Oh Happy Day!
Apparently Smallville wasn't enough. Now there's going to be The Graysons...
You know, I'm actually kind of intrigued by this. Smallville made me despise Clark Kent to the point that it took a weekend mainlining Lois and Clark to remember why I enjoy the character again. But... I ALREADY hate Dick Grayson with a passion. So, will I hate him more? Or will I hate him so much that it will cycle right around to liking.
I actually kind of want to find out!
The one thing that irritates me is "DJ". Yes. I get it. "Dick" is a fairly old fashioned nickname we're not likely to hear anymore. But, haven't we learned anything from trying to take the wings off Ultimate Cap's helmet? We're talking about Bruce Wayne's first and most famous ROBIN here. And even if we're not likely to see him in elf books or a domino mask, the audience is going to damn well know they're watching ROBIN.
Trying to modernize Dick's name does not address the innate cheesiness that is Dick Grayson, which is this is a kid who is going to dress up in elf boots and green panties IN PUBLIC at some point in the future. Having a first name that's a euphemism for a male sexual origin or a disagreeable fellow is the least of his problems!
(There better be circus hijinx, damnit. That's all I'm sayin'.)
You know, I'm actually kind of intrigued by this. Smallville made me despise Clark Kent to the point that it took a weekend mainlining Lois and Clark to remember why I enjoy the character again. But... I ALREADY hate Dick Grayson with a passion. So, will I hate him more? Or will I hate him so much that it will cycle right around to liking.
I actually kind of want to find out!
The one thing that irritates me is "DJ". Yes. I get it. "Dick" is a fairly old fashioned nickname we're not likely to hear anymore. But, haven't we learned anything from trying to take the wings off Ultimate Cap's helmet? We're talking about Bruce Wayne's first and most famous ROBIN here. And even if we're not likely to see him in elf books or a domino mask, the audience is going to damn well know they're watching ROBIN.
Trying to modernize Dick's name does not address the innate cheesiness that is Dick Grayson, which is this is a kid who is going to dress up in elf boots and green panties IN PUBLIC at some point in the future. Having a first name that's a euphemism for a male sexual origin or a disagreeable fellow is the least of his problems!
(There better be circus hijinx, damnit. That's all I'm sayin'.)
posted by kalinara @ 2:34 AM
14 Comments:
At October 02, 2008 4:49 AM,
Flidget Jerome said…
I am so, so sorry . . .
OMG, WANT!!!!
At October 02, 2008 8:16 AM,
Thomas said…
Ok, so I made jokes about this yesterday on my own blog, but I'll be serious for a second. What's the point of having a show about what happened to a character before the defining moment in his life? Superman was always different, so Smallville worked as a concept. The point of Dick is that he was a normal kid before his parents died. His superhero origin is tied not only to a singular event, but to another hero, and if you take both of those away, you don't get "early, unknown adventures of Robin" you get "DJ the Amazing Acrobat Boy". And from what I'm reading, they may even be ditching the traveling circus thing. So really, it should be "One Tree Hill" with the occasional mention of the Joker on the TV news in the background. by making him extraordinary before his origin, they completely miss any point the character has. Why don't we get the Adventures of Vic Stone: Normal Teenage Athlete, or Gar Loga: Guy who Will One Day Be Able to Change Into Animals, instead?
At October 02, 2008 8:32 AM,
kalinara said…
Honestly, I have no idea. DJ the Amazing Acrobat Boy doesn't sound particularly interesting to me either. But who knows, maybe they'll do something cool with it.
At October 02, 2008 9:01 AM,
Thomas said…
What kills me is that there are concepts that would work here if they wanted another teenage superhero. Apparently they pulled off a teenage Green Arrow, Flash, and Aquaman. A teenage Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, or just about any other here would work, as long as you start AFTER their origin. And I'd kill someone for a decent Blue Beetle series. But what can you do with Dick Grayson before he becomes Robin that you couldn't do with any other teenager you pulled off the street? He becomes a stand-in and a marketing ploy, like slapping a bat logo on a Happy Meal and calling it a "Bat-meal"
At October 02, 2008 9:12 AM,
SallyP said…
Wait...you mean this is actually SERIOUS??!! I thought it was an elaborate hoax!
At October 02, 2008 10:08 AM,
Anthony Strand said…
The thing that gets me is that this is not a formula for a TV series. It can not be a hit and retain its format.
You can't have seven seasons of Dick Grayson before his parents die, especially if you start him off as a teenager. And even if you do, will the series end with their death? That's not such a great series finale, is it?
At October 02, 2008 10:46 AM,
Anonymous said…
Circuses are too old-fashioned for DJ. He enjoys skateboarding, BMX, urban climbing, Parkour, and otherwise Doing The Dew.
In your heart you know I'm right.
At October 02, 2008 4:03 PM,
Anonymous said…
"Dick" is a fairly old fashioned nickname we're not likely to hear anymore.
Yeesh, next thing you know we'll calling "Bucky" "Jim" and taking the "Captain" off of "Captain Comet" Oh, wait...
At October 02, 2008 8:26 PM,
Ami Angelwings said…
I can just imagine it. Dick starts off at 14, 8 seasons later, he's 22 and still not Robin, Batman has never made an appearance, he's in a love triangle between Helena Bertenelli and Barbara Gordon, his parents are still both fine, Tim Drake is introduced and he's older than Dick... xD
At October 03, 2008 1:43 AM,
Patrick C said…
There could be cool moments. Maybe the season finale has Batman show up, and of course some talk about the Wayne's dying years ago.
And maybe it doesn't adhere to the Smallville "no tights" policy. It could be a back door way of having a live action Batman & Robin starting in season 3!
At October 03, 2008 7:41 AM,
notintheface said…
When I heard about Dick Grayson getting a series pilot, I was thinking "Cool, we'll get a Nightwing series."
No such luck.
"Ok, let's make a show about Dick Grayson, except we'll take away all the things that make Dick cool except one, the acrobatics."
This has "train wreck" written all over it.
Yeah, that'll sell.
At October 03, 2008 7:34 PM,
notintheface said…
Oh, and Ami? They'd probably also have a cameo of Barry and Iris Allen taking their nephew to the circus. Knowing the CW, the nephew's name will probably be "Bart".
At October 07, 2008 10:51 AM,
Your Obedient Serpent said…
I saw this and immediately thought of you.
At October 11, 2008 3:35 AM,
philippos42 said…
Serpent beat me to it.
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