For a very long time, it seemed like DC dominated the superhero space on TV. They continued to produce hit show after hit show, from animation to live action. Even though Marvel seemed to be creating the better cinematic universe, DC ruled the television airwaves. But not anymore. The Arrowverse is rapidly dying, with one cancellation after another. Marvel has rapidly increased production on TV series, and the fans seem to be enjoying most of them. Warner Bros. Discovery may want to look for ways to re-establish their claim on the TV world.
DC is known for its numerous hit series, like Smallville, Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League: Unlimited and Arrow. The company has continued to successfully market its characters through compelling and exciting television. While Marvel had occasional hits, like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., DC typically had the stronger TV presence. That all began to change in recent years. The Marvel Netflix shows became huge hits, and the popularity of the Arrowverse began to dip. Now with the Disney+ shows and other companies creating superhero shows, like Prime Video's The Boys, DC is falling behind. Creating more high quality programs can help them to re-build their superhero television monopoly.
DC continues to have a strong portfolio of shows on HBO Max. Titans, Doom Patrol, Harley Quinn and Peacemaker are all still strong programs that help to push the streaming platform forward. While The Flash and Superman & Lois are still doing well on network television. This is still far off from the television empire that DC used to have. One area that is lacking is their animated shows. Fans of DC TV have always adored its animated series and are usually excited to see another. By bringing more animated series together, DC could still control a market that Marvel leaves relatively untouched. Fans are eagerly awaiting Batman: The Caped Crusader and the newly announced Kite-Man spinoff show from HBO Max.
What can help to build their TV library again is creating shows that are connected to their feature films. The best example of this is the shows that are in development because of The Batman. Many fans loved The Batman and are desperate to learn more about that universe. By building series that tie into the movie, it can allow less important developments to happen in the show without deeply impacting the next film. The Penguin show is a great example of this. It will allow fans to see the development of Penguin from goon to crime boss, yet people who watch the next movie won't necessarily be lost by not seeing the show.
Peacemaker is another way that they could tie their films and TV together. The series is very much a self-contained show, and even someone who hadn't seen The Suicide Squad could enjoy and understand the series. For the fans that did watch both, they may get satisfaction from seeing more connectivity and Easter eggs. Creating a show that works for both fans of the movies and people who just want to watch the show is a great way to make sure the audience doesn't feel like there is too much to see just to understand a piece of content.
DC used to be a powerhouse in the world of superhero TV. They had great animated series, fantastic standalone shows, and even their own massive interconnected universe. That golden age has passed for them, though. The emergence of high quality superhero shows on streaming networks began with the decline of DC's monopoly on superhero TV. Re-establishing its stake in that arena can help regain the confidence of the fans and boost the interest in the streaming service.
