Supergirl On TV Guide

One last piece touching on Supergirl at Comic Con. Once again, she was on one of the covers of TV Guide's Comic-Con Special. This is a strong looking Kara striking the iconic heroic 'hands on hip' pose.

When I went to the store to buy this, there was a whole stack of this issue. But there was only one Supergirl cover left! Either she is rare, everyone bought her, or it was random. Glad I was able to scoop it up.

Great cover!

The coverage included an interview with Melissa Benoist, a behind the scenese look at season one, and a Q&A with the producers. I grabbed a couple of pieces which grabbed me. If you like these shows though, you should get the book. There are good articles on Flash, DCLoT, iZombie, etc.

Supergirl Show Flying Over To The CW

We've all been waiting for some news about the Supergirl show. I recently did a post talking about all the rumors and concerns that had been flying around the production.

Well, actual news finally broke yesterday.

And as hinted at forever, the Supergirl show is moving the The CW network. Here is a link to Entertainment Weekly's coverage:  http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/12/supergirl-renewed-cw


Now there is a lot to consider with this move.

First off and most importantly, we are getting more episodes. I loved this show. The character was bright, optimistic, fierce, and learning the ropes. The relationships between the characters were the backbone of the show. Kara and Alex. Kara and Winn. Kara and Cat. Kara and Jimmy. Kara and Hank. They all had heartfelt moments and character arcs. We had action. We had it all as Supergirl fans. And I loved it. The show could have been canceled. It wasn't. That is the most important part of this announcement. We are getting more episodes.

Now, maybe there is an old-school feeling that moving from CBS to The CW is a demotion of sorts, a loss of prestige. But, as been said ad nauseum, the show 'feels' more like a CW show than a CBS show.

And, of course, it opens up the possibilities of more crossovers. Certainly, a time/space warp could lead to a DCLOT crossover.

But there are some concerns.

For one, the production has fled to Vancouver. So the whole feel of the show being in Hollywood/California is going to be gone.

Second, the reason CBS let the show go was that it was too expensive to produce. It is doubtful/impossible that the CW will be able to front the budget of last season. So will there be a drop in the effects. Will stories be written differently, avoiding big action sequences. Will there still be wire fighting? That said, I think the Flash has done a fine job with effects, so maybe it won't be noticeable?

I am not an accountant. I don't understand production budgets. But maybe the $3million dollar 'license fee' per episode will disappear since Warner Brothers owns CW. Maybe that money can be shunted to the production? Of course, the show has to make money for the network so maybe cuts are coming.

Lastly, will the very structure/cast of the show change? Will Kara be in a different city? Maybe her new role in CatCo takes her away from National City? Will David Harewood? Will last season be 'forgotten'? Will we pick up were last season ended, with the mysterious pod?

I have faith that the production company and Greg Berlanti and Ali Adler will do the show right. They clearly love it.

But the unknown is scary. Let's be optimistic.

One thing we don't need to worry about is the Alex/Kara relationship disappearing. Both Chyler Leigh and Melissa Benoist hit social media last night to thank CBS and promote the next season.

And apparently Calista Flockhart will also be back ( http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/supergirl-season-two-cw-892629 )! That was something I was very worried about!

Will things be different? Probably.

I guess we have to wait to see.

But let's not forget the most important part.

There will be a Supergirl Season Two.

Supergirl Episode 20: "Better Angels", the Finale

Supergirl Season One ended this week with an episode aptly called "Better Angels". I advise you settle in because this review is long. It is as much a look at this one episode as it is the whole series. And I couldn't be happier.

How do I put into words how happy this show has made me? Apparently by writing a lot. Because this show has understood Supergirl and what she represents from the beginning. Like many television shows, it grew stronger as the season progressed. The characters became more fleshed out. The plots became tighter. The themes and direction became more polished. And the stars simply shined.

I have tried over time here to showcase what I love about Supergirl. Her optimism. Her hope. Her sense of justice. Her fierce determination to do what's right. Her fears of not being good enough. It all comes together in a young hero striving to do what's right and occasionally failing. It is that 'never give up' that defines Supergirl as much as her array of powers. From Supergirl's difficult first appearances to her contemplating a darker justice to inspiring others, this show has captured it all.

It isn't perfect.

But what is.

What I have got this year has been 20 episodes which respect my favorite character in a new and fresh way. It is a show I can watch with my daughters without hesitation. It has super-heroics and brightness and hope. And it has character growth. The characters in this finale are very different from the ones we met in the premiere.

Right now we don't know if we are getting a Supergirl Season Two. I sincerely hope we do. But even if we don't, I have this season. It is a gem.

On to the show ...

Supergirl Episode 18: Worlds Finest

Supergirl Episode 18, titled 'Worlds Finest', aired this week. The episode was the much anticipated crossover with the Flash television show and was about as close to a comic book I have seen a show be. This was the classic 'heroes team up to beat villains who have teamed up' trope I have seen in comics over the years. And it nailed that storyline completely.

But more than that, this was an episode that seemed to embrace the notion of comic books. There was joy here. There was ice cream and races and quips. There were hugs and superhero nicknames.There was mentoring and friendship. There was smiles and fun. There was sunlight and lens flares.

And this couldn't have been aired at a better time, as another hero 'team-up' is being shown on the big screen. The dark, dour, depressing mess of 'Batman V Superman' stands in stark contrast to this near perfect illustration of what makes comics wonderful. I can't help but wonder if Greg Berlanti and Ali Adler were looking at the calendar and planning this out from day one.

Much of this rests on the shoulders of the actors. Melissa Benoist and Grant Gustin have such easy chemistry throughout the show. They are similar heroes, hoping to inspire and driven to do good. They interact so effortlessly. I love that The Flash is the veteran hero here, giving Kara pointers and being a role model.

We still await news of a second season for Supergirl. But I will repeat what has become a mantra for me. This show has been everything a Supergirl fan could ask for. And this episode might be the jewel in the crown.

Sighting On The Flash

The news of a Flash and Supergirl crossover spread like wildfire just last week. Everyone was giddy with the prospect of that episode of Supergirl, airing in late March. Would there be singing? A race for charity? Romance?

Well on this week's episode of the Flash, we got a glimpse into that reality. It was a fleeting moment but it made my night.

As Barry, Cisco, and Harrison Wells cross through the breach tunnel to head to Earth 2, they are overcome with visions of other realities.

Supergirl and Flash To Crossover!!

When the Supergirl show was first announced and Greg Berlanti was named as the producer, one of the first questions asked was if the show would crossover with the Flash. After all, Berlanti produces that show as well. It was revealed that it was in the contracts that such a crossover could happen. The question seemed less about if it would happen and more of a 'when will it happen'.

Well now we know. Yesterday afternoon, CBS announced that the Flash will appear on the March 28th episode of Supergirl. Here is a link and a blurb:
http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/releases/view?id=44531

The Flash is speeding to National City! THE FLASH star Grant Gustin, in his role of Barry Allen/The Flash, will cross over to SUPERGIRL in an episode to be broadcast Monday, March 28 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Details of the episode will be announced at a later date.

“We are so incredibly excited to announce something that we have dreamed of happening since we starting making SUPERGIRL – THE FLASH and SUPERGIRL are teaming up!” said THE FLASH and SUPERGIRL Executive Producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg.  “We want to thank Grant Gustin for making the time to come visit (on top of his already immense workload) and all of the folks at CBS, The CW, Warner Bros. and DC for working this out. And finally, thanks to the fans and journalists who have kept asking for this to happen. It is our pleasure and hope to create an episode worthy of everyone's enthusiasm and support.”

I don't think words can convey the joy I experienced when I read this.

First off, I think it is great that Berlanti acknowledged the fans as helping to drive this. We're here for you!

These two shows are just so fantastic. They show just how fun and cool and inspiring comic books and superheroes can be. The stars are phenomenal and the episodes well acted. Grant Gustin is perfect for Barry Allen. And Melissa Benoist is just perfect as Kara.  And now I get to see them team-up.Putting them together won't be additive joy, it will be exponential joy.

Given that both are Glee alums, there better be a karaoke scene. And there better be a race.

Since the above pics from a May issue of Variety I have been wondering when this would happen and assumed it would be next season.

But like everything with this season of Supergirl, it is happening earlier than I anticipated.

And then the title page of the script got leaked.

Worlds Finest is a great name. No apostrophe means we are talking alternate universes, more than one world. But it plays on the classic comic name perfectly.

Someone on line said this was going to be the opposite of Batman V. Superman. I don't think it is coincidence that it is airing the Monday after that movie is released.

I simply can't wait!!

Supergirl Episode 7: Human For A Day

Supergirl episode 7, 'Human For a Day' came out this week and became my favorite episode of the show so far. But maybe I am damning with faint praise with that opening sentence. This was an absolute home run, a tremendous episode which moved plots ahead, added incredible depth to the characters, and had Supergirl take a major step along the hero's journey. And I have to say that this all was done with Supergirl being powerless for about 80% of the show. Now that is art.

There are two major plots to 'Human For a Day'.

The first is Kara coming to grips with her more human state, realizing that heroes can inspire even without great power. They can continue to inspire. And heroes also need to learn the rather hard lesson that even with great power, they will be unable to save everyone. It is a common trope in comics, the hero losing someone or having to recognize their limitations. It is an important and humbling step. (For me, one of the best examples of this is Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo's Flash #91.)

The second plot is Alex and her growing distrust with Hank Henshaw. Things come to a boiling point when a prisoner gets loose in the DEO headquarters. Hank continues to do questionable things, possibly nefarious, which makes Alex finally confront Hank. This plot comes to an unbelievably satisfying conclusion.

This one simply had it all.

The book starts with Kara being poked, prodded, and bathed in yellow sun rays in the DEO headquarters. Her use of the 'solar flare' power last episode to blow up Red Tornado has completely drained her. This is similar to when Superman uses that power but he recharges after 48 hours. Kara is beyond that and isn't feeling anything at all. She is simply human and therefore as vulnerable as we are.

Meanwhile, in the DEO, Henshaw is questioning J'emm, psychic despot who has conquered 12 worlds. Behind the neural disrupting glass, he is powerless. But he is certainly ornery, threatening everyone there.

I am pretty impressed that Superman's 'solar flare' power, still new to comics, has now become canon in the television universe. We learn that Superman named the power himself (Kara calls him a nerd ... brilliant). And, of course, Supergirl in the comics is no stranger to that power having manifested it first.

As for J'emm. Well, he might be called J'emm but he is definitely much more Despero here. J'emm was a gentle character, not this telepathic thug.

Kara can't simply rest and nurse her first cold. And Alex can't simply detain J'emm. An earthquake shakes National City, plunging the city into chaos. And the rumbling also rattles the DEO, forcing them to go into lockdown, and letting J'emm free to roam the complex and try to break free.

The first person to grab the spotlight after this disaster is Maxwell Lord. He hits the airwaves and begins to deride the government and Supergirl for not helping people. He, a normal person, is out there doing good. Unlike Supergirl who has disappeared in the city's hour of need. Later in the show he sounds downright Luthor-ian, saying that someone like Supergirl makes humanity complacent. And he theorizes, based on his study of Superman, that Supergirl has burned herself out and won't regain her powers.

Cat isn't going to let Lord destroy the more optimistic feel Supergirl has brought to the city. She decides, with Winn's help, to broadcast a message of positivity and heroism.

Sure, it seems like Cat is protecting her 'intellectual property' of Supergirl. But more and more you sense this undercurrent of nurturing in Cat. She isn't going to let Max insult Supergirl. Cat even gives Winn some words of wisdom to reach out and grab what he wants rather than sit back.

At the DEO, Hank leads two agents into the dimly lit headquarters to try to track J'emm. Wearing neural disruptors, the team tries to track down the alien. I love that Alex questions why she isn't going out. Hank says she needs to stay back as a leader but she questions his motives.

It doesn't help her distrust when Henshaw suddenly seems to disappear off their monitors, leaving the agents alone against J'emm. Alex can only watch on the monitors as those two agents are killed.

What I love about these scenes is the very 'horror movie', very 'Alien' feel to them. From dark corridors, to seeing J'emm run through the screen in a shocking way, to seeing their vitals go flat on the monitors, this all felt very very cinematic to me, in a sci-fi horror way.

Kara and James go to confront Lord about his messages.

The city is mess with people injured, the EMS system taxed, and looting happening.

And then we get that moment, that scene where a hero realizes they can't save everyone. Max, Kara, and James find themselves trying to save a man injured in a car accident. Max (who graduated medical school in a year ... trust me, it doesn't work that way) with no equipment at all diagnoses the man with a tension pneumothorax. But later he talks about the patient bleeding out. Without powers, without hospital equipment, the three can only watch the man pass on.

Jimmy gives her some hard core wisdom. 'A hero can't save everyone. But a real hero doesn't stop trying.'

While I love this scene, showing Kara that she can't be everywhere, she can't save everyone, the medicine is so nonsensical I had to just put it behind me. (I know, I can deal with heat vision but not Lord diagnosing things on the street. I have to just put it behind me.)

Then we get one of the best scenes in the show.

Kara sees a liquor store robbery about to go down and decides she can't stop trying to save people. She changes into her Supergirl costume, a sort of bluff but also a way to inspire, and confronts the robber. I love Melissa Benoist here. We see her trembling a bit. And she gives a great speech, about how everyone is scared but they are all in this together. She says that people are better than this but we can choose to be more, we can be better. And amazingly, the robber listens and gives her the gun.

It is a brilliant scene by Benoist. I got goose bumps.

But this scene runs concurrently with Cat Grant giving a similar speech to the masses. She asks people to be more like Supergirl, to see the best in each other and rise above. Last episode we saw a nice back and forth directing choice where we cut from Alex fighting Morrow and Supergirl fighting Red Tornado. Here the moving back and forth from Kara to Cat, hearing their speeches, hearing them riff off each other was a smart artistic choice.

Alex's distrust of Hank grows to the point where she leaves her post to hunt down J'emm and Hank. Things look bad when she discovers that the neural disruptors on the fallen agents are operational, not broken as Hank had reported.

Reaching her breaking point, Alex confronts Hank about his lies, about her father, and about her lack of faith in him. She handcuffs him to the wall and baits J'emm into facing her in the control room.

In my second favorite scene, we see Alex fight J'emm. She has stashed weapons around the control room and unloads an assault rifle, a shot gun, grenades, and two-handed 9mm into him with little effect. Chyler Leigh is just wonderfully violent here. I would not want to cross her.

J'emm is barely effected. But then Hank shows up and somehow defeats J'emm in hand to hand combat. How did he escape the cuffs? How did he beat this villain?

 I am skipping a fair amount of stuff that happens at Catco. Jimmy divulges that his father died in the Gulf War. Winn figures out that a sudden dose of 'Kryptonian adrenaline' will jump start Kara's power. Winn also catches Kara hugging James and calls her out on it. He is disappointed that she would do that with someone in a relationship. And then, the three have to save people in a burning area of the Catco building. When James almost dies, Kara's adrenaline kicks in and Supergirl is back.

We then get a wonderful montage shot of Supergirl flying around the city. She saves a school bus. She blows out a smile. All with this broad smile. She is so happy to be back, making a difference, helping people.

Later Kara, as Supergirl, talks to Cat. She thanks Grant for being the hero for the city in Supergirl's absence. And Supergirl thanks Cat for being so inspiring. I love the relationship we are seeing between these two.

But let's not bury the lede.

Alex confronts Hank again. And this time Hank tells the truth.

He isn't Hank Henshaw. The real Hank, with Jeremiah Danvers, tracked an alien to Peru. This wasn't a Fort Rozz escapee. This was an innocent alien, a refugee (such a powerful word these days). And when Henshaw tried to kill this alien, Jeremiah took the bullet. Jeremiah and Henshaw both died. And this alien a shape-shifter, promised Jeremiah he would protect Danvers' daughters.

That alien ... now acting as Henshaw ... is J'onn Jonzz, the Martian Manhunter!

Ahem ... CALLED IT!

But the creative team keep the pedal down. While this would have been a fine moment to end the show on, they tack on the Cat/Kara scene. And then end it on a cliffhanger. Astra is back!

Whew!

That was a lot to stuff into a review, let alone an episode. But I loved this episode. This is the sort of world building and character building stuff that makes a show excellent. These aren't 2 -dimensional cookie cutter people. They have hopes, dreams, back stories.

I keep thinking this show can't get better. But they keep proving me wrong.

Wonderful!

Supergirl Episode 6: Red-Faced

Supergirl episode 6, 'Red Faced', came out this week and was a very good episode, building all the characters' back stories and showing how Supergirl is growing. The title works in a couple of ways. Anger is a big component of this plot, how to control your anger and how to channel it. But red-faced can also mean Red Tornado, the villain of the week here.

I am going to sound a bit repetitive but one of the reasons I love Supergirl as a character is that she has these great powers but she is beginning her hero's journey. She is much more human to me, much more fallible than Superman. She is optimistic but she can be fierce if she sees people wronged. So having her come to grips with rage and, in some ways, sadness in this episode was wonderful. And how that thread of anger is bounced off the supporting cast works well in making them three dimensional as well.

And, to again sound like a broken record here, Melissa Benoist completely shines in this episode. She shows such a range of emotions, played out often just in her expression and body language. She is amazing.

 We start with a very happy Supergirl flying high in the clouds, just clearing her head and enjoying herself. Her alone time is interrupted when she hears two drivers engaging in crazy road rage, banging into each other like a demolition derby and nearly plowing into a kid soccer team crossing the street.

Kara sounds almost a bit annoyed that she has to break away from her flight to stop these guys. And when one throws a punch at her, she defiantly yells at him and accidentally injures him. Captured on all the kids' cell phones, this is another episode where the public might distrust her. And Maxwell Lord takes the opportunity to hit the airwaves and talk about her brutality. Meanwhile, Hank Henshaw tells her she needs to control her anger or people will be afraid of her.

This is the first time we have seen Kara irritated when helping people.

I do like that she takes the time to help with small crimes like this as well as big threats like Vartox.

 Back at CatCo we finally meet Cat Grant's mother. The woman is a psychologically abusive woman and a product of her generation.

She belittles Cat constantly, calling her Kitty, saying Cat can't read and would rely on audio books, questioning Cat's importance, and even saying she prefers male heroes and doctors.

All this needling definitely gets under Cat's skin. And that anger is redirected at Kara and the staff.

Two episodes of anger both which end wrong.

Lucy let Jimmy know that her curmudgeon of a father is in town and we learn why. Lane is testing a new military deterrent codenamed Red Tornado and he wants Supergirl to fight it as a test. Lane's judicial counsel is none other then Lucy who informs both Hank and Supergirl that she has a written order from the President that the DEO needs to comply.

Lucy looks just as she did in the Jamal Igle pages of the Supergirl book. I love it.

And General Lane falls in line with his pre-New 52 persona. He hates aliens. He dislikes the DEO's 'foreign assistance' with Supergirl. And he is definitely a prickly personality, throwing blame at anyone but himself.

The night before the test, Kara hosts Game Night at her home. Earlier we hear her describe Game Night as the last shred of normalcy she has in her life. Unfortunately, this isn't the escape she wants as she sees Lucy and James dominate in games, clearly knowing each other well, and acting perfect. Meanwhile, #PoorWinn can't answer one question right with Kara.

Kara's general annoyance is unleashed on Red Tornado the next day. After initially being tossed about by whirlwinds (very nice effects here), she pulls a Bugs Bunny, burrowing underground, popping up next to the android, and batters him. I mean, it is like old school Nintendo Punch Out.

Unfortunately she does her job too well. She rips off a forearm, triggering a self-preservation program in the Tornado. He takes off in stealth mode, completely invisible.

General Lane quickly blames the DEO and Supergirl for this. Of course, he can't see that he is the one who created a semi-self-aware killing machine.

Her emotions simmering, Kara gets laid into my Cat for being late. And, for once, Kara lashes back, yelling at Cat for being mean. What I love about this scene is not only that Kara stands up for herself but her immediate recognition that this isn't who she is. Melissa Benoist is incredible here, shaking a bit and putting her hands in front of her face. It shows how distraught she is by all this.

Instead of being infuriated, Cat decides to mentor Kara more. While under the haze of martinis, Cat drops some wisdom. She talks how women can't easily show their emotions. Perry White can toss chairs like Bobby Knight and he is lauded. She can't do anything like that without it being professional suicide. Cat had to learn how to find 'the anger behind the anger', to find out what she is truly mad at and deal with it. 

After another encounter with the Red Tornado where she has to rescue General Lane and stop a twister from ripping the city apart,  Kara decides to box to let off some steam. She heads to a garage with James where he hits the heavy bag and she punches a car.

This was such a pivotal scene for the Supergirl character. She talks about Cat. She talks about being angry that she doesn't know how Jeremiah died. She talks about how, as a woman, she has to smile and keep her feelings in check.

And then she has this moment where she gets to the bottom of her anger. She wonders if she will never have a normal life. She is angry that she doesn't have a Game Night partner. She is angry that her life changed when her parents saved her. Nothing will ever be normal.

Once again, we see Benoist just dominate the screen. She hovers on tears, nearly shaking. This is sort of moment of understanding of what her life is.

 But the moment ends when Alex figures out how to track the Tornado. Working with Maxwell Lord, Alex has learned that the Tornado is now under the control of creator T.O. Morrow who was fired by General Lane.

In a great ending scene, we see a nice montage of two fights. Alex fights Morrow. Kara fights the Tornado. The director cuts back and forth brilliantly between the two.

Alex kills Morrow, cutting the telepathic cord. But when the Tornado remains active, Kara unleashes a primal scream, blasting it with her heat vision while visions of her youth, of her being rocketed off Krypton fill her head. It is an unbelievably powerful ending, with Benoist showing all the emotion we need to see.

This blast, perhaps the most intense heat vision blast I have ever seen, vaporizes the android.

And I am convinced that when Morrow was killed by Alex, his consciousness went into the robot. Someone will find that head, rebuild him, and find Morrow's intellect within. Mark it down!

There is nothing left but the wrap up.

Lucy finally realizes her father is misguided. She resigns her commission.
Cat finally stands up to her mother.
Winn, who has been hacking into the DEO, tells Alex that her father's last mission was in South America with Hank Henshaw.
And Alex discovers she is vulnerable, cutting her hand on a glass.

There are other great moments in this episode. Lord continues to woo Alex. At one point Alex reveals that Jeremiah worked for the government. It makes me wonder if Lord has telepathic powers like he did in the comic.

Hank at one point steps up and almost angrily defends Supergirl when General Lane attacks. He doesn't seem to be a villain. I am keeping with my Martian Manhunter guess.

Winn is coerced to hack the DEO when he learns it is about Jeremiah, noting he has daddy issues.

And the reveal that Henshaw and Jeremiah Danvers went on a mission together and only Henshaw returned, with no recollection of what happened, has led me to crazy guesses. Could Henshaw be Jeremiah? Did they discover J'Onn there and the Manhunter accidentally killed the two of them? This could sort of mirror the Erdel death in J'onn's origin.

But the high point here was Kara's self-discovery of her pain and anger and where it stems from. It is like she sort of turned a corner here. This isn't fun and games. This isn't jumping up and down on her couch like when she saved the plane. To be a hero like this is a vocation and it means sacrifice. And that can be difficult. That primal scream at the end was just a perfect capstone to that revelation.

This show continues to shine. I am one happy fan.

Supergirl Episode 4: How Does She Do It

Supergirl 'How Does She Do It' aired this week, the fifth episode of Supergirl aired was actually the 4th chapter in this season. This was the episode delayed a week given the tragedy of that occurred in Paris earlier this month.

This was another fun episode in this series, showcasing that this is still an inexperienced Kara learning how to juggle a secret identity and a life as a super-hero. It isn't easy. This is a Supergirl pulled in a number of directions and something's got to give. But the show makes a point to show that these are also the problems of non-super beings as well. Lucy, Jimmy, and Cat are all stretched to their limit and need to lean on others for help now and then. The inability to be everywhere at once, to save everybody all the time, is a lesson every hero needs to learn.

This episode also did a good job in pushing forward a couple of the brewing subplots, revealing more of Hank Henshaw's secret and introducing a new, fascinating villain. Some of this borrows or homages some classic scenes in comic book/superhero TV, something that always makes me smile.

Lastly, I have to say, the effects on this show continue to impress. The action sequences are thrilling.

As always, this isn't perfect. But my quibbles are minor and will be shared throughout the episode.

Remember, this episode was supposed to air after the Reactron episode. Supergirl is feeling pretty confident about herself at the end of that show, with even Superman telling her she is doing great.

So it isn't surprising that this episode opens with Kara saying that she can have it all, she can do everything.

That reverie is broken when she notices that a drone is following her. After a bit of a chase, more difficult than I would anticipate, Supergirl destroys it. It reminded me greatly of an early Byrne Superman issue where Luthor has a flying camera drone trying to trail Superman to discover his secrets.

Kara assumes that this is the DEO trailing her but Henshaw says it isn't from them. And the tech is highly advanced but not alien.

Meanwhile, at CatCo, Kara learns that Cat has won the prestigious Siegel Prize for women in media. This is the first time Cat has beaten Lois. But Cat can't go to accept the award because no one is around to watch her son Carter. Kara agrees to babysit. I like that Cat assumes Kara is doing it to have Ms. Grant owe Kara something. Now you would think that Cat could afford a high priced nanny service or bring Carter with her. So this is just a bit contrived. But just like that, Kara is on babysitting duty.

Off to fetch lunch, Kara runs into James and Lucy at the restaurant. We learn a bit about Lucy here. She works for the military JAG office. She calls James 'JImmy'. And we learn that Lucy broke up with him. Jimmy says it is because Lucy put her career over their relationship.

So we see that Lucy can't 'do it all', at least from James' point of view.

There isn't much time for chitchat. A bomb goes off in the city, gutting a building. Kara sweeps in, holding the building up, welding the steel infrastructure with her heat vision, and blowing out the flames with her superbreath.

This is a great action sequence and very classic. How often have we seen Superman do this welding trick to save a building or a dam. I love it.

What Kara doesn't see is another drone taking in the whole scene.

The building was a high tech lab with a connection to Maxwell Lord. Alex and Hank will pose as FBI agents (they have nifty switcheroo DEO->FBU badges) to investigate.

But that rescue and debrief at the DEO delay Kara from her other charge, taking care of Carter. She has to fly to his school to pick him up.

It is a cute scene as Carter is a shy, nerdy sort of kid. I think he is meant to remind us of Kara, having us get behind him and his little journey.

As always, Melissa Benoist is just a delight. She has this little character quirk of adjusting her glasses when embarrassed or caught in a little lie. Here she futzes with them after saying how much she liked school because it taught her about this 'new planet'. She is truly wonderful.

Kara drops Carter off at CatCo but can't watch him for long.

At Lord Industries, Alex interviews Max. He is a rather charming, independent mogul. But he tells a backstory of wanting to change the world. He doesn't trust the government or anyone, revealing his parents died in a lab accident when safety regulations failed. All this comes out in the silkiest of ways as he seems to be wooing Alex.

But their talk is interrupted by the discovery of a bomb in one of the lab's at Lord's building. Alex calls Kara in for the rescue forcing Kara to leave Carter with Winn. Again, we see she is being pulled away from one responsibility to deal with another.

In another great sequence we see Kara swoop in and fly the bomb out and up, away from the city. Waiting until the last second, she takes the brunt of the blast, falling into the ocean.

Kara is revived in a concentrated sunbath at the DEO. But in her haze, we see that Kara sees a red-eyed Hank. Hmmm ...

Those schematics could be cyborg eyes. The images definitely look like a head CT scan. Maybe Hank is looking at his own anatomy?

We then get some character building before the big finale.

Winn says he is dying every day as he pines for Kara. #PoorWinn

Lucy tells Kara that she may have left Jimmy but that was because Jimmy had checked out of the relationship. He always chose being Superman's Pal over being her boyfriend. It shows that James can't do it all either. It also sets up a bit of a Rashomon feel to their relationship. Who was at fault? Probably both? And Lucy is already jealous of Supergirl as a potential rival for Jimmy's love. Are these the seeds for Superwoman?

We learn that Carter is semi-obsessed with Supergirl, enough to sneak out to the Lord magnetic train maiden trip, in hopes of seeing Supergirl there.

And we learn that the likely bomber is a Lord ex-employee named Alexander Knox. Knox was fired, divorced, and dealing with a sick daughter.

Things take an interesting turn when a bomb scare is called at the airport, exactly as Lucy is heading to catch a flight home. Meanwhile, Winn, while trying to find Carter, sees Knox on the train, with a very obvious bomb poking out of his coat.

So there are some problems here. One, you would think that security would be high enough to not have this guy get on the train. But how could no one else see this thing?

Second, Carter is escorted onto the train by Lord. Lord assumes Carter has been separated from parents. So that was a bit too contrived a way to get Carter on the train.

Third, at the airport, we see Lucy helping an elderly woman out of the terminal. It is clear that the creative staff doesn't want us to dislike Lucy. So she is given a sympathetic angle to the Jimmy romance. And we see her helping someone in the most trite manner. I don't mind us liking Lucy. But that felt a bit too obvious.

Regardless, with two bombs, Kara has to make a decision. She can't be everywhere. She can't do it all. She has tells the DEO that she'll deal with the train. They have to take the airport bomb.

At the airport, Henshaw sends everyone away. And then, all red eyed, he rips the bomb apart and disables it.

If he was the true Cyborg Superman, able to communicate with devices, he could shut it down in a less physical way. But maybe he is just a cyborg without the other powers.

Of course, this also could easily be the Martian Manhunter as well, showing powers in J'onn's repertoire.

To explain how he defused the bomb, Henshaw claims it was a dud.

On the train, Kara confronts Knox. She tries to talk him down in the most Supergirl way possible and I love it. She says she'll help him. She says she knows what it is like to feel pulled in many directions. She calls upon his love for his daughter, a sick daughter who needs her father. She doesn't go straight to fisticuffs.

But Knox doesn't seem demented or enraged. He says he wasn't expecting to blow up the bomb. But he couldn't face his daughter if caught. He activates the bomb. Supergirl can fly it or Knox away. If the bomb is removed from the train it will automatically detonate.

The only thing left for Supergirl is to save the rest of the train. With Knox in the front, she disconnects the locomotive and stops it, allowing the bomb to detonate further down the track.

Get it ... more powerful than a locomotive, even an electromagnetically propelled one.

The episode really sticks the landing though as the last scene is brilliant.

Supergirl puts it all together that Maxwell Lord was behind the whole thing. The bombs, including the one at the airport, had a kill switch. Knox's daughter was being kept alive by a grant from Maxwell Lord. Lord was behind everything but was never in danger because he could have stopped the bombs remotely.

Lord basically confesses, stating that the drones and bombs each tested an aspect of Supergirl's powers. And her choosing to save the train over the more populated airport perhaps means she had feelings for someone there. Lord was evaluating Supergirl; he wants to have all the information on her ... to control her? Kill her?

Regardless, it's all nefarious. And Peter Facinelli, as Lord, is perfectly smarmy and here oozes some malevolence.

It ends with Supergirl saying she'll be watching Lord closely. It isn't over.

We have seen a similar scene between Lex and Superman many times. Whether it is Superman floating outside of Lex's office on the animated series, or Dean Cain questioning John Shea on Adventures of Lois and Clark, we have seen this. But it worked so well here. This is Supergirl confident in her abilities.

There were more bits. We got more of Cat Grant throwing down wisdom of going slow in life, gaining skills and doing more as you learn. We see Jimmy and Lucy back together, thrown into each others' arms by the airport threat. But that ending with Lord was fantastic.

So overall another fun episode with Supergirl. Melissa Benoist is a star, as usual, running the gamut of emotions in Kara. And the subplots of the show continue to move forward, making this more than a monster of the week.

Supergirl Episode 5ish: Livewire

Supergirl Episode 4 "How Does She Do It" was shelved for a week when its plot of terrorist time bombings around National City was felt to be too close to the attacks on France to be aired. As a result, this week, we got to see Episode 5 "Livewire" one week early.

"Livewire" was a very good episode focusing as much on character development as it did on action. This was a world-building episode, adding history to all the female characters of the show. We got to see how expectations and mentoring can mold people. We learned that too much pressure can make someone crack. And we learned that a lack of a role model can create a monster. All of this was extremely well done. Brit Morgan played a great Livewire villain. The standout performance was by Calista Flockhart who  showed that Cat Grant  may appear callous and sometimes shallow but whose waters run deep. The standout scene was between Chyler Leigh and Helen Slater where Alex finally confronted her mother Eliza about unrealistic expectations and disappointment.

That doesn't mean Supergirl is absent. Melissa Benoist still brings a positive vibe  and joy to the role. There is humor. There is maturity. There is optimism. There is fierceness. Supergirl is a complex character because of the breadth of her emotions. Benoist shines, capturing it all. And her wire work and action sequences are improving weekly.

I don't want these reviews to be a simple rehash. So I'll try to hit the high points.

The episode starts with Supergirl stopping an alien who has escaped and is running amok in the DEO headquarters. It is an excellent action sequence with this alien tossing agents through windows and Kara eventually body slamming it into submission with flight powers. The choreography is great. Kara uses fighting technique. And there is a definite emergence of a little body quirk, Kara floating/flying with her right leg bent at the knee and flexed. That is 'her' pose.

But the best part of the fight is when Kara learns this behemoth was female and gives a quick 'respect'. That flip from determined combatant to quipster is perfect.

Helen Slater is in the episode as Eliza Danvers, the girls' mother visiting for Thanksgiving. One thing that is obvious is that Alex walks on egg shells around her. Eliza has put a lot of pressure on Alex to protect Kara. And Alex knows Eliza won't be happy about Kara's coming out as Supergirl. In an interesting turn, Eliza doesn't know that Alex works for the DEO. She thinks she is still just a lab rat, not a field agent.

The scene is quick but lays the foundation of the relationship. Alex is under the microscope and feels the pressure.

And we learn that Kara's favorite pie is chocolate pecan. It is 'the best dessert on 12 planets'. Does this mean Kara has visited other planets? That other planets visited Krypton so she sampled other alien confections? Hmmm ...

We then get a montage of Leslie Willis, CatCo's shock jock. And Willis aims her wrath at Supergirl. In a mini-monologue she insults Supergirl's looks, her 'adorkable' nature, her idiotic costume of skirt and tights, her 'Sapphic' vibe. She wonders who would try to penetrate the chastity belt of steel and if Kryptonian genitalia is horrific.  It is a nice scene. We see everyone's reaction to specific parts of the rant. So Winn hears about the costume. James rolls his eyes about the sexuality. It is nothing but the attack of a bully, trying to shame Supergirl.

And Cat isn't going to let it go on. First off, CatCo wants a 'relationship' with Supergirl. Cat would 'adopt' Supergirl if she could. In a great line, we hear Cat say that Supergirl's presence is changing National City to something more optimistic, a place of hope. That is phenomenal.

But personally, Cat realizes she should have been a better mentor for Leslie. It is here that we begin to see more of Cat. It isn't all about ratings. It is sometimes about doing what's right.

Despite Leslie's threat that Cat will regret it, Grant demotes Leslie to a traffic reporter in the 'Cat Copter'.

 As I said above, this is episode 5. Episode 4 was skipped.

The only speed bump to that was James seemingly being back together with Lucy Lane. This should get explained more in that fourth episode. But James is off for a long Thanksgiving with Lucy.

 Leslie's first broadcast as a traffic reporter is in a thunderstorm and soon the helicopter is out of control. Supergirl has to swoop in for the rescue. There is something very classic about a copter save, evocative of the Donner movie.

But while grabbing Leslie, a lightning bolt hits Kara. The energy courses into Leslie, turning her hair blue and knocking the DJ into a coma.

The effects on this show is brilliant. The lightning/electric powers this whole episode is just great.

 The Eliza and Alex friction increases during the show. Eliza blames Alex for letting Kara get herself into this situation. I love how Eliza says that Kara just assumes that everyone is as good as she is. That is the Supergirl optimism and brightness I love.

We then flashback to seeing Kara flying over Midvale with Alex when they were kids. It's a dangerous silly thing to do.

But what I love was Malina Weissman adopt that same 'right leg bent' flying pose. It is continuity nods like this that enrich a show like this.

 Finally, filled with the liquid courage of wine, Alex tells her mother that she is a DEO agent. It absolutely ruins Thanksgiving dinner. But at least the air is cleared. Eliza should be proud of Alex. She should know that Alex is helping and protecting Kara in that role. Her mother shouldn't be disappointed in her.

Alex has been pushed by Eliza and has accomplished so much. It should be enough to garner respect. This theme is woven throughout the show.

I also like Kara standing up to Eliza. Kara decided to be Supergirl. It was her decision. The mother shouldn't be deriding Alex.

Alex storms off. Winn slinks away. And Kara is called to CatCo.

Meanwhile, Livewire has awoken from her coma and loves her new powers. She absorbs the energy from the city and confronts Cat in the CatCo office.  Kara is there and the two run for cover. Cat tells Kara to run 20 floors down to get security. It allows Kara to slip away and become Supergirl. There are lots of clues that Cat knows Kara is Supergirl. This is one of them.

Livewire and Supergirl fight in another great scene. The effects are great, especially a spot were we see Supergirl rise outside the window of the CatCo building and fly through the glass. And we again see more fighting technique from Kara: heat vision, haymakers, and head butts.

 The Alex/Eliza relationship builds up until we get a powerful scene between the two. Alex sheds tears as she asks her mother why she has never been good enough for her mother. Eliza admits that Alex makes the tough decisions. Alex is better than Eliza could hope to be. And Eliza calls Alex 'her Supergirl'.

This is so well acted. The best scene of the episode for me.

Meanwhile, the DEO has helped Kara by creating a sort of capacitor trap that reminds Supergirl of Ghostbusters. I love that the Ghostbuster quip falls flat in the serious conference room of the DEO. Perfect.

But better than that was Henshaw saying it is a trap modified to capture a Zarolatt! That is a deep cut reference to the 80s mini-series The Weird!

 Echoing the sentiments from the Alex/Eliza scene, we hear from Cat how she should have mentored Leslie in a better way. Cat's mother pushed and pushed Cat all her life. Sometimes it is unhealthy, but it has made Cat who she is. It is why Cat pushes those she cares about (admitting Supergirl is one of those people). She is trying to bring the best out of people. She didn't do that with Leslie. Cat created this monster.

The trap is set with Cat and Supergirl luring Livewire to 'where it all started', her first radio station. In another great small thing, we see Leslie's first show's poster. It is a smiling Leslie. The font is cursive, not the sharp style of her current show. We see how Leslie has changed without guidance.

Again, small things like personality quirks and continuity nods, and this visual prompt of Livewire's past adds so much to a show.

 Supergirl and Livewire brawl in the street and it is beautiful. The effects are stunning, especially seeing Livewire teleport into wiring and wielding lightning whips. Just spectacular.

The Ghostbuster device fails so Supergirl has to fall back onto an old favorite to beat an electric villain. She grabs a water main and douses Leslie, shorting her out. I liked that this was Kara needing to think on her own and not use a gadget of the week.

Look at this screen grab. Those are unreal effects.

The fallout from the defeat are varied.

Cat decides that she won't run nonsense about celebrities (one getting drunk at Club Apokolips?) and instead will run positive stories instead. Supergirl's positivity is working its magic here?

Winn tells Kara that he is jealous of her family. His father is a bad person and is in prison. He didn't name drop Toyman. But we know that.

And Eliza lets her girls know a secret she has been keeping. We see in flashbacks that young Kara's flight with Alex got the attention of the DEO back then. A more hirsute Henshaw wants Kara to be taken in. Instead, Jeremiah Danvers makes a deal. He will work for the DEO and Kara will stay put. Jeremiah knows everything there is to know about Superman (a bit meta coming from Dean Cain). All Danvers' research and expertise will now be in the DEO's hands. This explains why the DEO has Kara's ship, knows so much about Kryptonite, and knew to recruit Alex. And while Jeremiah died 'in a plane crash', Eliza thinks something else happened.

I can't believe this is a heel turn for Henshaw. And it echoes a bit too much like Harrison Wells to me. I guess I'll have to see where it goes.

If I had one complaint about the episode, it is Kara calling Eliza her foster mother. She doesn't call her mom, she calls her Eliza. I was hoping for something more familial here. Like 'adoptive mother'. She considers Alex her sister. Why not think of Eliza as a mother figure? She can still love Alura.

But that seems a quibble in comparison to all the backstory and character building we saw here. Just great stuff. And the battle scenes and effects were top notch.

My prediction? In the season finale, Cat reveals she knows Kara is Supergirl.




Each episode seems like it is getting better.