Supergirl Season 1 Episode 1 - "Pilot" - Girl Super Power

This continues a look at the Supergirl pilot.

Now that we've had a chance to experience Supergirl's premiere, it's time to revel.

The show has a wonderful feel that is reminiscent of The Flash, but is unique for this character and her sensibilities.

I know when the first look came out for the show their were some that had a reflexive dislike. It wasn't drenched in machismo, which we are taught as kids to expect from superhero adventure. Instead there's energy, adrenaline, idealism, hope, optimism, youthful delight, danger, threats, and fun. It's weird to see the rebuffing it got, and that some gave this show.



"Is it because she's a girl?"

We often say that it's a same that the comic industry focuses so much on reaching boy, or men age 30-40, demographic. Girls often get skipped by. But the industry is waking up to these fans (and potential customers).

So this show is marketed more to reach out a wider audience. The weirdness a lot of people (particularly guys) felt when they watched the first marketing of the show was having a product they liked not being marketed directly to them.

The show promises in this opening a mix of personal and heroic life. She has a job and friends, and missions to stop super villains. She deals with physical hurdles, and emotional ones.

And people have scoffed at this. ...Yet this is the same stuff Clark Kent, Barry Allen, Oliver Queen, Matt Murdock, etc are dealing with as well.

I've read Clark Kent dealing with a lot of the issues that Kara is contemplating.

Of course added to their mixes is her femininity. The show in this pilot made a point of punching this. Her super opponent hasa strong disdain for women, and Hank Henshaw is just an ass. Kara has to figure out in her normal and super lives how she wants to and pushed to present herself. She has to deal with attitudes towards a female hero appearing, good and bad.

But for that wider audience, it's a chance to cheer and celebrate a larger than life female hero on the screen to watch and share. It is nice for kids to hear it said that a girl can be a hero in plain words.

Of course how they presented these ideas was very on the nose. It was a bit much for some and a nice to have strongly emphasized by others. We will have to see how hard they run with the writing in subsequent episodes, as they may have wanted to lay out a thesis at the start. Am I waiting to see how the writing takes shape over the season.


And it also happens to be a fun. If it isn't fun to watch, they'd be in trouble. It is a fun show that is lead by a character that is happy to be who they are. Being super is fun!


We get a cast that looks like it can gel well together, by we have to see what the producers have in mind. Maybe they will go different ways, or maybe we'll see the arcs shape. Who will they become?

The show hasn't yet establish who they are. Cat Grant. Winn Schott. James Olson. They can grow and reveal their inner selves in a multitude of ways. We just have to wait and see where the show is taking them.

And with Alex Danvers we get a sister/covert agent/scientist. She has a knowledge and experience base that will be invaluable to a fledgling hero. Because Kara has a lot to learn, and she has to do it on the job.

Speaking of Kara Danvers, we should take note of our central player in the show. Melissa Benoist proves to be an amazing choice for Supergirl. She provides an enjoyable and relateable Kara, and an idealistic and determined Supergirl. She does brilliantly at engendering a sense of good humor, compassion, and nobility.

Like most all shows these days, we are also getting our season and series plot threads. There are questions to be had about her family. About how she got to Earth (Did anything else happen in the Phantom Zone?). And what is Auntie Astra's full plan?

So...This season on Supergirl!

Next week it looks like more trouble is coming for Kara. And, Alex starts training Kara for taking on some formidable.

Episode 2 - "Stronger Together"

Tune in next Monday to see what Kara faces next.