CAROLINE DRIES TALKS BATWOMAN SEASON 2

As showrunner for CW’s Batwoman, Caroline Dries’ day is hectic. Juggling different phases of different episodes, popping into the writer’s Zoom room, and writing scripts, giving notes on VFX shots, and prep meetings are all part of her jam packed day. Inspired by Dawson’s Creek, in which the titular Dawson (James Van Der Beek) dreams of becoming a filmmaker Caroline decided to follow her dreams and attend film school. Starting with a stint on Smallville, “Because they were hiring interns,” Dries eventually became a writer. With a dozen Smallville scripts under her belt she then had the amazing opportunity to become a co- showrunner with Julie Plec on Vampire Diaries. “Which was obviously created by Kevin Williamson, who created Dawson’s Creek. “So it all came, all my dreams came true.”

Caroline took time out for a quick chin wag with me on behalf of Bleeding Cool to tease the highly anticipated second season of Batwoman, which airs Sunday nights, 8pm on the CW.

You started on Smallville and The Vampire Diaries, what is it about super powers or supernatural properties attracts you?

Caroline Dries: “(on Smallville) I grew into the genre and realized that when you have genre slapped onto family drama or teen drama, or whatever, it really helps heighten the world and gives you these really helpful story engines to propel the season so you can turn out more episodes. So writing on Melrose Place was actually really difficult to think of plots because everything was so grounded in real life drama. But on Smallville you have the freak of the weeks who come in with their meteor rock poisoning and now the world is, like, wide open to you for what the drama can be. It adds this layer of heightened realism that makes it super fun. Same thing for Vampire Diaries, you are working with witchcraft and magic, you know vampire lore. All that history just built out the world and makes it so fascinating and much easier to write much longer, denser stories.”

Once Ruby Rose decided to leave the show the decision was made to bring in a new Batwoman, How did you cast Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder? Were you looking for an actor of color for the role, or did she blow you away and adapted the character to the actor?

CD: “ It was open casting . I didn’t really have a clear vision of who I wanted , I kind of knew what vibe I was looking for. And, there needed to be some edge, some street savvy and, you know, emotional depth, and just somebody who you can look into their eyes and you feel like they’ve lived a life just by looking at them. And we met with a lot of actors and Javicia just stood out light years ahead of anyone else... once you kind of hone in on “Ok this is who the actor is,” then you start sort of shaping-reshaping the character so it just all aligns perfectly.”

There have only been a few female superheroes of color in the past, but none have had their own prime time TV show. Is there a challenge to or different approach to writing for a super hero of color?

CD: Yes I think there’s a huge responsibility, and opportunity, and privilege frankly. The stories I got to tell season one where really interesting and I love seeing the world through a gay super hero. We got to tell some Stories that envolved the challenges of being gay and the irony of being gay, an out lesbian, and then wearing a suit that hides who you are from people. I found that all very interesting and a privilege to write as well. Now getting to write a black female lead, her perspective, first of all is so different then mine. The challenges she faces on a daily basis, big and small, are just so different then mine. Personally I’ve had the opportunity to learn and grow and have conversations that I’ve never had before and feel uncomfortable in moments and hopefully learn and kind of see the world through a different perspective. Even though I could never really walk in those shoes I feel like we’re able to tell the story of a person walking those shoes and hopefully that shows up on the screen. And it just creates, um, drama that we didn’t get to tell season one. Everything from Ryan's past is innately connected to a moment where she was accused of a crime she didn’t commit. And a lot of that has racial overtones. And that, you know, probably wouldn’t have happened if to a character like Kate Kane.

You mentioned Kate's Sexuality, will Ryan’s sexuality be a plot or story point in the upcoming season?

CD: “Yeah. It was really important to us. Obviously the reason, I mean one of the big reasons I wanted to do the show was because it was a gay superhero. There is really, like, a few (gay superheroes). I can’t think of any where the lead of the show is a lesbian. So I didn’t want to lose that in creating Ryan. So that was really something that ... is a big part of this character. In the first few episodes we just make reverence to it, because I’m really trying to make the audience peel back the layers slowly and really allow the audience to sink in with Ryan because I know it’s a bit of a shock to try to digest a new character that’s the lead. So by episode four we will start to see more of Ryan’s love life and all the complications that are involved with that.

Would you say the hero/ character Batwoman inherently a lesbian superhero or icon?

CD: “To me I made a big deal (season one) out of Batwoman’s actual coming out. Because Kate came out when she was younger and it wasn’t really a hiccup in her life, there wasn’t a lot of drama around it. Whereas I wanted to play that coming out story with Kate’s character in that you know Kate is a lesbian. Which is all fine and good but she’s not necessarily the city’s hero. But Batwoman is. So um, Batwoman coming out was a big deal to Gotham, and to gays and lesbians in Gotham. She continues in season two to be, sort of that representation.”

What can you say or tease about what has happened to Kate? Why is there a need for a new Batwoman?

CD: “Yeah, well we’ll in our first episode, in our premiere. But um, what happens to Kate. Season one centers around the mystery of Kate's sudden disappearance, and the episode of the show is called What ever happened to Kate Kane, so that will be an ongoing mystery which I promise will have a satisfying ending for viewers. Yeah I mean the tease of the episode is that “Just when you think things couldn’t get crazier, they get cooler and crazier. And I think Ryan is a very fascinating character to watch because Javicia is such a good actress. So I think that, my hope is that she is a seamless addition to the continuing story. “

Caroline continues...

“ So many of our characters are innately connected to her, she was the core of the show season one. Sophie was her soulmate, Jacob was her father, Mary is her (step) sister, Alice is her twin. They all have a vested interest in figuring out what the heck happened to her. And there is definitely a rollercoaster.”

Most members of the Bat-family do not take on the mantle because they had happy lives. What can you tease about Ryan’s Batwoman origin?

DC: “The main reason Ryan puts on the suit is to get revenge on her mother’s killer, and she needs to go through an emotional journey internally to realize, obviously, the suit isn’t crafted for vengeance. That’s not what the symbol stands for.”

Dries continues...

“There is a lot of excitement coming with Ryan and there is also a lot of continuing drama from the previous season, the dynamics among the other characters that were surrounding Kate that still feels very rich and continuous from the previous season. In a way it feels like, I’ve heard it been referred to as a reboot but it’s really not, in my opinion. It’s just a new character enters the fray and drama ensues.

As Caroline says season two is not even close to a reboot, it is a natural progression of the characters and the Bat -lore surrounding them. If you liked what Ruby Rose did with Batwoman in season one, even a little, you owe it to yourself to see what Javicia is bringing to the hero. Check out the trailer for yourself.