The CW Developing Hourman?
TV Guide has the scoop on this one, reporting that Lin Pictures, a production company with Warner Brothers TV, is developing an Hourman show for the CW. Dan Lin and Jennifer Gwartz will serve as executive producers, with Michael Caleo writing the script.
This would add, of course, to the proposed Flash series that will spin off from Arrow this season, though it's too soon to tell if Hourman is set in the same reality.
According to the report, THIS version of Hourman presents a ..."brilliant yet troubled" pharmaceutical analyst who discovers that he can see glimpses of tragic events about to occur one hour into the future.
In addition, this Hourman struggles to win back his ex-wife and son while keeping his visions from coming true. A network spokesperson adds that he will find "...both purpose and redemption along the way."
Without knowing a thing about the comics, but knowing television, this sounds a lot like they took a character and slapped his name on Tru Calling meets Early Edition. And who knows? That might have been the pitch. But it does fit in with some of the character's history. Or rather history of the several men who have been Hourman.
The brilliant yet troubled pharmaceutical analyst? That fits Rex "Tick Tock"Tyler, the original Hourman, who discovered "Miraclo," a pill that would give him super-strength for an hour at a time. It was the Golden Age; it was a blissful time. It wasn't until the 90s that it occurred to the powers that be that Rex just might have been a drug addict -- most powerfully posited by James Robinson in his graphic novel, The Golden Age.
Rex had a son, too -- Rick, who also donned the mantle of Hourman and also grew addicted to Miraclo.
Then an android from the far future with traces of Tyler DNA in his program came back to the 20th century to be the third Hourman. He's unlikely to appear in the show, but his influence is felt. It was through the android that Rick was gifted with "Time Vision" -- the ability to see an hour into the future.
So from the network description, this could be a combination of Rex and Rick, but there's no mention of the Miraclo pill. (Later it was given a safer, non-addictive form.) So this whole series could happen without once donning a costume.
But that would be disappointing. Smallville took that route originally, but had to give in and became much more fun with actual superheroes running around. Arrow began saying this was a non-super universe, but The Flash will pretty much destroy that idea.
So add Hourman in; give him a costume. Make it fun! That's what we want!
This also comes on the heels of yesterday's announcement that the CW is also mulling an update of the Street and Smith pulp hero The Avenger, coming from the minds of the creative team behind Warehouse 13.
Seriously, though DC has pimped out Gotham to Fox and Constantine to NBC, I would love to see a network superhero war between ABC (Marvel) and CW (DC). Have at it!
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