Powerless Review: Cold Season (Season 1 Episode 5)

Winter brings out the worst in Charm City.

On Powerless Season 1 Episode 5 the plot is simple and straightforward – it isn’t very funny either.

The series continues to struggle in finding its footing. Powerless can’t decide if it wants to capitalize on the DC universe or stand on its own.

Quite honestly, meeting somewhere in the middle isn’t working for them either.

The writers are still struggling with how to best use their talented comedic cast.

Danny Pudi steps up to bat this week with a Teddy-centric storyline that should have allowed for him to shine.

When Emily enters Teddy’s heat gloves into a development contest, without his consent, he becomes a manic version of himself that we’ve yet to see – and while bleeping curses and long-hair flashbacks sometimes warrant a giggle, here they feel uncomfortable.

Why? Well, the answer is simple.

We expect more.

The expectation for comedy is high – Danny Pudi was a breakout character as Abed on Community.

I can’t help but compare the flashback scene of Teddy doing math formulas against a wipe board creating inventions to a very similar one from Pudi’s past – Abed desperately trying to discover was actually the boss on Who’s the Boss.

Pudi’s done this schtick before – the first time around it was funny, fueled by smart writing. This time, it just feels bland.

Meeting Teddy’s family does very little to make me feel sympathetic to him – though I will admit that my only audible laugh came from his brother declaring that he’s actually a ‘space doctor.’

I don’t know what I’m supposed to glean from learning more about Teddy, which is part of the problem with the series as a whole.

Every character feels generic. I’ve seen them before. I’ve seen their actions before. I already know what they’re going to do because it’s been done before.

Considering what a fun and groundbreaking premise Powerless was founded on, it’s a huge disappointment that they’ve fallen so quickly into such bland territory.

Van and Ron’s story should be funny – comedy giants Ron Funches and Alan Tudyk sharing screen-time is all that I’ve ever wanted since the series began.

Yet Van continues his mirroring of The Office‘s Michael Scott with an entire sequence of coming up with ridiculous nicknames for Ron – it’s really disappointing.

Van’s treatment of Ron makes Ron realize that he allows people to walk all over him – but I don’t actually feel like he learns anything in the end. Neither of them seem to, actually.

Aside from a few inappropriate jokes where a child accuses Van of wanting to have sex with her mother, and Ron’s silly love for winter, this story does little to highlight the talent of their players.

I just don’t know where the series is headed. I don’t know what they want me to think about its characters.

Jackie is so under-utilized that I can’t figure out what her role is. Wendie seems to get all of the good one-liners, but spends the majority of every story relegated to the background.

And while Emily was once a bright beacon for Powerless, she’s settled into predictable territory. How many times can the formula of ‘Emily makes a mistake that someone needs to fix’ happen before we tune out?

I’d like to see Powerless swing back around and re-capture my attention, but as it stands, I’m still finding myself confused by the product they’re trying to sell.

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