When Emily sets her sights on the dating world she unknowingly falls for one of the Riddler’s henchmen; Teddy and Ron find a Batman artifact and discover Van’s superhero fantasy.

Powerless continues it’s slow climb in improvement as it adds a little personal dating experiences to the workplace comedy. While it’s still focused on the office, the various stories in this episode gets characters out of work for what feels like more than usual.

This series is absolutely the most improved of the comic batch. After a rough debut, each episode has improved on the last delivering cute chuckles though not quite the comedic slamdunk that we’ve seen in previous NBC Thursday night comedies.

This episode focuses on two stories, the first being Emily meeting a guy at a bar… and he turns out to be a henchman. The second involves Teddy and Ron finding a batarang and attempting to lure Batman in to meet him.

Each have their good and bad and the series as a whole is doing a much better job of working in the comic aspects of the world its set in, more so than just a name check here and there. The henchman? He works for the Riddler in a getup that has a bit of a throwback to Batman ’66 in its simple style. Robert Buckley guests as the henchmen and for those who watch The CW’s iZombie, you’ll recognize him as Major. Buckley brings a similar swagger to this role as he does that one. He has solid comedic timing in a dry sort of way and it’s fun to see yet another “comic” actor cross over into another property. It’s the details of this plot that really stand out like a ring’s imprint left on Buckley’s face that he chalks up to a rock.

The batarang plot is a bit mixed. The concept is good, but the execution doesn’t quite work. Van comes into it and his inclusion complicates what could easily have been a funny plot of the two trying to meet Batman and using the weapon to do so. Alan Tudyk‘s Van distracts a bit making what is two kids excited to meet their hero into something that’s a bit odder.

The show seems strongest when it keeps things simple with subtle hints and jokes. It’s not the outright name drop that makes the series work, it’s when a ring’s imprint is the ring of a superhero. The series seems to be recognizing that and going in that direction. Four episodes in, it’s getting its footing and showing some impressive improvement. I almost gave up after an episode, but happy I’ve stuck around and excited to see where the series is by the end of its first season. While it’s not quite breaking new ground, it’s getting its formula down and so far that’s working for it.

Overall Rating: 6.95

After the ream loses a client due to Van’s incompetence, Emily tries to clinch a deal with Atlantis; Van’s father gives him a chance to redeem himself; Teddy and Ron are convinced that new employee Alex is a superhero.

The third episode of Powerless continues to show improvement as the series finds its footing and this third episode brings the funny with a twisted humor mostly at display in the beginning.

I panned the first episode of Powerless. I hated it, really really hated it. That was to a point I almost didn’t watch the second episode. But, like the second episode this third one continues to improve and it’s clear the writers are getting a better sense of their characters and vision for the show.

The core entertainment of the show isn’t Vanessa Hudgens’ Emily Locke, it’s the trio of Danny Pudi, Christina Kirk, and Ron Funches as Teddy, Jackie, and Ron. The trio are nailing it when it comes to the comedy of the show and the writers are giving them solid material to work with. This episode displays a bite with running jokes about race and nationality and does so in a way that’s actually funny. Hudgens does show improvement too as her enthusiasm is dialed back making her character fit in a bit more with the rest of the ensemble.

The episode itself is goofy workplace comedy that mixes the company’s need to get a big client after losing Ace Chemicals (yes the company that created the Joker, with clown joke included), with the new employee who might be a superhero, and jokes about Atlantis. It all comes together and works in a non-groundbreaking but still entertaining way. The show is generally safe, though shows it might not always play it as such in the future.

The third episode improves on the second which was a massive improvement on the first. I’m hoping we see more of this as the show mixes a workplace comedy with nerd cred. While it looks like the writers are getting that down they’re also allowing its actors to begin to shine and doing that by delivering entertainment material to work with.

Overall Rating: 6.95

The second episode of Powerless sees a superhero power up in a good way. When Emily tries to get the members of her team excited about a new product idea, she can’t get them to break their obsession with a Fantasy Super Hero League; Van makes plans to be included in the Wayne dream-team photo.

I panned the first episode of Powerless. I hated it, really really hated it. That was to a point I almost didn’t watch the second episode. But, I’m glad I did as the second episode is a vast improvement, quickly being the most improved show I’ve watched of the season.

The superhero battles are minimized instead focusing on workplace situations we can relate to and actual jokes! The first few minutes of the show display the weird humor I was expecting and the first episode lacked.

Danny Puddi’s Teddy and Ron Funches’ Ron are allowed to connect with wonder twin superpowers and a sly twisted humor. A dialed down Vanessa Hudgens as Emily plays the straight man to their comedy chops.

After seeing the first episode, to me it feels like it was worked over and over creating a muddled mess. This second episode is much more straightforward in its humor, writing, and situation.

This is a workplace comedy now that just so happens to have superheroes, as opposed to a comedy that’s trying to show its superhero chops. There’s a difference and a big one.

With such an improvement I’m hoping we see more over the coming episodes. We see glimpses of a potentially really funny show with some awesome nerd cred. The key is whether those behind the scenes recognize that as well.

Overall Rating: 6.85

In the first episode of Powerless Emily begins her first day, and quickly learns that her expectations far exceed those of her new boss, Van Wayne, and her co-workers.

The concept of Powerless was something that had me excited when I first heard it announced. The concept of regular folks having to deal with the destruction of superhero battles sounded fun, plus it being a comedy had me intrigued. The cast of Vanessa Hudgens, Alan Tudyk, Danny Pudi, and Ron Funches had me really excited. And then I watched its debut episode.

The concept of the series has changed a bit since it was first announced. The new concept involves creating products for people to deal with the superhero world around them, which is fine, but writing that thinks that just dropping a superhero name is a passable script and acting that feels more at home on stage than the screen is a combination for a first episode that longs for the villain highlighted to snuff everyone out.

Lets start with the writing. You know this is a comic related show… because everyone name drops a character every segment there is. Superman, the Joker, whomever, it gets annoying to the point it feels like someone is attempting to remind you of it over and over. Unlike a comedy set in the world of DC Comics, this feels like DC Comics was first and the comedy is second. We even get a wink at the end that maybe they’ll get the meet someone comic fans will know! Seriously, there’s a wink.

The next issue is, it’s a comedy that’s just not funny. I laughed once during the half hour. The humor amounts to a villain warning the city to feel his balls… of fire. It’s top notch humor. Award winning stuff. Really breakthrough.

The acting is a massive issue. Hudgens is the lead and her style feels like it belongs on the stage. Everything is over the top for emoting and made for a view from the distance, not a small screen. Everyone else isn’t quite as over the top, but with her being the center it’s just not good. Everyone doesn’t feel natural but exaggerated. The choice is bizarre.

I don’t even want to get into the special fx…

After watching this first episode, I now know why NBC didn’t respond to my requests for a review copy to check out ahead of time. I thought I saw one of the worst comic tv adaptations in Marvel’s Powers, but Powerless tops it and then some in dreadful writing, special fx, and acting. This might be one of the worst television shows I’ve watched in years.

Overall Rating: 3.5