Overlooked Superhero Series Unlike Anything Today, Stream Without Netflix
From The Boys to X-Men ’97, most superhero series available today are adapted from existing material, offering them a treasure trove of plot lines and fully-fleshed out fan-favorite characters to use as a starting point. But in 2011, one overlooked television series attempted to build a superhero tale from the ground up, building a world rich with lore and interesting villains but light on a built-in following of dedicated comic book fans. The Cape might not be remembered as one of the superhero greats … or even remembered at all for that matter, but the short-lived superhero series should at least be given a chance by fans looking for something different.
A Totally New Superhero At The Time
On January 9, 2011, NBC added The Cape to its Sunday lineup as a mid-season replacement to fill the shoes of under-performing shows that were already cancelled by the network in the fall. The series was created by Tom Wheeler, who pointed to classic comic book characters such as Batman and the X-Men as inspirations for creating his own superhero. In order to help capture the essence of an already established superhero, Wheeler and company developed a companion comic book series that ran alongside its television counterpart.
The Carnival Of Crime
The Cape follows Vince Faraday (David Lyons), an honest cop on the corrupt police force in the fictitious Palm City, a town that has been taken over by the ruthless masked villain Chess (James Frain). When Vince is framed for a murder that he did not commit, he is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife and son. While taking refuge underground, Vince is taken in by a group of circus performers and small-time criminals known as the “The Carnival of Crime,” led by the charismatic and strong-willed Max Malini (Keith David).
A Vigilante On A Mission
As Vince learns from his new makeshift family, he is trained by Max and the rest of The Carnival of Crime, eventually taking the identity of “The Cape”, the superhero character from his son’s favorite comic book. Vince eventually teams up with Orwell (Summer Glau), a blogger turned vigilante on a mission to rid Palm City of corruption and organized crime. Together, the duo sets out to take on Chess and restore Vince’s good name and reunite him with his family.
The Cape Had Too Much Competition
As an original crime fighting superhero series, The Cape excelled at building an interesting world that offered plenty of potential to showcase an array of nasty villains and entertaining plot lines. Despite the occasional mention from Abed on Community, the series was cancelled after just 10 episodes amid the rise of popularity of the DC and Marvel cinematic universes. For critics and viewers alike, The Cape simply couldn’t stand up to the storytelling of already established franchises, instead offering a somewhat watered-down version of a superhero story that they had already seen a million times before.
Give The Cape A Second Chance On Streaming
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While The Cape never did anything exceptionally well, it was an enjoyable superhero show that I would compare to Kick-Ass, which also offered a fun take on world building based on comic books featured in the universe. My favorite aspect of the series is its honest and passionate attempt to try to reinvent the genre, which would probably have had a better result in today’s streaming-heavy world. You can stream The Cape for free on Fandango At Home or purchase episodes on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+.
