Brian Michael Bendis’ amazing comic Powers is coming to tv! It’s been long in development at FX (the perfect network for it, imho), and they’ve finally given the series, which centers around two cops investigating superpower-involved crimes, a greenlight.
No word yet on casting (obviously), but everyone’s favorite Katee Sackoff already expressed interest via Twitter for the lead female role, and supposedly Bendis is interested in her. (I mean, seriously– who wouldn’t be interested in Sackoff?)
So what is Powers and why is it so cool? Powers is a police procedural. . . . zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. NO!!! Don’t doze off!! Yes, another cop show, but the cops investigate superpower-related crimes.
The two partners, Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, have their own brushes with superpowers. (minor spoilers ahead) Walker was once a power himself, and still keeps contacts in the superhero community. Pilgrim accidentally contracts powers and… has problems controlling them, leading to her accidentally killing her abusive boyfriend in self defense, which she then covers up from Internal Affairs.
Powers was always among my favorite books to pick up outside of your basic Spiderman, Superman, X-men set. Bendis is well known for his creator-owned comics as much as his work on mainstream books like. . .2/3 of everything Marvel currently releases. I kid the prolific Bendis, but he seriously writes a lot of books. Other stuff of his to check out: Alias / The Pulse and Scarlett.
Sackoff would be great for Pilgrim. (She even looks right– see picture– except Sackoff is hotter) What about Walker? As long as no one says Tom Welling I’m fine. I’d say Nathan Fillion but a) he’s already got a show, b) if someone said they’re making a movie of The Snows of Kilimanjaro and someone said, “Who should play Kilimanjaro?” I’d say Fillion. So, bias.
I’m just excited to see this show make it to TV. Another series with both a similar vibe and conceit, Gotham Central, is ripe for adaptation if the CW or TNT would do it. Your move, Warner Bros.
Oh, and since this IS Fox and it IS a comics property, I have to give the obligatory “Don’t f#$% this up.” However, FX has enough goodwill from me from Justified, Archer, etc that I’m going to be anticipating this greatly. But you also cancelled Terriers. So, Fox: don’t f#$% this up.