Arrowverse shows have been accused of various things. Like Flash not living up to standards and losing its spark. Like Supergirl being 'too political' and being written by 'social justice warriors.' Arrow, surprisingly, has not been criticized as much and now coming to a close. Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning have only gotten praise. Batwoman has been out for a month and a half and is at seven episodes. The rumor is Batwoman is up for cancellation for low ratings. Let me tell know, even though not perfect, it is a series worth saving. It is entertaining, engaging and believes or not, emotional.
Plot (with some spoilers):
Kate Kane (Ruby Rose), the cousin of Bruce Wayne, was training away from Gotham City until she hears Sophie, her ex is in town. Kate and Sophie were cadets in the army, in a relationship but forced to admit they were gay. They were in fear of being kicked out. Sophie denied it and break up the relationship with Kate. Kate left the academy. Kate survived a tragic car accident that Batman could not save her mother and twin sister. Kate thought the sister was still alive. Her father Jacob (Dougray Scott) helped her until his new wife found evidence the girl was dead. Kate never believed it.
Kate's dad Jacob is in charge of the Crows, operatives protecting Gotham City since Batman is out of town. Alice and the Wonderland Gang abduct operative Sophie, prompting Kane's stepdaughter Mary to call Kate. Kate learns Alice is targeting her father and sets out to locate her cousin, billionaire Bruce Wayne. She discovers, however, that Bruce is Batman, who she blamed for failing to save her sister and mother after they died in a tragic car crash. Realizing there's more to the story, she dons her cousin's Batsuit, altered by Wayne Enterprises employee Luke Fox, before rescuing Sophie and foiling Alice's plan to detonate a bomb in a crowded park. The next day, as the news reports on what they believe to be Batman's return, Kate begins to suspect Alice is her sister Beth.
So she doesn't don the red wig until episode 3 which is brilliant. It doesn't try to be Fox's Gotham and be highly stylized. It has a strong cast. Even though sometimes it feels they wedge characters in an episode because they are in the cast, most of the time they are organic. Like its other Arrowverse series, it doesn't stuff a lot of DC comic villains. It has its arch-villain which is Alice but sometimes they stick in a villain like Magpie. It does sometimes stuff in "the son of" or "the daughter of" like Supergirl. Supergirl had Lois Lane's sister Lucy, Lex Luthor's sister Lena, Jimmy Olsen's sister and so forth. And in this one, we have Lucius Fox's son Luke and Alfred Pennyworth's daughter Julia but isn't as heavy-handed.
I don't see the series as being 'woke.' It deals with LGBT issues but that is obvious as having a lesbian lead. It has a woman in the closet and denial like Sophie who struggles with her emotions and identity. Which I feel is so authentic. It deals with criminal psychology with Alice and her fragile state. Other worthy characters talking about is Mary, Kate's step-sister, a med student who has a small clinic that helps criminals, vigilantes, and people without insurance. Some fans accuse Ruby Rose of being a bad actress, but I find her charming. She has a quality that is actually quite magnetic and also, the way the character Kate stands by Alice, believing her to be her sister regardless of what, is very believable thanks in part of Ruby's performance. I believe this series is worth saving. The show has Arrowverse charm, it doesn't take itself too seriously but is not overly comedic. Even when the villains can come off cheesy and one-dimensional, Alice is multi-faceted.
Sources: https://screenrant.com/batwoman-audience-score-bad-reviews-why/ | https://boundingintocomics.com/2019/11/15/rumor-batwomans-declining-ratings-could-lead-to-cancellation/
