Incredible Shows Why We Need Stupidity in the Superhero Genre

When we think of the superhero genre, we associate it with epic CGI-filled battles and compelling storytelling. However, what happens if you Indeed empowered the everyday population?

That question is answered by Extraordinary, a new comedy twist on the superhero genre that’s coming to Disney+ today (you can sign up here). This is a world in which each person gains new strength at the age of 18. However, our main character Jen (played by global star Mayread Tyers) resists this trend, still powerless at the age of 25.

Jen is determined to discover her own power, going to extreme and hilarious measures to try and unlock her hidden supernatural talent, from stressing out at the dentist to eating the spiciest curry on the menu. What makes her unremarkable is her general insecurities, her lack of authority often questioned by both interviewers and her own mother (Siobhan McSweeney).

The problem is that Jen is digging in the dark to “unlock” her power, if it exists at all. How she does this remains a mystery, especially considering that the abilities shown in “Extraordinary” are a little… unusual.

Early screening shown Technical Advisor featured a taxi driver who foresees people dying (and seems too impatient to tell them), a 55 year old party shop owner who is stuck in a child’s body, and a man who can 3D print his ass – yes , truth.

From the very beginning, Extraordinary is not afraid of obscene and crude humor. In that sense, it resembles Amazon’s The Boys, but it doesn’t have the same cynicism or shocking gore. Instead, it feels like a flat-rate sitcom centered around a girl who is desperate to get her life back on track and superpowers have just become the norm.

Her flatmates Carrie (Sophia Oxenham) and Kash (Bilal Hasna) are her rock at everything, happy to help Jen with bizarre activities to unleash her power but equally ready to support her in her moments of despair.

Disney+

They also perfectly demonstrate how superpowers can create everyday problems. For example, Carrie can channel the dead and let them speak through her, but that alone doesn’t pay the bill. In order to earn a living, she stands up to people who contest the will and does not make herself popular in the process.

Despite its bizarre and shocking power, the show still feels grounded – and it’s all created by writer Emma Moran, a former comedian and sketch artist. It may be her first script, but it’s the second original for Disney+ in the UK, and a second season has already been greenlit.

In an interview after the screening, Emma talked about how her Irish heritage was inadvertently leaked into Jen, making Jen’s inner thoughts and monologues seem hilariously real. She often says what everyone thinks, but would not say if it were not for the filter.

The East London setting also has a strong personality in the series. This was probably facilitated by the fact that Moran lived in the area. She even wrote a screenplay for it at the local Genesis Cinema, buying one coffee that she could suck on for hours.

Despite the series’ theme, it’s an antidote to any superhero genre naysayers. It can also be a breath of fresh air for those who are tired of such stories.

Disney+

A Fandom investigation (as reported by Variety) claims that about a third of Marvel fans are feeling weary of an endless string of jacked-up movies and TV shows, while the DC Universe is in tatters after multiple reboots and cancellations.

Perhaps it’s because we keep getting the same formula from Hollywood where the hero has to deal with a world/universe-destroying threat, all the while wearing a posh suit and spewing joke after joke. So the attitude for many viewers is lost.

Extraordinary takes all that out of the equation and proves that you don’t need cool outfits and scary villains to make a superhero story succeed. All you need is a hopeless protagonist (to hell with power), a setting with a strong personality, and secondary characters that you just can’t take seriously – like a werecat named Jizzlord.

All eight episodes of Extraordinary are already out Disney+. You can sign up for an account for $10.99 / £7.99 per month for ad-free browsing.

What am I watching this week

HBO Max’s latest big hit was its adaptation of the post-apocalyptic game The Last of Us. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay play Joel and Ellie, two survivors who are paired up – rather reluctantly. They must make their way across the country, avoiding infected grizzlies and other threats along the way.

Fans of the game have praised the portrayal of the source material, but even if you’re not a gamer, this series is filled with suspense, drama, and tragedy. Episodes come out weekly, so there’s a lot to watch.

You can watch The Last of Us on HBO Max in the US and Sky Atlantic/Now in the UK.