Batwoman Season 1 Review: 9 Ups & 5 Downs

7. A Gripping Central Narrative

If there's one thing we've learned from previous Arrowverse seasons - or just TV and film in general - it's that the best stories always center on family. The conflict is just that much richer because there are more emotional stakes for the characters involved, and this approach has carried the freshman seasons of Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl to greatness. It does the very same for Batwoman.

The narrative focus on the Kane family may have felt obvious given its titular hero, but it was the right choice because we don't know this character very well at the beginning of the series. And as the mysterious disappearance of Kate's twin sister Beth begins to unravel its way to the truth, it provides Batwoman with a story that is every bit as poignant as it is thrilling.

Kate and Alice are both examples of the monsters that Gotham City can turn its citizens into; it just so happens that one of the dark demons represents light while the other is surrounded by more than enough darkness for the both of them. And in order to truly understand both why and how, we need to see it unfold... and that's exactly what we get.

The notion of fighting for family can make for a great story, while fighting against family can make for great conflict. Batwoman has both... in bucket loads.