So, Gotham premieres on FOX in a few days and I am thrilled. In a couple of short weeks, Arrow returns and The Flash and Constantine make their debut onto network television. Now, Batman vs. Superman is still over a year away, 18 months to be exact. At that point, we will be on Season 4 of Arrow and Season 2 of The Flash, Constantine, and Gotham. AND possibly in the middle of the first season of TNT's Teen Titans series and CBS' Supergirl series.
The point of this article is to point out that while WB takes their time (so to speak) bringing characters to the big screen, almost the entire Justice League and friends will already be introduced to the small screen cumulating in more screen time than the big screen heroes will be getting. Several key people in the DC film productions have stated that DCTV and the DCCU will not be crossing over, but is this really the Best move for this newly developing live-action DC presence? I hate comparing DC to Marvel because they are so different and shouldn't be compared, but from a media producer standpoint, Marvel is defenitely beating DC. They have several film franchises networked together and a TV show. That is a brilliant strategy which is also going to be combining Netflix into the equation soon too.
The thing I can't wrap my brain around is why DC is not clamoring to capitalize on this strategy when ALL of the pieces needed for this setup are coming together? Literally, network after networks are aiming to market off of a DC TV show, none for Marvel, there was way more interest this year in BvS:DoJ than Avengers:AoU at comic-con. Netflix quickly signed a deal to release Gotham on streaming as soon as they can. Why is WB/DC not taking advantage of this? I think that having Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman (present), Aquaman, and possibly Green Lantern developed on the big screen while The Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Supergirl, The Atom, Firestorm, The Huntress, Constantine, Batman (past), and many more to come on the small screen gives DC the most "surface-area" for character development for a broad amount of character. Far so much more than Marvel.
I think about this issue like this. Imagine that DC and Marvel are numerous strands of Christmas lights. The plug on the wall is the audience. Marvel was smart and plugged each strand in after another forming one contiuom of lights that only requires one plug. DC on the other hand is trying to plug 6 different strands (WB, TNT, CW, NBC, FOX, CBS) into the same plug which is going to have to force the plug to not keep constant power to 5 strands while it focuses on the other. You see the issue. If DC/WB/CW/NBC/FOX/CBS/TNT doesn't cumulate their shows into one universe, DC will quickly become overkill and I think people are not going to care to watch all these shows. Everyone will go see BvS:DOJ, but after that movie comes out and they continue to expand the league, they will have to recast if they keep their current attitude about uncohesiveness, and people who decide to keep watching one DC show will either get confused or angry that things aren't mixing.
I personally think that a Multiverse theory is dumb for television/film in this day in age. It will confuse more people than it will entertain and I think it will shattefr a lot of the realism and almost understandable powers that are being developed in DC properties.
So my point is, DC is starting to spread itself too thin and instead of building this city of DC properties outward, they should be building upwards.