James Olsen: Don't Call Him Jimmy

[Trini]

James Olsen played by Mehcad Brooks.

A " famous photographer, who Grant just hired away from the Daily Planet to serve as her new art director."

 

So clearly, they're trying a new, and different take on the Jimmy- I mean, James, character.

[MarkHB]

There's a podcast I listen to where they call him "James-the-grown-man Olsen" :) .

[BkWurm1]

James Olsen played by Mehcad Brooks.

A " famous photographer, who Grant just hired away from the Daily Planet to serve as her new art director."

 

So clearly, they're trying a new, and different take on the Jimmy- I mean, James, character.

I'm really looking forward to the characterization changes.  I hated his character on Smallville (even if they later claimed he wasn't THE Jimmy, just his older brother Henry James who weirdly went by Jimmy) mainly since they chose to support his character at the expense of a much more valuable original character and I was very disappointed back in the day when they regressed his character between season one and two on Lois and Clark (trading out the sarcastic almost peer and swapping in a younger more traditional Jimmy instead).

 

So for me I am so ready to wipe the slate clean and start brand new. Supergirl lets his character grow up and mature while also letting the purists pretend he used to be dorky fanboy Jimmy during his early Superman's Pal days. 

[MarkHB]

From the Media thread:

Comic Book Resources played with the Jimmy/James character in this week's The Line Is Drawn cover by John Trumbull:

At this point, after "Fight or Flight," I'm picturing early Jimmy as having somewhat like Steve Urkel, and he has since blossomed into Stefan Urquell.

(Incidentally, I looked it up, and the original Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #80 that that was taken from had a Bizarro Jimmy gleefully emptying "basket full of valuable trash" onto the desk.)

[queenanne]

That image is hilarious.  I'm glad someone else has noticed, and so quickly too, 'cuz having Hawt Cool Jimmy, has really taken me out of the story.

[CletusMusashi]

I want to say that he is to Supergirl what Lana Lang was to Smallville.

Except that Lana actually did sometimes do things and have interesting story arcs.

James is just kind of shoved into the mentor/ advisor role, and they take it for granted that we'll find anything he says or does exciting.

Edited November 15, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[queenanne]

I would argue that's not "the role" or status TPTB think is doing the work of passporting great fascination into the character, but Brooks himself.  I disagree.  I find him rather flat and one-note, but then again, he does seem to carry a halo effect for posters from previous roles, so... I guess there are poorer choices for a hook than "good looks and cult of personality".

[Trini]

Heh; different strokes. Hot Jimmy James is one of the things keeping my interest.

[wayne67]

I think the actor is hot... but I have no interest in the character. I don't really get who he is supposed to be. He just seems like a baby sitter for Kara on behalf of Superman who is apparently too busy to check in on his only surviving family member ever. 

 

His whole wanting to prove himself seems kind of weak as there's no discernible way he could do so.

[Chicago Redshirt]

I would say it's way too early to compare James to Smallville Lana Lang. I would also say that Lana, at least in my memory, did not do anything other than have Clark, Lex and Kfreaks moon over her, get kidnapped a lot and do whatever the plot required.

 

I can't think of anything that James has done that seems all that Mary Sue-ish.

 

He's gotten Kat off of Kara's back a couple times. He's given Kara a couple of pep talks. He's volunteered as bait vs. Reactron. He's given her guidance in some of her lesser superfeats. He called in Superman to save Kara.

 

More or less these are things the other characters in this show have done too, or would have done had they been in the position to do so. 

 

The only thing that makes him different is how they are pumping up the "Kara is romantically interested in him" card. And even there, I don't think there has been much in the way of evidence that the feeling is at all mutual.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Chicago Redshirt

[NorthstarATL]

I want to say that he is to Supergirl what Lana Lang was to Smallville.

Except that Lana actually did sometimes do things and have interesting story arcs.

James is just kind of shoved into the mentor/ advisor role, and they take it for granted that we'll find anything he says or does exciting.

Bingo! Chloe was much more the "Lana" from the comics (especially since Lana was a version of Lois created for teen Superboy), while Lana was more the "fantasy girl" for Clark that Lana never really was (he left her behind in the comics rather easily to meet a girl in college that he proposed to, and then fell in love with Lois upon arriving in Metropolis). Similarly Wynn in "Supergirl" is more Jimmy from the comics, while James is more "fantasy guy" for Kara.

[Zuleikha]

I like James a lot better than Winn (who I'd be happy to see get written out), so that change is working for me. I do wish the show had better established Clark's absence, though. Not necessarily a forever thing, but just written him as needing to be away for a bit to justify James mentoring Kara instead of Clark.

[Actionmage]

I'm enjoying Mechad because James allows him to be even more humorous than TK on Necessary Roughness.  That he 's pretty hot is a bonus, imo.

 

We are only a handful of episodes into the first season of the show. I think, because James is supposed to be a big yet supporting role that the romantic polygon will be dealt with, sooner rather than later. 

 

I also don't see James as mentoring Kara, as much as trying to be a friend. Not that friends can't mentor, but James can't mentor Kara the way Kal can. James can show that she's still worthwhile outside her Supergirl persona, that Kara doesn't have to fade away in order to be Supergirl, if I am explaining this clearly. That Kara is as important as Supergirl.  Winn can do that too, but James has the benefit of seeing Kal on a daily basis and possibly seeing Kal wrestle with staying Clark. 

[CletusMusashi]

I just think it should be her story. Her journey.

Her discovery of who she is and what exactly that means in terms of the duel identities schtick.

Having somebody hang around all day spoonfeeding it to her because He knows Superman hurts that.

Edited November 19, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[Chicago Redshirt]

YMMV, but it is no less her journey because Jimmy is giving her help dealing with Cat than it is less her journey because Alex is providing help through the DEO or less her journey because Winn has provided her a Fortress of Togethertude.

[Actionmage]

I just think it should be her story. Her journey.

 

It is. Alex and James and Winn and Cat and Eliza can't tell her how to be Kara. They can suggest, gripe, whine, cajole, guess, etc., but in the end, Kara's the only one actually experiencing what being Supergirl and Kara Zor-El and Kara Danvers is all about.

 

James is fun in that he's going through a parallel journey himself. He's also trying to break out from the Big Blue Boy Scout's shadow and be taken seriously as James Olsen, Pulitzer Prize- winner and ace photographer. So he moved across the country and taken a desk job to prove he's more than Superman's pal.  James also has his ex moving to town.  So, James deciding for himself how to juggle his past with what he wants going forward and what he actually needs going forward is interesting, to me anyway.

 

I  don't see James, or anyone, "spoonfeeding" her anything.  James has been scared for Kara's safety and called Big Blue in to help her. He admitted that was him reacting to his fears, though, and promptly apologized to Kara.

[Rai]

Please wear a tank top every episode, Jimmy.  Sorry, "James."  kthxby

[MarkHB]

DC interview with Mehcad Brooks.  He's aware of the "calling Kara on Thanksgiving" issue...

 

Any good love story needs to have a nice little love triangle.

Right.

 

I would love to hear, from your perspective, where James is with all of that. He seems conflicted in every episode that we have seen.

Right. Conflicted. That’s a good word. You obviously watch the show, and keep up with the show. Can I ask you a question?

 

Yes.

Does James come off as conflicted… or does he just come off as kind of [shady]?

 

No.

Okay, cool.

 

Honestly, I would tell you.

Because I was worried about that myself. I was like, “You know I’m calling the other girl on Thanksgiving, right?” They were like, “Yeah… Action!” [Laughs]

I just don’t know how I can do this and not look like a total D-bag. It’s normally the kind of situation where families break up, you know? It’s not a good thing if papa’s calling not-mama on Thanksgiving....

[statsgirl]

I feel really sorry for the guy.  He's intelligent, and sensitive (otherwise it wouldn't occur to him that James was being a douche) and they really give him crumbs to work with in terms of characterization.

 

 

Mehcad: She’s still the hero. I think the cool thing about the episode [Human For A Day] is that you realize you don’t need powers to be a hero. She relies on something else that I think even Superman couldn’t do, which is a certain sensitivity and something Kara has that he doesn’t have. As far as James stepping into a heroic position, it’s a lot of work. It was cool. It was a lot of fun.

Generous too.

[luckyroll3]

Where the hell has James been this season?  He's really one of the main reasons I continue to watch this show. 

And I'm so pissed that after spending all of season 1 banging us over the head with "Kara and James are meant for each other", so much so that I started to give into it just a bit, they blow it all up in the first couple episodes. 

[KirkB]

James as Guardian really doesn't work for me. Cape envy and a desire to be seen as a hero isn't really a good reason to become a vigilante, especially not in a city full of super powered aliens. If they really want to make James relevant (which seems to me to be their issue) it occurs to me they would have been better off ditching CatCo (which, without Cat, doesn't seem to serve a narrative purpose anymore) and having him join the DEO along with Winn. They could put James's black belt and knowledge of aliens (Kryptonians at least) to good use, rather than Laurel-ing him up by having him put on a mask.

Edited November 15, 2016 by KirkB

[MarkHB]

This article looks at James's transformation in the context of this season's apparent theme of "figuring out who you're meant to be".

[quarks]

On 11/15/2016 at 9:15 AM, KirkB said:

James as Guardian really doesn't work for me. Cape envy and a desire to be seen as a hero isn't really a good reason to become a vigilante, especially not in a city full of super powered aliens. If they really want to make James relevant (which seems to me to be their issue) it occurs to me they would have been better off ditching CatCo (which, without Cat, doesn't seem to serve a narrative purpose anymore) and having him join the DEO along with Winn. They could put James's black belt and knowledge of aliens (Kryptonians at least) to good use, rather than Laurel-ing him up by having him put on a mask.

Plus, unlike Star City, National City seems to have a functioning city government and competent cops - they only need the DEO/Supergirl to deal with extraordinary, superpowered threats. I'll buy that Oliver Queen thinks he still needs to run around and shoot people up with arrows, since Arrow has made a point of showing that pretty much all of the wealthy people of Star City are corrupt and most of the cops are incompetent or dead. Plus, even five seasons into the show, Oliver Queen is still severely screwed up.  This doesn't really seem to apply to James, unless he's a lot more messed up in the head than Supergirl has shown me so far. 

[shantown]

They've got a bunch of storyline potential with James working at CatCo now: He knows Kara (one of his reporters) is Supergirl. He knows Winn and Alex work at the DEO. That's all stuff he should be itching to do a cover story on. I'm surprised there's not more of a media insistence on reporting on aliens and superheroes and secret government agencies. James would have the ability to give CatCo the exclusive story - but he also has a loyalty to his friends. I would like to see more of how he balances that - his other reporters bringing some investigative journalism to him and he's torn between wanting to report a story and wanting to protect the identities of his friends. There would be a lot there, not to mention he could get scoop from M'Gann and Mon-El at the bar too. I just am amazed what a wonderfully interconnected world they've set up (CatCo, DEO, alien bar, NCPD) and how they waste it on stupid things like James being the Guardian.

[Trini]

5 hours ago, shantown said:

They've got a bunch of storyline potential with James working at CatCo now:

He's been criminally underused this whole season since they did a 180 on his romance with Kara, and decided the new characters are more important.  :(

[Starfish35]

I don't understand why they put him in charge of CatCo in the first place, if they weren't going to do anything with that?  Why not just have Snapper be in charge and then do Guardian with James?  

[Trini]

Non-spoilery from the Spoilers thread:
 

On 5/7/2017 at 5:09 PM, stealinghome said:

TBH, if the show would actually commit to showing James working as a writer/photojournalist and also commit to Kara's journalism career, I would LOVE if the show would ditch the Guardian stuff. It's never been anything more than a "crap, the CW told us to kill Kara/James and what do we do with James now??? I know, throw stuff on the wall and see what sticks!!!!" storyline. In a season chock full of nonsensical or plain bad storylines, it's been one of the worst offenders.

The show really needs to set James up as Kara's photojournalist partner who is going to tutor her in being a reporter. That's his obvious niche on the show. Sadly, the writers have totally dropped their S1 thoughtfulness about the power of the media...just as that is an intensely topical issue now.

All of this, plus they should go back to James playing the mentor role to Kara since she is a relatively new superhero. They had some of that in the first season. He's supposed to be able to impart some knowledge since he hung out with Superman/Clark for so long.

[Trini]

Wasn't sure where to put this -

There's a recurring character in the current season of Black Lightning named Jamillah Olsen, who is a news reporter -- I think it's likely a nod to James/Jimmy Olsen.