Batwomanis a sluggish, confused show.
Theres no sense that the story is building towards anything.
Everything feels unmoored, each scene and twist failing to land in a significant way.
Credit: Katie Yu/The CW
CouldBatwomanuse that to turn the corner as it creeps up on its fall finale and the massive CW crossover?
But Im not holding my breath.
The thing is, the show is plagued with plot issues and spotty acting.
There are some highs here and there, but theyre tough to come by.
Take this weeks opening scene for instance.
Batwoman fights off a Rabbit and snags his phone, then brings it to Luke to track Alice.
Maybe its a small thing, but this has happenednumeroustimes.
What I mean is that everything between Kate and Alice isveryplayed out.
So, when Kate finally decides that theres no bringing Beth back, we dont know how to feel.
Are we supposed to be sad that shes given up?
Isnt that the whole reason she was mad at her father?
Why doesCatherines death, rather than all the plots to kill innocent people, suddenly make a difference?
The episode doesnt do a good job of exploring why Kate finally snaps.
Mary wants to share the antidote and hope that paramedics arrive to save them both, but Catherine refuses.
She makes her daughter take the dose.
Marys anguish is incredibly effective, one of the few emotional moments on this show that hasnt felt stilted.
Anyways, the emotions are at least in the right place.
Mary is angry at Kate for saving Beth over everyone else, and shes absolutely right in her analysis.
Where these emotions land, everything involving Sophie is a huge miss.
Its all so dull and predictable.
That means they have plenty of time to discuss their feelings (or lack thereof) for each other.
In any case, it falls flat.
That should force the show to explore these character dynamics with more nuance.
Lets all cross our fingers and hope for the best as the show heads intoCrisis on Infinite Earths.
