Premiere week is here for the CW, and that means our favorites (or not so favorites, but hey, some of us want to hold onto hope) superhero shows are back, starting with The Flash, which premieres Tuesday, October 9th.
Before they all come back, though, we want to take a moment to hope. A moment to talk about what we want for these shows that have delivered so much good and so much bad. The beginning of the season is always the time to wish that things would get better, so here’s where we lay down what we would like to see in the new season.
Joining me for this roundtable are Lyra, Lariel, Naomi and our friend from We So Nerdy, Funmbi! So let’s get to it.
What are you hopes and wishes for next season of Arrow?
Lizzie: Oh, boy. Hopes for Arrow. Having them seems like it’s going to bite me in the ass, especially considering I only watched some scenes here and there from last season after the travesty that was Season 5. But, I’ll bite. I hope the show can make me, at some point, like NTA, but I hope they focus on Oliver, Diggle and Felicity. AND ROY. DID I SAY ROY. I LOVE ROY. I also hope we get to see them kinda kick to the curb the old idea that a superhero can’t have love or be happy because if they are they can’t be effective. It’s dumb.
Also, can we have more Lyla? Please.
Lyra: I hope, wish, and pray that Oliver doesn’t repeat the “I gotta protect you Felicity so I gotta do this on my own” story-line. Oliver has done this over and over and it’s boring, overused, and illogical. Felicity is his wife. This isn’t some random hookup, side girlfriend, or work mate. SHE’S HIS WIFE! What makes Arrow and Oliver Queen think that he’s going to do this on his own? Stop taking Felicity’s choice away and like she hasn’t chosen this life. She has. And Oliver Queen would do better with accepting that once and for all.
Lariel: A quick exit for Ricardo Diaz, the worst Arrowverse villain ever. Move back to Original Team Arrow – Oliver, Diggle and Felicity. We know NTA isn’t going anywhere, so please let’s MAKE THEM BETTER. I like all these actors involved; I’d like to like their characters!
Naomi: Soooo, never thought I’d say this, but I’ve been re- watching Arrow on Netflix and realizing how much I really liked the show! My hopes for Arrow are that Katie Cassidy gets to shine in whatever role she has and that they have a satisfying villain.
Funmbi: Truth be told, I haven’t watched Arrow since the middle of Season 5, so I really can’t speak intelligently about the series. However, I did see a Season 7 trailer with Oliver in prison. I don’t know why or how he got there, but if we’re about to have a Prison Break situation, I can definitely catch up in time for the upcoming premiere!
What are your hopes and wishes for next season of The Flash?
Lizzie: The Flash is playing with my favorite trope, so, even though this is another show that has done nothing for me in ages, and I haven’t watched regularly in about two seasons, I’ll be giving it a chance. I just hope they give Nora a real good reason for what she’s doing, and that she gets to bond with Iris as well as Barry.
Lyra: I hope, pray, and wish for the demise of Ralph, Caitlin’s nonsensical storyline with her evil Killer Frost personality, and for Iris West-Allen to get her own damn storylines. Yes, Westallen is the thing, the OTP, but damn girl…she has nothing else besides The Flash? What about her career? And now that her daughter is around, will everything else be put on the back burner because a woman can only cater to a man’s career and be a mother? Fuck that. Iris West-Allen is more than all of that and we deserve to see more of that.
Lariel: First, I hope for a better villain plot than we had last season. I did like Neal Sandilands’ Thinker, but when it came to the end and what he was actually trying to do – an “enlightenment” that would actually have been anything BUT enlightening – I was underwhelmed. I don’t think we’ve really had a good evil genius plot since S1.
I am looking forward to Iris-as-reporter. It’s important in these days of anti-media sentiment. And yeah, this news editor will be watching the details carefully!
Please, more of the wonderful friendships and family moments that were so enchanting in the first season. They’ve got great opportunities with the arrival of Nora.
I’m also hoping they do better with Ralph. There were moments when I actually liked the character, and I am big on redeeming folks who are repentant (must be the Episcopalian in me). Retcon the slimy stuff from his character.
And while I’m wishing for things – please bring John Wesley Shipp back for another turn as Jay Garrick!
Naomi: I was really underwhelmed with Season 4 of The Flash. I can’t put my finger on why, but it just didn’t do anything for me. It makes me sad to say that because it’s one of my favorite shows. I think season one had the “lighting in a bottle” effect, so I’m not optimistic that level of greatness can be recaptured, but I am sure they can pull off a good season if they fix some things. So here’s what I hope to see:
*Iris get back to reporting full time. She can be a much better support to Barry and the team this way all while staying true to her comic book roots.
*Like Lariel, I miss the emotion of season one. The Henry, Joe, Barry moments are what drew me to the show in the first place. The heartfelt conversations and genuine love the characters have for one another went missing. Let’s get those back.
*Barry being a scientist.
*Come to a conclusion with Caitlin/Killer Frost for Pete’s sake!
*Zack Stentz writing some episodes. He captures the fun, emotion, and comic booky stuff really well.
Funmbi: I’m super excited for The Flash, because the family is growing! During last season, I’d been desperate for more information about the mysterious girl who is pseudo-stalking the team. The big reveal at the end of Season 4 that she’s really Barry’s and Iris’ daughter, Nora, is what many of us had been guessing. Yet, it’s still amazing to have it confirmed, but there are so many questions. What mistake has Nora made and can Barry, Iris, and Team Flash help get her out of it? Seeing Barry and Iris in their married life always makes my heart happy, but I’m pretty sure seeing them be parents is going to be even more heartwarming and glorious. There is the curious situation of Nora bring so cold with Iris… so what has Future-Iris done wrong? And will Barry, Joe, and potentially Cecile be able to help mend that conflict?
I’m also really looking forward to learning more about how Killer Frost has been with Caitlin before the particle accelerator explosion. Finally, I have to be honest, I was not at all impressed with the addition of Ralph Dibney. I didn’t like how he repeatedly questioned Iris’ commitment to the team. However, if he’s here to stay, hopefully he becomes more of an asset. I can see Ralph and Cisco making a good comedic team, too.
What are your hopes and wishes for next season of Supergirl?
Lizzie: This is the one DCTV show I don’t think I’ll be really giving a chance – they’ve done too much to make me distrust them, but I hope they give Nia Nal a real storyline and treat her like something other than a prop, or a box they wanted filled.
Lyra: I hope, pray, and wish that Supergirl takes the time and puts in the dedication to give us AN AMAZING NIA NAL STORYLINE! (I’m scared and excited for this trans superhero. Maybe a little bit more scared because I don’t think they have the right people to make sure this story feel real and honest. Hopefully they allowed the actress to bring in a lot of her robe input) Also Kara and Lena…look…I keep being told that they are BFF’s and that they have this amazing bond…BUT I DON’T SEE IT! Supergirl has this habit of “telling” me things and not “showing” me. If you have to sit down and assure me that their relationship is real and strong, then maybe you haven’t done the job that you think you have. Both actresses are amazing but Supergirl isn’t taking the time to convince me of their amazing friendship. And I want amazing female relationships. Give them to me!
Lariel: I am pleased that they’re creating Earth-38 parallels to our situation in the real world with nationalism and fear of refugees, immigrants and “the other.” Last season I keenly felt the absence of acknowledgment that Kara’s Earth was home to so many alien refugees. The Arrowverse has struggled in the past with socially relevant stories. I hope they do this one justice.
And that goes double for the introduction of Nicole Maines as Nia Nal. This is IMPORTANT and they need to get it right.
I’m looking forward to more of Reporter Kara. Kind of wish we had Snapper Carr back in the Catco newsroom, if we can’t get Cat Grant back (and I want Cat Grant back). What I said above about Iris-as-reporter? Same for Kara; I will be watching carefully!
Funmbi: I am really looking forward to the “Red Daughter” storyline in this upcoming season of Supergirl. It’s interesting, because cast and creators have repeated said that there’s no reason to assume that Red Kara will dark or evil. Rather, it’s about the importance of “nature vs. nurture,” and we know that Red Kara will be raised/trained in circumstances different from our Kara.
Beyond that, I’m excited to see Alex take on a bigger leadership role at the DEO and maybe make a move towards becoming a mother. I want even more of J’onn being an awesome father figure to Team Supergirl. If the writers are determined to keep Lena in the dark about Kara’s alter ego, then I really want to see the relationship between Lena and Supergirl (not Kara!) develop. The tension between them may be uncomfortable, but it’s also interesting because we know the potential for friendship between these two is very real. And then, I’m excited about the addition of Nicole Maines as Nia Nal. Give me all the inclusive and representative superhero stories! Plus, if Cat Grant is who send Nia Nal to CatCo, I hope that means a Cat appearance is coming soon, too.
What are your hopes and wishes for next season of Legends of Tomorrow?
Lizzie: My biggest hope for Legends is that they remember that being out there doesn’t mean sacrificing characterization to make things funny, and our weird, which they’ve been guilty off many times.
Lyra: More Beebo (especially a version that I can buy for myself), more domestic gay ??, and more laughs. I just need a homerun of goodness that brightens my week. And I hope that Legends of Tomorrow does that for me and for everyone that feels like the world is a shitstorm away from collapsing.
Lariel: Legends is the show that brought me to the Arrowverse, so I’ve got a lot of thoughts on this one.
First, stop making Nate a gibbering idiot. He’s got a PhD, for Pete’s sake. I am encouraged to see Nate and Mick will have an encounter with “someone from Nate’s past” – I’m guessing his dad. It would be a lovely parallel to last year’s “Welcome To The Jungle,” where they met Mick’s dad in one of last year’s best episodes. More episodes like this for Mick, please. And more like the pirate episode. Just having him sitting around eating and drinking beer gets OLD fast.
Next: I was hoping the writers would consider making Ava a frenemy again. Jes Macallan played that *so* well. The “I kind of hate you and kind of don’t” chemistry between her and Caity was fantastic, but I’m not sold on the romance because they got there WAY too fast. Might have been slow burn for a pair of speedsters, but Sara & Ava are not speedsters. Consider: These two hated each other through the end of 3×05. When Ava agreed to stop chasing the Legends, you could see she was itching for them to set ONE toe out of line so she could take the Waverider back. Then we don’t see Ava again until 3×09, and she’s a different person altogether. (Maybe she literally was, with the clone element.)
If I was a cynic, I’d say AvaLance was rushed together while Legends 3B was in the Supergirl slot, in hopes of distracting Sanvers & Supercorp shippers with an alternative w|w ship. (Who am I kidding? I AM a cynic.)
Since Ava is going to remain as a love interest, keep her as the strong woman we saw in 3×18. NEVER EVER bring back the horrible insecure jealous 3×15 version. Additionally, I hope we learn why Ava is the 12th of the clones Rip recruited. What happened to the other eleven? Why clones anyway? Big morality question there – the AVAs were a PRODUCT to be bought and sold. And now that we’ve seen the deleted scenes from 3×17, in which Rip says the AVAs were never supposed to love – will there be repercussions from going beyond programmed parameters?
I know all of that is far deeper than the Legends writers like to go these days, which is too bad. I think Legends is at its best when it walks that line between very serious and humorous, like in 3×04, 3×07 and 3×11. It’s at its worst when it leans too far into the stupid.
On with wishes: Make Gary Green one of those characters for whom the goofball act is just a front; he’s a secret genius or mastermind of some kind.
I mentioned leaning into the stupid earlier? I originally hoped for no Beebo appearances except on Gary’s socks, considering the joke to be old and stale. But Keto Shimizu’s tweet of the title page for 4×07, “Hell No, Dolly!” has given me a new hope. I want Beebo the Murder Puppet to stalk the crew of the Waverider on Christmas Eve, with an alternate version of Martin Stein pulling his strings.
And as long as I’m hoping for return appearances: Rip Hunter (because he needs to explain this clone business if nothing else) and Leonard Snart, please (is ANYONE surprised I’m saying that?). Amongst all the versions of Snart they’ve used in the past two seasons, they’ve never done a future version. Commander Cold of the current Flash comics run would do nicely.
What are your hopes and wishes for next season of Black Lightning?*
Lizzie: I just want them to do what they’ve been doing, and to continue the stories as they’ve set them up, because this is the one Arrowverse show I actually TRUST to get it right.
Lyra: I wish Black Lightning a beautiful season where they get the recognition they deserve!
Lariel: What drew me in to Black Lightning was the plot line of a middle-aged former superhero getting back into the hero biz. I relate to the character just on that basis, of feeling like “I’m too old for this shit” but still dealing with it anyway. I love the family dynamic of the show, as I do with all the Arrowverse shows whether the families are actual or found. I want more of all of this.
Naomi: Like Flash, the family ties are what make this show worth coming back to. I can’t wait to see what Jennifer decides to do with her powers, the great costumes I’ve been hearing on-line buzz about, and the introduction of new threats and allies.
Funmbi: I love Black Lightning so much! I really think this is my favorite new series of the last season, and I can’t wait to get back into things with the Pierce family. I’m really looking forward to seeing Anissa and hopefully Jennifer get into the crime fighting with their dad. And actually, I think Lynn has a lot to contribute, especially since it seems like her research is key to rectifying the damage the ASA has done with their experimenting on young kids in Freeland. Because I’m a sucker for star-crossed, dramatic romance, I need to see more Jennifer/Khalil angst. We know that Jordan Calloway has been promoted to series regular for Season 2, which means more Painkiller is coming our way. But is there a way to liberate him from Tobias Whale?! Basically, I want anything and everything the Akils and their team will give us *EXCITE*
What thing are you dreading the most from the Arrowverse, and what lesson do you hope they’ve learned?
Lizzie: Oh, I’m dreading everything. The drama for the sake of drama, the way Supergirl has no freaking clue how to write male characters, Lena turning evil for absolutely no reason, NTA’s whole existence, Ralph Dibney, the way The Flash has no freaking clue what to do with Killer Frost, but hey, this is about as optimistic as I’m gonna be. At least they haven’t fucked it all up yet.
Lyra: The brooding. Dear lord, the damn brooding. It’s like the Arrowverse knows nothing brooding moments where people push others away for their own good and then just end up fucking everything up because of it. Can’t I just have a team this time around of people that know that they can depend and trust on each other no matter what? Is that too much? For the Arrowverse, it might be!
P.S. NO MORE NAZIS!
Lariel: Kind of dreading the crossover this time around. Just finished watching “Crisis” again, and for me it reaffirmed the idea that the smaller crossovers work better than the big monster ones. Yeah, it’s loads of fun to see all of these characters together. But there’s so much going on, my eyeballs felt like they had a case of whiplash. There really wasn’t time to breathe. I think I’m just as glad Legends won’t be part of this year’s big crossover, but I hope there might be a chance for something small.
Naomi: Ditto to Lariel’s point. I haven’t really loved any of the crossovers, but bitterly endure them because you kinda have to for your show to make sense.
I am also dreading Oliver and Felicity drama for drama’s sake, Ralph Dibney, Killer Frost’s personality disorder, another version of Harrison Wells and Tobias Whale. (Though I have to say he got better as a villain towards the end of Black Lightning’s season)
I hope Arrowverse showrunners realize that pandering to fans isn’t the way to write good stories and some story lines need to be put to rest- like yesterday.
Funmbi: *PLEASE* leave the Nazi storylines behind.
Agree? Disagree? Have any more wishes/hopes for the Arrowverse shows? Share with us in the comments below!
*Black Lightning isn’t technically in the Arrowverse – and we really hope they get to build out their Lightningverse, but we weren’t about to leave it out because of technicalities, so for now, we’re still including it with the others.
The Flash premieres Tuesday, October 9th, on the CW.
Black Lightning premieres Tuesday, October 9th, on the CW.
Supergirl premieres Sunday, October 14th, on the CW.
Arrow premieres Monday, October 15th, on the CW.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow premieres Monday October 22nd on the CW.