Overall, I haven't many quarrels with the current slate of DCEU live-action features. All 3 films have had their problems (some more upsetting than others), but they do display a built-up universe that has the potential to get better-and-better with each passing installment. With that in-mind, let's take a quick look at what DC's been doing with their television adaptations. Personally, I don't care for them (same goes for Marvel, minus their Netflix efforts), though I'm pleased to see that many people have become fans of such shows as
The Flash and
Supergirl, both of which help in showcasing how successful a series based on popular characters can become. While this is, for the time being, a good start, I'd love to see WB/DC take it to the next level with one of the best (if not,
the best) networks on TV:
HBO.
Looking at shows such as The Wire, The Sopranos and, more recently, the first season of True Detective, it's debatable why WB hasn't prominently featured their DC properties across this medium. Game of Thrones is their shining star for the time being and, with a new show like Westworld on the horizon, they seem nearly unstoppable, at least for now. With the growing interest in Netflix-programming (and amazing series like Daredevil, House of Cards, Stranger Things, etc.), maybe it's about time for DC to battle back for when it comes down to total-television-domination. What better way to challenge Marvel's run than a TV series based on their most-beloved character: The Batman?
Earlier I brought up the first season of True Detective, by this point in time, you've probably heard all about how amazing the series turned out to be, and how disappointing the second season ended up being. A great cast was utilized, with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson delivering (arguably) the finest performances in their already-impressive careers, and the screenwriting was impeccable, leaving enough breadcrumbs within each episode to uncover the haunting mystery along with our two-leading characters. Within the live-action Batman movies, there has been almost zero detective-work throughout, and that's truly a shame, considering this is the World's Greatest Detective. Hell, if shows like Sherlock and True Detective are putting Batman's investigative abilities to shame... it's probably about time to bring the character back full-circle.
Remember Batman: The Animated Series or, better yet, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm? Those were the ultimate, crowing-achievements for The Dark Knight (in my opinion) because they explored adult-themes without having to talk-down to kids. Something that Suicide Squad failed with was the backstory for Harley Quinn, though Margot Robbie and Jared Leto gave solid performances, the material to make worthwhile characters was not properly portrayed, whereas Batman: The Animated Series (in particular, the episode entitled "Mad Love") handled the character in a genuine, wholehearted way; turning her into a fan-favourite character in the process. With so much footage of actual substance just lying on the cutting room floor for Suicide Squad, such as more scenes between The Joker and Harley, showcasing their abusive relationship (making Harley Quinn a more naive, sympathetic character, as opposed to a cliched, "Puddin'" rider), it's easy to imagine a movie as ambitious as Suicide Squad making a greater splash as a television series rather than a crammed 2-hour feature film.
With a phenomenal actor/director currently invested in the Batman role, why not transform this slated Batman movie into an HBO mini-series instead? Sure, it'd be a gamble. But haven't WB/DC been trying that enough with risky investments such as Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad alike? They've got the perfect model in-place for a live-action Batman series and it's called True Detective, that show would have ended perfectly after the first season because everything had a logical resolution: not every bad guy headed up behind bars (or worse) because our two detectives at the heart of the tale are not superhuman, they're just men looking to right past wrongs and make positive changes in the process. By the end of the show's first season, we appreciate both of these characters because we've journeyed with them throughout their times of corruption and days for redemption to take hold.
We need a Batman live-action series if we want to see television be (once again) revolutionized. I am sick of having to wait 2-3 years at a time in-order to see my favourite superheroes/villains on the big-screen, and for what? Only to be disappointed by the final-product? Something like that only amounts to a whole lotta hype for a whole lotta nothin', and that's not fair to the fans who inject endless doses of cash into these ongoing franchises. We need substance, not generic action sequences where a blue-light is blasted into the sky and threatens to destroy the world only for our protagonists to stop the threat just in the nick of time. Can we get a Batman series that lets The Caped Crusader actually talk to his antagonists, rather than just punch 'em up all the time? If they're going to do an idea like this right, they need the right person for the job, somebody who's familiar with the crime genre, and somebody who's worked with our lead actor before (in what may be his best performance to-date).
Of course, I'm talking about David Fincher.