This coming fall season is a
season of superheroes on network TV with a gamut of offerings such as Arrow,
The Flash, Gotham, Constantine, Agents of Shield and Agent Carter. Now I know
that we are all busy people with not enough time to watch all the shows on TV
so I have prepared this blog entry to give you a quick review of these shows
and to provide an opinion on what is worth watching based on various
qualitative and quantiative criteria with qualitative being personal opinion
and quantitative measures by rotten tomato ratings.
Starting
with:
Arrow
Tomatometer:
100%
Audience
Rating: 95%
Season
Premiere Date: Oct 8, 2014
Starting
this fall in it's 3rd season, Arrow is without a doubt the best superhero movie
this decade. Based on DC Comics hero Green Arrow. Season 2 saw an epic showdown
between Green Arrow and Deathstroke the Terminator in an epic finale that
rivals any others on TV. Season 3 promises greater action sequences with much
hinted appearance of Ra's al Ghul, that will keep looking forward to
Wednesdays every week. Also promised is a crossover with potential hit series,
The Flash which will see two 1 hour episodes screened depicting a crossover
between the emerald archer and the scarlet speedster.
Pros:
Great
action sequences
Compelling
storyline
Strong
emotional attachment to characters
2
hour crossover episode with the flash!
Cons:
Presence
of some cheesy one liners
My
verdict: If you can only watch one of the 6 shows, this show is the
definite number 1.
The Flash
Tomatometer: N/A (Not yet aired)
Audience Rating: 96%
Premiere Date: Oct 7, 2014
From the same creators as Arrow,
the Flash brings to screen the Scarlet Speedster and forensic scientist, Barry
Allen who acquires super speed through a freak accident and becomes known as
the Fastest Man Alive. The birth of the Flash was featured in a crossover
episode in season 2 of Arrow and it is promised that this will be a faithful
adpation of the DC Comics character. With the much anticipated crossover event,
this show has is likely to take off running at a pace that will put you on the
edge of your seat.
Pros:
Crossover event
Faithful adaptation to the comic
book character
Great choreography and compelling
storyline
Cons:
Some cheesy acting expected
My verdict: A definite must watch
along with Arrow. This show is a number 2 on my list.
Gotham
Tomatometer: N/A (Not yet aired)
Audience Rating: 100%
Premiere Date: Sep 22, 2014
Airing on Fox, Gotham is an
origin story of the great DC Comics Super-Villains and vigilantes, revealing an
entirely new chapter that has never been told. Gotham follows one cop's rise
through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil, and
chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes of our time.
Pros:
Great Casting
Unexplored period within the Dark
Knight's timeline with focus on James Gordon rather than the Dark Knight
Cons:
Bruce Wayne's still a kid so no
this will be a Gotham without Batman
My verdict: Potentially
worth watching. Number 3 on my list.
Constantine
Tomatometer: N/A (Not yet aired)
Audience Rating: 89%
Premiere Date: Oct 24, 2014
Airing on NBC, Constantine is
based on the wildly popular comic book series "Hellblazer" from DC
Comics, seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine
specializes in giving hell... hell. Armed with a ferocious knowledge of the
dark arts and his wickedly naughty wit, he fights the good fight - or at least
he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he's decided to leave his
do-gooder life behind. But when demons target Liv, the daughter of one of
Constantine's oldest friends, he's reluctantly thrust back into the fray - and he'll do whatever
it takes to save her.
Pros:
Trailer looks good
Series aims to bring back the
charm of Buffy the Vampire Slayer of the 90s
Intelligent Storyline
Cons:
Might not live up to the hype of
Keanu Reeve's Constantine (2005)
My verdict: Potentially worth
watching. Number 4 on my list.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
Tomatometer: 86%
Audience Rating: 71%
Season Premiere Date: Sep 23,
2014
The show premiered on Sep 24,
2013 with much hype but later proved to be a disappointment as the
choreography, storyline and acting were very much sub par. It starts off in
the aftermath of the battle between invading aliens and the Earth's
mightiest heroes, the Avengers, but doesn't manage to tap into the vast MCU to
propel its storyline forward. The show also relies on verbal story telling to
add an enigmatic feel when a flashback could have done a better job.
Furthermore, the fight choreography is limited considering the size of the
budget for the production. AoS tries to redeem itself by connectiing with the
events on Captain America, the Winter Soldier but it is a case of too little
too late.
Pros:
Connected to Marvel's Movie
Universe
Cons:
Zero connection to characters on
the show
Only good actor on the show is
Clark Gregg
Fails to tap into the vast MCU
Relies on verbal story telling
instead of flashbacks
My Verdict: Wish I could take
back the hours I spent watching Season 1. Number 5 on my list
Marvel's Agent Carter
Tomatometer: N/A (Not Aired Yet)
Audience Rating: 50%
Season Premiere Date: Unconfirmed
Airing in 2015 is Marvel's Agent
Carter, which will see Agent Peggy Carter appearing in the second season of
Marvel's Agents of Shield this fall. However, there is little news out there on
whether we will be seeing younger Peggy Carter from when S.H.I.E.L.D.
was formed, or a slightly older Carter in a flashback with Coulson, or the
dementia suffering Carter from ‘The Winter Soldier.’ It’s easy to assume that
they could be using flashbacks to make parallels between Peggy putting together
S.H.I.E.L.D. originally with Coulson trying to rebuild it in modern times.
Offhand, also in the episode will be TV Host George Stephanopoulos who will be
playing himself.
Pros:
Likely to be connected with
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cons:
Likely to be sub par version of
Marvel's Agent of Shield with a focus on an even less interesting character.
My Verdict: Not worth your time.
Number 6 on my list
L.A.M.
