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- Over Two Decades of DC Television Legacy Came to a Conclusion
- When One Door Closes, Another One Opens for DC
As a long-time DC Comics fan, I must say that I am genuinely excited about the new direction the universe is taking. The conclusion of Superman & Lois marks the end of two eras, but it also opens the door for something fresh and exciting.
In the opening week of December 2024, DC Comics adaptation enthusiasts experienced a mix of excitement and nostalgia. The final episode of “Superman & Lois” was broadcasted on The CW on December 2nd, 2024, signifying not only the conclusion of the CW Arrowverse that started with “Arrow” in 2012 but also the end of a long-running era of superhero television that began with “Smallville” over two decades ago. Just three days later, fans were introduced to their first piece of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s ambitious interconnected DCU with the premiere of “Creature Commandos,” which debuted on Max.
Fans experienced a mix of feelings, swinging between sorrow over the conclusion of an influential era that significantly shaped many beloved DC characters and broadened their fanbase, and excitement about the prospects of a fresh start in a new interconnected universe. It’s healthier for fans to embrace both sentiments rather than dismissing the new or disregarding the past altogether. Come December 2024, or DCember, it marks a significant milestone for the brand – saying goodbye to the CW DC television shows and welcoming the DC Universe instead.
Over Two Decades of DC Television Legacy Came to a Conclusion
Originally, Superman & Lois was planned as part of The Arrowverse, a collection of interconnected DC TV shows on The CW. This universe started with Arrow in 2012 and expanded to include series such as The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Batwoman. Ideas for Superman & Lois were first introduced in Supergirl and the crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths in 2019. However, when the series premiered on The CW in 2021, it had moved to a separate universe that featured the same actors as Superman and Lois Lane from the Arrowverse.
The climax of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” marked the highest point of The CW’s Arrowverse’s viewership, and soon afterward, several shows started to wind down their productions. “Arrow” finished in 2020, followed by “Black Lightning” in 2021. By 2022, “Supergirl” ended, as did “Legends of Tomorrow,” “Batwoman,” and eventually, only “The Flash” remained on the air until it wrapped up its nine-season journey in 2023.
Despite having other DC series such as “Superman & Lois”, “Gotham Knights”, and “Stargirl” on air, it’s worth noting that “Stargirl” completed its three-season journey that year and “Gotham Knights” was unfortunately canceled after just one season. “Superman & Lois” continued to be the only DC series on The CW, but it found itself in the midst of a corporate reshuffle. Nexstar took over The CW’s leadership, and there were significant changes at Warner Bros. and DC. These shifts seemed to favor having only one Superman in the market by 2025, leading to the difficult decision to terminate “Superman & Lois” after four seasons.
Although Superman & Lois doesn’t belong to the Arrowverse, having its lead actors who initially portrayed the characters in that universe made the finale of Superman & Lois seem more akin to the actual ending of the franchise compared to how The Flash ended in 2023. Even though it’s been over a year since the Arrowverse seemed to conclude, the heartfelt finale of watching Clark Kent and Lois Lane grow old together in Superman & Lois felt like a genuine farewell to the franchise.
Not only did the finale of “Superman & Lois” signify a significant milestone, but it also symbolizes the first time in The CW’s history that they won’t have a DC superhero series airing on their schedule. The CW was established in September 2006 as a merger between The WB and UPN, and upon its creation, it took over shows from both original networks, including “Smallville.” “Smallville” premiered its sixth season on the new CW network and continued airing until the end of its 10-season run.
For approximately 23 years, starting from 2001 and with only a short break in 2011-2012, a DC superhero series was consistently broadcast on The WB’s major network. This continuity began with Smallville in 2001, concluded in May 2011, and was followed by Arrow, which debuted on The CW in October 2012. This new era of DC television continued until Superman & Lois.
As a die-hard fan, it seems only right that the Superman saga started on our screens with the coming-of-age tale of Clark Kent in ‘Smallville’, while the final chapter was woven around the story of Clark and Lois Lane nurturing their sons on their Smallville farm – bidding a poignant farewell to the Man of Steel. For over two decades, The WB/CW has been our home for the journey of Superman, from his inception to his ultimate demise, beautifully wrapping up the DC Comics era. There couldn’t be a more fitting swansong to the Arrowverse and The WB/CW’s rich DC history than ‘Superman & Lois’.
When One Door Closes, Another One Opens for DC
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but marvel at how Superman & Lois‘s finale signaled the close of two significant chapters, yet swiftly, the gears were set in motion for the next instalment – Creature Commandos. This captivating adult-oriented animated series is a reimagining of an obscure comic book from the ’80s and serves as the opening salvo of what James Gunn has termed ‘Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters’. This is the inaugural phase of the interconnected DC Universe that Gunn envisions, encompassing a vast tapestry of projects spanning film, live-action television, animated series, and video games. Gunn’s ambitions are nothing short of extraordinary!
In contrast to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which only recently began fully merging its television shows into their shared universe, the DCU is launching its interconnected universe from the start. The animated series “Creature Commandos” serves as an introduction, with this connection continuing in “Superman”, “Peacemaker’s” second season, “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow”, “Lanterns”, and other forthcoming productions.
As a die-hard film enthusiast, I’ve always noticed the stark divide between DC’s television and cinematic universes. For years, it seemed like they were operating on completely separate tracks – if a movie about a character was in the works, no live-action series could be produced, which is why neither Batman nor Wonder Woman graced the screens of Smallville, but characters like Green Arrow and Aquaman did. The Arrowverse and the DCEU have been coexisting for years, with only a fleeting appearance by Ezra Miller in Crisis on Infinite Earths serving as any crossover. Interestingly, even though The Flash movie features numerous multiverse cameos, the Arrowverse was never mentioned within it.
The debut of Creature Commandos marks a significant shift for DC Comics, one that erases the barriers between different mediums such as live-action and animation, or movies and TV shows. This new universe brings together these aspects rather than keeping them separate. Furthermore, it’s thrilling to imagine being at the beginning of something fresh and boundless, a universe teeming with untapped potential. Despite the captivating narratives woven by the MCU over the years, established franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pokémon can sometimes feel creatively restrictive and intimidating to dive into.
The DCU marks a fresh beginning with boundless possibilities; who will make an appearance among its heroic ranks, and which actors will breathe life into them? Which tales will be reimagined? This is much like the anticipation comic book enthusiasts felt during the launch of publishing ventures such as Marvel’s Ultimate Universe, DC’s New 52, or even the latest DC Absolute Power. Everything is fresh and uncertain.
The first week of December 2024 may not seem significant now, but it’s likely to be a moment many fans will recall fondly as a pivotal point. The series Superman & Lois is expected to be considered one of the greatest portrayals of Superman and a notable achievement in DC television, irrespective of its connection to other narratives. Upon wrapping up, it handed over the responsibility to James Gunn’s new DC Universe, which kicks off with Creature Commandos and will proceed seven months later with the debut of Superman, a production that is being acclaimed as the true beginning of the DC Universe.
In contrast to past shifts in DC, which were often characterized by a comics “Crisis” event or the sudden end of a film series, fans have been given a fitting farewell for one era in DC history with an impressive finale. Simultaneously, they’ve been allowed to warmly welcome a new beginning with a superb two-episode premiere that promises an exciting future, much like Superman would say, “a brighter tomorrow.” By the way, you can catch Creature Commandos on Max.
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2024-12-07 05:02