If you enjoy workplace comedies in the style of The Office, but always wished that Michael Scott and the gang were just a little more superhuman, your oddly-specific television needs have just been fulfilled. NBC has just announced their commitment to air the pilot of Powerless, a half-hour workplace sitcom based in the DC Comics universe.
The comedy, created by Ben Scott, revolves around the lives of everyday employees at an insurance company, dull and devoid of superpowers of any kind. The show will juxtapose their daily paper-pushing travails with their envy of the flashy lives of DC heroes living in their city, outside of their cubicles. Think Jim and Pam of The Office, trying to save the world one insurance statement at a time, staring out the window at Batman swooping by and heaving a sigh of jealousy that they’re not the ones in capes. It’s an interesting mashup for sure, but with a little DC magic, it just might work.
Powerless is certainly an offbeat idea for a show, but given the success of all things DC-branded over the past few years, the comedy just might have a shot in the NBC lineup. Especially considering the staying power of DC shows including Arrow, The Flash, and Gotham, the comedic twist in Powerless might just set it apart in a television market already dominated by DC.
Look for Powerless in NBC’s 2015 fall schedule.