Who Wants to Be a Superhero?
Who Wants to Be a Superhero?
TV-PG | 27 July 2006 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
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  • Reviews
    dee.reid

    I remember watching "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?" two years back on the Sci-Fi Channel and thinking that this show was like reality television for comic book geeks, and therefore was a sure-fire way to get comic book geeks into the reality television market.I'm proud to say that this show didn't get me into the reality TV craze, despite the fact that I'm one of those comic book geeks it's supposed to appeal to. (I'm an avid reader of Spider-Man and X-Men, both published by Marvel Comics, just to show you where I'm coming from.)Basically, a group of wannabe superheroes get a chance to become immortalized in a comic book written by master comic book publisher Stan Lee (co-creator of my favorite superhero Spider-Man and the X-Men, among many others) himself and published by Dark Horse Comics, and a Sci-Fi Channel original movie based on their character. Lee is also the one presiding over the festivities.The main problem with "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?" is the fact that to me, the "wannabe superhero" theme is just a gimmick that doesn't really add anything new to a tried-and-true genre that wore out its welcome a long time ago. Don't get me wrong, if I had a chance to have a superhero creation of my own immortalized in a comic book written by my personal favorite comic book publisher-hero Stan Lee, I would in a heartbeat, I really, really would - that's how big a fan I am of "The Man" and the medium.Some of the "heroes" on this show are pretty colorful and interesting characters with some pretty imaginative origin stories, don't get me wrong, but unfortunately a lot of the supposed originality that this show has so much potential to unleash gets lost in the reality TV show antics that are so worn-out and tired.Overall, it's not a bad show but I wish it just wouldn't fall to prey so easily to the usual reality television antics.6/10

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    Bob Greenwade (bobgreenwade)

    If you're turned off by the backbiting and Macchiavellian manipulation on such shows as Survivor or Big Brother, but the idea of a group of people competing for a big prize appeals to you, then you really should try this program. Hosted by comic book legend Stan Lee, this show challenges people to behave like superheroes.Of course, there's much more to "behaving like superheroes" than dressing up in a colorful spandex costume and going into death-defying missions to save the day. That part just makes the contest fun. The tasks presented actually challenge the contestants, and in turn us in the audience, to be better people: courageous, kind, honest, helpful, attentive, friendly, cooperative, decisive, and willing to face our fears and become community leaders. Contestants actually score points (so to speak) for helping each other to perform better! Nearly every episode I've seen thus far has had some little lesson I could apply in my own life to make myself a better person.Whatever "cheese" the show has, whether you consider it fun or not, that is what good drama, whether scripted or true-life, really should be about.

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    fullenw

    Stan Lee was the host of this show and that alone is enough reason to pay homage to it.The best thing about this reality show is that people don't vote each other off. The producers vote them off. Other reality shows where they vote each other off is pretty unfair at times. In this they are judged on how much they live up to the characteristics of a superhero.Many people auditioned but the finalist were: Fat Momma, Feedback, Levity, MonkeyWoman, Iron Enforcer, Lemuria, Tyveculus, Major victory, Creature, Feedback.Its no secret that most the people on this show are actors. But theses days in Hollywood, who isn't? It doesn't make it more staged. This show is definitely a must see.

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    Asteri-Atypical

    At first I winced when I heard this show has the tag-line of banality, namely "A Sci-Fi Channel Original". Yet when I saw the concept I had hope. When I saw Stan Lee, comic book guru and personal idol that he is, would be involved, I knew I had to check out this show! However, despite some interesting facets, the stench of "Sci-Fi Channel Original" still has managed to permeate this show.Stan Lee is unquestionably the high point. He has a great presence on screen and adds drama. He also is THE person to be in such a show. The other potential high point of this show is (or at least would have been) is the entertainment value of seeing people express their creativity and dress up as their fantasy super-hero creations! This is where it falls flat. Instead of multiple NEW super-hero candidates each week, it appears we are stuck with the SAME dwindling group of heroes in the typical reality-show "vote 'em off" formula. Seeing new heroes and new personalities could have been quite amusing for some time to come. I can't imagine the appeal in seeing the SAME characters in new and lame reality-show style competitions and being overly melodramatic at the end when someone gets voted off.Another serious problem with this show is that it appears to be overly contrived. I could not believe in any of these characters. They seemed scripted and unreal parodies. Most of the contestants are established actors.Sorry - but even the legend of Stan Lee can't quite rescue this show from the "Sci-Fi Original" tag of low quality programming. If the creators had dared to be ORIGINAL in concept and not follow the tired, banal, worn-out reality show format, they might have had a show which was at least very amusing and humorous.

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