The "hard R of comic book shows," according to creator Brian Michael Bendis, finally has arrived! It premieres today, March 10, on Sony’s Playstation Network (that’s right, the PlayStation is not just for gaming anymore; even Microsoft is doing the same with its XBox – creating original scripted programming. They are now content delivery portals into your living rooms, as the competition for eyeballs becomes even more intense).
However, to entice you into subscribing to the Playstation Network, so that you can watch the 10-episode first season, Sony has made the first episode available for FREE, via its YouTube channel (watch it embedded at the bottom of this post). And if you like what you see in episode 1, and want to watch the remaining 9 episodes, you’ll have to sign up for a PlayStation Network membership, unless you’re already a member, which will cost you $9.99 for one month, or $49.99 for a year. So, really, you could pay the $9.99 for a 1 month membership, watch the entire series, and then cancel your membership, if you don’t want to continue. Or, if there are other reasons to stay subscribed, you can then upgrade to the cheaper option, paying $49.99 upfront for the full year.
There is currently NO other way to watch the series. I’d assume that, at some point, Sony will make individual episodes available for purchase via VOD platforms like iTunes and Amazon Streaming.
Sony’s obvious goal here is to use “Powers” to sell more PlayStation Plus memberships; and I’d guess that there are plans for other series in the future.
Starring Sharlto Copley as Christian Walker and Susan Heyward as Deena Pilgrim, the series, based on the gritty graphic novels of the same name, asks the questions: What if the world was full of people with superpowers? What if all that power was just one more excuse for mayhem and murder? And what if you were the cop who had to deal with it all? Welcome to the lives of Detectives Christian Walker (Sharlto Copley) and Deena Pilgrim (Susan Heyward’s character), who are in charge of protecting regular humans and keeping the peace, investigating cases involving those with superhuman abilities.
Susan Heyward’s Deena Pilgrim begins the series as a rookie – a lowly police officer on the streets of Chicago, under a corrupt captain named Adlard (who worked for Mama Joon, a powerful crime boss). Adlard was murdered 7 years prior, just before Deena’s transfer request to work with Walker as part of the Powers Homicide department. Little else is known of her past, though she reveals in the comic that her brother was a Power called "Hoodwink". Deena’s character is further described as attractive, rambunctious, funny, agile, smart, a pro with various combat weapons and fighting styles.
Joining them in supporting roles are Logan Browning from VH1’s "Hit the Floor" (as Zora), as well as Max Fowler and Adam Godley, with David Slade directing the first 2 series, from scripts by Charlie Huston.
Bendis, Oeming and Michael Dinner will executive produce "Powers" with Huston and Remi Aubuchon, along with Circle of Confusion’s David Engel, David Alpert and Lawrence Mattis. Huston and Aubuchon will serve as showrunners.
Without further ado, here’s episode 1 of the hour-long drama, "Powers"
