I totally did not see the Henshaw reveal coming until this week’s episode started.
Then this week…
When they showed Jemm, my first reaction was “oh cool, hopefully J’onn J’onzz isn’t far behind” since they were tied together pretty closely in the comics. Even related, in at least one version of the DC universe. So the reveal at the end was kinda spoiled a bit, but only within this one episode. Everything before could just as easily been explained by the villain Cyborg (whose name is Henshaw in the comics) as by Martian Manhunter.
I really wish this show had better writing to go along with the great characters and nice effects. The entire bit with Kara upset over not saving random-disaster-victim felt overdone, for instance. She has to have a “I can’t save everyone” epiphany, I get that, but I thought that was a pretty clumsy way to go about it. And the “adrenaline shock” thing at the end, no one had any better ideas than that?
There are more member of the Justice League appearing here in a short run that occurred on the first season (or multiple seasons) of Smallville, Arrow, or even Flash. Though props to Flash for fielding both versions of Firestorm in short order, actually for fielding him period! I can’t help feel attached to Super Girl now, I want to see all these characters join superman and form the JLA off screen and have SG sitting on the sidelines, yet finding a way to still be optimistic/upbeat about it. While her side kick comments how she actually met them all first…also show Green Lantern dammit! I need a show to finally show a non campy version of GL! I was hoping he might appear on Arrow, but now I’m torn because I really want MM and GL to interact and be in the same show universe…
Man, this is surprisingly good, considering how terrible the writing is and how bizarrely washed-out and over-polished everything (but particularly Cat Grant) looks. The Henshaw reveal was good stuff, and they’re (thankfully) keeping the metaplot moving at a good pace. Looks like the creative team learned valuable lessons from Flash.
Enjoyed last night’s first-half-of-the-season finale. I think I’ve properly lowered my expectations to the point where I have fun with the show and just kinda ignore the poor stuff. Like the first two fight scenes in this episode, for instance. The big cliffhanger fight at the end was pretty cool, though.
Melissa Benoist continues to just nail this thing. Totally different presence as Kara vs Supergirl, and it’s not just the outfits and glasses. I thought she did a great job with the various stages of disbelief, confusion, anger, etc in the conversations with Astra and holo-mom. Worth watching this thing for her alone.
Most of the rest of you seem to dislike Flockhart’s Cat Grant, but I like her. Sure, it’s over-the-top portrayal of “the bitch in charge” but that’s what the role is supposed to be. I think it’s great that she’s got Kara pinned down already. There was a quote in some old comic I read once along the lines of “Perry White is too good a reporter not to know about Superman and Clark Kent”, which I think applies here nicely to Cat and Supergirl. I do kinda wish they’d somehow shown that Cat knows without telling Kara directly, so there could be some behind-the-scenes intrigue, but it’s not a big deal. They could always do that with Maxwell Lord.
Agree with all you say ineffablebob. I was pretty much ready to write the show off after the first few episodes, but MB’s kept me hanging in there, she just keeps getting better and better, growing into the role; and the fight scenes continue to be satisfyingly well done. So, what with that and the Henshaw revelation and all, I’m up for the rest of the season.
If someone were to put a gun to my head and I had to pick only one of these modern superhero shows to watch, it certainly wouldn’t be this one, but I don’t feel I’m wasting my life watching it anymore (not like with the first 3 or so episodes).
I award Benoist the Academy Award for Actor that does the best job keeping me occupied with something that is otherwise a waste of my time.
Though I’m in the “likes Flockhart” category. I was unsure for a string of early season episodes but as we’ve gone on I’ve grown to like the character more. She’s not one note. One of her big agendas can be a little treacly perhaps, but it’s a reasonable one none the less. I also like that she seems somewhat self aware (the same way that Miranda Priestly turns out to be in The Devil Wears Pradda).
Everyone else in the show is ok, it’s just not especially noteworthy writing or story telling.
I was the first to bitch about Flockhart, but now they’ve added a bit more dimension the character, so I don’t mind her so much.
Man, that plastic surgery is distracting, though. Wish Hollywood would just accept people aging normally. Fits the character perfectly, though.
Prediction for the dilemma at the end of the most recent episode: Cat finds out she was “wrong” when she sees Kara and Supergirl both in the same room (or on the same roof). Either Kara or Supergirl is actually J’onn J’onzz, shapeshifted. Always worked in the comics. (Usually J’onn or Superman Robot, when Kent would have to protect his identity.)
You’re probably right, but it sure would be nice if they wouldn’t. They could really do some cool things with Cat’s character if they play with the conflict between her reporter’s desire to report the secret, and the various bad things it would mean for Kara and herself if the secret was revealed.
It seems really hard to pull that off with the specific role that Kara is in: personal assistant. Clark Kent being a reporter is one thing, how does Kat continue with yelling at Supergirl to get her coffee?
As much as I want to like this show, I’m starting to think it’s fated for ‘1-season-and-done’. I like Flash a lot, and Arrow is ok, but this show…something about it just isn’t clicking for me. MB is fine, and Cat Grant’s character is mildly amusing (though I feel she’s overly simplistic and has far too many soliloquies imparting wisdom to Kara - soliloquies are rarely a good thing on TV). Even Maxwell Lord has promise, largely based on the bombing episode. Unfortunately, there are more characters than these, and pretty much all of them leave me cold. With Flash, I came to really enjoy the supporting cast, and that’s part of the magic of that show. That’s not happening here. Whether it’s the writing, the acting, the attempt to keep a breakneck pace with so many characters (more than the Flash has), or a combination of the above, something seems off.
The other problem I have with this show is the special effects. That’s a hugely important piece of the puzzle in a show based on a character like Supergirl, but I feel the effects have largely been underwhelming, lacking in quality even compared to the Flash (which shouldn’t be the case given the larger budget I assume Supergirl has). There have been a few cool moments - the plane save and the truck demolition in the pilot come to mind - but I find myself more and more often noting how effects look poorly done. It’s led me to start thinking they bit off more than they can chew with this series, because I’m no longer confident that CGI capabilities have advanced enough to do justice to the fights they’re attempting to show.
OK, this latest episode has just nudged the show along from regretful thumbs down to cautious thumbs levellish/uppish. That’s quite a feat for something that started with sad thumbs down.
It really is a bit like Constantine all over again - although I wouldn’t yet say I’d be sad if it weren’t renewed, not like I was re. Constantine.
Decent episode this week, though it didn’t feel like anything really earth-shaking went down. Basic villain-of-the-week. They’re sure mining the emotional ground around the Alex-killed-Astra secret. Not a big fan of the new rival-assistant, but maybe she’ll grow on me.
My favorite part of the whole thing was the Lobo reference when Alex and Hendricks are talking about bounty hunters. Didn’t mention his name, but who else deserves the “if he was in town, we’d know” line?
I caught the line but didn’t connect it to Lobo. That makes a lot of sense, so I’m going to assume it was a Lobo reference. Mostly because that makes it the most awesome.
It’s possible this show is slowly transforming me into a weepy 16-year-old girl, but the last scene with Kara/Alex/J’onn was pretty affecting this week >.>
