Nightwing and the Teen Titans: What to Expect From the TV Series

Nightwing and the Teen Titans are coming to television, thanks to a pilot from Akiva Goldsman for TNT, and the timing couldn't be better. Arrow season 3 continues to build on the goodwill of previous seasons, The Flash is a bigger ratings success than anyone had even hoped, and Supergirlis likely headed straight to series at CBS. To top it all off, Warner Bros. is readying a slate of superhero movies to rival Marvel's.

The latest news on the project is that the initial lineup of the team consists of Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, Barbara Gordon (that's a big surprise!), as well as Hawk and Dove. We imagine that more characters will be introduced in future episodes, as well. There's also the chance that Titanswill exist in the same superheroic television universe that The Flash and Arrowhave done such a fine job building, although this is probably a little premature until TNT actually picks up the Titanspilot.

At a time when superhero dramas, particularly DC Comics related ones, are in an almost impossible ascendancy on TV, Titans has the potential to mine some of the best comic storytelling of its era, particularly Marv Wolfman and George Perez's incredible run on New Teen Titans in the '80s. Thanks in no small part to the groundwork laid in those comics, Nightwing and the Teen Titans are uniquely suited for cable TV.

Here's why...

Nightwing

Fans have been clamoring to see Nightwing in live-action for nearly twenty years. Sure, they teased us a little in the Joel Schumacher Batman films (notably with elements of Chris O'Donnell's Robin costume in Batman and Robin), and even more in The Dark Knight Rises (I'd still pay several times to see Christopher Nolan direct Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a Nightwingmovie), but we've never properly seen Dick Grayson strike out on his own in the black and blue (or black and red, depending on which era you're reading) garb.

Nightwing has proven relentlessly popular over the last thirty years. There's a combination of factors at work: the cool name, the even cooler costume (not the disco v-neck one), and the fact that Dick Grayson brings a little more swagger and humor to his brand of superheroics than his pointy-eared mentor. Acrobatic showmanship, a hint of martial arts, some tonfa sticks, a sleek outfit, and you've got a character who is about as fun and appealing as a superhero can be this side of Spider-Man.

Nightwing is also unique in that there's an implicit understanding with the audience. All anyone has to know is that "he was Robin" to get the fact that he already has ten years of crime fighting experience under his belt, and the showrunners won't have to fill in too many blanks. Popular culture does the work for them. 

While this may seem shallow, it's still worth pointing out one more time that Nightwing has a perfect, remarkably simple superhero costume that should look terrific in live-action. You get someone with the build and athleticism that Stephen Amell has brought to Arrow, put him in a functional Nightwing costume, and it will be awfully tough to screw this up. Just take the costume from the Young Justice animated series and duplicate that as closely as possible, and this should look just fine.

By the way, the timing of Steven R. McQueen's departure from The Vampire Diaries just as it was announced that casting on Titanswould begin soon looks awfully convenient now, doesn't it? The actor has (jokingly?) campaigned on social media for the role in the past, and he certainly has the build for the part. 

The Batman Connection

Despite the continued success of Arrow, the positive buzz on The Flash, and Superman getting the honor of launching DC's cinematic universe, the simple fact remains that Batman is Warner Bros.' safest, most bankable media star. Note who gets top billing in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The easiest way to introduce a bevy of lesser-known characters to a TV viewing audience is to anchor them firmly in a world that casual fans understand.

While it's been fifteen years since we've last seen Dick Grayson in the flesh, and folks who are less familiar with comic book lore may not know the name Nightwing, they all know the name Robin. For many, the concept of Batman's kid sidekick growing up and stepping out of his mentor's shadow will seem like quite a novel concept. And even if we never actually see Batman/Bruce Wayne (although it seems unavoidable), the knowledge that he's only a batphone call away for Dick if the situation (or the ratings) get dire should be enough to keep folks tuning in.

The recent details from the pilot episode that emerged indicate that as the show opens, Dick Grayson is still, technically, Robin. However, he's fighting crime in a more legitimate capacity as a cop in Boston. We'll probably get to see Dick choose his Nightwing identity early on, but the fact that he's only recently stepped out of Batman's shadow should allow lots of teases about Gotham City's most famous resident.

The Team

So far, all we know for sure is that the team will consist of Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, Barbara Gordon (who may or may not be Batgirl or Oracle), and Hawk and Dove. This probably won't be the end of it, though. Looking at the most iconic Teen Titans lineup there are some notable omissions. Wally West/Kid Flash may present some difficulties simply because it seems there are plans for him over on the CW's The Flash TV series, and Vic Stone/Cyborg is on his way to the movies in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (but don't rule him out here down the line, either). Donna Troy/Wonder Girl is probably a safe bet for inclusion at some point, as is Changeling/Beast Boy. At the very least, we're going to see a significant representation of the most potent Titanslineup, even if everyone can't make it to the party right away.

[related article: Everything You Need to Know About Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice]

Assuming the pilot makes it to series, Titans will arrive before the Justice League movie in 2017, making this the first team of DC superheroes to ever exist in live-action. And no, I'm not counting the Legends of the Superheroes TV specials from the '70s or the unaired Justice League TV pilot because, well...they don't need to be counted.

The Storylines

Keep in mind that when Marv Wolfman and George Perez took over creative duties on Teen Titans in 1980, DC Comics wasn't exactly known for the kind of extended superhero storytelling that Chris Claremont and John Byrne had been busy perfecting over on Uncanny X-Men at Marvel. Wolfman and Perez were "writing for the trade" long before there was such a thing, and several of their stories are so tailor-made for season-long cable TV arcs that you would almost think they were written with exactly that in mind.

"The Judas Contract," something probably better suited to a show's second season, is probably the defining Titanstale. Involving the infiltration of the team by a new young hero and the subsequent betrayal and fallout, the collected edition practically reads like a short season of a cable drama.

While we haven't heard anything yet to officially indicate that Donna "Wonder Girl" Troy will be part of the team, she's part of the same iconic lineup that includes the confirmed Nightwing, Starfire, and Raven, and it just wouldn't feel like the Titans without her, right? The "Who is Donna Troy" storyline about Donna discovering more about her difficult past, is another tale that could easily drive a b-plot all season long.

And don't even get us started on Raven, daughter of a demon, and her Dad, the demon Trigon. In fact, let's talk about some of those villains...

The Villains

If there is one substantial stumbling block for Titans, it might be that two of its most important villains were recently big baddies on Arrowseason two. But while the Brother Blood of Arrowbore only passing resemblance to the supernatural cult leader of the comics (despite a terrific performance by Kevin Alejandro), leaving him open to a more powerful/supernatural interpretation on this show, Arrowdid a much more thorough job with Slade "Deathstroke" Wilson (played by Manu Bennett). That one may be a tougher act to follow. That aside, Slade can still function quite adequately as a shadowy puppet master for the Titan who will ultimately betray the team until they've put enough distance between Titansand Arrowseason two.

Trigon, Brother Blood, and Deathstroke may not be household names like the Joker or Lex Luthor, but without spoiling any of this for fans less familiar with the comics, each are capable of manipulating an entire season's worth of twists and turns all on their own. And who knows what lesser villains they may enlist, or who might make their way over from Gotham City to annoy Nightwing?

Of course, it's still going to be awhile (if ever) before we actually get to see Titans. The show is set to begin casting soon enough, and the intention is for the pilot to shoot this spring. If the pace at which Warner Bros. Pictures Television and the CW were able to move The Flash from announced project to "backdoor pilot" to standalone pilot to series order is any indication, it may not be as long as you think. 

A version of this article originally ran on September 12th, 2014. It has been updated to reflect recent developments.