[7.3/10] Once again, the comedy stuff stands out more than the plot stuff in *Kite Man*. Though this time it wasn’t Bane! (Although, his fervent yet fruitless efforts to defecate followed by a renewed rant against the 1980s to Goldilocks did crack me up something fierce.) This time it was Darkseid! I’ve long-enjoyed his chorus, whose chiming in about “guarantees” and the like remains great. Desaad as a sort of beleaguered Mr. Smithers type is plenty amusing. And my god, Keith David just kills it with Darkseid as a sort of corny-yet-commanding manager, griping about pet store assurances, challenging retail employees, and chiding those in his employ for being party poopers or making comments that are rated “NC-Brandon”. His low stakes grumbliness is hilarious and endearing. And once again, Ketih David remains one of the all time great voice actors. But the plot doesn’t really do much for me. I will say that I do like Helen Villgan deciding to help the good guys because, as The Kingpin [once put it](https://trakt.tv/comments/174672), “There’s no profit to be made in the destruction of the planet.” Kite Man continuing his Frodo-like status as the one person whose possession of the Anti-Life Equation briefcase can lead to good things is a nice place to take the “kindness is my superpower idea.” And beyond just the amusing homages to *The Exorcist*, the notion of him letting the Anti-Life Equation consume him and then dying has a certain cleverness to it. But in practice, it just doesn’t do much for me emotionally. The notion of Glider having to kill Kite Man for the good of the universe is sound in principle. But in practice, I just don’t believe the show would go through with it, and the supposed turmoil of the moment couldn't quite reach me. I like Kite Man and Glider together, but frankly, I don’t even like them as much as I liked Kite Man and Poison Ivy, so it’s hard to feel the grave importance of a bond that isn’t as compelling and a consequence that doesn’t seem terribly likely. I can't blame the creative team for centering the finale on their relationship. It’s a central part of the show and one worth paying off in the storytelling. But I just didn’t buy it, and more importantly, didn’t feel it. Similarly, again, Malice’s arc has been so underbaked that it’s tough to feel too engaged by her giving Darkseid the location of the briefcase in the hopes of keeping them alive as a “Sally’s choice.” I like what the show’s going for with Malice, but it just hasn’t done the work. And the conclusion left me a bit overwhelmed. I’m not one to take issue with a loony superhero show for plausibility. But it did seem more unlikely that the knuckleheads who inhabit Noonans would be able to stymie the Legion of Doom than a collection of random goons. And the fight to keep Kite Man from imbibing the Anti-Life Equation seemed to stay conveniently away from Kite Man himself. I’m willing to allow convenience in a show that doesn't take itself seriously, but it did make me roll my eyes a little. Likewise, the solution’s all a bit convoluted. Rebecca Chen sneaking into Darkseid’s chorus was a little odd. And her managing to swipe the briefcase and leap into the Book of Fables felt kind of random. I did, however, appreciate the setup and payoff of Martian Manhunter posing as Gus, with odd comments to lay the groundwork for his big appearance and rescue. There’s something to be said for Glider once again being left in a place of ambiguity with her mother. But the teases of Rebecca Chen’s villainous second act, and apparently Brainiac making himself known, don’t do much for me. Overall, *Kite Man*’s first season goes out with more of a whimper than a bang. I think I expected more from the rollicking conclusion to the Anti-Life Equation saga. But the laughs are still there, and in the end that's enough for a show that ended up making its bones more on comedy than on the strong character drama and social commentary that *Harley Quinn* managed to add to its buffet of laughs.

Wouldn’t say funnier but i agree

Literally, one of the best DC spinoffs I did not expect that at all