CBS Orders ‘Secret Six’ Pilot, Based On DC Comics Characters
CBS is looking to get back into the comic book genre, as they order a pilot based on DC Comic’s ‘Secret Six’, it has been announced. For once, it’s not coming from Greg Berlanti.
The show is said to follow six morally ambiguous strangers, each with their own unique specialities and secret pasts. They are brought together by an enigmatic figure who blackmails them into working as a team to expose the corruption of the corporate and political elite. The drama comes from ‘Suits’ writer/exec producer Rick Muirragui, alongside Bill Lawrence’s Doozer Productions (‘Scrubs’, ‘Whiskey Cavalier’) and WBTV.
Created by writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Frank Springer, the name ‘Secret Six’ has been used by various groups in DC Comics over the years. The original team appeared in the late 60s and followed a strike team of covert operatives consisted of August Durant, Lili de Neuve, Carlo di Rienzi, Mike Tempest, Crimson Dawn and King Savage. They are brought together by “Mockingbird”, a mysterious character, which is later revealed to be Durant.
The book was revived in the late 80s, and followed Durant as he assembled a new team, which eventually results in most of the team, including Durant himself, being killed. In 2005 a brand new team emerged using the name who take on morally dubious missions, consisting of various morally dubious DC characters – in this case, Catman, Deadshot, and Cheshire, Rag Doll, Scandal Savage, and, randomly, a Parademon! In 2008, DC launched a new ongoing series, with the line up of Catman, Deadshot, Scandal, Rag Doll, Bane, and a new character called Jeannette. Then in the “New 52” run, the line up changed again, this time with Catman, Black Alice, Strix, Ventriloquist, Porcelain, and Ralph Dibny, working undercover using the name Big Shot. In this iteration, it is revealed that “Mockingbird” is actually The Riddler.
It’s not yet clear if they will go with any of the well-known names for the TV show, or stick with something closer to the original line up. Much like ‘Suicide Squad’, many big named characters have passed through the ranks of ‘Secret Six’ including Lex Luther, Penguin, Harley Quinn, Deadshot and Mad Hatter, so they aren’t short on characters to pick from.
CBS has given ‘Secret Six’ a “pilot production commitment” to the drama, meaning the pilot is guaranteed to get made. Whether it then makes it to series, is anyone’s guess. Last time CBS dipped its toe in the superhero genre was with ‘Supergirl’, which lasted one season on the network before being moved to it’s more natural home on The CW. However, ‘Secret Six’ seems to be a show which could lean more towards the thriller/procedural and less out-and-out comic book, which could work much better for a network like CBS. We’ll let you know if and when we hear more.
