Mind Your Surroundings: Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and Other Superhero Universes

[BkWurm1]

Why? Why? WHY?!?!?!?!!!!!

No seriously. What the frack were any of them thinking??

Meanwhile, on the list of crossovers nobody asked for... I'm hungry now.

[quarks]

Next up, Oliver Queen staring down Ronald McDonald with "YOU HAVE FAILED THIS HAMBURGER!"  As, on the next page, Superman admits that Taco Bell HAS ALWAYS BEEN HIS KRYPTONITE!

[jaytee1812]

Next up, Oliver Queen staring down Ronald McDonald with "YOU HAVE FAILED THIS HAMBURGER!"  As, on the next page, Superman admits that Taco Bell HAS ALWAYS BEEN HIS KRYPTONITE!

It would be funny to watch Stephen Amell be outacted by a clown!!

[kismet]

Watching the Flash premiere, and was shocked to see a trailer for Supergirl. I have never in all the years I've watched network TV seen a promotion for another network's show on a different network. The most I've see is a "from the producers/creator of". I know CBS sorta owns a portion of the CW, but still consider me pleasantly surprised that they did a cross promotion. Perhaps they will consider intra-network crossovers, if the logistics can all be worked out.

[BkWurm1]

When they kept getting asked about crossovers, they said no, not at this time but they were going to do cross promotions.   I guess they held to their word, though I don't recall seeing The Flash or Arrow advertised on CBS yet. 

 

I have never in all the years I've watched network TV seen a promotion for another network's show on a different network.

 

It happens all the time on the paid for channels (both for other cable/sat channel's shows and network shows. 

Edited October 7, 2015 by BkWurm1

[kismet]

Kudos to the Flash writers for wrapping up a s1 plot hangover with

Wells confessing to the murder and therefore permitting the release of Barry's Dad

. It now frees them up for Barry's mission to not be all about fixing his mistakes or changing the past. Seriously though the choices he made in the season finale were selfish & poorly thought out. The way they were brushed under the rug is classic FLASH, so no big surprise there. But hey at least he seems to have a major case of the guilts (rightly so).

 

My favorite part about the FLASH premiere was STEIN, so now I am looking fwd to LoT a little more. His LoT crossover set-up feels organic to the show & team. I hope ARROW can emulate that with their forced LoT set-ups.

Edited October 7, 2015 by kismet

[kismet]

When they kept getting asked about crossovers, they said no, not at this time but they were going to do cross promotions.   I guess they held to their word, though I don't recall seeing The Flash or Arrow advertised on CBS yet. 

 

It happens all the time on the paid for channels (both for other cable/sat channel's shows and network shows. 

I don't think you will ever see a CW show advertised on the CBS. I would not hold your breath. They barely even let other network stars talk when they host the People's Choice awards year after year. A lot of the awards barely make the air, if they are not CBS shows. As for intra-network crossovers v. cross-promotion, it seems more complicated and political than I want to think about. I just want good stories, if they cross over they cross-over if they don't I'm okay with that too.

 

I also was surprised to see a lot of AMC & Walking Dead promotions. So maybe the CW is just taking the ad money wherever is comes from. Certainly if people are willing to pay the FLASH prices why not? Especially if the CW banks more on their digital or on-demand than their live viewership to make a profit.

[David T. Cole]

Hi, this is the old DC TV Universe crossover topic. I moved it into Arrow (no particular reason for Arrow vs. Flash, etc). Each show can support its own take on this topic but I just didn't want to lose this big thread. The mods might retitle it.

Edited October 15, 2015 by David T. Cole
English is good.

[Starfish35]

So who watched Supergirl tonight?

[Sakura12]

I saw the pilot awhile ago, I'm waiting for the second episode. 

 

One thing I did like that the love interests either knew or were told her secret right away. Of course that's probably because they are both dudes. Only the womenfolk need to be kept in the dark for protection. 

Edited October 27, 2015 by Sakura12

[Starfish35]

Maybe I'll change my mind, but right now I'm not crazy about either of those guys as love interests.

Was it me, or was the wire work distractingly obvious? I don't know. For all the money they talked about CBS pumping into this show, I guess I was expecting something more impressive. :/

[quarks]

Maybe I'll change my mind, but right now I'm not crazy about either of those guys as love interests.

Was it me, or was the wire work distractingly obvious? I don't know. For all the money they talked about CBS pumping into this show, I guess I was expecting something more impressive. :/

 

It wasn't you.

 

But it's an ongoing problem with trying to show anyone flying. 

[statsgirl]

I was pleasantly surprised by it.  I thought it was a lot like the old Superman movies as opposed to the depressing ones that have been made lately, and I liked the action sequences.

 

Melissa Benoist was also a nice surprise and much better than she was on Glee. Mechad Brooks won me over but I'm not sure about any of the other characters.  Alex kept too many secrets, . Winn is Cisco-lite and I know they're going to be teasing him as the love interest when he should stay the BFF, and I just plain hate Cat.

[Bats27]

It was good.  It did suffer from some of the same problems that plague lots of pilots, but that's not surprising.  It probably should have been a two-parter, just to give more time to flesh everything out more. 

[Genki]

Just finished Supergirl pilot, I liked it a lot more than The Flash Pilot. I will keep watching but it will be easier for me to drop if it gets annoying because it is not a part of the Flarrowverse.

 

Only really cringey thing for me was the "I'm a girl" section. It was a bit on the nose for me personally. 

 

I liked MB and I'm holding off on CF's Cat for a few episodes before I make a decision on the character.

 

I hated Lexi on Grey's Anatomy so it may take me a while to completely warm up to Alex.

 

Jimmy is attractive and the other guy reminds me of Xander form Buffy.

[Hipkarma]

Just watched the Supergirl pilot and quite apart from it being a good 40 years since a superheroine show, for me there was a lot to like. Hell, they even stated in show that a character's daughter 'finally has a role model' and I couldn't agree more.

 

Melissa is appealing in the lead role and I suspect highly relatable for so many young girls/women. I enjoyed Mechad (and his voice) as well as Jeremy's Cisco lite. I will see if I can warm to the sister (it's more than an old Grey's bias too) and don't expect to warm to Calista's Cat unless they plan on giving her more layers later on. I noted the in show observation of the overt and subversive sexism. I won't get into sexism in comics because as we all know, people could write dissertations on that shite.

 

As someone who first gave up comics in protest when they originally killed off Kara Zor El in COIE, I am very satisfied that the tone of the pilot captures almost everything that used to draw me to Kara so many years ago. 

Edited October 27, 2015 by Hipkarma

[Sakura12]

The more and more BTS pics I see of LoT, is showing me that it's not going to be anything like the Arrow and Flash. It's not just masked heroes fighting bad guys like those two shows. They seem to be doing a lot of undercover work to infiltrate the different times they are in. 

[jay741982]

Ratings are Coming in: Supergirl is the highest rated New Show! Congrats GB!

[tv echo]

I found the Supergirl pilot a little disappointing, but I'm still rooting for the show to succeed.  I think they went overboard with trying to show how cute! and adorable! Kara is, and her breathlessly exuberant way of talking got a little annoying after awhile.  Calista Flockhart's Cat Grant was almost a caricature and seemed to belong on another show.  The show was clearly modeled after The Flash and, like The Flash, while I enjoyed it overall, I don't think it's going to be must-see TV for me.  However, one episode isn't enough to tell definitively. (I didn't like season 1 of Agents of SHIELD and now I love that show.)

 

Character nit-pick: When Kara is in her Supergirl costume and fighting the bad guys, her personality changes and becomes more self-assured, in contrast to her nerdy, awkward Kara persona.  This type of change in personality works for Superman because the nerdy, bumbling Clark Kent is a fake persona that he adopts to hide his true identity.  However, Kara is her true identity. so her personality should not change just because she puts on a costume.  I hope they make her character more consistent in the future.

 

Plot nit-pick:  Why is it that when the superhero is female, the Big Baddie is also female?  They did the same thing in the 1984 Supergirl movie.

Edited October 27, 2015 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Deleted.

Edited October 27, 2015 by tv echo

[kismet]

In light of the articles comparing FS to Kara in the News section.

 

Haven't been able to catch the Supergirl pilot yet. But it was bound to happen that Kara would get compared to FS considering they all come from Berlanti's Flarrowverse. I do think it was unfortunate that the costume designer chose a pink shirt for Kara to wear in that pic that has been making the rounds. When I first saw it, I thought really couldn't they at least find a different color? I know pink is a girls color. But there are many different colors of oxford shirts, any other color might have spared some of the comparisons for good or for bad.

 

That being said bumbling quirky girl with glasses is an age old trope. Even Benoist's character in Glee had a quirky charm. FS & EBR do not own the trademark on quirky girl with glasses who has an inner strength & secret badass side. Hopefully as the series progress each character will be further developed and differentiated so that there is not a constant comparison considering their stories are completely different.

[kismet]

Did they give GG growing potion over the summer or something? Because he seriously is looking more mature this season. Don't get me wrong, he still looks good... but he is actually looking his age. No longer like a kid sitting at the grown-ups table. Or maybe it is something in how GG is carrying himself. IDK he just looks better this season.

[EmilyBettFan]

So did the people who watched the premiere had already seen the first episode or no? Because it l-e-a-k-e-d a long time ago.

[HighHopes]

I remember when The Flash pilot 'leaked' too, they then 'added' some 'extra footage' to it to get people to tune into the premiere. If I remember correctly, The Flash had great premiere ratings. Now a year later, Supergirl also 'leaked' and then had some 'extra footage added to it' which premiered to great ratings as well. I don't want to say that it was on purpose that both pilots were leaked, but I also don't think they did anything to stop the leaks either...

[BkWurm1]

I managed to keep myself from watching it before the premiere, but it was kind of a letdown since just from previews and clips and write ups I’d either seen most of the episode or read about it.

The pacing was actually a bit clunky, but that’s often the case in a pilot.  I really wanted a bit more time spent on the emotional beats between Kara and Alex.  Still, I’ll be back.  I found Cat surprisingly entertaining.  I hope they spend equal time on her normal life as they do on the super stuff, since honestly, that part kind of bores me.

[Starfish35]

I didn't watch it beforehand. Unless it's on YouTube, I never know where to go to find stuff like that. Lol.

BkWurm1, "clunky" is a good word for it. Hopefully it can smooth over some of the rough spots going forward.

[tv echo]

The more I think about it... why should Kara be clumsy at all?  She should have excellent reflexes and great eye-hand coordination.  Even if she's hiding her superpowers, that shouldn't change.  Clark's clumsiness is pretend.  Kara's clumsiness is supposedly a part of her character's adorableness.

[BkWurm1]

Was Kara portrayed as clumsy? Awkward of expression and speaking without thinking, but I don't recall her being physically clumsy.

[Sakura12]

I didn't see Kara being clumsy, to me she was just socially awkward. 

[tv echo]

My recollection is that she was bumping into people on the street and knocking things over in the office... but maybe I've just been influenced by multiple media reviews describing Kara as clumsy.

Edited October 28, 2015 by tv echo

[Delphi]

Was there extra footage? I didn't notice.

[SonofaBiscuit]

When they were casting Patty on The Flash, I was actually hoping that they would find someone that has great romantic chemistry with GG.  Sadly, I just don't even think it's possible.  Grant is adorable, and he has fantastic friend/family chemistry with many of his co-stars (Barry/Joe was my favorite relationship last season), but I see nothing beyond that.  Even with Felicity, I never envisioned anything beyond aw they're cute and watching them date for a while might be fun.  I don't know why Grant can't generate any heat with anyone, but I believe that he's the one causing the problem, so I'm not sure it's fixable (can't exactly get rid of Grant, nor would I want to).

Edited October 28, 2015 by SonofaBiscuit

[Starfish35]

I think I must just have a different definition of chemistry than everyone else. I don't necessarily think about sexual heat when I think about chemistry, because honestly I don't actually see that in maybe 90% of the couples in TV (including Olicity - sorry. Throw soft things, not rocks, please?). To me chemistry is just...do I enjoy watching this couple together? Do they work/fit together? I don't know how else to explain it. As far as Patty, I think she and Barry are kind of adorable together, and if Iris wasn't in the picture, I'd be wholeheartedly on that train.

[dtissagirl]

Yeah, I'm finding Barry and Patty ADORABLE together. Heart eyes all over these two dorks being terrible at flirting and, you know, speaking in full sentences around each other.

 

And I usually have the hardest time watching Grant Gustin in romantic situations because he's 12.

[Chaser]

I think I must just have a different definition of chemistry than everyone else. I don't necessarily think about sexual heat when I think about chemistry, because honestly I don't actually see that in maybe 90% of the couples in TV (including Olicity - sorry. Throw soft things, not rocks, please?). To me chemistry is just...do I enjoy watching this couple together? Do they work/fit together? I don't know how else to explain it. As far as Patty, I think she and Barry are kind of adorable together, and if Iris wasn't in the picture, I'd be wholeheartedly on that train.

Pelts you with marshmallows. :-)

 

ITA. Sexual heat is fun, but if I can't see two people together outside of the bedroom then it doesn't work for me at all. What I bolded is chemistry for me too. It has to feel right and I have to be comfortable watching the couple.

 

GG just feels young to me, so the chemistry he has with his love interests feels young. Not to say it's not there and not adorable, it's just a different kind of spark.

Edited October 28, 2015 by 10Eleven12

[AyChihuahua]

For me there are just different kinds of chemistry, including friend chemistry, romantic chemistry, and sexual chemistry.  For me GG has friend chemistry with everyone, romantic with basically no one, and sexual with absolutely no one.  I definitely see sexual chemistry between O and F, for example in the "I believe you ordered the crate of stolen military weapons, Mr. Queen" scene, along with friend/romantic chemistry at various points.  I absolutely got that Oliver wanted to bang Felicity like a screen door in that scene, though.

 

For example, I used to watch The Vampire Diaries, and putting aside valid concerns about Elena/Damon (he was predatory, etc.) those two had smoking sexual chemistry.  She had romantic chemistry with the other brother, but sexual with Damon. 

[SonofaBiscuit]

To me chemistry is just...do I enjoy watching this couple together? Do they work/fit together? I don't know how else to explain it. 

 

To me, Grant has TONS of that type of chemistry.  He works well with everyone and he has an abundance of charisma.  But when I think about sexual chemistry?  Ooh boy, no.  Watching him in a love scene with a co-star would give me so much second-hand embarrassment that I'd have to cover my eyes, I swear :)

[kismet]

Yeah, I'm finding Barry and Patty ADORABLE together. Heart eyes all over these two dorks being terrible at flirting and, you know, speaking in full sentences around each other.

And I usually have the hardest time watching Grant Gustin in romantic situations because he's 12.

I swear he ate growing beans over the summer because he no longer looks 12 to me.

I like Patty and I do think they have an adorable puppy dogg love chemistry. I don't want to see them make out anytime soon, so they can just tell me they are sleeping together I'll believe them.

There is a lot of different chemistries like everyone above said. So there is room for all types. I do generally prefer some romantic & steamy heat in my pairings. But on a show like Flash, I can roll with adorable. It's not within BA character to be a sex god, but OQ for me needs to be more of a sex god.

At least Patty to me is the first LI, I can actually believe BA being physical with. I don't want to watch it, but their chemistry works for me so far.

[Primal Slayer]

Patty seems to forced to me, it might be because I know they want her to be the shows Felicity but I feel like she can't really be her own character because of that fact.

[dtissagirl]

I kinda treat all of the characters on Flash as 12 years old [except Cisco -- he's 9] playing at being superheroes while being supervised by adults that are TERRIBLE ROLE MODELS [Wells, Joe, Dawson's father]. Victor Garber is the one exception because he's a great role model; too bad he's leaving the teenagers alone with Joe.

 

So the romantic beats that they do work for me, because they're also playing at romance? I also truly prefer watching characters meet on screen, and become interested in each other on screen. Since I never got that with Barry/Iris, at this moment, I'm all for Barry/Patty because they're showing the full spectrum of the story to me. And that's the way I enjoy watching romance unfold.

Edited October 28, 2015 by dtissagirl

[Starfish35]

I also truly prefer watching characters meet on screen, and become interested in each other on screen. Since I never got that with Barry/Iris, at this moment, I'm all for Barry/Patty because they're showing the full spectrum of the story to me. And that's the way I enjoy watching romance unfold.

ITA. I am far from anti-WestAllen, but I suspect I would be far more invested in them than I am if I'd been able to see the whole meet-cute get to know each other thing that we're getting with Barry and Patty.

[dtissagirl]

ITA. I am far from anti-WestAllen, but I suspect I would be far more invested in them than I am if I'd been able to see the whole meet-cute get to know each other thing that we're getting with Barry and Patty.

 

Yeah. I need to watch both characters become interested, even if it's one at a time. They could have been best friends since childhood just the same, but I needed to watch Barry falling in love with Iris to be able to 'ship them. I have never ever 'shipped a couple whose romantic arc started in media res. And the instant 'ship killer for me is if the story opens with one the characters already in love. My brain goes nope nope NOPE and shuts the shippy fangirl who lives there down completely.

[Carrie Ann]

Yeah, I have a long list of things I would change about The Flash if I were Queen of the World, and one is that I would have made it so Iris was away for college for the last 4-5 years when Barry went into the coma. So when she came back and became a daily part of his life, it would have been sort of like getting to know each other again. That would have also provided a nice break between growing up together and becoming adults who might develop romantic feelings for each other. Alas.

 

And I agree with others that I just don't see any heat with GG and any love interest they've paired him with so far. I think he'd be capable of it, but frankly, they should have paired him with someone whose presence is more like Oliver's. Barry is a sweet little puppy. Pairing him with other puppies is only ever going to be cute, not hot. On one hand, I'm fine with that, because that's the kind of show The Flash wants to be. It's not going to have a 'ship for the ages, and that's okay.

 

On the other hand, Lois and Clark managed to have that tone AND have a 'ship that hit every note--friendly, romantic, sexy.

[BkWurm1]

I swear he ate growing beans over the summer because he no longer looks 12 to me.

 

I think there is hope for him.  I saw a BTS pic of him in a suit and I swear, he looked hot.  Words I thought I would NEVER say. 

[bettername2come]

They just referenced Cisco for the third time this season on Arrow as having done something helpful for Team Arrow (Oliver's suit, info on Double Down, and now helping design the new Arrowcave). I think he's getting more respect here than on his own series.

[kismet]

The reason this LoT setup is so shitty is because they're writing this crap as a means to an end - to get these people back so they can go on another show. All of this will be completely moved past after 3x09, so of course they're not giving anything its just due, because in 5 eps none of it will matter anymore and they can move on. 

So I was thinking about how I watch FLASH primarily now for Stein and dread ARROW because of the LoT set-up. And I think the biggest difference is that FLASH is building upon their characters and delving deeper into their characterizations. ARROW is literally raising them from the dead and reminding us why they annoyed me in the first place. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed SL, but I hate all the Lance & sisterly drama she brought with her. What does ARROW do, bring SL back in the worst possible way that only highlights how dysfunctional their dynamic was. And Ray, well he hasn't even graced my screen yet, but every mention of him is raising my heckles. I finally was reaching a neutral headspace with him & they may ruin it for me. Please do NOT ruin it for me.

 

But I will keep this mantra up, it's only a few more shows. And then I can get back to my ARROW show, hopefully with the deadweight being 6 feet under in 6 months time.

[bijoux]

They just referenced Cisco for the third time this season on Arrow as having done something helpful for Team Arrow (Oliver's suit, info on Double Down, and now helping design the new Arrowcave). I think he's getting more respect here than on his own series.

I imagine Curtis will be taking over some of Cisco's duties on Arrow. The card last week is something Felicity would have presumably sent to Star Labs at an earlier date.

[tv echo]

Interesting perspective...

 

Why DC's Multiverse Approach Works Better Than The MCU
By Joe Starr | Think Pieces | October 29, 2015
http://www.pajiba.com/think_pieces/why-dcs-multiverse-approach-works-better-than-the-mcu.php

[wonderwall]

I've been seeing a couple of tweets about rumors that DC doing a BoP movie... Have any of you heard of this?

Edited October 31, 2015 by wonderwall

[Starfish35]

I googled it - this is the only thing I found.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/comics/news/?a=125902