Superheroes and superhero movies are all the rage. So much so that it looks like in the next 6 years, there’s going to be at least one major superhero movie that will come out during the summer or winter.
On the small screen, we’re slowly being invaded by superhero-like programs. “Human Target” comes to mind, which has proven kinda successful for FOX mostly because its taking itself less seriously this year and embracing the over-the-top antics that are inherent in most superhero-themed shows, WITHOUT being too cheeky. It’s a fine balance to keep it action-oriented and light, but when it happens, it’s dollars and entertainment for everyone.
But what about “The Cape”? Will it be the replacement for “Heroes”? Probably not. Where “Heroes” began to unravel under the weight of it’s own mythology, “The Cape” will succeed at because it’s focal point is the hero who fights a bunch of bad guys. What makes “The Cape” watchable is the fact that it’s pure escapism — it defies general convention of plausibility, yet retaining the optimism that we yearn for in our own lives. Good fights Evil, sometimes Good wins, but for the most part, it’s a draw. I mean, if it wasn’t, how do they expect to run in syndication?
But what makes the show hard to watch is the lame dialogue, the plot holes, and cheesy C-subplots involving our hero Faraday learning something new a-la-Batman-Begins in order to aid in his crime fighting. But all this, I can dismiss. Why? For some reason, it’s a show beyond the capes and cowls — it’s a story about a man trying to save his town from rotting within, about a family torn apart that is trying to rebuild itself, and of course, it’s got more questions than it does answers. What’s Orwell’s origin? Why isn’t the circus more popular? And what is Chess’ endgame?
Will “The Cape” survive? Eh, stranger things have happened. If it can step up it’s storylines, better dialogue, and maybe even give us more origin questions to ponder, then this little engine-that-could might actually have a shot of making it to the fall.
In a Spring Season where family shows, crime procedurals and sitcoms are out for every viewer, a superhero show kinda stands out, and makes for a bit of refreshing adventure. That is, until the alien invasion shows spring up in the Fall… 😉
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