DC TV Roundup: Jerome Rises And Legends Stumble

While Marvel and DC battle to see who wins at the box office, it’s virtually inarguable that it's the latter who dominates the small screen. Now having taken over four nights of the week when it comes to prime time programming, serialized superhero storytelling has swiftly become a cornerstone in the lives of many a geek these days. And who could blame any of us? Twenty-some episodes afford more character development and make room for introductions of heroes and villains that you would never be able to see in a two-hour movie. Multiply those possibilities due to a handful of these shows now existing and we’re being treated to a Golden Age of Superhero TV that we hope doesn’t end any time soon. Given that, we've established this column with the intent to recap the most memorable moments in DC TV each week, analyzing all the unforgettable developments to occur on Gotham, Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, provided a new episode airs. Check it all out on the next page and be sure to comment down below letting us know what your favorite moment was this week from DC's TV universe. 5) Rip ‘Em! Another week, another swing and a miss for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Don’t misinterpret me by thinking I hate this show, because I don’t. I just feel it’s the weakest link in the Arrowverse because once you think it’s beginning to live up to its potential, it dials itself back to being just another time travel series. Seriously, if you removed words such as “Atom,” “Vixen” and “Firestorm” from a good deal of their teleplays, would you even know this was a DC show in most cases? This week’s episode, “Raiders of the Lost Art,” only added to my frustration because instead of sifting through the virtually unlimited treasure trove that the DC Universe gives them access to, the producers instead opt to do things like having the Waverider crew assure a young George Lucas goes on to make movies. Trust me, these characters could be put to better use. And the much hyped Legion of Doom? So far, they’ve felt like little more than time-hopping goons. One can only hope that next week’s episode will turn the tide and also shed some light on their motivations since it will be told from their point of view. 4) Mr. Smith Goes To National City Much to the delight of many fans, “Supergirl Lives” marked Kevin Smith’s directorial debut on the series and it didn’t disappoint in the slightest. Seeing what a great job he did, we’re more than thrilled knowing that he’s coming back for a second helping later this spring. It’s no secret that Smith excels at capturing emotion, something he certainly did in season 2 of The Flash. But to see him cut loose by dabbling in sci-fi elements takes it to another level. And knowing how fantastical the Superman family mythology can get, there’s certainly a lot to play with in that area. Seeing Kara and Mon-El transported to a far away world brought to life by a combination of some of the best production design and visual effects network television has to offer had to be one of the most memorable moments of this show’s sophomore year. Not only that, but we were once again teased with a mysterious alien race that may very likely serve as the big bads going forward. It was a win all around. 3) No Fate But What We Make When series come back from midseason hiatus, we have a habit of tacking a “B” on the latter half of a particular season. In the case of The Flash, “season 3B.” And when you factor in the knowledge that Grant Gustin has even recorded a new voiceover for the show’s introduction, that terminology is more appropriately used here than in most cases. As Barry Allen attempts to derail a future that sees his best gal, Iris West, getting impaled by Savitar, the groundwork for the rest of the season is laid when they literally put together a checklist of events Team Flash must avert in order to keep the Scarlet Speedster’s lady love alive. Yes, it’s quite overt, but offering up Music Meister and Gorilla Grodd Easter eggs will do nothing but boost fan excitement. Now if only Barry will demand that someone turn over their clothes, their boots and their motorcycle… 2) Resting On Their Laurels This week, “Who Are You?” marked Katie Cassidy’s highly anticipated return as Laurel Lance. Well, not the Laurel Lance that met her demise in season 4, but rather, her Earth-2 doppelganger in Black Siren. Yes, this was the prevailing fan theory and it ultimately turned out to be true, but you have to admit the twist would have been better if the network hadn’t been spoiling it left and right. Many of us expected her to take a heroic turn and inherit the Black Canary mantle, but, unfortunately, that didn’t happen. By choosing not to go that route, the producers have already divided the house of Arrow fans as many feel it’s Cassidy’s right to play such a vital cog in the Green Arrow machine. Even though we’re seemingly not being granted a tale of redemption, an interesting development has occurred with the introduction of Tina Boland, a Hub City native with a Canary Cry of her own. I guess we’ll just have to see how next week’s episode plays out, which is appropriately titled “Second Chances.” But as long as Felicity doesn’t become the new Black Canary, I think we’re good. 1) The Jeroman Empire It could be argued that this week’s episode of Gotham, “Mad City: Smile Like You Mean It,” is worth buying the eventual season 3 collection to be released on DVD and Blu-ray alone. Thanks to some great writing and a performance for the ages delivered by Cameron Monaghan, we were treated to one of the best offerings from this series to date. I also found it quite fortunate that the show is finally catching up with its marketing. It’s really no fault of the producers, as the Jerome Valeska resurrection arc has been playing out at a nice, organic pace, but it doesn’t help when Fox forced us to expect the proto-Joker’s return in episode 12 and consistently spoiled what would be happening next. As for Monaghan’s look and delivery, it was very obvious this interpretation of the character was heavily influenced by Batman: Death of the Family, given that he was sporting a skin mask. Furthermore, I wondered to myself if his cult was a commentary on how the Joker is championed in pop culture, aside from perhaps being inspired by Batman Beyond’s Jokerz gang. But from what we’ve seen of next week’s episode, this installment will no doubt get a run for its money.