There are three constants in the world: death, taxes, and the CW's ability to mine the DC Universe for material to make new shows. The network's latest effort, Gotham Knights, once again taps into the Batman mythos - but with a twist. The Dark Knight has been murdered, and a group of teenagers must unite to solve his death and protect Gotham in his absence. Reviews for Gotham Knights have been...less than kind, unfavorably comparing it to the CW's previous past efforts along with critique of the cast's performances. It also doesn't help that there's a video game out there with the exact same premise. But what truly hobbles Gotham Knights is its protagonist Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan), who also happens to be Bruce Wayne's adopted son. Nearly every choice made concerning Turner is a microcosm of how Gotham Knights bungled what could have been a great premise.
Turner Hayes Is Perhaps the Most Uninteresting Original Character in a DC TV Show
One of the recurring elements surrounding Batman (other than his brooding and pronouncements of vengeance) is the fact that he's adopted a number of children. Nearly all the Robins are his surrogate sons, and his butler Alfred Pennyworth became his de facto father figure after the death of his parents. And on paper, having a new character who also happens to be the adopted son of one of DC's greatest heroes is a slam dunk. After all, other CW shows - namely Superman & Lois - have pulled it off to great effect. But the problem is that we never get to see Turner and Bruce Wayne interact throughout Gotham Knights. Most of the characters talk about their bond, but that doesn't do a good job of showing the audience why Turner would want to solve Bruce's murder. In contrast, Superman & Lois puts as much of a focus on the Man of Steel's relationship with his family as it does the superhero fights, and both The Flash and Arrow dedicated whole seasons to the interactions between the titular heroes and their future progeny.
Not helping matters is the fact that Turner is perhaps the dullest original character to ever be created for a DC television show. The only things the audience knows about him is that he's Batman's son, and he's sad about Batman's death. And that's hardly a substitute for an actual personality. Morgan also turns in a one-note performance, either brooding or being petulant while in the presence of adults - most notably Harvey Dent (Misha Collins). Again, previous CW/DC shows have managed to flesh out their original characters; especially the previous Gotham-based show Batwoman. It managed to give Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder a full-fledged hero's journey, to the point where she became the Batwoman for a new generation of viewers. Even Harley Quinn started out life as a supporting character on Batman: The Animated Series and became a beloved part of DC canon thanks to her charm! I highly doubt Turner will be making the jump from screen to comics any time soon.
Turner Is Surrounded By Far More Interesting Characters
As befitting a show called Gotham Knights, Turner meets a collection of new allies while attempting to solve Batman's murder. Carrie Kelley (Navia Robinson) fought alongside Batman as the latest Robin. Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan) is the daughter of the Dark Knight's mortal enemy, the Joker. Siblings Harper (Fallon Smythe) and Cullen Row (Tyler DiChara) kick off the plot when they are caught trying to steal the gun of Joe Chill - the man who killed Wayne's parents. And it's fairly clear that each one of these characters is far more interesting than Turner himself. In fact, the show often feels like it should have focused on Carrie as she proves to have a stronger link to Bruce than Turner ever did, and is the most competent member of the group. The fact that she also happens to be a major character from The Dark Knight Returns, aka the graphic novel that's fueled a number of Batman stories on and off-screen, makes this choice even more baffling.
In fact, it's fairly clear that Turner is meant to be a stand-in for other, more popular characters that are off-limits due to other projects. Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Tim Drake have all appeared on Titans. Damian Wayne is set to play a major part in the upcoming Batman: The Brave and the Bold. And future episodes will introduce Stephanie Brown (Anna Lore), the daughter of the villainous Cluemaster who eventually took up the mantle of Batgirl in the comics. If Gotham Knights is to survive, it either needs to switch its focus or make Turner a more interesting character, and the former option is looking like a far better choice.
New episodes of Gotham Knights premiere Tuesdays on the CW.