Throughout the years in the comics, Supergirl has always had the challenge of being somewhat stuck in Superman’s shadow. Is the show doing a good job in separating Supergirl from being seen simply as Superman’s cousin and making you love her as her own character?
Andy Behbakht: While I do hope to at least get a face to this world’s Superman one day (come on Warner Bros. Pictures, loosen up a bit), I feel the show has succeeded with making Supergirl an independent character and that the Man of Steel isn’t someone that the show or Kara needs.
Nick Hogan: Definitely. I think the show has struck the delicate balance of living in Superman’s world but not been dependent on Superman. It’s illustrated this not only with Supergirl herself, but also taking other “overshadowed” characters from Superman’s lore into the limelight, like Lucy and Sam Lane, Cat Grant, and even Jimmy Olsen. I think Superman could even appear on screen, and the show would be unaffected at this stage.
Joy D’Angelo: Yes. That’s was the first thing I noticed. I didn’t know Kara’s backstory at all, and the idea that she’d been older and originally had been sent to take care of Superman gave the story its own power and trajectory. The fact that she has memories of the planet, its culture and customs, and an actual relationship she can remember from Krypton creates real tensions in terms of being caught between the past and the present. That element makes her story more interesting. I loved the idea that the “S” also means “stronger together.” It knocks the whole “Fortress of Solitude” thing upside down. Even the Fortress is a place to connect and get information and help. These are completely different messages than the Superman story. Although some of the Superman comparisons are still there (alien trying to good in the world while figuring out their place in it), this really is Supergirl’s story.
Blaise Hopkins: When the pilot for Supergirl initially came out, it was pretty frustrating how much the show would reference and relate it to Superman, and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to keep watching for that reason. However, I think the writing team knew they couldn’t use Superman as a crutch. They have acknowledged it a fair amount when appropriate but haven’t taken the show or spotlight away from Kara at all. When I watch Supergirl I am never thinking about Superman or making any comparisons, which is awesome because I’m only focused on Kara and her development.
Chris King: Yes and no. I understood why there were so many references to Superman in Supergirl‘s pilot, but the continued mentions of him and the constant comparisons between him and Kara have gotten a little old throughout the series’ first eight episodes. Kara works so well as her own person, and the show has made her such a distinctive character that we don’t need to be reminded of her cousin every week. The series needs to take a break from comparing the two heroes and just let Supergirl stand on her own. After the terrific work the writers have done in establishing her as a complex, believable character, she’s more than ready to be the sole focus of her own series.
What were your thoughts on the big twist of “Hank Henshaw” being J’onn J’onzz (aka the Martian Manhunte)? What do you think this will bring to the show as opposed to the hard-headed DEO Director that we had first gotten to know?
Andy Behbakht: As someone who LOVED the Martian Manhunter on Smallville as well as in the Justice League cartoons, while it became very clear that Hank was someone else, just the fact that we will get this fantastic character on a series regular basis has me thrilled. I enjoy David Harewood in this role more than I did with Hank Henshaw, and at some point, the whole “tough guy” personality would have gotten old, at least for me. It gives the show that little extra treat that we have seen on some of the other DC shows, like The Flash with Firestorm and Vibe, Arrow getting Deathstroke, and so on. The only thing I want to see right now is him and Alex telling Kara the truth already.
Nick Hogan: I’m really excited. There wasn’t enough J’onzz on Smallville, and he’s a fascinating character. Honestly, I found Henshaw a tad one-dimensional until the few episodes leading up to the reveal. It adds a lot of depth to the character and makes for a more well-rounded, compelling show.
Joy D’Angelo: I don’t know enough the comic book character to judge much, but it mainly seems to change his willingness to take more risks that could reveal himself. Now that Alex knows he’s got his own kind of Jimmy Olsen to lean on – only Alex can kick some serious butt! Other than that, we’d seen him softening up to helping out Supergirl before the reveal. I don’t see him becoming less “hard-headed” in terms of how he’ll want to approach fighting Astra and company, though. He’s still a tactical kind of guy. Supergirl’s impulsiveness will likely still tick him off.
Blaise Hopkins: The first time Henshaw’s eyes went red, Martian Manhunter popped into my mind but I needed to see more. When he defused the bomb with his powers, I knew it had to be him. I love this decision to include such a classic but lesser known DC character because it makes the show more fun. The reason shows like Arrow and The Flash work so well is because they focus on a single character and location but don’t ignore the outside world. Using this character to the show’s advantage is the smartest thing to draw more people in, and I think it will only increase my enjoyment for Supergirl going forward.
Chris King: First off, the Supergirl writers made an incredibly smart decision at revealing this twist sooner rather than later. Not only does it make Hank a much more interesting character, but it adds much more excitement and purpose to the scenes at the DEO that don’t involve Kara. I’m looking forward to seeing more of J’onn’s history being explored and also watching as the relationship between him and Alex continues to evolve. We’ve already seen a slightly different dynamic between them in one episode of her knowing his secret; here’s hoping that development continues.
[Photo via CBS]
Follow Us
