When we think of the superhero genre, we tend to associate it with CGI-filled epic battles and action-packed storylines. However, if you really empowered ordinary people?
That’s answered in Extraordinary, a new superhero comedy coming to Disney+ today (you can sign up here). It’s a world where everyone gets a new power at 18. However, our heroine Jen (star Mairead Tyers) bucks the trend – still impotent at 25.
Determined to unlock her powers, Jen goes from stress at the dentist to eating the hottest curry on the menu in an attempt to uncover a hidden supernatural talent. What makes him ordinary is his usual insecurities, his lack of credentials that job interviewers and his mother (Siobhan McSweeney) often question.
The thing is, Jen stabs in the dark to “unlock” if she has the power. How he’s supposed to go about this remains a mystery, especially since the abilities shown in Extraordinary are a bit… unorthodox.
Early detection is indicated Technical consultant The film features a taxi driver who knows how people die (and seems too eager to tell them), a 55-year-old diner owner trapped in a child’s body, and a man who can impress. His ass is 3D – yes, really.
Extraordinaire is not afraid of vulgarity and crude humor from the very beginning. In that sense, it’s reminiscent of Amazon’s The Boys , but without the same cynicism or shocking gore. Instead, it’s more like a sitcom about a girl trying to get her life together while superpowers become the norm.
Her housemates Carrie (Sophia Oxenham) and Kash (Bilal Hasna) are her life-long rocks, happy to help Jen with strange activities to unlock her powers, and are also there for her in times of desperation.
Disney+
They also perfectly illustrate how superpowers create everyday problems. For example, Carrie can channel the dead and allow them to speak through her, but that doesn’t just pay the bills. For a living, he takes on people who are wrangling with wills and makes himself unpopular in the process.
Despite its strange and surprising powers, the show still feels grounded — and it’s all by writer Emma Moran, a former stand-up and sketch comedian. It may be his first script, but it’s the second Disney+ Original based in the UK, and it’s been greenlit for a second season.
In an interview after the screening, Emma explained how her Irish ancestry had accidentally bled into Jen, so the main character’s inner thoughts and monologues sounded funny. He often talks about things that everyone thinks but won’t without a filter.
The East London setting also has a strong presence in the show. Moran’s days in this region probably helped. He even spent hours at the local Genesis movie theater buying coffee and writing a script.
Despite the show’s subject matter, it’s an antidote to any skeptics of the superhero genre. It can also be a breath of fresh air for those frustrated by these conversations.
Disney+
A Fandom poll (as reported by Variety ) says that roughly a third of Marvel fans are tired of the endless series of movies and TV shows, and the DC Universe is in a state of disarray after so many reboots and cancellations.
Maybe it’s because we get the same cookie-cutter formula from Hollywood over and over again, where the hero has to deal with a world-shattering/universe-shattering threat, dressed in a costume that delivers joke after joke. Thus, relatability is lost for many audiences.
Extraordinary takes all of that out of the equation, proving that a successful superhero story doesn’t need cool costumes and terrifying villains. All you need is a hopeless character (goddamn you), a situation with a strong personality, and side characters you can’t take seriously, like a shape-shifting cat called Jizzlord.
All eight episodes of Extraordinary are now available Disney+. You can sign up for ad-free viewing from $10.99/£7.99 per month.
What am I watching this week?
HBO Max’s latest big hit is the post-apocalyptic game adaptation, The Last of Us. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay star as Joel and Ellie, two paired survivors. They must fight their way through the terrain, avoiding infected grizzly bears and other hazards along the way.
Fans of the game have praised its portrayal of the source material, but even if you’re not a gamer, the series is full of suspense, drama, and tragedy. Episodes are released every week, so you can expect a lot more.
You can watch The Last of Us on HBO Max in the US and Sky Atlantic/Now in the UK.
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