Batwoman was actually great (and deserved better)
Five years later and that awful first trailer for Batwoman still has a lot to answer for. In just three minutes, it destroyed the vast majority of fans’ excitement for the show because it honed in on cliche dialogue, featured few of the pilot’s great moments, and lacked any kind of the triumph or grandeur the Bat-Family is known for – which is exactly the kind of grandeur and triumph that the character made us feel when she debuted in Elseworlds.
The first season was ultimately a lot better than the trailer ever suggested it would be, introducing us to Kate Kane’s origins and allowing us to see the Scarlet Knight take flight in a compelling debut offering. Sure, it experienced more controversy when Ruby Rose left after just one season, but it was still a thrilling watch.
The show would truly find its footing when Javicia Leslie took over as new character Ryan Wilder, breathing new life into the show. The third season, which dropped almost all references to Kate Kane and finally spotlighted Ryan as the central character, is among the greatest seasons in the Arrowverse.
The show made a bad first impression with that trailer, and because of that it kind of lived in infamy throughout its run. But the truth is that Batwoman deserved better than that, because it made itself at home as an entertaining and enjoyable aspect of the Arrowverse, capable of the same kind of greatness as its peers. And because of that, it deserved a far longer run.