The Cape

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but The Cape really failed to deliver, in my opinion. For anyone who doesn't know, The Cape is a new superhero show on NBC. It's not based on an existing comic (not that I know of) but there is a comic in the show that the main hero bases his superhero identity off of.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are a couple of things about that show that come off as cool.

• The costume. Very cool costume.
• The premise. Works with criminals. Trained by carnies.
• The carnies (some cool characters led by Keith David who always rocks)

So, what's wrong with it?

• For what coolness is has, it still comes across as campy. It's too much like a comic book translated directly to a TV show
• Characters - the characters, especially the main hero, is just not real enough. He doesn't have many major problems. When I think of some great heroes, I think of their flaws. Peter Parker, Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, all of the X-men. They are flawed people and in being flawed, they seem real. This character doesn't feel real. Too much like The Phantom or The Shadow. Both Phantom and Shadow were cool, but we want more these days. We want some character-driven drama set in a world where superheroes exist. We don't want just four color pulp action. It's okay as a diversion, but not as a TV series unless you are making the latest Power Rangers.

Sorry to rant. I am usually a really forgiving reviewer, especially of superhero pop culture, but The Cape left me feeling a bit flat and I had hoped for so much more! Now, I certainly applaud NBC for giving another superhero show a try. I love seeing these out there, but I don't see this generating the buzz that "Heroes" did, and if givne a choice, I would watch "No Ordinary Family" instead of The Cape. No Ordinary Family has a less believable premise, but more believable characters and, to me, that makes better storytelling.