Isabella Gargiulo
The CW is breaking race and sexuality boundaries with its casting of Javicia Leslie as the new Batwoman.
Nowadays, everyone is bored, looking for a new show to binge. Shows appear on a variety of platforms, such as regular television and the billion-dollar industry of streaming services. With seemingly nothing to watch, one television network is assuring its viewers that new content is coming soon, such as a renewal of their favorite shows.
CW is home to a wide array of shows to watch, such as some of our favorite superheroes. CW is in partnership with Warner Brothers, which helms the Detective Comics Entertainment Universe, including cult-favorite superheroes such as Wonder Woman, Superwoman, and Batman.
On its network, CW has produced many DCEU shows over the years, such as “The Flash,” “Supergirl” and “Swamp Thing.” Their most recent project is “Batwoman,” centered around Bruce Wayne’s cousin, Kate Kane. Kane has a knack for social justice and fighting against Justice, a character that we have never seen on screen until now.
Kane’s character is also reputable in the fact she is an out lesbian, representing viewers who may also be apart of the LGBTQ+ community. The notable character was portrayed by Ruby Rose in season one, until she had to unfortunately step away from the role for unknown reasons.
Rose’s departure led to confusion for many fans, as the show had only ended its first season. This led to showrunner Caroline Dries putting out a casting call for a new character out of respect for Rose. Instead of recasting or starting from scratch, the show decided to move forward into season two with a new Batwoman.
Leslie first appeared as Ryan Wilder/Batwoman on-screen last month. Her casting is pretty groundbreaking, as she is the first Black, bisexual woman/actress to portray Batwoman in any form of live production, as well as the first Black actress to portray the caped crusader in any kind of medium.
While Leslie is breaking barriers in the entertainment industry, it is important to note that her character will not quite resemble Kane’s characteristics. Her character’s is quite likable, but untamed. She has a different origin story, being a drug-runner and outrunning the police, which leads to her to living in a van. She has the skills of a true fighter, but remains undisciplined and in pain. The only similarity between the two characters is that they are both out lesbians residing in Gotham.
This may seem a new avenue for CW, but hopefully it will steer them in the right direction. With a new character incorporated into the same storyline, Ryan Wilder secures the mantle of the Batwoman. The first season of the show was panned by audiences, but the second season has been performing fairly well, with an 88/100 percent Rotten Tomatoes score.
Season two of ‘Batwoman” premiered on Jan. 17, but you can catch up or binge anytime on the CW app or HBOMax.
