We have seen a lot of superhero movies and TV shows by now, which show the heroics of said superheroes. However, NBC’s Powerless, the newest comedy from the network, shows a different take on the cookie-cutter superhero show. So let’s look at what Powerless is all about and what was my first impression of the show.
Background on NBC’s Powerless
Although most superhero shows reside on The CW and Fox, NBC, too, has now dipped their toes in the DC Comic universe. This take on superhero TV series comes from Ben Queen, who previously delivered us the comedy series A to Z. However, the creator parted ways with the show after the first pilot of it aired in San Diego Comic-Con 2016 and NBC decided they wanted to go in a different direction with the premises of the show. Since then the show received a plot makeover and its pilot was re-shot to turn into one that we saw.
The show stars Vanessa Hudgens as Emily Locke, the protagonist of the show. Along with her Alan Tudyk plays Van Wayne, Emily’s boss at Wayne’s Security and cousin of Bruce Wayne, Danny Pudi, Jannie Pierson and Ron Funches star as Teddy, Wendy and Ron, Emily’s co-workers and Christina Kirk plays Van Wayne’s assistant Jackie.
NBC’s Powerless follows Emily Locke, the newest employee at Wayne’s Security and the new head of the company’s R&D team. Emily is excited for her big break and chance to finally fulfill her dreams of living in a city full of superheroes. But she quickly realizes that it might not be all rainbows and unicorns. She learns that Wayne’s Security night me closing. So she needs to come up with new innovations to keep her job and Wayne’s Security open.
Initial thoughts
This show sounded very interesting to me from the very beginning, since NBC’s Powerless delivers new take on superheroing. And, although, I didn’t see the first version of the series pilot episode that was shown at SDCC, which many thought to be better than the one that aired a couple of days ago, I still think that this first episode of the show was engaging and interesting enough to keep my attention and for me to tune in to see the next one.
Story and execution
The story of the show provides many opportunities to explore, what would it be like if superhero battles happened regurarly. And the execution of it was good, too.
The show introduced the main character Emily as small-town girl, who has dreamed of superheroes her whole life. But we quickly learn that underneath all that cheeriness is a woman who strives to succeed in her carrier. Vanessa Hudgens is a great fit as lead for this sit-com, able to pull of both comedy and drama. However, the fact that this was just the pilot episode showed, so we will have to wait and see if the cast’s chemistry improves as the next episodes of the show air.
Lack of superheroes
Although Powerless might be a show based in the DC comic universe, I am glad that superheroes really weren’t in it that much. Not all would agree, but I see this as a blessing. This show isn’t about superheroes, rather about quiet everyday heroes, who doesn’t have superpowers, but still protect us from harm. And I hope that this lack of superheroes will continue throughout the show, since it would be sad to see it loose the thing that makes NBC’s Powerless so unique and distinguishable from other superhero TV shows.
The Verdict
If you are a fan of superhero shows like Supergirl or Lucifer or if you like the sit-com format, then you should definitely give NBC’s Powerless a shot. The comedy in the pilot might have lacked a bit and the lines were a bit cheesy. But if you are willing to live with it and want a show that will provide entertainment, then Powerless is for you.
Additionally, the the brightness of the show provides just the distraction that many of us need after long work days. And the fact that the show doesn’t use explicit language and has subtle themes of family, friendships and helping others woven into it, makes it family-friendly and good Thursday night family entertainment.