Due to a bad internet connection (I believe the fault lies with my computer and not with my ISP), I couldn't raid with my guild in WoW last night. This left me watch TV until bedtime. More specifically, this left me watching Who Wants To Be A Superhero? on the Sci Fi Channel.
I've been following this show since it first came out. Superheroes? Stan Lee? A reality show? Oh yeah, that's right up my alley. I've seen every episode so far except for the first half of one episode (the part where Creature was eliminated). Anyways, the premise is that 11 superheroes (i.e. normal, every day people dressed up in costume and having a superhero persona) compete in a reality show overseen by Stan "The Man" Lee, creator of many famous superheroes including The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Spiderman and The X-Men. They are eliminated one at a time with the winner being immortalized in a Dark Horse comic book and a Sci Fi Channel movie.
Last night's episode had the three remaining superheroes, Major Victory, Fat Momma and Feedback, competing. I have to say, my favourite superhero, and hope/pick for the winner, is Major Victory. Unlike the others, he has a very strong personality and a good amount of charisma. Granted he is a former stripper, rather glib at times and seems to make a joke of most things, but he certainly acts and thinks like a superhero. He's also terribly funny and insanely amusing. Feedback is good but has no personality and absolutely idolizes Stan Lee. Not to say such idolatry is necessarily bad or misplaced, but that it's a bit.. off-color for the show. Everyone of the contestants idolizes Stan Lee to some extent but to regard him as a father figure? Even Stan Lee didn't know how to respond to that. And as for Fat Momma, well, I like her message (be yourself, don't mind others) but I dislike her attitude. She was very lackadaisical on the last challenge and she doesn't really want to win all that much. I like that she's an atypical superhero but she's still lacking some key superhero aspects (i.e. determination and direction).
So last night one of them was eliminated. Unfortunately, it was my pick, Major Victory. Feedback had done nothing wrong. Fat Momma had won over the kids but failed (horribly failed, that is) the hunting challenge (using clues to track down the supervillain). Major Victory was eliminated for being too funny. Stan Lee said that at times he was a parody of a superhero.
I disagree with this elimination. Although maybe a little too humorous or glib at times, Major Victory is a superhero to the bone. He acts the part, looks the part and his humor serves as an excellent foil for his actions. Major Victory has a strong personality and shouldn't have been penalized for it, not at all. I think Stan Lee made a mistake. My vote for elimination would have been Fat Momma. No matter how popular she is with the kids, she failed to take the tracking challenge seriously.. at all. And no superhero would ever pause in tracking down a supervillain to have a snack or get a free massage. C'mon!
Regardless, the ending of the show was very touching as Major Victory spoke over the phone with his estranged daughter. That even had Stan Lee tearing up.
So next week it's Fat Momma vs. Feedback. Even though he wasn't my top pick, I'm rooting for Feedback. He clearly wants this more than anyone else. The question will be whether Stan Lee thinks he deserves it more too.