The Suicide Squad

***The Suicide Squad*** is an American television series that ran for 8 seasons from 2022 to 2030. It is based on the DC Comics team of the same name. It is the sixth television series in the DCEU and the second television series in Phase 3. It premiered on September 2, 2022.

## Plot Summary

Bronze Tiger, also known as Benjamin Turner, was a superhero from a long time ago but got arrested for a crime he did not commit. Now, he's serving his sentence in Belle Reve. Some years into his sentence, Amanda Waller gives him a choice: either keep serving his sentence or she will have him enlisted on an off the books black ops group entitled Task Force X, or as some members call it "The Suicide Squad". While he initially says no, he ultimately decides to use his training for good use and try to get out of prison faster and joins the group. He soon finds out that all of his teammates are villains, and he is technically the only "good guy" on the group. He must deal with being on a group of criminals and try not to get killed.

## Cast

### Main

* Idris Elba as Bronze Tiger/Benjamin Turner
* Boyd Holbrook as Captain Boomerang (seasons 1-2; 4-8)
* Timothy Olyphant as Deadshot/Floyd Lawton
* Jensen Ackles as Colonel Rick Flag
* Alfre Woodard as Amanda Waller

### Recurring

* Lily James as Enchantress/June Moone (seasons 1; 4; 6)
* John DeSantis as Blockbuster/Mark Desmond (season 1)
* Serinda Swan as Black Orchid/Susan Linden-Thorpe (season 1)
* Rosie Huntington-Whitely as Nightshade/Eve Eden (season 2)
* Alfie Allen as Multiplex/Danton Black (season 2)
* Jesse Plemons as Parasite/Raymond Jensen (season 2; 6)
* Adam Beach as Slipknot/Christopher Weiss (season 3)
* Ray Park as Manhunter/Mark Shaw (season 3; 6)
* John Simm as The Thinker/Clifford DeVoe (season 3)
* Rose McIver as Psi/Gayle Marsh (season 3)
* Haley Bennett as Silver Swan/Vanessa Kapatelis (season 4)
* Thomas Kretschmann as Count Vertigo (season 4)
* Antony Starr as Doctor Light/Arthur Light (season 4)
* Adam Huber as Punch (season 5)
* Amanda Seyfried as Jewlee (season 5)
* Ruth Wilson as Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley (season 5)
* Thomas Beaudoin as Sportsmaster/Lawrence "Crusher" Crock (season 5)
* Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as King Shark/Nanaue (season 7)
* Phil LaMarr as Shrapnel/Mark Scheffer (season 7)
* Denis O'Hare as Copperhead/John Doe (season 7)
* Natalie Dormer as Killer Frost/Crystal Frost (season 7)
* Lena Headey as Plastique/Bette Sans Souci (season 8)
* Peter Sarsgaard as Icicle/Cameron Mahkent (season 8)
* Donald Glover as Black Spider/Eric Needham (season 8)
* Callan Mulvey as KGBeast/Anatoli Knyazev (season 8)

## Reception

When it initially premiered *The Suicide Squad* received universal acclaim from critics and audiences. "While *The Suicide Squad* isn't exactly breaking any barriers in terms of social commentary or anything intellectual, it is extremely refreshing with its premise. As well as being a great blend of the grittiness of war films, while also holding true to the comic book exaggeration, silliness, and comedy."

For the next 3 seasons, *The Suicide Squad* remained at a positive reception among fans and critics. It kept its unique premise at the forefront, while also having some great development with Turner's character, with a great performance from Elba. As well as great chemistry with the main cast.

With seasons 5 and 6, there was a bit of a dip in quality. It went into more over exaggerated comic book action rather than the even balance of earlier seasons. With this, the producers cut down the number of episodes from 10 to 6 in season 6, to give it a bigger budget and more focus on writing and characters. As well as in the same season, bringing back some fan favorite Squad members. There was a slight bump in quality and ratings.

During the last two seasons, the quality of episodes received mixed reviews at best, saying that the series went far beyond its charm by going as far as 8 seasons. The exaggerated comic book flair was too much, so the final two seasons went into the more gritty war like direction becoming very similar to Lightfoot's earlier series with *The Punisher*. Many fans didn't like this new direction either and thought the final two seasons were okay at best. However, the final two episodes were highly praised and despite the reception of the final two seasons, were declared some of the best episodes of the series.

## Trivia

* Originally proposed as a film by James Gunn, and was considered to be a film in both Phase 2 and Phase 3. However, many producers thought it would work more effectively as a series. With this, Gunn left the project and was chosen to direct *Justice League III* instead, and *The Punisher* showrunner Steve Lightfoot was chosen to helm the series.
* Lightfoot wanted it to have a raw war film feel like *The Dirty Dozen* but also holding true to the ridiculous idea of having costumed super villains going around the world and killing people.
* In both Gunn's original treatment and early in production of the series, there wasn't meant to be a main protagonist. Deadshot was supposed to get the most focus, but it would still more so be an ensemble. However, later on in pre-production, Lightfoot liked the character of Bronze Tiger so much, he decided to have him be the protagonist. He stated he "loved the idea of having a protagonist be a good guy dealt the wrong hand, with his only path towards 'redemption' was being on a team of bad guys".
* The series was going to end with the entire Squad dying, including Bronze Tiger, but Lightfoot wanted to have him "walk into the sunset like an old western" and let him live, but had him retire instead. But Lightfoot has said that many years after the series conclusion, he would "probably die in poverty anyway".