'The Flash': How the CW is doing superheroes right
Marvel Studios may be getting all the attention at the multiplex, but TV viewers settled in at home are getting to see satisfying superhero stories on the small screen 鈥撀燼nd it鈥檚 not on one of the big networks, but on the channel best known for such series as 鈥淭he Vampire Diaries鈥� and "Gossip Girl."
The CW is currently host to the TV shows 鈥淎rrow鈥� and 鈥淭he Flash.鈥� 鈥淎rrow,鈥� which follows Oliver Queen, better known as Green Arrow, who fights crime with a bow and arrow, premiered in 2012, while 鈥淭he Flash,鈥� which centers on quick-moving police investigator Barry Allen, debuted this past fall. Barry was introduced to CW audiences on 鈥淎rrow鈥� before he received his own series.
Green Arrow and the Flash belong to the same DC universe as Batman and Superman and so presumably reside in the same fictional world as 鈥淕otham,鈥� the Fox series which debuted this past fall to much fanfare. The show is an origin story for many "Batman" characters.
But 鈥淕otham鈥� has received mixed reviews as the series has gone on. 鈥淚t still remains very difficult to make anything on this series feel like something other than filler for a future Batman story,鈥� writer Matt Fowler wrote of the show鈥檚 midseason finale, while writer Simon Abrams wrote of the most recent installment of the show, 鈥淕otham's tonal inconsistencies are still its biggest problem. Its creators try to be simultaneously brooding and goofy, and the result is a show that suffers from a bad identity crisis.鈥澛�
However, 鈥淎rrow鈥� and 鈥淭he Flash鈥� continue to receive mostly positive reviews. writer Pilot Viruet wrote of the show in November, 鈥溾�橳he Flash鈥� [is] the 2014 TV season鈥檚 best comic book adaptation鈥� it has come out on top as a bright, optimistic light in a season of dark and dreary comic book adaptations鈥� There鈥檚 room on television for these serious but lighthearted stories, these tragic but ultimately optimistic characters, and these compelling but fun plots 鈥� and聽The Flash聽proves it.鈥�
Meanwhile, writer Rob Bricken called the newest 鈥淔lash鈥� episode 鈥渦nbelievably thrilling,鈥� though he wrote that parts of the romantic storyline were 鈥渁nnoying,鈥� and writer Alasdair Wilkins gave the newest episode of 鈥淎rrow鈥� an A-, calling it 鈥渁 fine entry for the show.鈥澛�
Many fans are anxious to see how DC is going to juggle Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman (as well as many other superheroes) at the cinema. DC may want to look to the CW for tips.
