With Justice League slipping into the rear-view mirror, DC fans have focused their attention on this week’s small screen, “Crisis on Earth-X.” This took over The CW and pitted heroes of Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow against the evil doppelgangers of themselves from an Earth where Nazis won the World War II.
Justice League has topped the worldwide box office in the opening weekend and has earned reviews from critics and fans that were an improvement over Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
“Crisis on Earth-X” has been a very different story. Like last year’s “Invasion!” crossover, the narrative has been about how the story is a huge ratings boon for The CW, with the reviews skewing very positive from the fans and critics.
So while Justice League has a decent base of support, “which was better?” It is difficult to argue that fans are not breathing a sigh of relief knowing that they have something to be excited about and it does not require them to defend themselves.
“Crisis on Earth-X” did a lot of things that not only DC films, but superhero movies are often criticized for failing: the villains are well-developed and understandable, the stakes are consistent, and the third act ratchets up the intensity from the previous fights, and the conclusion is satisfying and emotionally effective.
There are different standards and expectations for superhero TV shows than there are for the movies. There is a handful of wonky visual effects in “Crisis on Earth-X” which would be torn apart if it happened in a $200 million movie. But when they take place in a three-hour epic that was shot for four weeks and edited for two months, the harshest critiques are tempered by perspective.
This might be a reason that “Crisis on Earth-X” is a welcome after Justice League: everyone is working at the height of their powers. Where there is a fault, it is due to the limitations of the medium. Many of the harshest critiques of DC film universe come from critics who have accused them of lacking fundamentals and making poor decisions and spending money unwisely.
Being rewarded for the effort seems inevitable given their last year’s success and this year’s ratings.
Justice League is in theaters now.
The second half of “Crisis on Earth-X” airs from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
