CW’s big Crisis on Infinite Earths was already going to be a huge crossover, what with five of its shows based on DC Comic characters joining in the fun. But then Burt Ward of the “˜60s Batman TV series was cast and it seemed like the crossover was going to have an Easter egg or two. Turns out it’s going to have a lot of that sort of thing… but that doesn’t mean there can’t be more.
The Ward news was followed by the report that Kevin Conroy, who has played Batman in animation and video games for nearly 30 years, would be playing old Batman. Then Brandon Routh and Tom Welling announced they were both returning as Superman alongside current CW Superman Tyler Hoechlin. Then Erica Durance announced she was returning as Lois Lane alongside CW Lois Lane Elizabeth Tulloch. Then it was announced original live-action Huntress Ashley Scott of the one season Birds of Prey show, originally on the goddamn WB, was coming back.
Look: All bets are off, my friends. Anyone can and should return, ideally not for the entire thing. This event will likely be Stephen Amell’s swan song as Green Arrow, and the Flash and Supergirl are expected (and had better) have really significant roles in this beast. So we’re talking a few lines or a mute cameo in a giant hero gathering scene at best.
But the CW needs to make an extra effort to make this the most incredible, ridiculous, over the top mega comic book event ever to grace a TV. This needs to put Avengers: Endgame to shame. It needs to be something we all look back on in 10 years with a kind of wide-eyed wonder because… what even happened??
As I have a history of helping the CW put together enormous superhero TV events, here are my very important suggestions for who to announce next.
1. Lynda Carter – Wonder Woman/Diana Prince
Carter is no stranger to the CW DC universe. She appeared in multiple episodes of Supergirl as the president of the United States. After Trump was elected, the show pivoted towards examining the immigrant experience and her president, who was secretly an alien, was outed and forced to resign.
But Carter should obviously return as Wonder Woman herself. Because. Wonder Woman. And Themyscira has already been namedropped in the universe.
2. Helen Slater – Supergirl/Linda Lee
Like Carter, Slater is no stranger to the Arrowverse. She plays Supergirl’s adoptive mum, but wouldn’t it be nice if she also played Supergirl herself? An older and wiser Supergirl who leaves Kara Danvers deeply confused, because how can her birth mum also be Lois Lane and her foster mum be herself?
3. Rachel Skarsten – Dinah Lance
Shocker! Skarsten is also already in the CW’s superhero shows. She’s playing Batwoman villain Alice in the recently debuted series. But before that, she played a very weird psychic version of Black Canary on the defunct WB’s Birds of Prey series. Clearly Huntress should not be alone when she pops up in the crossover and Kate Kane can be as deeply confused as Kara Danvers…as will all the other Canaries…
4. Phil LaMarr – Green Lantern/John Stewart
While Green Lanterns haven’t appeared in the Arrowverse yet, the Corps was namechecked last year. Why not follow up with an actual Lantern? LaMarr originated the role of Green Lantern John Stewart in Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s massive animated universe and he should absolutely show up in the crossover too.
5. Justin Hartley – Aquaman/Arthur Curry
Ha! You thought I would suggest Justin Hartley reprise his role of Green Arrow. He played the character on Smallville for five years and he was a bright spot. But Smallville already has Tom Welling and Erica Durance representing. He should obviously come back as Arthur Curry, who he played in a WB pilot that thankfully never sold, but was offered for free one time on iTunes and has been in my damned iTunes library for over a decade as a consequence.
6. Teri Hatcher – Lois Lane
Hatcher, like many of the people on this list, has already appeared in the CW’s super universe. Appeared and got dusted by Lena Luthor. But that was evil Teri Hatcher, this would be good Teri Hatcher, reprising her role from Lois and Clark. Her on-screen husband Dean Cain could also return as Superman, but there are already going to be three Supermen in the crossover as it is, and it would be messy if he showed up as Superman while his current character in the universe, dad to Kara and Alex Danvers, has been missing in action since season two. So let’s just settle on Lois popping in. Maybe she can even dust off her Ultrawoman costume.
7. Ellen Pompeo – a doctor
Look, why should people who previously played characters in other DC properties have all the fun? Chyler Leigh, who plays Supergirl’s sister Alex Danvers, has the rare distinction of appearing in crossovers for more than one shared universe. Grey’s Anatomy, where she played the half-sister of the lead character, has its own surprisingly sprawling shared universe. Clearly someone from that universe should show up in the Arrowverse and clearly that person should be Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey. Now I’m no dummy, I know contractually it’d be way too expensive for her to play her actually play Meredith Grey. But she can just be, like, a doctor. Named Meredith. Who lives in Seattle. And shares a moment with Alexandra Danvers who looks like her sister who got smooshed by a plane, Alexandra Grey. I’m just spitballing here.
8. Crystal Reed and Derek Mears, Abby Arcane and Swamp Thing
In the comics, Swamp Thing and his lover, Abby, tend to steer clear of all major universe-altering events, so we don’t need them tightly integrated into the plot. But Constantine begging Swamp Thing for help, only to be rebuffed, would be a nice little cameo for characters from a show cancelled far too soon.
9. Joanna Cameron – Isis/Andrea Thomas
In the mid-“˜70s there was a brief, and weird, renaissance of live-action superhero TV shows. They weren’t super great, but they still hold a special place in people’s hearts. As suggested by io9 commenter NPC_1701-D, Joanna Cameron would be a wonderful addition. She played Isis in the kids’ show Secrets of Isis from 1975 to 1977, predating even Lynda Carter’s turn as Wonder Woman.
10. Karl Urban – Karl Urban
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/08/karls-urban-ranked/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/oyeqgawvyvkl50mnzphq.png” title=”Karls Urban, Ranked” excerpt=”Karl-Heinz Urban is good. His sneers are excellent, his range extends from grandiose to gritty, his look is fine, and his appearances in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys are numerous. But which version of Karl Urban is the best Karl Urban? Who among the Karls Urban is supreme?”]
11. Gerard Christopher – Clark Kent/Superboyman
You may not remember Gerard Christopher’s turn as Clark Kent in the late “˜80s and early “˜90s, but for a micro-generation of youths, he was Superman (technically Superboy). The show didn’t make enough episodes to go into syndication, and rumours abound that reruns were axed by Warner Bros. and DC Comics so people would forget Superboy in favour of Lois & Clark, which premiered a year later. All the more reason to have Christopher show up as yet another older Superman.
12. Alan Tudyk – Eric Morden/Mr. Nobody
DC Universe has a whole cast of superheroes with a breadth of powers and costumes that seem to put the CW’s heroes to shame. But they’re also all dealing with a lot right now, from babies that look like apes to yet another super boy. Alan Tudyk’s Mr. Nobody is a little less pressed for time at the moment, and also has a habit of shattering fourth walls and traversing universes as easy as most of us sneeze. What a capper then, to have him appear, however briefly, in the biggest crossover of them all. I’m sure Mr. Nobody would only have the nicest things to say about the assortment of heroes gathered to save the multiverse.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/09/heres-your-first-look-at-brandon-routh-as-crisis-on-infinite-earths-kingdom-come-superman/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/wccebs3ackqhbhnptuso.png” title=”Here’s Your First Look At Brandon Routh As Crisis On Infinite Earth’s Kingdom Come Superman” excerpt=”Kingdom Came.”]
Crisis on Infinite Earths is set to hit the CW starting this December, with three episodes of the five-part event airing this year and two more hitting in January. In Australia, it will air on Fox, although exact dates are yet to be confirmed.