This week’s episode of Supergirl introduced the DC Comics villain Livewire (played by Brit Morgan), as Kara went up against the electrifying villain, while original Supergirl actress Helen Slater stopped by National City as Mama Danvers for Thanksgiving.
As someone who has loved the character of Livewire since her debut on Supergirl: The Animated Series, seeing Brit Morgan master the character so well from being verbally butt-kicking to physically butt-kicking was a blast. We spent enough time with Leslie to really get to know her before her transformation.
The cockiness of Leslie is something that had to be done right because it’s what also drives her as Livewire, even in other interpretations. Visually, Supergirl gave us a good Livewire adaptation with her look and powers, especially as she was fighting the Girl of Steel. The door is definitely left open for her to return, which she should, as Livewire would make an excellent recurring villain for Supergirl. Like Reactron, it’s important to have Kara fight villains that aren’t just aliens from Fort Rozz, especially as the series progresses into future seasons.
Something that any Greg Berlanti TV show has is the usage of flashbacks, which are featured a lot of in this episode and reveal details about the Danvers family when Kara and Alex were just teenagers. It also gives us more of former Superman and Supergirl, Dean Cain and Helen Slater, which was by far one of the geekiest moments on TV this year. The flashbacks between Alex and Kara were heart-warming, and it made their sisterhood even that more lovable.
However, these scenes also sets up a big mystery with Daddy Danvers, as it’s revealed that the D.E.O. had been trying to get Kara much earlier in life. In order to let her stay, Jerimiah gives up himself to them as he offers the organization all the research and knowledge they want about Superman. While Eliza explains that he died working for them, that just seemed way too easy, and because of the golden rule of “no body = not necessarily dead,” there is a very strong chance that it will be revealed that he is alive after all, especially now that Kara and Alex are keeping an even closer eye on Hank to find out what happened to Jerimiah. Also, it would be really disappointing if Supergirl cast Cain and only had him be dead after showing up in one episode. You can’t do that to ’90s Superman.
There is a great parallel between Kara/Cat and Alex/Eliza, as both those relationships deal with the young women getting closer with their respective mother figures (if we want to look at Cat as one in a way). If there was one thing that this episode did a great job with, it was really selling the casting of Calista Flockhart as Cat, who became much more three-dimensional character in “Livewire.” When she learns about Kara’s upbringing and the tragedy that happened to her real parents (of course a modified version of the truth), you see the humanity in Cat underneath that hard shell, which makes her not just a character you love to hate, but that you love to love.
Furthermore, Alex’s situation with her mother, who is being harsh on her because she let Kara step into the light as Supergirl, was also just as compelling, including Alex telling Eliza about her D.E.O. work. The mom and daughter become closer because of their interactions in this episode and remind us once again why you should view Supergirl as Supergirls: Alex Danvers is a Supergirl in her own right.
Overall, “Livewire” was Supergirl‘s strongest episode yet, as it featured a well-written female villain as well as deep bonding between Cat and Kara and Alex and her mom.
Supergirl airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.
[Photo via CBS]
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