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Superhero comics have been around for almost a century now, with Action Comics #1 marking the debut of Superman. In the modern era, most superheroes that become pop culture icons balance not just the “super” portion of their identity, but also the “human” portion of the phrase “superhuman.” On the CW’s prior outings, Oliver Queen’s behavior and relationships as Oliver Queen is just as important as his behavior and relationships as the Hood/Arrow/Green Arrow. Same goes for Barry Allen on The Flash, Jefferson Pierce on Black Lightning, Kara Danvers on Supergirl, and Courtney Whitmore on Stargirl. Naomi takes a similar approach and does so in a delightful introduction to the character and the world.
The first thing that needs to be addressed is that Naomi
does not take place in the same world as any of the other shows that are currently on television or streaming. It is not in the same world as the Arrowverse, Stargirl, Titans or any others. The show lays itself out as a mystery more than a typical superhero show where it’s not about a hero coming to terms with powers, but about a person searching for answers about who they are, where they came from, and what happened to her parents. As a storytelling approach, this is more interesting than the umpteenth iteration of “here’s someone who has powers, look at the powers, here’s them fighting someone” that has been repeated on a weekly basis for at least a decade now.
Now that’s not to say that the show does not have its faults. The pilot is, as to be expected of any pilot, full of clunky expository dialogue that takes the viewer out of the show entirely. As always, it is not entirely fair to blame the pilot for this because it is more important to get the information relayed within the show quickly than it is for it to be fit in organically. The effects on the catalyzing event of the show are a little iffy, though they are still better than the effects of the climactic fight between The Flash and the Speed Force last season.
The strongest thing about this show is the performance of the cast, almost all of them are newcomers without many major screen credits to their names. Of note, Kaci Walfall does a fantastic job in the lead and sells the earnest, eager, and smart protagonist. The supporting cast, from her classmates to her parents, do not disappoint and makes the show work well, even when dealing with science fictional elements.
Naomi is shaping up to be the best entry that the CW has going on the DC adaptation front and the pilot is better than the pilot of say Stargirl, Arrow, or Black Lightning. If this first episode is an indication of the quality going forward, it is shaping up to be another strong entry for the CW’s adaptations of DC properties.
Final Rating: 8/10
Naomi will debut on January 11th, 2022 at 9 PM on CW11. It is available to stream for free without login on The CW App or CWTV.com the day after it airs.
