Powerless Review: Wayne or Lose (Season 1 Episode 1)

Are you just as exhausted as I am with superhero television?

It seems like there’s not a single night where a Marvel or DC hero isn’t talking to their villains in a whispered and graveled voice about getting ‘revenge’ and bringing ‘justice.’

This is why we need a show like Powerless — who needs more of the same dark and brooding heroes, when we can have comedy greats like Alan Tudyk and Ron Funches saving the day with laughter?

Sure, any old hero can stop a deranged pumpkin man from firing jack o’ lanterns at the poor unsuspecting citizens trying to get their daily smoothie fix, but it takes a real hero to make those citizens laugh – especially nowadays.

On Powerless Season 1 Episode 1, “Wayne or Lose,” we get to know Emily (Vanessa Hudgens) who’s just tickled pink that she’s been hired by Wayne Security to help run their creative team.

Yeah, THAT Wayne. As in, Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman.

I know, I know, you’re already thinking, “But Christine, you said you’re sick of superheroes!” It’s totally true.

I am sick of them.

Powerless takes the DC Comics universe and switches the focus from the heroes to the people who work behind the scenes creating the products that will ‘save the day,’ and gives us a glimpse into how people REALLY feel about the heroes and villains who wreck their cars and homes on a daily basis while working out their issues.

It’s fun. It’s inventive. It’s a comical twist on a story that’s tired.

If Emily were creating a product to save the superhero show premise, Powerless would be it. Not only that, she would also be the perfect woman to lead it.

Put aside anything you know about Vanessa Hudgens. This isn’t High School Musical: The DC Years. She’s not singing her heart out to be rescued. (Though, a song might be nice down the road, because who didn’t love her turn as Rizzo in Grease?)

Hudgens is funny.

She’s funnier than I expect, actually. Her comedic-timing works in this universe. Her plucky, ‘go-get-em,’ attitude is reminiscent of Zooey Deschanel’s when we first met the New Girl, though Emily is a bit more tough and unapologetic.

And really, isn’t it always great when we get another female-led comedy?

That’s not to say that she’s not without obstacle, or without funny male counterparts alongside her.

Alan Tudyk’s Van Wayne is delightfully villainous.

Bruce’s cousin just wants a spot at the family headquarters in Gotham, but alas, he’s been tasked with holding down the fort in Charm City, as the CEO of a security product company that produced one big item in its history – and has been failing ever since.

The last thing Van needs is for Emily to succeed – if she doesn’t create the next ‘big thing,’ he gets to move to Gotham by default when Wayne Security shuts down.

Tudyk plays double duty as a bumbling boss and a foil. He’s not quite put together, very vain, and lazily ambitious – all traits for a destructive mess.

I look forward to seeing how Van progresses as the story continues, and how his role will change as Emily (assumingly) continues to succeed.

Rounding out the Powerless team are Ron (Funches) and Teddy (Danny Pudi), uninspired inventors who haven’t had a good idea since the anti-Joker pen 2.0 – which is basically the same product in a slighter darker shade of purple.

Ron is playful and optimistic – perfectly balancing Teddy’s sarcastic annoyance with Emily.

Side note: where do I get one of those inflatable suits?!

Emily’s not a big hit with these guys at first, but quickly wins them over when she saves their jobs in the eleventh hour with a product created out of contempt for her – a watch that will alert citizens that a villain is nearby, allowing them ample time to get to safety.

Because really, who wants to call Gieco with ANOTHER superhero-related claim?

And that’s really the crux of why Powerless works: it’s about the people.

We’re not going to see Batman – though we’ll hear about him on the news in the background. Superman isn’t busting through the windows – though we’ll hear about times he did and pissed off a lot of people who had to clean it up.

These are the stories of the unknowing heroes behind the heroes, as we see when Teddy, Ron, and Emily notice that Batman caught the Joker because of the same product they created to save the company.

Because remember, they’re working for Bruce Wayne – not Batman.

Ron: I wish we worked for Batman. I feel like he’d really get us.
Emily: Well, maybe someday we will!

Sure, it’s cheesy to hear Hudgens deliver that line. It’s an obvious *wink-wink* that would normally make me roll my eyes, shut off the TV, and vow never to watch the show again.

It’s also a self-aware *wink-wink* on a series full of promise with an outstanding cast of talented comics. They’re in on the joke, and they hope we stick around for more.

Lexcorp can’t keep me away from this one – I’m all in.

What did you think of this episode of Powerless? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Powerless airs Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

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