There are a lot of great superhero shows on television these days. But there are also a lot of actors who seem to think their superpower is chewing scenery. That might work for Matter-Eater Lad (Google him), but it's coming pretty close to ruining some otherwise fun shows. Here's a spoiler-filled look at some actors who need to be reminded that with great power comes the great responsibility not to screw things up for everyone.
Let's start right at the top with the biggest offender in superhero television: Paul Blackthorne. Blackthorne (right) plays police captain Quentin Lance, father of both Dinah and Sara Lance, occasional lackey to Damien Darhk, and the character voted most likely to make the audience burst into giggle fits at completely inappropriate moments. That's because Blackthorne hyper-intensely grinds out every line like he's chewing on a rusty nail. Sure, it's entertaining, but "unintentional comedy" is probably not the target Arrow is aiming for. It's what Blackthorne is giving them, though
Look, we all like Wentworth Miller. Prison Break was awesome, whatever. But that was a long time ago, so whatever cred he had built up? Has long since worn off thanks to his preposterously snarky delivery as Leonard Snart, better known as Captain Cold. It's a good thing Legends of Tomorrow is an ensemble with twelve hundred main characters, because every time Miller spits out a "witty" bon mot in his inimitable style, fingers across the country begin instinctively grabbing for the remote to fast forward. Which is too bad, because if he turned it down just a few degrees, his character could actually be cool. See what I did there?
Heroes Reborn: Zachary Levi
Chances are you weren't even aware someone is ruining Heroes Reborn, since you probably don't know anyone who actually watches it. So this is going to come as a major shock, but the culprit here is actually Zachary Levi. Yes, it sounds impossible! But Luke, the emo serial killer Levi plays, is such a cluster of nonsense that even Levi, who is usually excellent, just can't seem to figure out a way to make him anything but annoying and ridiculous. Of course, Luke seemingly exploded in a ball of fire at the end of last season, so it's possible that problem solved itself. If not, though, let's hope that if he ever comes back (and so far NBC hasn't renewed the series), he's mutated again—and turned Levi back into a good actor.
The Flash is a really fun show. But it made one pretty big misstep right out of the gate: Candice Patton as Iris West. Part of it was the fact that Iris was both the Flash's step-sister and love interest, because really, that's weird. And not the good kind of weird we all want from superhero shows, the bad kind of weird that makes us need to take a shower. The rest of it, though, is Patton's flat delivery. Not to be a hater, but she's just not that great; is there anyone in the world who has cared at all about her whole "secret mom and brother" subplot? No. No there isn't. The less of her we get going forward, the better.
Agents of SHIELD: Brett Dalton
It's tough bagging on Brett Dalton, because the twist cliffhanger that ended the first half of season three might be the turning point for him and his character Grant Ward. After all, now that he's an undead
monster from another universe, there's finally a good reason for his wooden, spaced out acting style. So it's very possible that he'll stop ruining the show even if he doesn't get any better as an actor. But honestly, you guys, he almost single-handedly put the entire series six feet under in season one. Here's hoping that being murdered agrees with him.
Daredevil: Elden Henson
Daredevil might be the best superhero show on television these days, even if it technically isn't even on television. So it's a little odd that the hit Netflix series is being brought down by one of its most prominent characters and actors, namely Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson. As Matt Murdock's best friend and business partner, Henson carries a pretty big burden, and so far he doesn't seem quite up to it, with a wonky style that seems to be begging for a pre-recorded laugh track. Only, this isn't a 1980s sitcom, so nobody's laughing. We're just covering our face and watching between our fingers until Henson is off screen again. He is likeable though, so hopefully he'll pull it together. We're rooting for you, buddy!
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