DC doesn’t have the best track record in live-action. The DC Extended Universe, which attempted to compete with the massively successful Marvel Cinematic Universe, struggled to find its footing, ultimately unable to make a movie about Batman and Superman fighting work. Things were a little better on the small screen, with The CW’s Arrowverse finding a lot of success. However, that franchise’s prime was short-lived, as series like The Flash and Supergirl failed to remain consistent despite getting their fair share of seasons. But the Arrowverse was far from the only attempt that DC made to bring its iconic characters to life on TV.
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There are quite a few live-action DC shows that fly under the radar. However, failing to dominate the headlines doesn’t mean they play it safe. No, there are more than a few controversial DC TV moments that put the Arrowverse’s most cringeworthy scenes to shame.
1) Flex Mentallo’s Big Mistake (Doom Patrol)
Doom Patrol‘s entire concept is wacky, following a group of down-on-their-luck metahumans who have more baggage than they know what to do with. They want to move past their issues, but they don’t have much time to focus on themselves because they constantly find themselves in strange situations.
The team’s mission in Season 1 is to save their mentor, Dr. Niles Caulder, from the evil Mr. Nobody. They visit a sentient road named Danny the Street for help, and he points them in the direction of the White Space, a mysterious location that isn’t easy to reach. Fortunately, Flex Mentallo, a metahuman who can flex his muscles, knows how to open a portal to get there. It takes him more than one try, though, and one of his failed attempts forces everyone near him to orgasm.
2) “F**k Batman” (Titans)
Titans doesn’t want anyone to think it has anything in common with the popular animated show. It goes out of its way to be dark and gritty, featuring plenty of blood and violence. However, the biggest way the DC Universe series sticks it to what’s come before is by throwing a jab Batman’s way.
The Robin that appears in Titans isn’t on good terms with the Dark Knight, breaking away from him after years of issues. When a goon asks Robin where his boss is at the start of the show, he drops the series’ most infamous line, “F**k Batman.”
3) Lana Lang Becomes a Witch (Smallville)
The Superman origin story, Smallville, takes cues from early 2000s dramas. There is relationship drama every season, and most of it revolves around Clark Kent’s childhood crush, Lana Lang. She doesn’t look Clark’s way at the start of the show, but eventually, the two start forming a strong bond.
Their relationship is put to the test when magic makes its way to Kansas in Season 4. Lana learns that she’s related to witches and starts acting out. Smallville Season 4 is widely considered the show’s weakest outing, and it’s easy to see why after watching the witch scenes.
4) Lang and Lex Luthor’s Wedding (Smallville)
Having a guy’s crush end up with his best friend is a trope as old as TV itself. However, when the guys going after the girl are Superman and Lex Luthor, things feel a little different. After Lex invites Lana to live at his home, the two grow close and start seeing each other.
It all seems fishy, but Lana agrees to marry Lex anyway. The good times don’t last forever, though, because Lana learns that Lex has been lying to her the whole time and injecting her with hormones. While it’s nice to see Lana take her life back, the storyline is bizarre.
5) Poison Ivy’s Recasting (Gotham)
Like Smallville, Gotham follows an iconic DC hero before they put on their costume. Despite not being the Dark Knight just yet, Bruce Wayne still meets plenty of villains, including Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. She teams up with a young Poison Ivy at one point and causes problems around the city.
In a strange move, Gotham decides to age up Poison Ivy by having a character who can make people older touch her. However, her mind doesn’t age with her, so she’s just a teenager who looks like an adult. Out of all of Gotham‘s weird decisions, changing Poison Ivy might be the most brazen.
Have you seen any of these controversial DC TV moments? Are there any others that you remember? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
