Batwoman Season 2 has premiered and has an all-new Batwoman at the helm of an all-new trajectory of the abruptly ending Season 1. The title for Episode 1 – What Happened to Kate Kane? – remains unanswered but has left open a whole new paradigm for the fans. The title, as Caroline Dries said in an interview, is just a teaser of what season 2 has in store for us and has an answer worth waiting for.
The switch from Kate Kane to Ryan Wilder is a totally different plot and might not go down very well with some fans. Based on what Episode 1 served us, here is our take on it and what we expect from the rest of the season.
Batwoman Season 2 Episode 1 Review
The show was ravaged due to the pandemic with lead Ruby Rose pulling out. Instead of replacing Kate Kane’s character with another actress, the makers decided to disappear Kate Kane and leave a mystery around the character which they can use later on. The introduction of Ryan Wilder as the new Batwoman, despite having Kate’s sister Alice at the helm of Season 1 has worked in their favour.
The plot looks much more refreshing, offers a totally new feel about the Batwoman character, and somehow manages to deliver the same essence of Arrowverse. The writers have done a fantastic job in replacing the lead character without disturbing the main narrative much. The use of Batmobile did leave us thrilled and does deserve a special applause as well.
Coming to the story, Ryan Wilder has all the good reasons to fight the demons of Gotham City, quite contrary to the revenge-esque anger-filled Kate Kane and Bruce Wayne. Revenge is not all lost though, as the new twist has left Alice with a new foe in Safiyah.
Coming to the acting, Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder has done a fantastic job in delivering a very refreshing Batwoman, which though we never thought we wanted to see, was something we needed to see. Dougray Scott as Jacob Kane and Meagan Tandy as Sophie deserve a special mention as well.
Batwoman Season 2 Episode 1 Rating
The Nielsen numbers for Fox came out earlier today and were all but disappointing for the new Batwoman. The Batwoman Season 2 premiere managed a rating of just 0.1 with a reported viewing of 663,000, a drop of 80% when compared to the Season 1 premiere. The Season 1 premiere fared much better and garnered a rating of 0.5 with 1.8 million viewers.
The fact that the episode had to premiere during the time of NFL Playoffs does factor big time in the drop. The numbers are expected to see further adjustments due to the same and might make things better for Javicia Leslie’s Batwoman debut.
What to Expect Next in Batwoman Season 2
There is a return for Kate Kane scheduled somewhere down the road meaning that Ruby Rose does have a role to play albeit in a limited manner. The Episode 2 – Prior Criminal History – will shift the focus back to Alice and her criminal antics. Ryan Wilder will for a short while take a backseat before hogging the limelight again in Episode 3 – Bat Girl Magic! – while trying to prove herself worthy of the Batsuit she accidentally inherits.
The primary feud will not be of Alice and the multiple Batwomen though, as the story is expected to keep the Crows vs Batwoman and Tommie Elliot vs Batwoman aspect completely alive. Sophie too has got quite a role to play in the whole saga and as the story unfolds is expected to grow in importance with every passing episode.
The remainder of Batwoman Season 2 promises a lot more than the return of Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) and the rise of Ryan Wilder all and all. If you’ve enjoyed Arrowverse, Batwoman Season 2 most probably won’t leave you disappointed.
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