Arrowverse spring 2018: What to expect from The CW’s superhero shows

Returning from winter hiatus, the Arrowverse enters uncharted territory — and we’re not just talking about the addition of a black superhero.

Maybe it’s just me, but the transition from 2017 to 2018 has been rough. Two weeks into the new year, the barrage of depressing news from D.C. and Hollywood already feels overwhelming. Luckily, the Arrowverse is here to save us, offering a more fun and hopeful alternative to our real universe, at least for a few hours every week.

Of course, with so many viewing options floating around the ether, TV can be overwhelming too. It boggles the mind to think that only five years ago, The CW was only airing one superhero show produced by Greg Berlanti. Now, the so-called Berlanti-verse encompasses five distinct programs: Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and, as of this Tuesday, Black Lightning.

Except for Legends (more on that later), all of these shows air new episodes this week. For those of you who fell behind or simply need a memory refresh, Culturess has a preview of each show’s upcoming episodes:

Supergirl

Where we left off: After seven episodes of set-up (not counting the crossover), Samantha finally completed her transition into the genetically engineered conqueror Reign. She and Kara ruined a large portion of National City in a vicious brawl that left our heroine in critical condition. Before that, Kara grappled with her changed relationship with Mon-El, trying to suppress her lingering feelings for the reformed Daxamite and jealousy of his wife, Imra. And oh yeah, James and Lena hooked up in the offices of CatCo.

What to expect: Will Supergirl die? Okay, that isn’t much of a cliffhanger; as high as the stakes on the show can be, Kara’s fate is never really in doubt. Even once she physically recovers from her injuries, though, the psychological effects of her duel with Reign will no doubt remain. I fear this will lead to more melodramatic brooding at a time when Supergirl badly needs to rediscover the sense of soul and adventure that made it so endearing in the first place.

Still, I want to be optimistic. The midseason premiere, titled “Legion of Superheroes,” follows Mon-El and his newfound teammates, and as painful as it is to admit, a Kara-free episode sounds welcome right now. Plus, it’s directed by Jesse Warn, who is responsible both of season 3’s best entries so far. (On a disconcerting note, “Legion” and its follow-up will extend Supergirl’s streak of episodes directed by men to 12. I’d hoped Andrew Kreisberg’s departure would rectify that.)

Supergirl returns Monday, Jan.15 at 8 p.m. EST. But there’s a catch: starting Feb.12, it will take another break while Legends of Tomorrow finishes its season in the same time slot. The remaining episodes of Supergirl will then air every week starting April 9. Got that?

The Flash

Where we left off: Team Flash spent the fall finale trying to rescue Barry and Caitlin, who had been abducted by DeVoe (aka The Thinker) and Amunet, respectively. Both eventually managed to escape, but through a convoluted series of events involving body-swapping, Barry got framed for DeVoe’s murder. Unfortunately, Ralph Digney is still hanging around.

What to expect: As its title suggests, “The Trial of The Flash” finds Barry in court, fighting his murder charges. (“Been there, done that,” says Oliver Queen.) This season is interesting in that it continually puts our hero in positions of passivity; the premiere, for instance, trapped him in the Speed Force. Now, Iris, Joe, and the others are responsible for proving his innocence. After three years of watching Barry try to fix everything himself, generally with disastrous consequences, it’s a refreshing change. How will he get out of this one? And, perhaps more importantly, at what cost?

The Flash returns Tuesday, Jan.16 at 8 p.m. EST.

Arrow

Where we left off: “Irreconcilable Differences” caused a bit of emotional whiplash, to say the least. The episode opened with Oliver and Felicity celebrating their marriage. By the end, Team Arrow had splintered, as Oliver alienated Dinah, Curtis, and Rene with his perpetual inability to trust others. In the final scene, we saw that Cayden James, Black Siren, Anatoly, Vigilante, and Ricardo Diaz are working together.

What to expect: Honestly, it’s hard to say. With its original arc complete, Arrow has adopted a looser structure for season 6, dividing its attention among the various team members. The result feels both pleasantly unpredictable and frustratingly aimless.

That being said, season 5 got off to a shaky start as well; not until midseason did it really find a groove — and, boy, what a groove that was. Hopefully, now that all the antagonists are accounted for, the show can pick up some momentum, while continuing to experiment with standalone narratives like the Slade Wilson two-parter. Let’s be real, though: I’m mostly just excited that the next two episodes are directed by James Bamford and Wendey Stanzler. If nothing else, there should be stellar action scenes on the horizon.

Arrow returns Thursday, Jan.18 at 9 p.m. EST.

Black Lightning

Created by Salim and Mara Brock Akil, The CW’s newest addition to its DC superhero slate represents a departure in multiple ways. First of all, to state the obvious, the majority of the regular cast members are black. Although black superheroes have appeared in the Arrowverse before, from Diggle in Arrow to Amaya in Legends of Tomorrow, they all occupy supporting roles. Cress Williams’s Jefferson Pierce is the first to lead his own series.

He’s not alone. Black Lightning centers on Jefferson’s relationship with his two daughters, Jennifer (China Anne McClain) and Anissa (Nafessa Williams). Comics fans should recognize them as Lightning and Thunder, metahumans who eventually fight crime alongside their father. Judging by the trailer released at last year’s SDCC and a promo image, the show will stay true to its source material.

Black Lightning is also the first CW superhero series that doesn’t start as an origin story. As the official synopsis explains, it picks up with Jefferson’s superhero days behind him. Instead, he’s a high school teacher and divorced father, more concerned with keeping his students in line than keeping criminals off the streets. Granted, the DCEU tried the “grizzled veteran” approach for its current iteration of Batman; let’s just say the results leave something to be desired. Still, I’m intrigued by the prospect of a more mature and relatable (i.e. non-billionaire) hero.

If all of the above information somehow doesn’t grab your interest, maybe this will. Anissa, like her comic book counterpart, is, to quote The Hollywood Reporter‘s interview with the series creator, “an out-and-proud lesbian.” Look out for Chantul Thuy in a recurring role as her love interest, Grace Choi.

The series premiere of Black Lightning airs Tuesday, January 16 at 9 p.m. EST, after Supergirl.

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