Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Like This? Try That: The CW Superhero Edition


Some days, the fangirl life can be tough. Your favorite TV show goes on summer hiatus, you have to wait an entire year to read the next installment in a new book series, you've watched Lord of the Rings three times in a row and still can't believe there aren't any more movies coming. So what should you do during this time of waiting? Find a new fandom to love, of course! There are an endless supply of fandoms out there, but you just need to figure out what you like. That's where I come in. "Like This? Try That" is a new way to share similar recommendations for popular TV shows, genre book series, your favorite movie franchises, or any type of fandom you love.

Since the CW superhero shows are on hiatus until the end of April, I thought I'd spotlight a few shows similar to the ones I've come to love on the CW. If you watch Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, or Legends of Tomorrow and you're looking for something new to experience, check out these recommendations!

If you like Arrow, try Daredevil


Maybe it's breaching some kind of golden rule to recommend a Marvel show for DC fans, but I like to think you can be in both fandoms without having to choose sides. That being said, when Daredevil first released on Netflix, I saw a lot of people comparing it to Arrow (Stephen Amell even made a comment about it). For good reason. Arrow and Daredevil share several similarities, most importantly a main character without superpowers who has a personal vendetta to save his city. From the Green Arrow suit to the Daredevil suit to the darker tones and more realistic and serious portrayals to dealing with mob bosses and drug dealers, these shows go hand-in-hand with depicting the darker, grittier side of the superhero universes. While Arrow is rated TV-14, Daredevil is rated TV-M, so it does go a step further with the gritty violence of the big city underworld. If you're a fan of Arrow, you might want to give Daredevil a shot.

If you like The Flash, try Smallville


Smallville was the first superhero show on the CW, which paved the way for the lineup we have today. Still, I think it's worth watching--at least most of it--if you're a fan of The Flash. The main storylines are similar: a guy with incredible super powers tries to save the world and live a normal life. Clark and Barry both have super powers that they use to help people; they both have big hearts and they personally carry the world on their shoulders. They encounter all types of crazy things from aliens to other meta-humans. They're surrounded by a great group of people who help them in their journey to becoming a hero. They struggle with romantic relationships, parental relationships, and friendships. The shows follow similar paths, maybe with different aspects, but they're both pretty standard superhero shows. I think if you like The Flash, you'll enjoy Smallville just as much. Plus, a different version of Barry Allen makes an appearance here and there in Smallville as well.

If you like Supergirl, try Agent Carter


There aren't a lot of solo female superhero shows out there yet, and there aren't many with the optimistic, morally upright, do-the-right-thing-just-because main character like Kara Danvers. Agent Carter, however, is one of these shows. While Peggy Carter doesn't have superpowers, she has determination, confidence, and intelligence--traits Kara also possesses. Both of these stunning leading ladies do their best to help save those around them and the world. While Agent Carter is set during the 1950s, I think the feminist themes and strong female characters will appeal to fans of Supergirl. In addition, both main characters wear red and blue, encounter bizarre things from aliens to weird portals to meta-humans, and are stuck in awkward romantic relationships and love triangles. All in all, if you like Supergirl for Kara's character and the strong female role models, Agent Carter is right up your alley.

If you like Legends of Tomorrow, try Doctor Who


What show involves time-travel adventures, hilarious jokes, a large cast of characters that come and go, John Barrowman, and Arthur Darvill? That's right folks, Legends of Tomorrow. But also Doctor Who. If you like Legends of Tomorrow for the fun time travel and the characters, I have no doubt you'll enjoy Doctor Who for its fun time travel and characters. Both shows follow a ragtag group that jumps from time to place in order to accomplish some kind of goal or stop some kind of evil from ripping the universe apart. Both shows incorporate a lot of humor and have a large cast of characters, which sometimes changes from season to season. Plus, John Barrowman and Arthur Darvill star in both shows. I'd say that fans of Legends of Tomorrow would definitely enjoy Doctor Who.

Do you agree with these recommendations? What other fandoms would CW superhero fans enjoy?

1 comment:

  1. Great post, about some pretty awesome shows! (I think I've watched them all except Daredevil, though I'm behind on a couple of them, and probably only caught Agent Carter once or twice.) People can't go wrong with any of these!

    One thing, though, and I hate to be that girl. *nerd alert* But that wasn't Barry in Smallville, it was Bart. (Bart was the only speedster DC would let them use, though they took elements of Barry's story to add to Bart's from the comics.) Have I mentioned before that Bart was one of my favorite Smallville characters? I looked up everything "The Flash" related online once he showed up. (and for some reason I get picky and protective? Sorry!) Basically, I have as of yet to read the actual comics, but know all the storylines for each person who's used the title anyway. *facepalm*

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