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Holy Bad Ideas, Batman!

Schnikey! / Seth Freilich

Trade News | October 2, 2008 | Comments (22)

The CW is planning to put out a series called “The Graysons.” For those of you losers who aren’t up with your DC comics folklore, Grayson is the surname of the first boy wonder (that would be Robin, of Batman and Robin). In the comics, Dick Grayson was raised by a family of acrobats, the Flying Graysons but, after his parents were killed, he became Bruce Wayne’s ward and eventual sidekick. This CW show is being exec-produced by McG and some “Smallville” producers and will focus on Dick’s years before he became the boy in tights.

I dunno man, you ask me, this is a terrible idea. I mean, look - folks love Superman. So the idea of seeing the boy who would be the Man of Steel follow his path to superheroicism is a good one (with mixed results in its eventual execution). But who gives a flying fuck about Robin? Hell, DC readers voted to have the Jason Todd incarnation of Robin killed, for Christ’s sake. I can’t see anyone clamoring to see the origins of Robin. So, uhm, good luck with this CW.


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Comments

It could be good. The early seasons of Smallville were interesting.

Posted by: Cindy at October 2, 2008 8:28 AM

"exec-produced by McG"

Enough said.

Posted by: Carrie at October 2, 2008 8:34 AM

I dunno, man, that could be part of the point. Like Seinfeld was a show specifically about nothing; it's part of the joke that this is about a character that nobody cares about. Maybe.

Posted by: Eep at October 2, 2008 8:35 AM

People like Robin plenty. DC got hate mail when they killed Jason Todd because people thought they'd killed Dick Grayson. (Of course, it was the readers who killed Jason Todd, anyway.)

But a show about Grayson before he becomes Robin? So it's about a family of acrobats? If he does anything superhero-y before meeting Batman it tosses the character's history right out the window (unlike "Smallville," which has some basis in the comics). This doesn't sound like a winner.

Posted by: Todd at October 2, 2008 9:12 AM

Exactly, Todd. Kal-El was born Kal-El and he only needed to get on this planet to change. There's no story in pre-tragedy Dick Grayson, just as there's no story in pre-tragedy Bruce Wayne. The JLA shoehorning that I've seen "Smallville" doing is stretching it quite far enough. If it's not a heroic story at all then there's no need for it to be Dick Grayson.

Via Newsarama:

From Variety:

In the one-hour "Graysons," which will be set in modern times, young DJ will face challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family as he grows up. Souders and Peterson have come up with an original take on the character.

Given the comparisons to Smallvile, its likely that The Graysons will cast Dick..."DJ"...along the lines of Chris O'Donnell in 1995's Batman Forever, that is a teenager, rather than the young boy as seen in the original comics. What will be interesting to see is how and when other DC Comics characters and elements will be introduced into the series, as the audience will be waiting to see who the series casts as Bruce Wayne.

No it will NOT be "interesting", fucknuts.

Posted by: Jay at October 2, 2008 9:21 AM

I hate to rip nothing more than a concept to shreds out of the gate - I mean, any story has the potential to become a good story, but I gotta agree with Jay.

Even if ... *shudder* DJ has a story, it can't carry on because somewhere down the way there's this little... detail that suddenly flips everything.

Plus, Robin has no personality. Like, give me post-Flash Flash or hell, Deadpool, anytime. I don't see how this is anything but another dull teen drama just like all other dull teen dramas.

Posted by: twig at October 2, 2008 9:26 AM

... and that should have been pre-Flash Flash, not that anyone cares.

too early. commenting too early.

Posted by: twig at October 2, 2008 9:28 AM

Dick wakes up. Dick puts on circus outfit. Dick does circus act. Dick goes to bed.

I JUST WROTE THE WHOLE FUCKING SERIES. Please don't make this show. I love Batman like I love my pancreas. Don't make this show.

Posted by: Lucas at October 2, 2008 10:10 AM

He is my favorite actor. He is seeking someone online now. I saw him at"""""""C e l e b C u p i d.c o m"""""""" last week. What kind of relationship is he looking for on that site?☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Posted by: garnd at October 2, 2008 10:23 AM

Oh dear Jeezapus, can't they leave ANYTHING alone?

Posted by: bucdaddy at October 2, 2008 10:28 AM

GodDAMMIT can I go one day without geeking out?

Hell, DC readers voted to have the Jason Todd incarnation of Robin killed, for Christ's sake.

That was becasue Jason Todd was a dick. A smarmy, idiotic asshole who nearly got himself killed several times. People hated the fucker. The only people who cried when he died were, as Todd stated, people who hadn't read the comics for a while and thought Dick Grayson was still Robin.

And Tim Drake is more kickass that both of them anyway.

I must agree that such a show is ultimately pointless. There is no real drama to mine from it. The logical choice would have been to focus on him becoming Robin (and eventually Nightwing aka the comic-book version of Captain Kirk, for all the alien and superhuman aqss he has tapped). But noooooo. These fucks really want to piss me off, don't they?

And I was having such a good day, too.

Posted by: Vermillion at October 2, 2008 12:33 PM

This sounds so inane. Why not go the SV route with Bruce Wayne? I mean, an attractive, obsessive billionaire teen and the challenges he faces trying to fulfill his self-imposed mission of vigilantism, and how that process is influenced and complicated by the glamorous and corrupt world of the super-rich -- now that sounds pretty damn compelling.

Posted by: firedmyass at October 2, 2008 12:33 PM

Oh wow bank on a Batman craze. It'll just be forced Batman references. Ooh, we'll get to see a young Edward Nigma, hell he'll be Robin's Professor for all the good that'll do you. There is NO STORY HERE. Move it along folks, Move it along.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at October 2, 2008 1:03 PM

Gee, I lied this better the FIRST time, when it was called: "Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within" and it was gayer than TK after two Margaritas.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 2, 2008 1:53 PM

I don't get it...so this is gonna be a show about carnies and circus folk? Because that could be...interesting. Or you know, blow chunks.

Posted by: figgy at October 2, 2008 2:04 PM

As someone who still remembers the pain of the abortion known as "Birds Of Prey," I'm firmly in the "this is gonna suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!" camp. Fuck you McG - what's the matter, couldn't wrangle the film rights for a Wonder Twins movie, douche?

Posted by: David at October 2, 2008 2:11 PM

figgy, if you want carnies, watch "Carnivale."

I'm hoping for lots of homoerotic (sub)text. Otherwise, this is going to be just awful.

Posted by: sistercoyote at October 2, 2008 2:25 PM

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ACROBATS!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
runs around room like a kid dizzy on lemonade

Posted by: rio at October 2, 2008 5:28 PM

Done right, it could work.
But Hollywood doesn't do "done right".

Posted by: Ciji at October 2, 2008 6:24 PM

Batman was my first and most constant obsession. I learned to read because of him, and normally am willing to accept any and all incarnations. But a series on Dick Grayson? He was adopeted by Bats when he was still prepubescent, so unless his parents were secret agents or undercover FBI, I don't see much story there.

As for Jason, I admit it - I voted twice to kill the little nit.

Posted by: funtime42 at October 2, 2008 6:28 PM

Is there really anyone who cares enough about the boy wonder to watch a TV show just about him?

Posted by: BoyWondering at October 3, 2008 1:25 AM

I was a fan of both "Moonlight" and the new "Bionic Woman". And this concept still baffles me. So the series finale would be his parents dying gruesome deaths?

Posted by: Gareth at October 3, 2008 6:32 AM