DKate Kane (played by Ruby Rose in the series) joined the ever growing CW roster of superheroes as Batwoman this week in a great debut of the new series. With Batwoman originally being introduced during the Elseworlds crossover in 2018, this series see Kane return to Gotham City looking to fill the void that her cousin Bruce Wayne has left.
The series starts with Kane undertaking some intense physical training in artic conditions, diving in to an ice lake and trying to find a key under water to unlock herself from the shackles she is tied to. The scene then jumps back to some flashbacks of her as a young girl which seems to bring out more intensity in her ability to break free of the shackles and escape this underwater training regime. We also get an insight in to some of the agony that she was subjected to during her youth which included losing some loved ones, a failed relationship and being cast aside by her remaining family, all of which have transformed her in to a true badass which is evidenced later in the episode.
During these flashbacks we are also introduced to some other cast members including Kate’s ex-girlfriend Sophie Moore (played by Meagan Tandy), her father Colonel Jacob Kane (played by Dougray Scott), her step mother and step sister Catherine Hamilton-Kane and Mary Hamilton (played by Elizabeth Anweis and Nicole King).
The series is set three years after the disappearance of Bruce Wayne and the Batman, so much time in fact that the people of Gotham feel the need to switch off the famous Bat signal. Although that plan is quickly scrapped following an attack from a group of masked hooligans who we later find out are henchmen to the first villain of the series, Alice (played by Skarsten).
One of the true standouts of the first episode, Alice, is intent on reigning fear and terror in to the heart of Gotham City at the expense of The Crow, a private security firm set up by Kate’s father Colonel Jacob Kane. Skarsten plays this character to a tee and is able to really draw you in to everything she is saying and leaves you demanding to know what she is going to do next. Even down to the weapons she uses, with a very smart decision being given to cast her with a knife, a weapon which causes pain and suffering to its victims which is clearly what they are trying to portray with her character.
Another positive to the show was the use of Luke Fox, Lucius Fox’s son (played by Camrus Johnson) who brings a real sense of humour to the show and lets be honest you couldn’t have a Batwoman without a tech nerd to provide her with a suit and arsenal to defend Gotham City. The interactions between Kane and Fox are great, especially when Kane uncovers the secret that has been hidden from her and the rest of the City that Bruce Wayne is in fact Batman. I am very much looking forward to more interactions between the pair as Kane’s character continues to build and she is undoubtably more reliable on Fox’s ability to provide her with weapons good enough to fend off the underbelly of Gotham City.
On review I personally felt this was a very good start to the series and quickly established the main characters of the show with a sprinkle of their background which I feel is important to get across as soon as possible. It will be interesting to see how these characters develop and equally how Kane interacts with more villains who I assume will be introduced throughout the series. Gotham City looked great throughout the episode and it had a big impact on the whole vibe of the episode. With a strong start I am hopeful that they will be able to continue on an upwards trajectory and provide us with must watch viewing on a weekly basis!
