Powers: Season 1

Based on an acclaimed 2004 graphic novel series by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, this is the first original scripted show for the PlayStation Network. Powers is a superhero tale told from the perspective of the human police officers who take on superpowered criminals, set in a culture where the "powers"—both heroes and villains—are the media celebrities of the day. Sharlto Copley stars as Christian Walker, the top cop of the LAPD Powers Division and a former power himself, with Susan Heyward as his new partner, a young detective and rookie on this elite team. Michelle Forbes costars as an old-school hero, Noah Taylor is Walker's former partner and current nemesis, and Eddie Izzard plays a cannibalistic supervillain named Wolf. This is a superhero series on a budget, underplaying the action in favor of the celebrity culture, and the limitations show in sometimes awkward action scenes, minimal sets, and confused writing. In an entertainment marketplace with no shortage of successful superhero shows (including the Netflix original Daredevil), Powers is somewhat disappointing, a series with great ambition, a fashionably cynical attitude, and a pared-down style but lacking the vision and intelligence to make it really stand out. Still, with the ongoing interest in comic book shows, the popularity of the original comics, and the fact that this is only available to gamers who are on PlayStation Network, this is worth considering. Compiling all 10 episodes from the 2015 debut season, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette (exclusive to the Blu-ray release are a “making-of” featurette, deleted scenes, and outtakes). A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)