Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Rapid Weekly Rewind - The CW Superhero TV Summer News


Welcome to the new Rapid Weekly Rewind! Superhero TV is expanding more and more each season I thought it would be a great idea to gather all the news and create a one stop weekly shop for it all. In addition to the news I will also do a recap of that weeks episodes of SupergirlThe FlashArrowDC's Legends of TomorrowGothamAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Marvel  Netflix, and the animated series Vixen and the new Freedom Fighters: The Ray. This first week of articles will catch you up on everything from San Diego Comic Con 2016 to this year's Television Critics Association's Annual Summer Press Tour,  and more for The CW Superhero TV.

The CW made a huge splash at SDCC 2016 showing trailers for 3 out of 4 of their DCTV Shows (Supergirl didn't start production until after SDCC), along with some big announcements. Since then DCTV and The CW has not stopped, immediately after production began on Supergirl Season 2 images of Tyler Hoechlin as Superman appeared everywhere. Then last week the Television Critics Association's Annual Summer Press Tour and The CW DCTV panel featuring the producers of SupergirlThe FlashArrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Announcements about the shows upcoming seasons were made, but if you missed them as they broke on Facebook and Twitter, we’ve rounded them up for you here.




While Supergirl didn't have a trailer at the Supergirl SDCC 2016 Panel a lot of information was revealed including that the person in the pod from the Season 1 Finale would be the character played by Chris Wood, who we now know will be playing Mon-ElMon-El will first show up in the season premiere and traditionally has powers very similar to Supergirl and Superman’s, despite hailing from a different planet.


Wood’s been cast as a series regular, so we know Mon-El will be a significant presence when Supergirl returns in the fall. Whether the show will make any nods to the Legion of Super-Heroes, however, remains to be seen. Kara and Mon-El share a history as seen above so it will be interesting to see if the show uses that to cause drama in Kara's new relationship with James.


Fans of Young Justice and Teen Titans may be excited to learn that Miss Martian will be showing up on Supergirl next season, played by Grimm’s Sharon Leal. Considering we’ve only met one other White Martian on Supergirl so far and he was downright terrifying, it’ll be interesting to see what sort of relationship Leal’s character will have with Martian Manhunter, who teased a big fight that will feature SupergirlSuperman and himself.


Katie McGrath (Merlin, Dracula) has landed the recurring role of Lena Luthor on Supergirl. The character is described as:
"Beautiful, powerful, and enigmatic, Lena arrives in National City on the heels of brother Lex’s incarceration hoping for a fresh start. Lena has taken over as CEO of her family’s billion-dollar-tech company, Luthor Corp, which has been tarnished by Lex’s evil infamy. Her goal? To re-brand the empire as a force for good. Lena wants to be seen as her own person, separate from her brother. Kara is drawn into Lena’s sphere and must determine if she is friend or foe."

Finally, the producers also announced that Kevin Smith will be directing an episode of Supergirl in Season 2. Smith, of course, also directed a well-regarded episode of The Flash last season (and will be back to direct another episode in The Flash Season 3).Smith later announced on his Fatman Podcast that Kreisberg informed him that the tentative title for the Supergirl episode will be Supergirl Returns which made Smith emotional as he is famously known for his story about writing the script for the failed Nicolas Cage Superman Lives movie.


When it was announced that Supergirl was moving to The CW for Season 2 fans were overjoyed, and then the fear of losing Calista Flockhart, the actress that plays Cat Grant, as she is L.A. based and the production of the show will be moving to Vancouver. Now we know that Cat will still be a part of the show, but with Flockhart going from starring to recurring guest star status. She’ll be appearing in multiple episodes beginning with the October 10th second season premiere on The CW.
"Supergirl wouldn't be Supergirl without the amazing Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant.  We are so excited Calista has agreed to continue on the show when she can. We and the audience love to see her on screen." 
- Andrew Kreisberg, Supergirl Executive Producer

Supergirl Season 2 Premieres On The CW Monday, October 10, 2016 At 8:00 PM ET.

Over the past two seasons, we’ve seen many of the Flash’s classic baddies, from Captain Cold to Zoom to Gorilla Grodd. We’ve even seen an early version of the Rogues. But there’s been one key villain missing…until now. Earlier this week, Warner Bros. Television announced that actor Grey Damon has been cast in the role of Mirror Master, and will be appearing in the show’s fourth episode.

DigitalArtis Bosslogic Mirror Master
Damon will be playing the Sam Scudder version of the character (above), a criminal who discovers he has the power to travel through any reflective surface. Of course, being the sort of person he is, he uses that ability to embark on a major crime spree to prove he’s the greatest thief in Central City.


Speaking of villains, it’s been revealed that the Flash will be battling two big ones next season. The first, Doctor Alchemy, was revealed in The Flash’s third season trailer that debuted last month at SDCC 2016 The Flash Panel. While we don’t yet know which version of the character we’ll be seeing on the show, we do know that he’ll be voiced by Saw’s Tobin Bell.


The second villain is a speedster, and we now know which one it is—Savitar. While not as well known as the Reverse-Flash or ZoomSavitar is every bit as distinct and dangerous. In the comics, Savitar (who’s real name is unknown) was a former test pilot who was infused with the Speed Force when flying an experimental plane. He took his name after the Hindu god of motion and eventually gained a devoted cult of followers.


Gorilla Grodd fans rejoice! Executive Producer Andrew Kreisberg also confirmed that the intelligent, psychic ape will be returning…and bringing a few friends. Look for a two-part episode set in Gorilla City this season as well.


In the Season 2 episode Back to Normal we learned from the conversation between Caitlin Snow and her Earth 2 doppelganger Killer Frost, that Caitlin has a brother, who she has not mentioned until now, and her mother. Susan Walters (The Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf) has been cast as Caitlin's mother, Carla Tannhauser. But don't expect Caitlin and Carla to have a Gilmore Girls relationship. Caitlin has said she has an icy relationship with her mom finding "cold and withholding" and Carla thinks her daughter is "rebellious and ungrateful." Her character is described as:
"Carla Tannhauser is a world class biomedical engineer and CEO of a major research company." 

The Flash is putting a new spin on one of The Rogues Awkward star Ashley Rickards has joined The Flash Season 3 as Rosalind "Rosa" Dillon, aka the Top. The character is described as:
"The Top has the power to make people's heads spin... she's the Bonnie to Mirror Master's Clyde and one of the most dangerous members of the gallery of Rogues."
In the comics, the Top is a male character named Roscoe Dillon, the Top was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino and first appeared in The Flash #122. He is able to spin at high speeds, earning him his name, but he also possesses telekinetic and telepathic powers. In some cases, he has been able to cause others to experience vertigo. Like Captain Boomerang's boomerangs, he also employs specialized tops as weapons.
"It's kind of the origin of Mirror Master...We're really excited."
-  Aaron Helbing, Executive Producer 
"It's the origin story of him, but it's this struggle between Mirror Master and Captain Cold and you get to see who comes out on top."
-  Todd Helbing, Executive Producer 


The Flash Season 3 Premieres On The CW Tuesday, October 4, 2016 At 8:00 PM ET.


After their SDCC 2016 Arrow Panel, The CW’s longest running DCTV show didn't slow down and had some cool things to announce as well, including the news that actor Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables, Rocky IV) would be appearing as a villain in the show’s Russian flashbacks. Season 5 will also see the end of the flashbacks for the series. The casting news prompted the following tweets from star Stephen Amell, who was unaware of the casting.

Also announced was that the show would be introducing the character of Vigilante played by Josh Sagarra in episode seven, though which version of the character is yet to be revealed. (Coincidentally, DC recently announced a new Vigilante miniseries debuting in the fall, so 2016 is certainly ending on a good note for Vigilante fans.)

Arrow Season 5 Premieres On The CW Wednesday, October 5, 2016 8:00 PM ET.


Last, but certainly not least, The CW’s time traveling ensemble offered plenty of awesome first looks, starting with today’s reveal of the new Vixen.


That’s Maisie Richardson-Sellers (The Originals, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) as Amaya Jiwe, who’s the grandmother of Mari McCabe, the current Vixen (played by Megalyn E.K.). Amaya will be appearing on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow in Season 2, as will the Justice Society of America.


Along with Executive Producer Marc Guggenheim’s tease above, we also learned the identities of at least a few of the Justice Society members who will be appearing alongside Patrick J. Adams’ Hourman

Matthew MacCaull
 (iZombie) will play Henry Heywood, Sr. Commander Steel. 

That’s significant because they’ve also cast Nick Zano as a series regular to play his grandson Dr. Nate Heywood, Citizen Steel.


Sarah Grey (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2017) will be playing Courtney Whitmore, Stargirl.


Lance Henrickson (Aliens) will be stepping into the role of dark hero Obsidian. Obsidian will show up in Episode 5 of Season 2.

DC's Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 Premieres On The CW Thursday, October 13, 2016 At 8:00 PM ET.


Ever since The Flash debuted set within the same universe of The CW’s prior hit Arrow, crossovers have been a DCTV staple on The CW. This fall will feature The CW’s first ever four-episode crossover, spanning not only Arrow and The Flash, but Supergirl and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow as well. Not much is known about this crossover except that it will start with Supergirl and the threat will not be an outside force.


However, that isn't it for the crossovers this year as the Executive Producers announced that next season will also feature a two-part musical crossover taking place later in the season between Supergirl and The Flash. The big rumor is that Joss Whedon will direct the crossover episodes, which will most likely contain existing songs and just one original song per episode. Wheddon is very familiar with musical episodes having been behind what many consider the best musical episode ever Once More With Feeling on Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

If you’re unsure why this has even become a thing, both show's leads Melissa Benoist and Grant Gustin were regulars on Fox’s Glee and are more than capable of carrying a tune, along with fellow stars Jesse L. Martin (Joe West), John Barrowman (Malcolm Merlyn), Victor Garber (Martin Stein) and Jeremy Jordan (Winn Schott). As for how the rest of the cast is at singing, we’ll find out when the musical crossover takes place in the second half of the season.
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