Pitch Your Superman-without-Superman TV Show

[Vakanai]

Supergirl, Krypton, that upcoming Lex and Lois show or whatever, we may all want, desperately want, another proper live action Superman show, but sad fact is we won't get it. So, in light of this, what kind of Superman show without Superman would you like to see?

Me, I think a Reign of the Supermen series could work well. Set after the Death of Superman (which we only get to see snippets of the fight, like on news reports and flashbacks throughout the first season), we focus on characters like Lois, Steel, and Superboy, and even do some episodes from the point of view of Cyborg Superman and the Eradicator, each doing their own thing and shaping the new Metropolis around them. We'd even see a few ruined streets and destroyed buildings from the Doomsday fight in the background and the rebuilding process taking place. Like little hints of just how epic a fight that must have been, but you know, without making us watch Superman die again for the umpteenth time.

You would have Lois as the emotional hook of the show, grieving Clark while investigating these new Supermen, and providing the Daily Planet stuff, like in the animated movie. You'd have your fun, superhero escapism and action provided by Steel and Superboy (with the clone origin and Lex Luther connection). You'd have the other two "Supermen" providing drama and darker tones, even dipping into some horror elements from time to time. You could even get Jimmy some time to shine to inject some more humor here and there. The old something for everybody approach. And keeping the stakes high but most of the threats a bit more earth based, should still manage to make it look good on a TV budget only a bit larger than say Supergirl or the Flash.

I don't know who I'd want in all the roles, I don't know all about current TV actors like some, but I do know I want to make them feel as comic accurate as possible in terms of personality.

Anyways, that's what I'd like to see done. What spinoff without Superman but set in his world would you like?

[Vordan]

A Metropolis show revolving around Maggie Sawyer and Dan Turpin as the city struggles with the arrival of super powered criminals and the machinations of Lex Luthor.

[Yoda]

A Metropolis show revolving around Maggie Sawyer and Dan Turpin as the city struggles with the arrival of super powered criminals and the machinations of Lex Luthor.

I'd take that a little broader and go for basically The Wire but set in Metropolis, pulling in The Metropolis PD, building up to the Special Crimes Unit, Intergang, but also with a focus on The Daily Planet and Luthor and LexCorp's influence politically and criminally. You could build toward Superman's appearance at the end and even work in the pre-Superman Invisible Mafia.

[Jim Kelly]

For many decades now I've wanted a half hour sit-com with Jimmy Olsen as the lead. Long ago, I even found what would be the theme song--"Superman" by the Kinks (from the 1979 album, LOW BUDGET).

Think of POWERLESS mixed with THE MARY TYLER MOOR SHOW and that's pretty much it. Clark would appear, but never Superman. The characters would talk about the Man of Steel and what he was up to, but the bulk of the show would be about young Jimmy, his hapless romances and oddball adventures. If there was room in the budget, we could even see some fantastic transformations for our Jim.

[Vordan]

I'd take that a little broader and go for basically The Wire but set in Metropolis, pulling in The Metropolis PD, building up to the Special Crimes Unit, Intergang, but also with a focus on The Daily Planet and Luthor and LexCorp's influence politically and criminally. You could build toward Superman's appearance at the end and even work in the pre-Superman Invisible Mafia.

I’m so sad this will never happen now.

[Jackalope89]

Super Sons.

Seriously surprised it hasn't been greenlit for an animated series yet.

[sunofdarkchild]

This was my idea a few years back. A show based on PAD's Supergirl series.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1158938...-show-Season-1

[Vordan]

Super Sons.

Seriously surprised it hasn't been greenlit for an animated series yet.

Me too. Although I wonder, are children one of the demographic targets for DC Universe? The content there so far is pretty adult. CN is a lost cause, they couldn’t even get a Batman cartoon to do well.

[Yoda]

Super Sons.

Seriously surprised it hasn't been greenlit for an animated series yet.

SEan Galloway posted some designs he did for a pitch for a Super Sons series to WB that apparently didn't get picked up not to long ago.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu-Qc9pn..._web_copy_link

[Vordan]

SEan Galloway posted some designs he did for a pitch for a Super Sons series to WB that apparently didn't get picked up not to long ago.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu-Qc9pn..._web_copy_link

WB sucks. This would be perfect for kids, and for DCU since it could use more child friendly programming.

[superduperman]

There's a fan fiction I'm writing about a member of the Kryptonian governing council who believes Jor-El and escapes in a ship at the same time as Kal-El. It's about his adventures on Earth meeting various DC characters before their super-careers. He has all of Superman's powers, of course, only he operates in secret. For instance, he captures Joe Chill after he murders the Waynes and meets John Jones while he's working as a police detective. He meets Abin Sur. He marries and his wife dies with their child when it kicks and he even keeps an eye on Clark from time to time. I would probably do something like that. So you would still have A Superman, just not THE Superman.

[DrNewGod]

My idea may not fully meet the OP's criteria. It doesn't take Superman totally out of the equation, but it confines him to the role of a natural disaster/benevolent happenstance. Something that happens around us, that frames what we do, but leaving room for our own decisions, triumphs, and tragedies

The Planet. A detective/journalism drama centered on Ron Troupe featuring all the unacknowledged background figures that do The Daily Planet's work. (Think the SNG episode "Lower Decks").

Clark Kent is an occasionally seen supporting character, along with Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen. The central cast (lead by Troupe) are an all new crew with a few recognizable figures like Steve Lombard and Cat Grant. Perry White would need a major supporting role, since there's no ducking The Boss.

The stories range from exploring social issues to solving crimes to personal crises, but often with an odd twist, as one might expect of a town inhabited by the likes of The Toy Man and Lex Luthor. Every now and then, a miracle happens (as are bound to happen in such proximity to The Man of Tomorrow), but this series would be about people dealing with issues of The Weird that reflects the issues of our day.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

My pitches would be Jimmy Olsen (the original Superman without Superman story).

I also have some out-there pitches...


1) BIZARRO - Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill once pitched a miniseries about Bizarro and the Bizarro-universe. It's worth doing because you can do something weird, funny, hilarious, and also as always with Bizarro, maybe something sad. You can go wild with surrealism and so on, and since Bizarro inverts and twists Superman you can justify low-budget and TV scale too.

2) MXYZSPTLK - Do a Mr. Mxyzsptlk story, and make it like Dr. Who or Rick and Morty, and so on.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Yeah, I think, if you're going to do a Superman-less Superman show, setting it post-Death of Superman is a a good bet, although I'd stretch out Superman's resurrection out over the course of 5 seasons with Lois, Jimmy, Lex, Supergirl, and Maggie Sawyer as the main leads.

Each 12 episode season would introduce a new alternate Superman, starting with Steel, then Superboy, then The Eradicator, and finally, the Cyborg Superman and Superman himself (played by the same actor) in the last season.

I wouldn't stick too closely with the comics, but let the strengths of the actors, audience response and the more limited TV budgets guide where the show goes within that loose structure.

[Masterff]

WB sucks. This would be perfect for kids, and for DCU since it could use more child friendly programming.

There is already Young Justice and they are in the series and I think if we ever get Season 4 and Season 5 they will certainly be into one Team..