DC Comics has gone through a lot of change over the past two decades in regards to the films and series it has produced. From the dark and grizzly Dark Knight trilogy to the empowering Wonder Woman films, the company has given fans new experiences and looks at their favorite characters. That being said, there is a sizable divide between DC's films and television shows.

Where the DCEU has its films follow typical storylines of good guys going up against and eventually defeating evil, its television series have been coming in from left field to praise from critics and fans alike. Television shows like Harley Quinn, Doom Patrol, and even the short-lived Swamp Thing have been wild, inventive, and bring much-needed weirdness to comic book media. So what makes these shows so great, and why haven't DC's films been given the same chance for ambitious storytelling?

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Despite where they ended up, most modern shows about DC characters — besides the CW’s Arrowverse shows like The Flash and Supergirl — were originally released on DC’s streaming service, DC Universe. While it only operated for less than three years, DC Universe was able to give fans a surprising array of content. DC Universe shows were focused on heroes and characters from the comics that rarely get their time on screen in the DCEU.

doom patrol renewed for a fourth season

The hilarious and highly acclaimed Doom Patrol follows the superhero team of the same name as they navigate life with the powers they’ve gained through tragedy and fight wacky villains like Mr. Nobody (played to perfection by Alan Tudyk. Doom Patrol features some of the weirdest DC characters, such as the NASCAR driver turned cyborg Cliff Steele (Brendan Fraser), former Hollywood starlet Elasti-Girl (April Bowlby), and the radioactive Negative Man (Matt Bomer.) Doom Patrol doesn't just lean into the weirdness of the comics, it wears it like a badge on its chest, going for the absurd while still remaining heartfelt. The group of disgruntled superhumans become a dysfunctional and entertaining family that viewers want to come back to again and again.

Harley Quinn explores an iconic woman in comics as more than just an off-and-on girlfriend of the Joker. The series begins after Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) has broken up with the Joker and focuses on her rise as a villain, complete with wild appearances by characters like King Shark (Ron Funches) and Doctor Psycho (Tony Hale.) Besides its beautiful animation, incredible voice acting, and top-notch dark writing, the heart of Harley Quinn lies in the dynamic between Quinn and her best friend, Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), which has not been explored on-screen as well since the comics introduced them.

While Harley Quinn and Doom Patrol show how DC characters can hit great comedy when they get weird, Swamp Thing is a perfect example of weird ambition in a place that DC media stays clear of — horror. Only receiving a single season, Swamp Thing followed the creature of the same name through the Lousiana wetlands who tries to uncover the mysterious illness in town with the help of Doctor Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed.) With beautiful shots and a good dose of Southern Gothic on its side, Swamp Thing goes from creepy to outright terrifying in single episodes and has probably is the DC show to dive the farthest into the land of the unnerving.

But there’s a big reason why shows from DC are able to be a bit more ambitious than their film counterparts. Television shows operate differently than films on multiple levels. A prestige film with a large budget — like Justice League or Man of Steel — relies on massive profits at the box office, and larger turnouts are more likely when a film doesn't polarize audiences with something they deem as “too out there” or “too scary.” In television, shows are able to create a niche following that is loyal enough (hopefully) to carry them through a few seasons. Shows like Harley Quinn and Doom Patrol also have their platform to lean on as well. Both series began on a streaming service and continued to HBO Max, another streaming service, where writers and creators are able to work without as many censors getting in the way of their vision — whether that be more gore or adding another curse word to the script.

It’s probably safe to say that DC films are going to be diving headfirst into the absurd immediately, there are a few signs that the stories audiences see on the big screen might have more room for ambition. While still a story we’ve seen before, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad had ambitious and weird moments sprinkled throughout its runtime, and even 2020’s Birds of Prey brought women to the forefront of the narrative in a new way. Let’s hope we get more chances for crazier storytelling as the DCEU expands out.

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