Comments on: Graysons Headed to CW

By: Maximus Rift

Maximus Rift — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:02:56 +0000

Okay, here’s my knee-jerk reaction : “I hate stinkin’ Teenagers!!” ;p

Seriously, why can’t we have a genuine superhero show? Why can’t we have Tom Welling put on the suit and continue the show in Metropolis? Why not just have a well-done Batman show, instead of ‘Graysons”? Heck, why not a Question show if you’re that afraid of spandex?

If you really need teen heroes, then use the Legion. Plenty of characters. Plenty of romance angles.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:48:59 +0000

Why don’t they just do a spin-off of the Chris Rock show. You could call it “Everybody Hates Dick” or make it more sit-commy and call it “Everyone Loves Dick.” You’d get a lot of accidental viewers. Personally, I’m not so much into Dick, so I’ll pass on this show.

By: ~wyntermute~

~wyntermute~ — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:10:40 +0000

I was going to put in my $0.20 about this earlier (total FAIL), but I figured that was just too knee-jerk a reaction…. Given some time to think it over, I’ve come to a lot of the same conclusions as were posted above. “DJ” (for “Dear Jesus what a lame nickname”) became Robin when he was, like, 9-12 years old. There’s not a whole lotta “pre-batman” that would really resonate with anybody out of grade school.. The character was established as part of a traveling family of acrobats. There’s not much “home life” to focus on…. So essentially, this says “hey, let’s put the name Grayson on an actor who loosely resembles the artist’s depiction of the character, and expect people to go crazy-bananas for it!”

My prediction: it’ll be a hit with girls aged 12-19, and thus will TOTALLY be around for years. :-S

By: Lee Nygma

Lee Nygma — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:11:59 +0000

Maybe this is an attempt to fill in a gap, pre-empting a future Robin appearing in the Batman movie franchise?

Seriously, that’s the closest I can come to putting logic on this. If they’d wanted to do something with Grayson why not pick up the time between him being Robin and becoming Nightwing?

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:02:46 +0000

Everyone is right. This idea sucks. It wouldn’t work, and no one would watch it.

So let me just say whatever one else is thinking.

DC, if you’re looking for a new show, set in the DCU, to replace Smallville, three words, Junior Lifeguard Association.

You’ve already done all the hard work, you already have the actors established. Just pull them all together, throw in some DC villains, and wha-la, a show that’s better than Heroes.

By: Carl

Carl — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:12:41 +0000

With Smallville, they at least had the powers that needed to be dealt with and learn to use. It at least has a connection to Superman that has some notoriety (his youth in Smallville). His career essentially began at a young age because he has powers, is an alien, etc. It may have a lot of “Dawson’s Creek” elements, but it also has super powered bad guys.

Dick Grayson’s career didn’t begin until he met Batman. He was just a kid with nothing that hinted what his future would be.

Other than to lasso an initial audience, what’s the point of lassoing this the DC comics character. You might get some mileage from a circus background. At least the traveling aspect creates a built-in excuse for guest stars, but what connect to Robin/Nightwing can be made. It’s not like Grayson is such a unique name that the connection is automatic the way Clark Kent is.

By the way, DJ?. A nickname for a nickname? It went from Richard to Dick to DJ? Why not RJ? or Rich? or Rick?

By: Matthew Peterson

Matthew Peterson — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:38:37 +0000

This show is a total Gilligan’s Island scenario… If we’re watching a character that we’re expecting to develop into someone we know, it limits the emotional involvement. With Tom Welling, we can do the red jacket that isn’t his cape, and all the nods to what’s going to happen.

With Dick Grayson, he became Robin when he was 8. That’s the boy aspect of Boy Wonder, after all… If you want to do a “Before The Cape” version of a DC hero, I’d recommend one with a more normal childhood, but then I realize that after Superman, none of DC’s big names really had that.

I didn’t mind Aquaman’s pilot (though my daughter and I call it “Teenage Fishman” and sing it to the tune of the Who’s Baba O’Reilly ((”TEENAGE FISHMAAAN! Oh, TEENAGE FISHMAAN! WE’RE ALL FISHMEEN!!!” *Guitar solo*))) but it, too, tried a bit to hard to put the existing character in the whole “Dawson’s Creek” ouvre.

Y’know who might be fun in a story like this? Young Matt Murdock.

By: Jeff O'Connor

Jeff O'Connor — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:26:48 +0000

*cough* “Birds of Prey” *cough*

And the sad thing about that show was that it didn’t quite piss all over the capes ‘n tights aspect of its source material quite as badly as “Smallville” has.

By: MarkCalifornia

MarkCalifornia — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:13:16 +0000

I have no interest seeing a show about Robin before Batman, I could care less about Robin period. It looks like the CW has a niche to fill and this is it. Fail.

By: travelsized

travelsized — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:21:35 +0000

So… it’s about Robin before he becomes Robin, before he meets Batman, and before his parents die? Then what’s the point? I’m guessing he won’t be in the circus, either, though if he were, you’d end up with a mix of One Tree Hill (since it’s CW) and Kung-Fu, but with carnie-folk.

Actually, that would be kind of awesome. A team of carnies traveling from town to town, solving crimes and helping people in need. Well, it would be awesome for one episode.

By: Slappy

Slappy — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:00:03 +0000

I saw the Aquaman pilot starring Justin Hartley as AC, and it was ok with a lot of potential. This sh believe is doomed from the start. How can dick be the boy wonder if he is a Chris O’Donnel’s age when he becomes Robin. Those movies sucked and killed the franchise for a reason. If they wanted to do another Barbera Gordon show as a young girl/teen pree batgirl, that could possibly work. Keep the commish in but only mention the Batman on occassion. Contrary to the cartoons I don’t believe Batgirl started as a young teen.
If this show develops, I am certain that it will quicklyhe way of Birds of Prey.

By: Young

Young — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:31:52 +0000

“first loves”??? Wasn’t Dick a youngster of about 12 when his parents died? How many first loves does a kid before his teen have nowadays? I really don’t see this going anywhere or being remotely related to the comics.

By: Craig M.

Craig M. — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:10:37 +0000

DJ? Gimme a break. Of course this assumes that they even buy the series. Remember “Mercy Reef” or whatever the Aquaman show was called?