2015-16 Season Preview: Why DC’s ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ has what it takes

There are dozens of series coming on during the upcoming 2015-16 TV season, and we are going to make it our goal throughout the next couple of weeks to offer some specific spotlights on each one of them. This gives you a chance to determine what is already working and not working about each show, and it also sets the stage for some more in-depth pieces later on. There are hopefully going to be some pilots we get a chance to watch in full before we make it to the fall.

We’re going to do these by network, so with that, why not start with DC’s “Legends of Tomorrow”? It is not airing mostly likely until early next year (a little later than most others we are going to spotlight), but it also has so much more potential and already has the attention of

What works – Introducing the premise of the show so effectively. There is a villain in Vandal Savage who is seemingly immortal, and destroying timelines left and right. It is the responsibility of the Legends to try to do something about it. Also, we get a sense of many different capable heroes, and that includes Hawkgirl, Rip Hunter, and the sort-of-new White Canary. (Hey, we already know Sara Lance.) The trailer has more than four million views on YouTube for a reason.

What doesn’t – The show really has to justify being able to bring Sara Lance back to life, since otherwise why doesn’t Oliver just throw Moira and Tommy Merlyn’s remains into the Lazarus Pit and hope for the best? Also, it is not like any of these superheroes are popular in the mainstream. This is mostly appealing either to those who already love this universe, or those who are simply fans in the comics.

Our take – We have a lot of faith in this, judging mostly from how amazing Andrew Kreisberg and Marc Guggenheim have shown to be at adapting DC Comics properties for The CW. It may have some balance troubles in the beginning with so many characters, but we love that it is giving us something new.