Raising Dion is a new superhero drama that is going to be featured on Netflix and apparently has been in the works for a while. The creator wanted to show a more diverse superhero origin than has ever seen before but right off the bat I feel the need to offer at least a small amount of reality. While being raised by a single mother and having developed some very otherworldly abilities, the young Dion is not really anything that new. Yes, he’s a new character and a new hero that could easily be a standout hit, but the 10-episode drama that’s been given the green light isn’t exactly a new concept.
The story goes that after the death of his father Dion’s mother continues to raise him on her own, but eventually he starts to exhibit some very odd and almost magical abilities that continually manifest in ways that his mother can’t comprehend. Unfortunately she gets the idea that others will seek to take advantage of her son’s abilities and enlists the aid of her deceased husband’s friend to help keep things under wraps as much as possible. The story might not be entirely like any other in the wide world of superheroes, but it’s not as unique as people might think.
Superheroes have been raised in adversity before. They’ve manifested their abilities as children before. They’ve had to go on the run before due to their abilities manifesting. Ever heard of The Gifted? They might have both parents but their abilities have put them on the run from authorities that might want to detain or take advantage of them. The idea has a lot of merit but touting it as something groundbreaking and new is not quite as accurate as it could be. Raising Dion could possibly be a very worthy show and might even expand beyond the ten episodes it’s already slated for, but that all depends on how it’s presented and whether or not the interest is there.
Superhero shows have had a kind of up and down time lately. Luke Cage did great, Jessica Jones did great, Iron Fist was criticized without mercy. Daredevil has been great, the Defenders did alright, but the Inhumans had no chance from the get go. It seems that for every few superhero shows that come out there’s bound to be at least one or two, or more, that just don’t manage to go the distance. A lot of folks that have gotten wind of this show are no doubt hoping that Raising Dion will show something worth watching and that it will be able to restore a little of the lost faith in superhero dramas.
Right now we can wait and hope that this will be the case, since some superheroes raised in adversity tend to be some of the most interesting and well-developed, not to mention the most empathetic to the plight of humanity. Lots of people enjoy a feelgood kind of hero show that doesn’t rely as much on nonstop violence, but if those making the show are wise they’ll add at least some action in there just to make it interesting.
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