More Laughs from ‘Powerless’ 102 Wayne Dream Team

More Laughs from Powerless 102 Wayne Dream Team 2017 images

More Laughs from 'Powerless' 102 Wayne Dream Team 2017 images

Powerless might have potential after all. In our first review, I said the show was good. It got a few chuckles out of this viewer, and if it gives me more than that, we have a really good show. Guess what? The second episode did. Vanessa Hudgens as Emily and Alan Tudyk as Van Wayne were amazing and the rest of the cast actually seemed to get better. I got a few laughs out of this one and for me, that makes a good sitcom.

Another TV show genre I like is the sitcom but not every one because there are hundreds out there. I’d like to share some that I really liked. There’s ALF, Perfect Strangers, Just Shoot Me, The Nanny, Friends, 3rd Rock from the Sun and The Big Bang Theory. Powerless still needs to work its way up and if the second episode is an indication, it just might.

For those not familiar with the show, it’s set in a world where superheroes and supervillains are running around, and in this case, the heroes are from DC Comics. So there’s the occasional mention of Superman, Batman, The Flash and maybe more. Plus, the show’s main setting is a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises called Wayne Security located in a fictional city (which is common with DC Comics) called Charm City where the cast develop gadgets to protect citizens from hero-villain conflicts or villain attacks. Their local hero is a woman named Crimson Fox, and the local villain is something like Marvel’s Green Goblin called Jack-O-Lantern. The show’s leads are Vanessa Hudgens as R&D Director Emily Locke and Alan Tudyk as Van Wayne, cousin to Bruce Wayne and head of Wayne Security. SPOILER Alert! Avoid the next three italicized paragraphs to truly enjoy the show.

So to recap the episode, it begins with Emily and Christina Kirk’s character Jackie are on their way to work when Jack-O-Lantern terrorizes their current location resulting in debris falling on a cake stand where Emily was supposed to order sweets. Quite campy and mundane but it’s meant to be so. That serves as the premise for their next gadget which Emily eagerly promised to deliver too early earning the ire of her staff. At the time, Emily told Jackie that she can motivate them by being friends with them which is very rare within a corporate environment. As they say, it’s lonely at the top. Van’s dilemma, on the other hand, is that his photo on the company’s dream team founded in their Iceland meeting was missing when it was posted on their wall, leaving only his shoulder. Jackie said nothing could be done about it and the head of HR mocked Van into action.

powerless wayne dream team 102 images

With the deadline closing in, Emily’s staff was instead busy on a fantasy football-like superhero game instead of working on the project. In order to be friends, she earlier asked to join but the staff shut her out. Emily asks the head of HR to block the site from the company internet but the HR instead blocks everything but LinkedIn. Meanwhile, Van photoshopped a gun-slinging pose of himself on the Dream Team photo which led to the staff to make fun of him by memeing (did I spell that right?) him with other photoshopped pictures. HR threatened the staff with watching a 6-hour anti-bullying video which Emily opposed leading HR to out her as being responsible for the internet lockdown.

Feeling bad, Emily made a deal with HR to watch the video four consecutive times (24 hours) in exchange for the internet and cancellation of the staff punishment. The staff appreciated the gesture and offered their friendship while Jackie had Van’s cropped Dream Team photo restored as a friendly gesture, plus the team’s anti-rubble umbrella project was a success.

Like I said, from chuckles to laughs is a big improvement for a sitcom. The characters are gradually getting fleshed out like office colleagues after some time of being in their company, especially Jackie. She’s jaded, she’s cynic but well-meaning and capable. Van Wayne remained consistent of being an a$$, and his character is made funnier this time around. Vanessa as Emily has also done well and seemed to have put some great effort into her character which is much appreciated as her character turned out great. We get to meet some other people in the office like the guy from HR and the token cute insignificant like Susan. Episode 2 is quite fun, and hopefully, this continues.