The Cape

[BlackLantern]

indeed....TV is about trends, and if one show can really hit...and I mean put up 10-12 million viewers and hold that number, you'll see more

this 6 million crap that The Cape is doing will NOT cut it

 

[mr. peasant]

But that's the thing...it's NOT tough. They just seemd to get people who have no realy clue about comics to make the shows. They always seem to end up going the cheesy route, or the "realistic, I hate having powers. whiiiiiine!" route.

I don't think that's the problem. Comics and television shows are two entirely different mediums. What may work in one may not work in another - especially since comics can do a lot more effects-wise and scale-wise (all the artist needs to do is draw it), and is a much slower form of storytelling.

I guess we'll have to wait and see if Wonder Woman does well...if it does and it's done at least moderately close to the comic, then I think that will pave the way for more quality superhero shows to be made. It usually just takes one show or movie in a genre that does really well to start a flood.

That's how I feel with Green Lantern too....if it does great, that is going to open the door for Marvel and DC both to dive into the more cosmic storylines. Someone has to test the waters first though.

If you look at superhero-esque shows (starting with Buffy and Charmed, going onto early Smallville, The 4400, Heroes, Misfits, etc), the formula that seems to work is as follows:

1. superpowers
2. no costumes
3. no codenames
4. ensemble cast

This sort of makes sense. Having 'normal people' suddenly developing superpowers indulges in the audience's escapist fantasies. The lack of costumes and codenames matches the current generation's more cynical outlook in life. Lastly, an ensemble cast improves the odds that the audience will identify with a character.

 

[ClarkLuther55]

The preview to the "Dice" episode actually looked somewhat good...but then again so did the preview for the train episode last week. Don't know when, or if, I'll even watch it now.

Not surprised at all about the episode order being cut. I'm actually a bit surprised that they haven't just canceled this show outright. I just don't see a hook when it comes to The Cape. The death and language (giving the show a TV-14 rating) probably kept parents from letting their kids watch. The show is too cheesy and poorly written for adult audiences. The fight choreography is too tame to satisfy action junkies. Even fans of the superhero genre seem embarrassed of this...

It's really a shame. As I said before, I really loved the concept and wanted this show to do well. It's a straight, unironic attempt at an old-school superhero. While the perfect hero is seen as a cliche, it actually came across as refreshing to me since there are so many angsty antiheroes these days. The world really could use a good, upstanding hero who does the right thing.

But even nice guys need to get things done. The Cape hasn't.

 

[Captainhulk]

This show is the pits.

 

[kguillou]

I tried to give todays episode a shot.....then after 3 minutes i switched the channel to Two and a Half Men lol.

 

[O'Haire]

I tried to give todays episode a shot.....then after 3 minutes i switched the channel to Two and a Half Men lol.

Yikes. Must be really bad if Two And A Half Men is the better option.

 

[BlackLantern]

The Chicago Code is a viable alternative

 

[enterthemadness]

I have every show so far on the DVR...I did this with Covert Affairs...a barely watchable show...not looking forward to watching this series.

 

[Paradox1]

I don't think that's the problem. Comics and television shows are two entirely different mediums. What may work in one may not work in another - especially since comics can do a lot more effects-wise and scale-wise (all the artist needs to do is draw it), and is a much slower form of storytelling.




If you look at superhero-esque shows (starting with Buffy and Charmed, going onto early Smallville, The 4400, Heroes, Misfits, etc), the formula that seems to work is as follows:

1. superpowers
2. no costumes
3. no codenames
4. ensemble cast

This sort of makes sense. Having 'normal people' suddenly developing superpowers indulges in the audience's escapist fantasies. The lack of costumes and codenames matches the current generation's more cynical outlook in life. Lastly, an ensemble cast improves the odds that the audience will identify with a character.

A successful superhero show with costumes and codenames could be done. All it takes is for one person to get it right. Just like with superhero movies in the 90s many were god awful. Til blade came out in 98 where somebody got it right, and we see what's happened since with genre.

 

[enterthemadness]

A successful superhero show with costumes and codenames could be done. All it takes is for one person to get it right. Just like with superhero movies in the 90s many were god awful. Til blade came out in 98 where somebody got it right, and we see what's happened since with genre.

Now, now, Stephen Dorff played one hell of a VAMPIRE VILLAIN.

 

[PJBoy]

I always mean to watch this show, but something always hold me back! :P

 

[Reek]

this show is fun for what it is. and it knows what it is. a campy, lame, strangely suspenseful, FUN, and the most important factor IMO, Potential. the show really has potential to be great, the writing needs major work. but just imagining a darker type hero, live action, like batman:AS. it could work.

i think they should finish the first season, take fan criticism and overall criticism and try another season. even if its a 3-5 episode season to re-try the waters. this could end up being a very good show if they build upon a few things.

 

[marvelman2006]

this show is fun for what it is. and it knows what it is. a campy, lame, strangely suspenseful, FUN, and the most important factor IMO, Potential. the show really has potential to be great, the writing needs major work. but just imagining a darker type hero, live action, like batman:AS. it could work.

i think they should finish the first season, take fan criticism and overall criticism and try another season. even if its a 3-5 episode season to re-try the waters. this could end up being a very good show if they build upon a few things.

NBC isnt in the business of retrying. In this day in age ethier you hit the ground running and build a quick audience or you die as a show. The cape will be canceled just like other tv shows this year. It had potential but it just isnt going anywhere, the main problem I have though is the cape knows who chess is so why not just go get him and all his cohorts? It wouldnt be hard to expose him to the public, like I said they jumped the shark in the first episode.

 

[mr. peasant]

A successful superhero show with costumes and codenames could be done. All it takes is for one person to get it right. Just like with superhero movies in the 90s many were god awful. Til blade came out in 98 where somebody got it right, and we see what's happened since with genre.

Actually, Blade did well in spite of, rather than because of, being a comic book character; and that can be attributed to the vampires and violence - both things that have traditionally done well in visual mediums. Moreover, the Blade series specifically didn't involve codenames and costumes, which if anything, only further proves my point that non-iconic superhero costumes and codenames (i.e. Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, etc) don't work. The general audience seems to be somewhat averse to this.

 

[Ultimate_Superman]

The Blade series was doing very well however Spike didn't know what to do with the series. If the Blade series was on FX or HBO it would still be on the air right now.

 

[BlackLantern]

I highly doubt that

 

[DACrowe]

A successful superhero show with costumes and codenames could be done. All it takes is for one person to get it right. Just like with superhero movies in the 90s many were god awful. Til blade came out in 98 where somebody got it right, and we see what's happened since with genre.

To be fair I don't think Blade really affected people's opinion of superheroes. X-Men showed it could be done popular but they still downplayed costumes, codenames, and general comic book-iness....it worked great though and led to Hollywood tentatively greenlighting more. It was Raimi's Spidey that kicked the door open and caused the Hollywood craze we've seen ever since. For example, notice how before Spidey Daredevil and a few others were still downplaying the comic-ness of it and Affleck didn't get a costume until the positive buzz around the SM one sheet. Then you saw Hollywood embrace comic films and the costumes to varying degrees of success--Nolan to Tim Story.

Wonder Woman will kind of decide if it can work on TV or not. Lois & Clark was actually quite entertaining for the first few seasons in that '90s rom-com kind of way. So, it's not impossible.

 

[DACrowe]

Now, on-topic....

I think I'm giving up on this show. While the two episodes before this one were pleasantly diverting, this one just sank like a rock (more in line with the first two episodes). A fun premise was full of plot holes a mile wide and nothing interesting was done with it--Marathon Man-type assassins find out who he is.

It just didn't go anywhere. And I am now convinced they cast wrong for the Cape character. The scene where Lyons is bartering with Vinnie Jones is supposed to be mysterious, charismatic and somewhat of a smartass moment for him. But the line reading between them just came off as awkward and lame. The casting is just off. And I realize that a lot of dialogue scenes are like this in the show. The only actors who can work with this trite material are Keith David, James Frain and Vinnie Jones because they're really good actors. But even Summer Glau who was excellent in Firefly and Sarah Connor Chronicles is way more stiff here than when she played a terminator. Part of it is she and Lyons have no chemistry. And part of it is that I don't think she can get around how banal her dialogue is and underdeveloped her character is.

And even the premise for basic televeision scripting is awkward. By making the Cape a family man who wants desperately to get back to his family the show is first straddled with a subplot that no one watching cares about (will his son make new friends? Will his son go outside? Will his son let his mom read comic books with him?). Secondly, it makes any attempt at implied romance between the Cape and Orwell feel awkward, forced and impossible to ever lead anywhere (such as when she searched his body for the bug tonight). By basic TV standards if you have no romantic tension on network TV you have a problem. Even the best shows would have a Jack-Kate-Sawyer love triangle or tension between Jack Bauer's wife and his trusted partner and one-time lover, Nina (which paid off in spades for 24).

This was just a badly conceived show and the dialogue is terrible. I may just watch the last four episodes because it only has four episodes left. But after how bad last night's was, I'm not sure if I want to.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

^ All excellent points. Even though I said I wouldnt, I've watched the most recent two episodes (on DVR) in the hopes that perhaps maybe I was too harsh up front and not in the right frame of mind, but as the show goes on I feel like I'm sifting through the rubble trying desperately to find something with redeeming value to get excited about. Why do this? Not sure. I do love the superhero genre and would really like something new, interesting, and hero-related to watch on TV now that Smallville's days are numbered and CW is too dumb to spin something off of it.

 

[BlackLantern]

^ All excellent points. Even though I said I wouldnt, I've watched the most recent two episodes (on DVR) in the hopes that perhaps maybe I was too harsh up front and not in the right frame of mind, but as the show goes on I feel like I'm sifting through the rubble trying desperately to find something with redeeming value to get excited about. Why do this? Not sure. I do love the superhero genre and would really like something new, interesting, and hero-related to watch on TV now that Smallville's days are numbered and CW is too dumb to spin something off of it.

I wouldn't be making that claim just yet, there might be something brewing

 

[Reek]

tonight was pretty good. this show has such potential. ashame itll be gone soon.

after TDK, watchmen, kickass, etc... a good, dark superhero show could be great. i know i am a dexter fanatic, but a superhero style mixed with dexter style could be gold. one main villain, but along the way a few little arcs of other villains...the cape does that, but its complete overload.

but take away BB and TDK and think of a dark batman tv series. could be awesome. thats obviously what the cape was hoping for, but just has done it so wrong in some places its quite ridiculous.

but like i said, i love how the show accepts what it is....campy, corny, lame...but...exciting...fun to watch...and for me atleast, it seems to keep improving on many aspects (yet the horrible dialogue remains).

quite a shame that 'potential' wont get you anything but 'canceled'.

 

[wiegeabo]

Really good episode. The best one so far. I think each episode has shown improvement over the last. And the darker tone and creepiness were good. This would have been a good Halloween episode.

It could have been darker, but, at this point, I don't think NBC as a network knows how to do dark outside of cop shows like L&O and Chase.

 

[Panthro]

Last night's episode was the best so far. Hopefully they wont' cancel it between now and next week.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/906108253

Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Chuck (NBC), 90210 (CW), The Cape (NBC), Gossip Girl (CW)
.

Over at NBC, the results remained bleak from 8-10 p.m. care of needs-to-retire Chuck (Viewers: #4, 5.48 million; A18-49: #4, 1.7/ 5) and sure to exit The Cape (Viewers: #4, 4.07 million; A18-49: #4, 1.2/ 3), which might have had a shot if it aired on Syfy. But older-skewing Harry’s Law from David E. Kelly perked up to 8.49 million viewers and a 1.7/ 5 in the demo at 10 p.m. While that still ranked third, it did build from the 9:30 p.m. portion of The Cape (2.3/ 4) by a significant 148 percent.

I'd expect the ax to fall either sometime this week or next. You'll get your 10 episodes and then that's it. Think the cost per episode is probably a bit too high for it to go over to a cable net like SyFy.

 

[Paradox1]

Last night episode was really cool I thoroghly enjoyed it