We haven’t seen POWERLESS for a few weeks. This short absence is a disappointment for the show, halting any momentum it had started. Though not the most popular in ratings, POWERLESS had started to find devoted fans, especially through their many social network profiles. However, it’s hard for a show to continue to flourish when it’s not on air.
With an empty hole at the helm of Charm City’s primary superhero, Emily begins to fear for her everyday safety. She understands that this absence of a superhero only increases the likelihood of petty crime, and thus feels a target from the actions of the creepy and uncomfortable citizens of Charm City, primarily the hotdog stand guy who makes some all too uncomfortable jokes towards the comically innocent Emily.
Emily, still feeling lonely in the city she’s adjusting to, craves to bond with Jackie, the stone-faced secretary to Van. She knows that Jackie is her best shot at a withstanding friendship in the office, and therefore, she tried to force herself in Jackie’s life. Very much in character, though, she takes everything too far, and finds herself invading Jackie’s business past any point of personal space.
Emily is beginning to become more of a character viewers can relate to. Slowly, however, as her character has finally become someone who can be appreciated and not just pushed off to the side. Emily has been used as a simple point of view character thus far, serving as the audience’s look into the world of Wayne Security. Now, however, she has become a character that audiences can meaningfully root for. She’s someone who is still fighting to be content in life, just like most of us are. But now she has the audience cheering her on instead of laughing at her constant awkward decisions.
Van serves as Emily’s opposite, someone who has little interest in other people’s feelings and lives, and thus only considered himself in every decision he makes. As the leader of the company, what he says and thinks are strict rule. So, when someone uses Van’s private bathroom and doesn’t clean up after themselves, Van is on an office rampage. Van is able to control the entire rest of the cast, and thus takes the otherwise creatively busy characters of Teddy, Ron and Wendy and uses them in a hysterically unnecessary adventure.
The banter is a highlight for this episode. Though we’ve seen moments where the script is particularly written well this episode is filled with banter that has constant laughs. What POWERLESS has very obviously done right during its development stages is creating a character atmosphere that allows an unmistakable chemistry between every character in the show.
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I’m in high hopes of what POWERLESS will do next. I feel as if I’ve ended every review of this show not fully satisfied, but excited for what’s to come. To me, this seems like a good sign for the show. It still has enough of a special spark to set it apart from its competition. The characters, the environment of Wayne Security, and the overall style of the show is enough to keep audiences’ attention as the best source for comic book television humor.
POWERLESS is far from being recognized as a substantial comic book television show, especially with the Netflix and The CW series dominating the medium and creating a new standard for televised superheroes. It is still, however, consistently funny. I call POWERLESS a success in every account, because what else was it setting out to do besides keep audiences laughing? Though it may not be as thrilling or enthralling as some of the dramas on television, but it’s making audiences laugh more than any other show being released.
As long as POWERLESS releases episodes like “I’ma Friend You,” where the humor is lighthearted, but still substantial enough to deserve the laugh it is receiving, it will be accomplishing the goal of being the comic book television comedy. Hopefully now more episodes will be released in a consistent manor. A more consistent schedule would do this show wonders. POWERLESS has proven itself to be worthwhile humor, and there are high hopes here that it continues to strive towards this goal.
Written by William Staton, POWERLESS Beat Writer -- Click to read William's posts
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