Smallville is fast approaching it’s series finale, most likely coming up in May during sweeps (a few minutes of research does indicate that Smallville usually wraps up its seasons in May). That’s a big presence for the DC Universe on TV, and it’s big ratings for CW that are just going to vanish into the air when it goes. But what if they didn’t have to? What if they could cultivate a new audience with a new show, also set in a CW-drama version of the DC Universe? That could definitely do some good numbers, but it’s all a matter of which character to tackle with it.
A few years ago there were rumblings about a show based on Aquaman, and a pilot was even made featuring Justin Hartley as the title character. The producers were baffled when the show wasn’t picked up, and the pilot can still be downloaded off of iTunes (apparently), and I’ve been told it’s up to Smallville quality. Needless to say that Justin Hartley wound up just joining the Smallville cast, and as Oliver “Green Arrow” Queen, he’s made himself an important part of the show. About two years after that happened some Smallville producers and the network figured that Dick Grayson would make for a perfect character in a Smallville esque show, and so The Graysons was almost born. A show about Dick Grayson’s life before becoming Robin….which only really works if you follow the continuity of the original movies where he was already a punk teenager bordering on adulthood, as opposed to the comic book version that put on his first domino mask and short pants when he was eight years old. Rumors persist that the show never made it off the ground in large part due to Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies, and his rumored insistence that DC not do any other Batman cartoons/tv shows/movies until he was done. If that much is true, then I’ve never been happier for someone who didn’t want to share sandbox space with the neighbor kids.
Now I know the big names for a show like this would have to be Batman, or Wonder Woman, or even The Flash. Big name characters, built in fanbases, and hey, it worked with Superman so why not?
Well, how about this knowledge that I’m about to drop on your brains, the DC character that seems most likely to be getting their own TV show?
The Teen Titan known as Raven.
There’s a script order for the CW handed down from Warner Bros. TV and DC Entertainment. Former co-executive VP for ABC’s V, as well as Joss Whedon’s assistant during Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Diego Gutierrez, is writing the script for the pilot, and will also be an executive producer the show.
Raven might seem like a dark horse choice, as her best known mainstream tie would be the Teen Titans cartoon series that ran for several years on Cartoon Network, but as far as characters go for a serialized drama series? I honestly can’t think of anyone better. The half human, half demon daughter of the evil Trigon, Raven is an empath who is unable to release her own emotions for fear of her father gaining power over her and using her and her abilities as a conduit for his own takeover of Earth. Her origin just oozes drama in a way that few other DC icons really can muster, and all it would serve to do is give more and more material for show runners.
Not to mention that the obvious Teen Titans tie opens up characters showing up along the way, not unlike the mini Justice League in Smallville. Even looking past that, it also opens up the magic half of the DC Universe as Raven is also well versed in the art of sorcery. Couple in the fact that the character is intended to be a teenager during her prime, and you’ve got a character that you can keep young for a while without feeling forced to continue aging them to the point where…..well, Smallville happens and Clark is in his 20’s and can’t fly.
No word yet on when this show would be happening, or even how likely it is to be happening, but Raven on the CW? I’d watch it.
