Have you heard the news? Apparently, superheroes aren’t really suited for television. At least, that’s what Gotham showrunner Bruno Heller is saying. He dropped the big revelation at the Edinburgh Television Festival while discussing his show’s upcoming third season.
“I don’t think superheroes work very well on TV,” Heller said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. “Probably because of the costume thing.” Tell that to the CW Network and its superhero-packed lineup of Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Arrow, which is doing just fine with the “costume” thing.
However, given that these examples come from just one network, his comments might not be entirely off base. Network TV has really struggled with the superhero genre, since one of the few that seems to be doing moderately well at the moment is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. That probably has more to do with the fact that it’s a Marvel property and was the company’s first venture into live-action comic book television. Also, the show features humans more than enhanced beings, with Inhumans not popping up until season two.
For Heller, whose show Gotham features DC Comics characters in a more realistic light, the idea is to appeal to both comic book fans and general audience members alike. “The comic book constituency has become so large and visible with the whole Comic-Con thing that it is very easy to assume that the audience is purely comic book enthusiasts,” he added. “But I operate the show on the basis that it is a mistake to just go there.”
So don’t expect the Harley Quinn, who’s headed to the show this season, to be the same one you’ve seen in the comics.
(via Newsarama, image via Screencap)
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