBODY know what to do with Thea?

Do you sleep in that suit?

Furthermore, I’m starting to question the ability of the writers, specifically when it comes to them writing women. It seems to me that they can’t really have me emotionally invest in women characters unless they’re disobeying an order or facing some sort of inner demon (at least, that’s what I think the writers think). Think about it: Laurel, a.k.a. Black Canary, has always had some stupid drama to deal with, whether it was the love triangle with Oliver and Tommy, the overdosing on the drugs, or the disregard for personal well-being when it came to becoming the Black Canary. Thea, a.k.a. Speedy, dealt with drugs too, neglectful parents, and then having the realization that her birthfather is actually a psychopath with a pension for domination. Iris West has her boy troubles, and that’s just about all they give her in terms of a story at this point. Caitlin is the same way. Even Sara on Legends suddenly finds herself afflicted with side-effects from the Lazarus pit which, on Arrow, they just said was no issue. 

With Wally as the catalyst, can Iris be more than a love interest?

Now, in the writer’s defense, many issues have been resolved. Iris now has a lot more purpose since she has a further drive to connect with her long-lost brother Wally, and Laurel is far more competent on the team than off it. But there is still work to be done. You say Laurel is an assistant District Attorney, so where are her cases? She can’t be a sidekick full-time, can she? In previous episodes, we’ve seen Iris do some reporting, but it’s always been very light. What about Thea? What’s she doing nowadays, besides making out with Oliver’s campaign manager? These female characters are beginning to slip into familiarity in terms of confliction, and it’s making them boring to watch. Even with the new conflicts to present them with, we as viewers don’t care. Fans still call for Laurel’s removal from the show. Now, I don’t have the answer on how to fix them. But it’s my personal opinion that the ideas of these shows is to center them around the superheroes because that’s what they believe the people want to see. That mindset needs to change. Give people more with these characters you insist on keeping around, because at the moment all they serve to do is take up time, story, and the budget to keep them on.

And I want to be clear: I still enjoy their shows. They’re fun, they’re stupid, they’re time killers. My biggest issue is that they used to really set the bar for what superheroes on TV should be. It’s not about introducing any spandex-wearing superbeing you can find. It’s about the drama, the intrigue. To their credit, the back half of the season is seeing a turnaround in attitude and story. And I understand that this was probably the plan to being with. But I hate it when my time as a viewer gets eaten up because we have to focus on five spin-offs or two cross-overs. I want to see Flash fight Zoom, I want to see Green Arrow get back at Damien Darhk. If the showrunners can give me entertainment that uses story, setting, and characters to their fullest potential without drifting too far off the beaten path, I’ll be a happy camper. And I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.