I don't know if there's a market for an anthology series these days, when everything seems to be geared toward serialization.
I think the combination is just weird if you compare it to the comics. But the shows are their own entities, and actors can bring characters to life in unexpected ways, or prove disappointing. It's logical that Berlanti and The CW would be focused more on which actors and characters are most likely to be able to carry a show, rather than which characters might have teamed up in the comics. It's no weirder than Marvel building a show around Agent Coulson, a character who never even existed in the comics (until recently).
In other words, what's driving this isn't a desire to do a show about Martin Stein, the Atom, Captain Cold, and Zombie Sarah Lance; it's a desire to do a show headlined by Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Wentworth Miller, and Caity Lotz, all actors who are proven draws. Comics precedent and continuity are secondary to that.
I think the Anthology would make
a lot of sense.
While serialization
is the new hip thing...i can see it's life span on a massive scale being burned out...or at least appetite for something "new", and anthology would be it.
Hopefully they've learned from Metal Hurlant, and the Twilight Zone revivials...that good writing is needed, as well as good actors (which they have)
They can be more creative (i.e. not having to tie the stories together, unless they really want to), stars have freedom to do other work, and they can see which characters are really buzzworthy, and which aren't. So for Dead Canary, they might have seen how she's more well liked that Laurel...so they plan a few shows about her (i.e. her Canary past at year 3, 4 or 5 of Oliver's disappearance, and plant some seeds that Laurel can take over later.
This would also be a great opportunity to showcase characters that have appeared briefly in these & the Supergirl show.
My only issue is that i starting to get oversaturated with genre shows...but if this is a between-season filler, and/or Netflix bait (i.e. viewers can choose to watch either 1 episode, or a bunch)...that might be pretty smart. An anthology would be perfect to fit in between crazy times (like the holidays), so if they miss an episode of "Brave and the Bold" or whatever they call it (maybe "Outsiders", but not as a team, at least at first), no biggie. People won't be confused as much as disappointed.
If they get really desparate, they can always do a Prison break reunion...but with the actors exchanging roles. A whole season of Super Villain Prison Break! (though i think an Arrow-Flash crossover, with the Prison Break reunion is what they'll go for -- and create huge ratings and bigger buzz)
