Welcome back to my weekly review and recap of “Supergirl.” To catch up on previous coverage, click here.
Easily the shows best episode so far, with a stronger sense of purpose, and the best utilization of the supporting characters. There is something about the series however that needs to be addressed and accepted immediately: it’s cheesy. So, so, bumble gum light cheesy and that is fine if that’s what the show is going for. It’s not aiming to be the newest, hip drama, or an in depth introspection into what the inner turmoil of being a superhero is. No, it’s a breezy, enjoyable for the masses look at Supergirl as she tries to discover how being a superhero fits into the life she’s carved out for herself. It’s placing focus on how to make sure sure she wears her title just as surely as her cousin, and dealing with those whos lives she intersects with.
The main villain of the week is Reactron, who wants to kill Supergirl to hurt Superman the way he hurt him, when a fight resulted in the death of his wife and his own disfigurement. Reactron isn’t the most intriguing villain but he does allow for some of the best fight sequences the show has done so far, especially following last weeks clunky one between Kara and her aunt. This week, Reactron poses an actual threat to Kara, and the fights between them are bruising, as the two go all out to have the upper hand. Kara isn’t yet totally assured in her abilities, and she still stumbles often while trying to save the day, but she’s improving, and she’s tackling each new challenge as if it’s an exciting new adventure, a way to further prove herself.
The villain does set up the Kara and James flirtation and when he calls Superman to come in and save the day, Kara’s hurt at him not having faith in her is obvious, but it’s hard to fault him when he did it out of his own concern for her well being. I’ve said it before but Melissa Benoist and Mechad Brooks really have a tremendous amount of chemistry and watching them interact is often some of the biggest highlights of the episode. Their dance at Cat’s party and then the two of them working together to defeat Reactron is enough to sell them on me as a potential couple, so much so that the introduction of Lucy Lane (Jenna Dewan-Tatum), and the fear that the show will go down the love triangle route is frustrating.
Cat continues to be another character that get’s better as time goes on, and seeing her frazzled this week as she tries to write her big, expose on Supergirl does a little to humanize the character from her larger than life persona. The brief interview between her and Supergirl at the start is a great way to introduce a fun dynamic, and a highlight was definitely Cat asking about whether or not she “wants a family” and Supergirl angrily shooting back that her cousin never gets asked these types of questions, which is a nice moment of the show skewering the media and sexism. I can’t say I’m a fan of Cat’s hatred of millennials, but I do like that she’s showing to be competent at her job, and that behind the harsh words in her piece, there’s a part of her that respects what Supergirl is doing.
But it’s the Kara and Alex sister relationship that remains the shows most important, and can we all acknowledge how perfect it was for a cover of “Girl’s Just Want To Have Fun” to be playing at the end of the episode. They continue to support one another, no matter the cost, and their scene at the end allows for the Kara outside of the cape shine, more than her over eager, “aw shucks” persona that is mostly on display at her job. At home, Kara is playful and silly and laughs big and loud when she hits Alex in the head with a pillow.
Also, how many of you are in love with Kara’s apartment?
It was the first episode of the series that felt fully rounded, and while the dialogue still needs some tuning up and needs to be a little less on the nose, it’s shown an improvement since last week’s awkward fumbling.
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8/10
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