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NBC’s ‘Powerless’ could take a note from ‘Parks & Rec’
The wait for DC Comics’ first foray into the sitcom world has been longer than expected — but on Thursday (Feb. 2), “Powerless” finally premiered on NBC. Was the wait worth it? The jury’s still out — but we have a few notes for the Wayne Security team moving forward.
As it looks — right now, anyway — “Powerless” is aiming to fill the office-comedy hole in NBC’s current lineup. It’s a difficult balance, replacing the likes of “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” but the series — starring Vanessa Hudgens, Danny Pudi, Ron Funches and Alan Tudyk — creatively puts a group of ordinary folks together in a rather extraordinary world.
Charm City is plagued with a B-list of superheroes and villains, but so far the story’s hampered by the relationships of the team: There’s a lack of the friendship, or at least respect, that made those previous hits work.
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Originally, the series sounded like it would be DC’s answer to Marvel’s “Damage Control.” But after the pilot screening at San Diego Comic-Con, the team quickly went back to work — with the goal of retooling the premiere episode from the ground up.
The story no longer follows a group of insurance agents protecting innocent bystanders against the inevitable destruction superheroes cause. Instead, soon after showrunner Ben Queen exited the series, the pilot was reshot, with a new scenario centering our team of heroes at Wayne Security — the establishment owned by Bruce Wayne — devising cutting-edge tools to assist in guarding civilians against supervillain attacks.
The synopsis shift happened quite fast and, with the new pilot, a noticeably different dynamic presented itself in the show’s characters — a palpable downgrade in tone. Thursday’s episode, aptly titled “Wayne of Lose,” delivers jokes aplenty — and the obligatory comic book references — but the characters have a long way to go.
We may be off-base in suggesting this, but you can only go so far with the dynamic of an out-of-touch boss — Van Wayne (Tudyk) feels like a Ron Swanson/Michael Scott hybrid — and a hopeful, optimistic lead — Emily (Vanessa Hudgens) is totally a DC Leslie Knope — before things feel outdated.
Taking inspiration from TV characters that have worked, especially ones that exist in NBC’s repertoire, is not a bad thing. But the “Powerless” pilot puts comic book expectations and uneven writing ahead of what really matters here: The characters themselves. Of course, a spotty pilot is more often than not the way things go, and there’s plenty of room to grow here — heck, “Parks and Recreation” is, for a lot of people, the perfect example: A first season that gives no indication of the heights the show would reach.
Now that “Powerless” is upon us, we have one simple request of the cast and crew: Spread the love. A superhero comedy with echoes of “The Office” and “Parks and Rec” is a formula for success — but that can’t be all it is.
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To feel for a character — whether in TV or film — the audience needs someone to connect with. We caught a good look at Emily’s undying optimism on Thursday night, but that personality trait can only take us so far, amid so many so-far one-dimensional characters. Adding in the mutual respect that comes with the common thread of love between characters would simply endear the audience to Wayne Security’s employees — from quirky Teddy (Danny Pudi) to caustic Van Wayne (Alan Tudyk), and everyone in-between.
It may take some time for “Powerless” to find its groove: There was a time when we thought “Superstore” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” wouldn’t make it past their first seasons. But, those shows are great examples of a team finding their footing — remember back when Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) was unlikable, or when the “Superstore” team seemed to find each other more onerous than the duties they’re always complaining about? — and as we’ve seen, both programs quickly grew, and now consistently deliver the comedic goods. A sitcom is a lot more than its punchlines, and we’d love to see the “Powerless” team get there as soon as possible.
“Powerless” airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.