*Talking about this series will inevitably involve one major spoiler.*
I missed writing about this show while it was airing—it was on my list of TV shows to discuss, but it kept getting pushed down the list by other newer, shinier series. As with a lot of CW stuff, it’s a series that showed a lot of promise but ultimately could’ve been better than it was. That said, I did enjoy Batwoman quite a bit.
Kate Kane makes a startling discovery: her cousin Bruce is really Batman! However, he’s gone missing, and the city of Gotham still needs a Dark Knight. With the help of her associate Luke, Kate creates her own Bat-identity, navigating the tricky world of superheroing as she confronts the villain Alice and her Wonderland gang. But in season 2, Kate follows in her cousin’s footsteps in another way: she goes missing. The suit winds up in the hands of Ryan Wilder, a homeless parolee with a passion for protecting those no one else is looking out for. Once again, Gotham, along with Kate’s loved ones, has to adjust to a new Bat in town.
As I mentioned in the summary, the show undergoes a massive change in season 2, replacing its lead with a brand-new character (besides that, one not from the comics.) Serious stuff went down on set in the first season, and even though I enjoyed both versions of the show, “making art/entertainment” is no excuse for anyone to endure an unsafe/hostile work environment. Be better, Hollywood.
As a result of this behind-the-scenes turmoil, the series is divided in two, seriously reinventing itself after the first season. This makes it a little tough to discuss it after the fact. One major theme across both incarnations of the show is public perception of superheroes—not just the usual “savior or menace?” debate, but how people view superheroes based on different aspects of their identity. When Kate initially dons the Batsuit, people can’t tell if she’s a man or a woman, so she adds a long red wig when she makes the suit her own. But then she’s weirded out when people start trying to pair Batwoman up in the tabloids, with Luke pointing out that her look gives off straight energy, and she faces the prospect of having to come out all over again. Meanwhile, when Ryan takes up the cowl, she swaps out Kate’s wig for a textured one, wanting it to be immediately clear from her silhouette that the new Batwoman is Black. It's neat to see these two queer women taking on the same role, how their experiences are similar and different, and how each interacts with the supporting characters.
When it comes to the superhero action stuff, the show is at its best when the main villain, for both Kate and Ryan, is Alice. The whimsical but deeply damaged baddie immediately pops on the screen. Both heroines have a personal interest in their clashes with Alice, by turns wanting to take her down, reluctantly working with her against a greater shared foe, and feeling sorry for her. When the show veers away from Alice to other rogues populating Gotham, or sometimes just plain old corruption, it’s still enjoyable but doesn’t hold my interest quite as well.
The other supporting characters mostly fare well. I really like Kate’s growing friendship with Luke (son of Batman’s R&D genius Lucius Fox,) and it’s interesting to see his inner conflict when Ryan steps in. I love Kate’s stepsister Mary. I’m a sucker for a feminine character with stereotypically “frivolous” interests, who displays just how valuable they are without having to take on traditionally masculine traits. Somewhat awkwardly, Kate and Ryan have consecutive will-they-won’t-they interactions with Sophie, with baggage on both sides—she and Kate are exes, and Sophie was able to hide when Kate was outed in a hugely impactful way, while Ryan’s past encounters with the criminal justice system make her very wary of Sophie, who works in law enforcement.
As Kate and Ryan, Ruby Rose and Javicia Leslie both serve as capable protagonists for the series. Both characters have been hurt in the past and guard against their own vulnerabilities, and I like seeing how each inhabits the cowl in their own way. Nicole Kang is an utter delight as Mary and Rachel Skarsten gives it her all as Alice. Camrus Johnson offers up a solid grounding presence as Luke, and Meagan Tandy does well with Sophie, although her character isn’t served as well by the writing overall.
Supergirl remains the Arrowverse show I love most of all, but Batwoman is pretty good too. It offers up some good twists and features a number of interesting characters who play well off each other. That’s a win in my book!
Warnings
Violence (including child abduction and police violence,) sexual content, language, drinking/ drug use, and thematic elements.
