The CW doesn’t mess around with superhero shows anymore. All the programs that make up the network’s lineup these days are dramas and random sporting events. However, there was a time when The CW was the king of comic book television. It all started thanks to Arrow, a show that reimagined Oliver Queen as a Batman-like character who took the streets of Star City every night in search of criminals. The powers that be thought Oliver was lonely after a while, so they brought Barry Allen into the fold, opening the door for more spinoffs, which came in due time. By the end of the Arrowverse‘s run, it had six memorable shows under its belt.
As fun as the Arrowverse was, though, it didn’t always hit its mark. In the final season of Arrow, a backdoor pilot titled “Green Arrow and the Canaries” aired, which set up a spinoff centered on Oliver and Felicity Smoak’s daughter, Mia Smoak-Queen. The show didn’t get the green light, forcing Mia to test her luck on another show, The Flash. But at least she got her shot at greatness because another character meant to lead an Arrowverse show never got the chance.
The Third Arrowverse Show Wasn’t Always Going to Be Supergirl
While the Arrowverse became an overwhelming success, it was always fighting an uphill battle. At least initially, the franchise was unable to use heavy hitters like Batman or Superman, since the movie side always had priority. That’s how Oliver Queen became the face of the Arrowverse, since he was similar enough to Bruce Wayne to get viewers interested. But it wasn’t always about finding a character to mold; The CW looked into any idea that it thought had potential. Case in point: After giving the green light to The Flash, a script was ordered for an Hourman series, with the intention of making the Justice Society of America member a central figure in the franchise.
Michael Caleo, best known for his work on The Sopranos, was tasked with writing a pilot, and he ultimately decided to focus on the first iteration of Hourman, Rex Tyler. The idea was that Rex would struggle to make sense of the visions he was having before realizing they were glimpses of the near future. After learning to control his powers, he would don a costume and become Hourman. For whatever reason, The CW decided not to move forward with the series and began working on other projects. The franchise still found a place for Rex, though.
Hourman Still Got His Moment in the Sun
Once the Arrowverse really got going, it dropped Legends of Tomorrow, a spinoff that brought together supporting characters from both Arrow and The Flash for a critical mission. Rip Hunter wanted them to travel with him across time to defeat Vandal Savage, a villain hellbent on taking over the world. While it took everything they had, the Legends came out victorious and went looking for their next job. However, one came to them when a 1940s hero, Hourman, appeared in the Season 1 finale, warning them of impending danger.
Played by Suits‘ Patrick Adams, Hourman appeared in a few episodes of Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 and proved what made him an excellent option for a solo show, giving every member of the Legends a run for their money with his genius intellect and leadership skills. While he didn’t return after that outing, the character found a second wind in Stargirl, which had its fair share of connections to the Arrowverse. Stargirl had him playing second fiddle again, though, so maybe James Gunn’s DC Universe can set things right by finally giving Hourman the oppurtunity he’s been patiently waiting for the last 12 years.
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