Found this on Newarama. This will either be great, or horrible. And I guess you cant have someone named Dick, in prime time. And I would rather see a series with a young Bruce Wayne traveling the world. What about a Green Arrow, or JLA show? Sigh, CW is afraid of tights I guess.

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According to Variety, the CW is preparing a new series based on Dick Grayson – before he was Robin, the sidekick of Batman. Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson – executive producers of Smallville, and Supernatual executive producer McG are behind the project, which has received a put pilot commitment from CW.

As the trade reports, the series will take a Smallville tone in that it will focus on the young man (Dick “DJ” Grayson - his full name is Richard John Grayson) before his hero days. The series will either replace Smallville, if this turns out to be the series final season, as many are speculating, or be a companion piece to the series starring a young Clark Kent, if this season’s ratings justify a ninth season.

Like Smallville, The Graysons will take elements of the character from DC Comics continuity, and put its own spin on it. In the original origin of Robin, there was virtually no backstory given, save that his parents died as a result of a gangster’s extortion scheme at the Haly Circus, where the Flying Graysons were performing. Some backstory has been added in since that story in 1940’s Detective Comics #38, but never with the scope that The Graysons is aiming at.

From Variety:

In the one-hour "Graysons," which will be set in modern times, young DJ will face challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family as he grows up. Souders and Peterson have come up with an original take on the character.

Given the comparisons to Smallvile, its likely that The Graysons will cast Dick...”DJ”...along the lines of Chris O’Donnell in 1995’s Batman Forever, that is a teenager, rather than the young boy as seen in the original comics. What will be interesting to see is how and when other DC Comics characters and elements will be introduced into the series, as the audience will be waiting to see who the series casts as Bruce Wayne.

Lame. Sounds like "The Hills" but with trapeze artists.

Sounds horrible. A show about a traveling circus act?

Wouldn't he be called "RJ"?

So, let me guess, the final episode ends with his parents falling to their deaths from a sabotaged trapeze apparatus?

I'll pass.

Now a show about Barbara Gordon, played by some hottie. That could work.

I will be doing bi-weekly guest spots for the show as a palsied, wigger uncle who has a heart of gold, but can't break his addiction to gambling on all things tennis.

Didn't they already try that with Birds of Prey? Oh, you mean pre-costume?

I could see this working if this progressed to the point after his parent's death, when he was taken in by Bruce Wayne but before he became Robin. But otherwise, I don't see what the point of tying this to the comic book property is.

I can't see a show about Robin lasting more than 2 seasons (unless they have him become Robin partway through). Before his parents died, nothing I've ever read said he was involved in crime-solving. His life was fine. Fine=boring TV.

Why not dust off the pre-smallville concept of a young Bruce Wayne show? Start it when he leaves Gotham and travels around the world learing the skills he uses as Batman. Have Alfred go with him to have at least 2 cast memebers. So what if it conflicts with Batman Begins on some points. Superman Returns came out and that pretty much ignores Smallville (which was currently being shown)

Of all the people they could take from the DC universe, this sounds like the worst idea. If you were committed to not take a character that had been on Smallville, then there are still better options.

What the shit?

How about spin off Green Arrow & his Justice League?

This just sounds awful.

Robin's backstory could barely fill up a 30 second ad

Stupid ass idea. I'd much prefer a Green Arrow spin-off. Or even Aquaman (I think they even did a pilot for that).

^^ There was an Aquaman pilot. You can download it from Xbox Live. It wasn't great, but it was good enough that it was a little surprising they didn't pick it up.

Just a very strange idea. I guess we'll see where it goes.

Horrible idea. They should do a JLA spinoff.
I was reading this news at TV guide.com and people seem to think that Supernatural will get the axe in favor of the Dick Grayson spinoff. Can anyone confirm this?

Bad Idea. If anything, I'd rather have a Jason Todd story. A Grayson backstory is boring.

I'll watch. Would much rather see a series about Bruce before he became Batman though, so much potential there.

I guess this will replace Smallville.

Barf.

Add me to the WTF crowd on this one. This sounds terrible.

If they couldn't make Aquaman or Birds of Prey work, I don't see how this has a snowball's chance.

young DJ will face challenges involving first loves, young rivals and his family as he grows up. Sounds *really* exciting.

I wonder if Bruce Wayne "grooming" him will be part of the story.

CW + DC characters = Hit and Miss...but mostly Miss.

I'll prolly check it out, but I don't expect much. No doubt Robin/Dick will be neutered and pussified like Clark/Superman on Smallville.

This sounds stupid and it is ridiculous that they aren't using the name Dick. If he is called Richard and his nickname is Dick, why does he need another second nickname in "DJ". This is as ridiculous as the when they change Hulk's name from Bruce Banner to David. Add to this that the hack named McG is producing this, and the target audience of the WB and you got a disaster in your hands.

Agreed. Hopefully this doesn't make it past the pilot stage, but knowing the number of bad ideas that make it to the air that is unlikely.