Table of Contents
Synopsis of Supergirl:
At 12 years old, Kara Zor-El escapes doom on planet Krypton to find protection on Earth with the Danvers family, where she grows up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learns to hide the extraordinary powers she shares with her cousin, Superman.
Now as an adult living in National City and working for media mogul, Cat Grant, Kara finds her days of keeping her abilities a secret are over when super-secret agency head, Hank Henshaw, enlists her to help protect the city’s citizens from threats. Finally coming into her own, Kara must juggle her new responsibilities with her very human relationships. (source)
Creators: Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg
Cast: Melissa Benoist, Chyler Leigh, David Harewood, Mehcad Brooks, Jeremy Jordan and Calista Flockhart
Supergirl Review:
Everyone knows Superman. But how many of us know his cousin, Supergirl? Kara Zor-El or Kara Danvers is the hero girls and women had been waiting for.
Yes, there were female superhero movies and series in the past, such as Wonder Woman (1974-1979) and Supergirl (1984). We also had Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) after that. But for heroines from comic books, things did not look well for them. We have Black Widow and Scarlet Witch, but are they enough as supporting characters in the male-leading films? Not really. This is why it was a big deal when DC Comics announced Wonder Woman movie and Supergirl TV Series.
Kara Danvers may not be the first female comic books-based hero on TV in 21st century, but she is definitely the first one to be the sole and main lead character.
Supergirl’s debut episode aired in October 2015 on CBS with 12.96 million viewers and held its own until the end of the first season. And just like every other TV shows, there are people who love it or do not find it their cup of tea for various reasons.
If we talk about Supergirl’s strength, it has to be the core relationship between Kara and her sister, Alex, which comes before any romantic relationships on the show. It truly defines the motto “Family comes first”. These two sisters, even though they are not related by blood, show their unreal amount of love and support for each other, and they are definitely the heart of the show. Other characters like James Olsen, Winn Schott, Hank Henshaw, Cat Grant and Lucy Lane are also very likable in their own way, but it is always Melissa Benoist (Glee, Homeland) and Chyler Leigh (Grey’s Anatomy) that completely and brilliantly bring it home every week as Kara and Alex Danvers, respectively.
Another strength has to be feminism that seeps through every episode. There was one moment in season 1 when the “girl” herself, Kara Danvers, questioned why she was titled “Supergirl” instead of “Superwoman”. Her day job boss, Cat Grant, replied calmly and confidently as below:
“What do you think is so bad about ‘girl’? I’m a girl, and your boss, and powerful, and rich, and hot, and smart. So if you perceive Supergirl as anything less than excellent, isn’t the real problem you?”
Naturally, strengths come with weaknesses just like how Super-verse cannot be free of kryptonite. Some fans may say the show is too mild or as they put it as “not dark enough” or “too rom-com”. They perceive Kara’s character as too girly or even call her “weak”. I personally think it is a good thing because women, or people in general, can be strong even when they cry. You do not have to keep your emotions in check all the time to be a hero. You are allowed to feel and express how you feel.
Although, the real weakness has to be how some lines the characters speak are so cheesy or cliché (I cringed so hard sometimes when I watched). Then again, perception is everything and you can easily let it slide if those lines truly come from their heart.
Another weakness is some areas of their behind-the-scene work. For example, when Supergirl or any Kryptonians are flying, their body movements clearly show that they are on harnesses. But hey, we are all human here and nobody is perfect. We cannot expect them to actually fly, can we?
Recommended episodes:
Pilot, Red Faced, For the Girl Who Has Everything, Falling, Myriad and Better Angels
In conclusion (A Quick takeaway on Supergirl Review):
Supergirl is a good show and worth checking out, especially if you value family and are looking to cheer on a female superhero for a change.
Bonus and spoilers alert, Superman showed up in season 2! And no, he does not take the spotlight from his beloved cousin at all. Supergirl, the series, also moved to the CW channel after season 1, which means there are more opportunities to crossover with other superhero shows like Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.
You can show your support for the show’s second season every Monday night on the CW 8/7c (US time), and the first season is available on Netflix.
Pros
- Feminism
- Focus on family bonding
- Likable characters
Cons
- Cheesyness
- Harness work
