‘Batwoman’: How Will the Coronavirus Pandemic Impact the Finale?
Batwoman is The CW’s freshman Arrowverse series, and it is a bona-fide hit. The show is a fresh addition to the network’s collection of comic book-based series. In it, Ruby Rose stars as Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, a vigilante with a thirst for justice, a knack for banter, and a killer red wig. In Batwoman, Kate decided to put on the Bat Cape to keep Gotham City safe. In reality, the producers of the show took their own safety measures in response to the real-world threat of the coronavirus pandemic, which is much more serious than the fictional villains of Gotham.
Has ‘Batwoman’ suspended production?
According to NPR.org, the coronavirus is more contagious and more deadly than the flu. Therefore, it is no wonder that the Centers for Disease Control set strict guidelines for contact and gatherings. Most recently, several states have shut down nonessential businesses, as reported by CBS News.
Production companies were quick to suspend filming to help reduce the reach of the highly contagious coronavirus. The producers behind Batwoman were among those who halted production. MSN published this statement from Warner Bros. Television Group, the company behind Batwoman:
With the rapidly changing events related to COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, Warner Bros. Television Group is halting production on some of our 70+ series and pilots currently filming or about to begin. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on any of our productions, but the health and safety of our employees, casts and crews remains our top priority. During this time, we will continue to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control as well as local officials and public health professionals in each city where our productions are based.
MSN.com
How will halting production on ‘Batwoman’ affect Season 1?
The producers of Batwoman shut down production near the end of Season 1, which could affect how the rest of the storyline plays out. TVLine reported that the show had only completed filming 19 out of 22 episodes. That could mean a shortened season for Batwoman.
Although production is on hold, The CW opted to schedule new episodes rather than encores for the time being. Episodes 16 and 17 are expected to run on Sunday, March 22, and Sunday, March 29, respectively.
What needs to be wrapped up by the season finale?
This season has focused heavily on the rivalry between Kate and her long-lost twin sister-turned-supervillain, Alice — previously known as Beth. Although they are typically on opposite sides of the law, recent episodes showed the ladies’ relationship beginning to thaw.
In Episode 13, titled ‘Drink Me,’ Alice saves Kate’s stepsister, Mary, from certain death. Later in Episode 15, ‘Off With Her Head,’ Kate partners with her dad to rescue Alice from a trap set by her long-time abuser. Furthermore, a promo for Episode 16, ‘Through the Looking-Glass,’ teases a team-up between the rivals.
It is anyone’s guess how the remainder of the story will play out, but with any luck, the season will just be delayed instead of shortened. Batwoman airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. on The CW.
Read more: ‘Lucifer’: Did the Coronavirus Pandemic Halt Production?
