Copyright © 2023 Rick and Ruth Coy

DC TV Other

With DC TV we have put it into three categories. CWverse, HBOMax and other. Now there is talk that the CW shows may become HBOMax (reruns already are there) but since the CWverse (or Arrowverse) are set, set of shows. Other will be the earlier shows and a few that have poped up on other outlets.  We gave Birds of Prey their own page -

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

1952 - 1958

Starring: George Reeves, Jack Larson, John Hamilton, Robert Shayne, Phillis Coates, Noel Neil.

Six season 104 episodes

PG

When this was on, I loved it. It was a half hour long. The series had two Lois Lanes - first was Phyllis Coates, who was the Lois Lane in the feature film with Reeves that was also the pilot for the series. She left after only 26 episodes and was replaced by Noel Neil who was Lois Lane in both of the Kirk Alyn Superman Serials.  When I started watching Noel was Lois and when the series ended they started running reruns - so to the young me Coates came in second and I didn’t like her.  The stories were all the same outline. Something happens - Clark tries to help - changes to Superman takes care of problem. These were a step above a serial. Like a lot of early TV it was written more like a radio show than a TV show - they really hadn’t defined what a TV show was yet. They did have special effect - that looked really good to pre-teen comic book fan. On todays standard - it wasn’t that great and effects were poor. But George Reeves SUPERMAN will always have a place in my heart.

BATMAN

1966 - 1968

Starring: Adam West, Burt Ward, Alan Napier, Neil Hamilton, Stafford Repp, Madge Blake, Yvonne Craig

Created by: Lorenzo Semple Jr and William Dozier

120 episodes ABC

TV-G

It was very colorful and had wonderful guest villains and some of the worse writing you have ever seen. The writers seem to think the “Comic” in Comic Book meant that it had to be FUNNY. And that you needed the sound efx graphics used in the comic so that you would know what was going on. Batman spoke like a Sunday School teacher - and golly gosh Robin spoke like a moron. Don’t think anyone working on the show ever read a Batman comic. But the show was popular.

Even today we have people who love it, you will see Adam West listed as one of the best Batman actors. The show was campy and gave rise to other campy superhero shows. And two Superhero specials with Adam West and Burt Ward playing Batman and Robin and having a bevy of other Heroes and Villains. Now the show had some wonderful villains, most of which could have played them in a straight Batman show.  They were really GOOD actors, having fun playing Batman villains. The scripts were crap. No one talk like a real person, everyone talk as though they were reading a comic book out loud leaving out all the good stuff. The comic during this time was saddled with Holy Robinisms and the yellow oval around the bat on Batman uniform. Also there was nowhere in the world anyone knowing both Bruce and Batman would have any trouble figuring out they were one and the same. Watched one on streaming to see how it faired the years and if my hate for it was really called for…they are bad, really bad. Some people can watch them for the comedy they are - a MAD magazine version of Batman. I just morn what it could have been.

SHAZAM!

1974 - 1977

Starring: Michael Gray, Les Tremayne, Jackson Bostwick, John Davey

On imdb it has the creator of the comics and not for the show

3 season 28 episodes

CBS

TV-Y7-FV

I’ve been a fan of Captain Marvel before I ever read one of the comics, my half brother was 13 years older than I am would tell me stories of Captain Marvel when I was young, and when DC came out with the Shazam comics I was over joyed.  I have had the great pleasure of meeting CC Beck the creator of the comic. And I have had several of the Golden Age issues of the different Marvel Family comics. Again the writers had not read any of the Captain Marvel comics - modern or Golden Age. Now where they made a Dark Comic like Batman into a comedy - they take the light hearted Captain Marvel and make them into a Learning experience. They had two different men playing Captain Marvel in the 28 episodes. Like Batman I was greatly disappointed in Shazam!. The costume like Batman wasn’t bad - the scripts - sucked. They made up stories that had nothing to do with the comics at all. The names of Billy and Captain Marvel were the only things they kept. The had a cross over with Isis, which was a female hero of the same vain as the TV Captain Marvel - so called learning show.

WONDER WOMAN

1975 - 1977

Starring: Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner

Developed for TV by Stanley Ralph Ross

3 seasons 50 episodes

Season 1 ABC Season 2-3 CBS

TV-G

Season one on ABC took place during WWII and Season Two and Three took place in “Modern times”. The main thing I can say about Wonder Woman was Lynda Carter looked the part. The stories when you compare them with what came before - were good. It was campy, but not to the level of Batman. People didn’t sound like they were reading a comic book out loud. It was for the times a very true representation of the comic book Wonder Woman. I loved it when it came out - it was the best so far. I’ve watched an episode a while back and didn’t get the same joy as when I was younger, but most superhero shows are at least TV-PG or TV-14, so today stories are much better.

SUPERBOY

1988 - 1992

Starring: Gerald Christopher, John Newton, Stacy Haiduk, Peter Fernandez, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, James Calvert, Sherman Howard, Stuart Whitman, Salome Jens

100 episodes

TV-PG

We are finally getting pretty good shows - this was put out by the Salkinds - and it was shot in Florida. The first season at Disney and the rest at Universal Florida. John Newton played Superboy in season 1, but was let go because of a DWI. 30 year old Gerald Christopher played the teenage Superboy for the rest of the series. Lana was a Red Head like in the comics. If you lived in Florida and visited the Orlando area (and because of the Mouse, most did) you would recognize places in the show. Stacy Haiduk is the only cast member that was in all 100 episodes.  John Newton was in 26 and Gerard Christopher 74.  We had from the comics Lex Luthor, Mr. Mxyzptik, Jor-El (played by 007 George Lazenby)Lara (Britt Ekland)Bizarro,and  Lena Luthor. If you can find it, it is worth a watch.

SWAMP THING

1990 - 1993

Starring: Mark Lindsay Chapman, Dick Durock, Scott Grrison

72 episodes

USA Network

Another series filmed in Florida at Universal Florida. I do not remember seeing this show. May have worked during the time it was on.

THE FLASH

1990 - 1991

Starring: John Wesley Shipp, Amanda Pays, Alex Desert

Developed for TV by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo

22 episodes  CBS

TV PG

A sadly short lived series. It had a good uniform, and the stories were not bad. John Wesley was able to end the series in the CW crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths, and also plays the Jay Garrick Flash on the CW Flash. The complete series can be found on Disc. And can be watched on Amazon Prime. Now if your only experience with the Flash is the CW series this is going to seem different, but most of those make this closer to the comic..

HUMAN TARGET

1992

Starring: Rick Springfield, Kirk Baltz, Sami Chester, Signy Coleman

Developed for TV by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo

Episodes written by Howard Chaykin, Carmine Infantino, Len Wein and others

8 Episodes ABC

Don’t remember much more than I saw an episode or so, could have been on a night that I worked and it was on for such a short time didn’t get a chance to tape any before it was off.

LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

1993 - 1997

Starring: Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher, Lane Smith, K Callan, Eddie Jones, Justin Whalin, Michael Landes, John Shea, Tracy Scoggins

Developed for TV by Deborah Joy LeVine

87 episodes ABC

TV PG

Dean Cain is one of my favorite Supermen. The series followed the relationship of Lois and Clark way more than any others show has, yet it still had enough Superman to make it fun. He was both a good Clark and good Superman. And it followed the comics with them getting married at the same time in both.  Superman is at his best when Lois knows he Clark. Both on the screen and in the books.  Although this had one of the best reactions to Lois finding out Clark and Superman was one and a the same.  It has been a while since I’ve watched an episode, I do have the compete series on disc.

SMALLVILLE

2001 - 2014

Starring: Tom Welling, Allison Mack, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, John Glover, Erica Durance, Annette O’Toole, John Schneider, Justin Hartley

Developed for TV by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar

217 Episodes WB/CW

TV-PG

Even though this was on the CW, it is not part of the CWVerse.  One of the best things about it was Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex… He looked the part and acted the part. He didn’t see himself as the villain, and that has always been the best Lex (In the comics he has been everything from almost good to total evil). Being a kid of the Silver Age I always like having Superman start his career as Superboy, but this was the next best thing. Yeah at times it got a little too soapy, but then they would give us a treat like the Legion of Superheros or Golden Age Superheros. It is the longest running SuperHero TV show. And it opened TV for a flood of more heroes with the CW becoming Superhero central.

HUMAN TARGET

2010 - 2011

Starring: Mark Valley, Chi McBride, Jackie Earle Haley

Developed for TV by Jonathan E. Steinberg

25 Episodes FOX

TV -14

With over 3 times the episodes as the first, it was a little more of a hit, but still only one season.  It was very well done, didn’t miss an episode, but very little is with me. Human Target was not a major DC hero and I think this in its self is why it didn’t go over that much. It was promoted as based on a comic and not that many people knew anything about it.

GOTHAM

2014 - 2019

Starring: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz, Robin Lord Taylor, Camren Bicondova, Cory Michael Smith, Sean Pertwee, Erin Richarads, Morena Baccarin

Developed for TV by Bruno Heller

100 Episodes FOX

TV-14

Gotham was sort of for Batman like Smallville was for Superman.  When it first started it was advertised as being about a young James Gordon, which it was - he was in all the episodes, but it was also about the young Bruce Wayne.  This is likely to be in the same universe as Smallville - going on at the same time. Neither appearing as a hero till the very end. Unlike Superman, there has been very little about the young Bruce, so they were open to creating a lot without stepping on any toes. Since most of his villains always seemed a little older than he was, it didn’t hurt to have them show up when he was a teenager. The had Joker like villains, but they kept away from him, since in the comics, he didn’t become the Joker till Batman was already a crime fighter. Like Smallville, I think the fans would have liked to see a second series taking place after he became Batman. But this did not happen.

powerless

2017

Starring :Vanessa Hudgens, Danny Pudi, Christina Kirk, Ron Funches, Alan Tudyk, Jennie Pierson

Developed for TV by Ben Queen

12 episodes NBC

This was a comedy and it was too campy to really be funny. An insurance company to protect people who became collateral damage of Super Beings. They drop names, but we never see any of the known heroes in it. It is something that could have been a lot of fun. Like most comedies it was in a half hour spot - which is good for laughs, but not for a superhero story. I can be found on disc or downloaded if you want to see what it was like. You can rent a single episode on Amazon.

After this DC shows have appeared on CW and HBOMax.  Several that will be in the HBOMax line up started DC Universe channel before it became a eComic Book site only and a few others that started elsewhere but there future home will be HBOMax.  Also we haven’t covered the Vertigo titles Such as iZomie, Lucifer, or the upcoming Sandman series.