One of the biggest hits of the 2015-2016 TV season has been the new DC Comics show Supergirl, starring Glee’s Melissa Benoist as the Girl of Steel. After having discussed the first half of the new seasons of Arrow and The Flash, we’re turning our attention over to the freshman season of CBS’ superhero series.
Spoiler warning: Below, our writers will be sharing what they’ve thought about Supergirl Season 1 up until this point and discussing major events from the season’s first eight episodes. Therefore, if you’re not caught up on this season of Supergirl and don’t want to be spoiled on certain storylines, stop reading at this point and check out this article once you’ve finished watching the first half of Season 1.
Whether you are familiar with the character or not, what have your first impressions of CBS’ Supergirl and Melissa Benoist as Kara Zor-El been so far, especially since this is the first female DC TV show we’ve seen since Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman?
Andy Behbakht: I have loved Benoist since Glee, and my love for her has grown episode by episode since the Supergirl pilot. Supergirl has a very similar feeling to The Flash where you have this bright and family-friendly superhero show that has fun adventures every week while also telling mature and compelling stories about this alien from another planet and how she rises to heroism. There are several other aspects to why I love this show, and I feel that as the series is finding itself, it’s only getting better and better.
Nick Hogan: My first impression is overall very good. Melissa Benoist is not an overpowering feminist presence but is instead a perfectly ordinary person…who happens to be an alien with powers. What’s so refreshing about her is that she’s down to earth and relatable. She doesn’t have to be overpowering (though in certain battles, she has been), because her portrayal of Kara is feminist in itself. My familiarity with the character only extends to the previous television iteration on Smallville. Benoist’s Kara is less imposing, but much more compelling.
Joy D’Angelo: She has some of the same traits as Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman…updated of course. There’s that same kind of earnest intention – plus the thing with the glasses. (I mean, at least Batman and Spiderman wear a mask. I’ve always found the glasses gag silly.) I sometimes find the Supergirl character to be more adolescent in her attitudes than expected. It’s not a major issue, but I do notice it. She’s supposedly a college graduate, but often seems more like a high school senior/college freshman. I suppose that’s to emphasize the “girl” aspect of things. Melissa Benoist plays the character well; it’s a writing choice not an acting issue. In terms of a show for teens and young teen women, I think it’s great. Plus, there are other older women that provide good contrasts see Question 2).
Blaise Hopkins: I’ve really loved Benoist as Supergirl and think she is one of the reasons I keep watching the show. The DC TV shows have been perfectly cast, and she has the proper personality to give us a new hero figuring it out as she goes as well as someone confident and seasoned. It’s a lot of fun, and she’s owning the role well.
Chris King: Similar to Andy, I was a big fan of Benoist from Glee and was so happy when it was announced that she had been cast in the role of Kara. However, Benoist has surpassed my ridiculously high expectations and fully embodied everything that I hoped and wanted from the character of Supergirl. There’s an inherent kindness, tenderness, and positivity to Benoist’s performance that beams through in every scene she’s in (even she’s battling the villain of the week), and it makes Kara someone that we want to root for. The humanity that she is able to bring to this alien character is nothing short of super.
One of the key aspects of Supergirl is all the other strong women around Kara/Supergirl, particular Alex Danvers and Cat Grant. What are your thoughts on the evolution of these two characters throughout the first eight episodes?
Andy Behbakht: I am still so surprised over how different Alex turned out to be compared to how I imagined her when first reading the casting description for this character. Chyler Leigh is a Supergirl in her own right and so is Alex. The sister dynamic between her and Kara is stellar week to week, and it’s refreshing to have this sister dynamic be featured so heavily. With Calista Flockhart as Cat, I mean what’s not to love? I’m glad that they have really re-imagined Cat from being more than what she is in the comics and has, in my opinion, moved from being a small Superman character to being a major player in the mythos.
Nick Hogan: They’re both fascinating characters. To this point, I’ve seen a lot more depth to Cat Grant. Alex is a great strong character, but other than mommy issues, she hasn’t really been explored as much. Ultimately, I find both characters intriguing, strong, and integral to the show. Alex has been essential to the plot and story movement, while Cat has been more about developing Kara and creating Supergirl.
Joy D’Angelo: I love what they’re doing with Cat Grant! What started out as a kind of The Devil Wears Prada relationship became more interesting. I mean, Cat Grant went to Burning Man! LOL! I like Cat’s backhanded mentoring. It should be interesting to see how things play out now that she knows Kara is Supergirl. It’s not just that these women are strong – they’re complex. Cat isn’t always likable, but in this winter finale, I certainly respected her. Alex Danvers is awesome because she doesn’t have superpowers, but she’s totally bada**! The women on Supergirl really are the show’s strength. Even General Astra’s character is one that’s got many layers to her (for an 8 p.m. show).
Blaise Hopkins: I really like Alex and her relationship with Kara. Alex can still act like a big sister, but at the same time she respects Kara and her powers enough to let her make decisions on her own and not come off like she’s always parenting her. As for Cat, I don’t mind her, and the character has definitely grown on me the more we’ve gotten to know her. However, sometimes I’m not a fan of her when Supergirl uses her as the catalyst to preach a theme the show wants to communicate.
Chris King: I’ve been a big fan of Alex since Supergirl‘s pilot, and I’ve really loved how the show has developed her and Kara’s relationship throughout the first half of this season. Alex is Kara’s strongest supporter, but she’s also not afraid to be brutally honest with her sister if she thinks it’s what’s best. The dynamic between them is so authentic, and it’s easily one of the best parts of Supergirl. Cat Grant, on the other hand, has been pretty hit or miss for me, mainly because Supergirl seems to want to have it both ways with her as a character: the writers want her to be both witty, insult-delivering comic relief and the mouthpiece for the show’s (appropriate and welcome) feminist message. However, those two parts of Cat haven’t really meshed together all that well during the first half of this season. She’s been able to show a little more vulnerability in recent episodes, so here’s hoping that the writers continue to humanize her character, ensuring she feels less like a one-liner or speech delivery system and more like a real, fleshed-out person.
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