Powerless premiered Thursday night, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. on NBC.
It's a workplace comedy, the first to be set in the DC Universe. Vanessa Hudgens stars as Emily, who always wanted to do something greater. And she thinks she's found her destiny when she gets a job at Wayne Security, a company that comes up with ways for the normal person to escape from harm when superheroes fight and cause inevitable collateral damage.
Wayne Security even has "Joker venom antidote," but it's no LexCorp.
Hudgens plays it wide-eyed and optimistic, a change from dark and broody superhero projects, but right in line with the flash and bang of The Flash and Supergirl over on the CW. Plano native Alan Tudyk (always welcome, this time brilliant) is Van Wayne, some relation. He's a clueless cousin to Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman and "B Dubs" to his cousin, and runs the company with scant attention from Bruce -- for now. (There's room for an essay here. Is Bruce Wayne trying to mitigate any guilt he might feel for helping to obliterate part or most of Gotham by opening this firm? Or is this just a shell company for him to get another Batmobile or something to add to his utility belt? Discuss.)
Emily grew up in a "fly-over state," a place where superheroes don't land. She's excited for her first day in Charm City, even when it goes up in flames, runs off the tracks and any other disaster you can think of. (Cue the opening credits, which are a delight, offering action sequences featuring the big heroes and the little people they try to protect.)
She wants to help as the new director of research and development at Wayne Security, and walks into the job clutching a copy of Wayne or Lose.
There are many things to make light of in a world inhabited by superheroes. (What are the insurance rates like in Metropolis? How strong does a city's infrastructure have to be? Why won't people just move?) The show wisely uses one of the big ones -- collateral damage -- as a jumping-off point to little things such as being late for work.
Which people in this bright, shiny world always are because of this superhero or that supervillain. In this case, it's almost always Jack O'Lantern, who is a Z-level villain in the DC Comics Universe who pops up as different people because his magical lantern is deeded through the years. But wait, there's Crimson Fox trying to stop him (the costume's not quite right, but they get an E for effort).
Powerless is a new TV spin on the superhero world and might just leave you with a wry smile. What's a guy to do when there's falling debris because some tights in flight derail -- literally -- your train?
I know.
Read comics.
And that's where it gets even more fun. By expanding its repertoire, DC Comics is continuing to help court new readers and retain the interest of the jaded ones by rebooting characters both new and old. DC Universe Rebirth launched this month with graphic novels of some beloved characters. With the Arrowverse on the CW, Powerless on NBC, Gotham on Fox and Justice League and Wonder Woman movies on tap, DC has cast its net wide with some of its biggest properties. But if you want to get your facts straight, it's like the meme says: Don't judge a character by what you see on movies or animation, read comics and judge them for who they are. In other words, here's some must-read TV:
Green Arrow Vol. 1: The Death and Life of Oliver Queen: It ends where it all began for Oliver Queen in Benjamin Percy's fast-paced and affecting story of Green Arrow getting to the bottom of a human smuggling operation and finding and losing himself and love in the process.
Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham: Batman is in dire straits. After all, his superpower is money and lots of it. (Also an uncanny ability to put clues together and to shelter young charges, but that's another story.) As he's surely about to meet his demise, a flighted superhero saves the day. And it's not who you think. Intriguing from start to finish and drawn in a kinetic style, Tom King crafts a story that has heart, brains and, well, Batman as almost an ancillary character.
The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice: Ah, so that's how his powers work. Flash is so much more than speed. This volume shows his heart and his yearning for someone who understands. Lightning does strike twice and he gets more than he bargained for.
Get ready for the movies, too.
Aquaman Vol. 1: The Drowning: Aquaman is at odds, with his Atlantean and earthly heritages. The King finds himself besieged from all sides, even as he tries to maintain peace by opening an embassy on dry land. Of course, Black Manta makes his bloody quest for power, too. This is action and adventure.
And picking up these won't hurt, either: Justice League Vol. 1: The Extinction Machine, out Jan. 24; Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Lies, Feb. 28; and Cyborg Vol. 1: The Imitation of Life, March 28.
The comics giant plans to keep this up through July. And so should you.
