When the powers that be at Warner Brothers and CBS finally acquiesced and greenlit a Supergirl/Flash crossover, I wonder if they were intentional about airing it the Monday after Batman v Superman’s opening weekend? Because after two-and-a-half hours worth of self-serious grimdark, it was such a relief to see DC superheroes who actually, you know, enjoy being superheroes.

This has been a running theme of these recaps all season, but the producers on Supergirl seem to have a better grasp of what makes the Superman family work as characters than the current cinematic Superman braintrust. Seeing the episode “Worlds’ Finest” so soon after watching Dawn of Justice only heightened the contrast between the movie and television side of DC Entertainment.

"Tell me. Do you like ice cream? You will!" #SupergirlXTheFlash @grantgust @MelissaBenoist @TheNerdsofColor https://t.co/mr5pfG5r2i

—
Keith Chow (@the_real_chow) March 29, 2016

If I had one critique, it would be that aside from the scenes with Barry, this wasn’t my favorite episode of the series. The twenty or so minutes that Barry is on screen interacting with the Super Friends is by far my favorite stuff of the season. It’s just that the other half — primarily the convoluted way that the villains pair up and Jealous Jimmy — is some of the show’s weaker elements. But let’s dive in to what worked and what didn’t.

We start off in the DEO where Winn has rushed Siobhan after she plunged off the roof of CatCo, unleashing her Banshee scream for the first time. The doctor is apparently a female version of Emil Hamilton, a character who, considering this week’s guest star, coincidentally has historic ties to S.T.A.R. Labs. Winn is relieved to learn his girlfriend isn’t an alien — which is weird considering his previous crush on Kara — but Siobhan is freaking out. She spies Chekhov’s Livewire being interrogated by Lucy, which is one of the episode’s eye-rollingiest scenes.

Of course, now that Siobhan has unleashed the Banshee, she starts hearing voices and sees flashes of her villainous destiny flash before her flashy (enough puns yet?) eyes. Her first move as a bad guy is to go to CatCo and murder Cat. Kara, gets in her way, and for her trouble, gets tossed out of the window. Of course, Kara can’t just fly away without giving away her identity, and landing on the ground unscathed would’ve been a giveaway too. Also, she’s unconscious. So how is she going to get out of this? Fortunately, multiverse-jumping Barry just happened to Flash into Earth-CBS just in time to catch Kara and speed her off to the desert. Flaming boobs and all.

After Kara pats herself down, she abandons her civvies and takes off back to National City. Barry, obviously taken aback, speeds after her and we finally get Supergirl and The Flash on screen at the same time.

This is easily the best superhero meet-cute in crossover history. Seeing these two finally sharing a scene together fills me with so much glee that I wish we could have two-and-a-half hours of these two hanging out and eating ice cream. Barry realizes Kara is more than metahuman and gives the CBS audience a quick “previously on…” about what he’s been doing on The CW. This is when they — and we — figure out Barry is from an alternate universe and Earth-CBS is distinct from Earth-CW.

Barry and Kara are in the Super Friends’ secret CatCo lair when Winn and James walk in on the new friends. Kara explains Barry is from an alternate universe and Winn has a new crush. Seriously, where are the Winn/Barry shippers? Because those two are magic together.

Barry also learns that Kara is an alien, not metahuman, and it’s also the best.

Really the scene is so sweet it actually includes ice cream and doughnuts. Forget Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the team-up I want to see is Barry, Kara, Winn, Cisco, Caitlin, Curtis, Ray, and Felicity in their own DC Super Hero Nerds franchise. As great as this whole scene is, it also introduces one of the aspects I was less impressed with: Jealous James. It’s a cute gag, I guess — and Winn’s reaction to seeing a frowny faced James is hilarious — but I could’ve done with a few less scenes of James side-eyeing Barry. I mean, Superman’s his best pal. If anyone is immune to Superhero Envy, it’d be James Olsen. At least Zack Snyder doesn’t show up and shoot him in the head.

Before the Super Flash Friends go on their doughnut run, Cat calls them into her office to discuss news of National City’s newest superhero. Kara awkwardly introduces Barry after Cat makes a meta CW joke and names the new hero The Blur (Smallville reference!), much to Barry’s chagrin.

Later, Siobhan visits a relative and learns about the Banshee curse inflicted on the women of their family. The only way to be relieved of the curse is to kill the person who has wronged them. Naturally, this solidifies her heel turn, so she somehow sneaks back into the DEO and releases Livewire, because why not.

It’s dialogue like that that makes me wish the whole episode was Kara and Barry eating doughnuts together.

Knowing that Livewire has escaped and is gunning for Cat, Kara takes Flash to the DEO to meet with Lucy and devise a “plan” for taking her down. I have to say, the chemistry that Grant Gustin displays on screen with Melissa Benoist and Jeremy Jordan is really good. It’s so good that it actually plays into James’ jealousy subplot. When he watches the Super Nerds interacting at the DEO, you kind of feel sorry for him. Then you remember, why isn’t Jimmy a nerd either?

When Mehcad Brooks was first cast, we were hoping he’d be bringing some Blerdness to the show. Clearly, by casting Brooks the show has gone in a different direction, making him more sexy and less nerdy. I still wish they cast Echo Kellum as Jimmy Olsen and Brooks as Mister Terrific, but that ship sailed a long time ago. Anyway, James needs a pep talk from his ex to get over his jealousy. Meanwhile, Barry and Winn (look at them!) create a device to track Livewire, and Supergirl decides to go in without a plan (Team Flash, they are not).

Flash and Supergirl speed over to Livewire’s whereabouts but are ambushed by Siobhan  who has gone full on Silver Banshee (though we’re never shown if this is her true self emerged, or if it’s just an elaborate makeup job. The previous scene between the villains imply the latter, but whatevs). Unprepared for a super villain team-up, our heroes retreat and have to come up with a better way to stop the bad guys.

On CatCo’s confessional balcony, Barry and Kara share a heart-to-heart about what it means to be a hero.

The two head back to the DEO to better prepare for their next battle when Silver Banshee and Livewire kidnap Cat Grant right from under their noses. James tries to signal watch Kara, but is zapped by Livewire. Winn tries to talk some sense into his Siobhan, but gets tossed against the wall for his troubles.

After learning that Cat is being held by the villains in a park, Supergirl and Flash head back to the city, but this time ready for the fight. The fight itself isn’t great, but Supergirl’s confidence — with The Flash at her side — is all kinds of awesome.

The villains ultimately get the upper hand, but fortunately, the citizens of National City stand up for their hero and help save the day. It’s corny, but it works. The episode ends with Supergirl and Flash back in the desert preparing to send Barry back to Earth-CW. The two heroes have to combine their speeds in order to throw Barry back to his dimension, or something. Whatever, it’s just an excuse for the two to finally race.

After such a successful crossover, here’s hoping the two networks find ways for more opportunities to team up. I’m also hoping that there’s some type of Crisis event that can merge all of the multiple earths into a single universe, because I need these heroes to all be together all the time. Just need more singing next time.

Look at all the glee on their faces! Smiling superheroes. Who knew?

I have to admit, the penultimate episode of Supergirl’s first season was definitely not my favorite. I’ve been a big booster for this show, even before it premiered, but last week’s culmination of the “Myriad” storyline was not nearly as satisfying as it could have been. Of course, there were some strong moments — as is the case with every Supergirl episode, Calista Flockhart is the MVP — but I really wasn’t feeling the villains’ evil plot this week, especially considering this was being alluded to all season-long.

Perhaps it was because this episode was following up the brilliant Flash crossover, or maybe it was too much to make the “Myriad” plotline pay off, but I felt like it stumbled to get to the finish line when it didn’t have to. But let’s dive in to the strong stuff first!

One of the things I’ve loved all season is how much the producers pay homage to Superman and Supergirl history on the show. From the casting of former TV Superman Dean Cain as Kara’s adoptive father to various subtle references to Smallville and not-so-subtle references to the comics, Supergirl is clearly respectful of the history that has come before. This was expressed in “Myriad” by looking at the cast list for the episode. In addition to star Melissa Benoist, it also featured Helen Slater and Laura Vandervoort, all in the same episode.

ALL THE SUPERGIRLS THIS EPISODE. ALL OF THEM. #SupGirl #Supergirl @MelissaBenoist @Vandiekins22 @HelenSlaterNYC

—
The Nerds of Color (@TheNerdsofColor) April 12, 2016

Speaking of allusions to the comic, we also got a nice look at another Fort Rozz prisoner, who also happens to be another character from the Superman comics: Maxima, played by former WWE wrestler Eve Torres. This isn’t the first time Maxima has been depicted in live action, however, since she was the main antagonist in a Season 8 episode of Smallville.

It was also cool to return to Alex and Hank’s adventures on the run — which were completely ignored in the crossover. Seeing these former DEO agents operating as fugitives could have been a whole-season unto itself. It was an especially nice touch to see Alex and J’onn traveling incognito. The scene when Highway Patrol inspect their bus, was genuinely tense, but I’m not exactly sure what the point of their subplot was supposed to be.

For example, why were they visiting Alex’s mom — other than to bring Helen Slater back tot he show? I mean, if the authorities are looking for them, I’m pretty sure the home of the fugitive’s sole surviving parent would be the first place they’d look, but I digress.

The last thing that really worked this episode, again, was the interaction between Kara and Cat. As Abraham Riesman mentions in his Vulture piece about Flockhart’s role on the series, Cat is the “hardy soul who always gives me a reason to keep watching.”

Cat’s balcony speech to Kara about choosing hope over fear is another one of those reasons. And not just because it so succinctly makes the case for how Supergirl should be but it also directly speaks to how these superheroes are typically depicted in pop culture.

"Not through violence, not through fear. Just be Supergirl." It's like Cat was talking to Zack Snyder. #Supergirl twitter.com/thenerdsofcolo…

—
Keith Chow (@the_real_chow) April 12, 2016

Despite these bright spots, the episode on balance fell flat for me. Maybe because the majority of it involved Kara, Cat, and Maxwell Lord just talking to each other at CatCo HQ, which led to a lot of scenes of telling and not showing. But I think it’s because the reveal of what Myriad actually is was less than exciting.

The final moments of the previous episode was actually chilling — James, after he and Kara finally kiss, becomes a mindless drone following hundreds of thousands of other people on the streets of National City, under the influence of an unseen manipulator. Turns out, Non and Indigo were just mind-controlling everyone to use all of their brainpower to solve the world’s problems. From racism to climate change, Non’s evil plot was to turn National City into a giant think tank, to paraphrase Max Lord.

Really? That’s the gist behind the word that makes Kryptonian A.I. freak the fuck out? Sure, the mind control aspect is pretty messed up, leading to a scene in which Winn and James (and one of their co-workers we’ve never seen before, so she might as well have been wearing a red shirt) all jump out of the window simultaneously.

This episode also gives us another glimpse of this universe’s Superman, and to be honest, this was probably the most maddening aspect of the show thus far. Of course, I’ve enjoyed the previous instances in which they’ve brought in Clark in the past — whether via instant message or a glimpse of his Fortress — but this felt the most shoehorned. Worse, his appearance didn’t make any sense!

Ever since they introduced a whole battalion of evil Kryptonians, one of the questions that has dogged the show has been ‘Where is Superman?’ This is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, I appreciate that the show doesn’t totally ignore the presence of Superman, and thus far, it has done a great job of separating itself from her cousin’s shadow, while still feeling authentically a part of the larger Super-universe. On the other hand, the writers have to always twist themselves into knots to explain why he doesn’t just fly over to National City to lend a hand.

So when Kelex tells Kara that Kal-El is off-world and unable to assist the crisis in her city, I thought the writers had figured out an acceptable answer to the season’s biggest question: Where is Superman to fight the Evil Kryptonians?! But then Clark sends Kara a text, and tells her he’s on his way. What? Why? You’ve already established why and how Superman isn’t able to help, so why bring him in? Especially if you’re just going to turn him into another drone? Which makes even less sense because, while he may have been raised on Earth, his physiology IS STILL ALIEN!

The shot of Superman as a speck in the sky was definitely not worth the narrative fail of bringing him on in the first place.

Still, Superman’s fifteen seconds of screentime on Supergirl was still more engaging than the entirety of his participation in Batman v Superman.

by AJ Joven

It must have happened when I noticed Kara running in front of a slightly obscured monument that could only have been at Pershing Square. The flat sky scrapers, palm trees, and the technicolor brightness of the world all felt so familiar. An alien, misunderstood and hiding in plain sight, here in DC’s analog of Los Angeles is what makes Supergirl such a watershed moment: it takes this specific angle of the City and wears it unabashedly. As I’ve been playing catch up on the series (sorry… as a Filipino, I’m generally late to everything), I’ve found lots to like about the confident voice in Supergirl. Often steeped in questions of identity, Supergirl’s writers send up the concepts of being a professional woman, a millennial, and, most personal to me, an immigrant with swagger and intent. Seeing National City be so clearly depicted as Los Angeles (seriously, that flat top sky line is unique, y’all) and all of the auxiliary connotations involved in that is not, to my mind a mistake. It is, however, a first.

Even before my family immigrated from Manila to Los Angeles, I felt the connection. Via tape delay broadcasts, my basketball-obsessed family (and kababayan, really) knew of and rooted for the Showtime Lakers. By the time I’d settled into my new school in Hawthorne (a town in South Los Angeles), I’d be indoctrinated by my father into the mythos of Kirk Gibson, Orel Hershiser, and the Dodgers. Tacos, beach bonfires, and traffic have all been a part of my experience as an Angelino. More, seeing places you grew up near, or passed by regularly, and learning that they were part of your favorite movies became a part of my particular vibe. Like when I took a walking tour of L.A. during high school and saw Nakatomi Plaza. Or when I moved to Southeast Los Angeles and would drive past where Daniel-san took Ali on their first date as I would inch along traffic to get to my own girlfriend.

From Chinatown to The Usual Suspects, Los Angeles has served as the backdrop for great films, and its rich history has often worked well as an extra character of sorts — the sprawling metro area and the intrigue surrounding the foundation of the City make it a natural for noir stories. However, the Los Angeles that I had come to know was one that was far more vibrant than the sunshine and shadow contradictions of those films. Raised in an immigrant community and thrust into school systems where no one had heard of the Philippines, I was instantly aware of my otherness. And where that caused consternation and, at times, hurt, I was buoyed by a cast of characters from places as foreign to me, at the time, as the Philippines was to them. The identity of Los Angeles as a place where immigrants can rise up and be counted, then, resonates.

Early and often, Supergirl’s Kara Danvers is referred to as an alien. As an immigrant that’s spent considerable time at the Federal INS office in downtown Los Angeles, the term does not pass by lightly. It’s not simply that my government — the one that I was taught to admire for its openness and sense of welcoming — identified me as “other.” It’s that it also reinforced the moments on the playground when other children might react negatively to the pungent aroma of the home cooked meals my mother would deliver to me at lunch (causing enough embarrassment, in fact, that I once requested Lunchables instead of adobo. #NeverForget) or the time a kid got angry at me and called me a “Chink,” not knowing that the hierarchy of offense for me lay first at not even getting my ethnicity correct before lobbing the slur. The look on Kara’s face as she absorbs the suspicious barbs about aliens from Hank Henshaw early in the series or insults from other aliens or even the innocuous, if awkward, moment when Winn makes an off-handed generality about “all Kryptonians” are all faces I’ve at some point worn.

That Kara responds by taking on the responsibility of being “the good alien” while working out how to reconcile that her alien-ness is a point of pride resonates deeply with my own experience — how do you deal with the duality that makes being special also mean being isolated? That loneliness that she feels as she navigates this foreign world (compounded by being an orphan) reminds me of being the first in my family to apply and gain acceptance to college; the first to fill out a FAFSA form. The sense of fear at being first through that door but knowing no other path available is one I’ve felt over and over as I’ve worked my way up the educational and professional hierarchy. It’s one that Supergirl illustrates effectively in the workplace arcs and relationships between Kara and her office/surrogate family.

As a young immigrant (and a millennial, specifically), this current incarnation of Supergirl is easily the most accessible character of the current slate of comic book shows. It also handles these themes with grace and emotional depth. The connection between Kara and Hank, as well as Cat Grant, as surrogate parents/mentors makes much sense in light of her immigrant experience — the list of teachers, supervisors, and well-intentioned older people around to help me gain my footing as I learned how to register for classes, apply and interview for a job, and learn the ins-and-outs of the workplace is long and vital.

As I sat watching mid-season episodes (haven’t finished the season yet — get off my back!), these realizations finally dovetailed with the intermittent admiration of various shots of Los Angeles: that the creators of Supergirl must know that setting their show about a millennial, immigrant woman in an analog for a city that is steeped in the richness provided by its immigrant community — a place pioneers came and still come to become stars — is nothing short of revolutionary.

It’s no surprise, then, that a show would choose a location so bright to place its most hopeful show and that I have found hope in a future where Supergirl’s bold declaration that immigrants contribute positively to society might be less the voice in the wilderness and more the commonly held belief.

I mean, she’s even made a believer out of Cat Grant after all.

AJ Joven is a freelance writer and musician. Hailing from Los Angeles by way of Manila, AJ enjoys writing about sports, pop culture, social justice, and the weird Venn diagram where those things meet. He’s a fan of Liverpool Football Club and the DC TV-verse. Find him on twitter @aj_joven or on his website fakeplasticdrafts.com.

One of the more enjoyable parts of Supergirl’s inaugural season is the refreshing and bold decision to place this National City hero squarely in the present as a Millennial. The bright and optimistic (and inclusionary!) perspective is drawn clearly in Kara’s idealistic worldview and personified by the bright and hopeful characters she has chosen to surround herself with (more on that in a minute). If Arrow is about the fight against a cold cynicism with The Flash about overcoming tragedy via the love of family, then Supergirl is about staring down the challenges of life with hope and optimism.

The strength of Supergirl the show, however, is in its ability to weave the moments that threaten its idealism with the technicolor moments of triumph its fans have come to savor. In that way, “Better Angels” does well in representing the thesis of Supergirl as it closes out its first year.

The action picks up right where “Myriad” left off — National City under the control of Non and Indigo, with brainwashed Alex locked in battle against Kara. Wait… that’s not quite accurate: brainwashed Alex IN A FREAKING EXO SUIT was locked in battle against Kara. That and her awesome kryptonite sword round out what is sure to be the coolest if most obscure cosplay outfit of the summer.

Just as Alex gains the upper hand, J’onn J’onzz and [Hamilton voice] Eliza happen upon the scene. Eliza, being protected from the effects of Myriad by J’onn, gives an impassioned speech that helps to reach Alex’s core and free her from the mind control. Much of the season has focused on the terrific bond between Kara and Alex as sisters and this added flair of their mother being a touchstone is a terrific flourish. Once more: where most shows fail at pushing forward more than one strong female lead (looking at you, Arrow and Flash), Supergirl drops another one in the viewer’s lap. More, between Cat, Kara, Alex, Lucy, and Eliza, this universe throws out a variegated representation of strong women in terms of personality.

Afterwards, the Danvers Sisters (WORK!), SuperMom, and J’onn head to the TV station where Max Lord and Cat Grant have readied the station to broadcast a message of — wait for it — hope to counteract the effects of Myriad — an appeal to the goodness of the residents in National City delivered by their great symbol of hope, Supergirl.

It works as the message slowly wakes National City out of their stupor. In this sequence, I think it’s telling that Winn wakes first — even before James does. Winn was, after all, the first person that Kara revealed her superpowers to and her first major advocate.

With the threat neutralized, for now, the drama did moves back to the DEO where Maj. Lane moves to have J’onn J’onnz imprisoned despite helping to beat back Myriad. Also, we learn that Superman is still down from the effects of the attack and that, as yet, no one knows anything of Non or Indigo.

That changes quickly as we learn that in response to the failure of Myriad, our two baddies plan to boost the signal and kill all of National City before taking their death and pony show across the globe, leaving Supergirl and Martian Manhunter as the last survivors once more. Once the team at the DEO are able to locate the site where Non and Indigo are hosting the Myriad signal (the defunct Fort Rozz), Supergirl and the self-released Martian Manhunter (in an understated moment of comedy) fly out to confront them.

The battle itself is pretty intense, especially considering how MM dispatches of Indigo. Non and Supergirl’s fight ends with Supergirl beating him in an eye blast-off that’s pretty perfect as a stand-in for a battle of wills — all season long, Supergirl has been questioned over how much she wants/desires certain things in her personal, professional, and even superhero life. The safety of her family and the city she loves? She wants that — even, as we will learn, at the cost of her own life.

After Non is defeated, Indigo tells Supergirl and Martian Manhunter that the only way to stop the signal is to find a way to take Fort Rozz away from Earth — and with the Fort being largely destroyed, it would be impossible unless Supergirl where to fly it out into space. This, of course, is a problem because unlike previous renderings of Kryptonians, Supergirl cannot create thrust in the zero gravity confines of space. The stakes, then, are stark and with the signal steadily increasing, they are being ratcheted even higher up. Kara decides to make her sacrifice and has a short heart-to-heart with Alex. Typically, these types of moments make me wince. However, the chemistry between Melissa Benoist and Chyler Leigh as well as the  narrative investment in the relationship between Alex and Kara have both been top quality this season, earning them this earnest and sincere moment. 

And with ne’er a dry eye in the area, grabs Fort Rozz and flies it into space, saving her family and effectively sentencing her to death.

BUT WAIT — here comes Alex piloting Kara’s pod to rescue her! And with that, the tears are flowing as Kara wakes in the DEO safe and sound, surrounded by her family.

The epilogue is brief — Maj. Lane announces that the President (a woman!) has pardoned J’onn J’onzz as thanks for his help in stopping Myriad and has also reinstated him as Director of the DEO. J’onn, however, asks to keep Lucy as a co-director which is great because I’ve enjoyed her arcs this past season. Kara, also, is promoted by Cat in another warm and vulnerable performance by Calista Flockhart, who clearly relishes this role. The tenderness in their own “end of Working Girl moment” was another beautifully done, and well-earned, scene.

The Supergirl friends and family, then, retire to Kara’s apartment to celebrate this great moment. Eliza shares her hope that they will one day find Jeremiah, with Alex assuring her that it will be a priority. Kara and James steal off to a private corner where they FINALLY share a kiss that allows that “will they or won’t they” to end in cheers and unicorns! However, the celebration is cut short as they notice what looks like a meteor hurtling towards National City.

Supergirl and Martian Manhunter immediately fly to the crash site where they find a pod that looks just like Kara’s. She opens the pod and as the perspective shifts to inside the pod looking up at Kara, we register shock on her face. It looks like Season 2’s mystery is first going to figure out who is in that pod.

Some closing thoughts:

• WHAT. A. SEASON. There’s so much quality in the DC TV-verse, but I’ve been surprised not just at how well Supergirl as a show is put together, but by how quickly it’s surpassed even Flash at the top of this group. The cast, character development, and bold statements on feminism and immigration are all terrifically done.

• It’s going to be very interesting to see how long they drag out the “Where is Jeremiah?” angle. Is this going to be the greater arc for next season? Or is it going to be one of those “life of the series” questions?

• Speaking of grappling with great societal questions, the question on J’onn’s legality as an immigrant was handled quickly, but well. I’d throw kudos out for the show simply asking the question, but placing it centrally to the plot is once more proof of how boldly the Supergirl writers’ room likes to tackle these types of circumstances. It’s not the deep, involved investigation that this topic deserves, but that it was handled gracefully is certainly something to applaud.

• Lastly, the cast of characters in Supergirl should be applauded. Much in the same way that the Arrowverse properties (Flash, especially) have built and developed generally full ensembles, Supergirl has done a terrific job of creating roles of depth all the way across the series. Cat Grant, for example, could have been just a thin and cheap rendering of Miranda Priestly. And yet, the writers and Calista Flockhart imbued her not just as a stock prototype, but a real, flesh and blood, character. The development arc of J’onn J’onzz is also incredibly to have watched as he goes from closed-off manager, to trusting and compassionate father-figure.

Rating:

Winn has been my favorite character mostly because Jeremy Jordan plays the whip-smart, Felicity Smoak-esque type so well. As such, the rating system will be based on How Much Winn we got in that episode. For “Better Angels,” the Winn Quotient was 9/10.

And with that, we’re off until the fall (on The CW). See you then, folks!

I’ve been sitting on this post for a while now, but with today’s news that Superman will actually appear next season on Supergirl, I figured now would be as good a time as any to explain why I think veteran TV Superman Tom Welling should don the red cape once again (for the first time?) and officially welcome Kara to The CW, the network Smallville launched a decade ago.

“But Smallville and Supergirl are two separate, incompatible continuities!” I know. I know. But hear me out: Supergirl is the perfect opportunity to get Welling back on The CW in the one role he deserves (but may or may not need right now): Superman.

A few things to disclose before we go any further. Number one, I am an unabashed Smallville head, a fact I bring up a lot #onhere. So I am a little biased on this. Secondly, I completely understand that Smallville has its share of detractors. As a veteran of various message boards during the show’s initial run, I fully understand how a lot of Superman fandom feels about Gough/Millar’s (and later Souders/Peterson’s) take on the origins of Clark Kent. Therefore, the quality of the previous show is not what this post is about. Instead, I want to dive into why Welling reprising his most iconic role will not be as “confusing” as some fans may think.

The idea of Tom Welling returning to the world of Superman via Supergirl has been percolating on the internet for some time now. Earlier this year, Welling made his return to the public eye while promoting his film The Choice. The once press shy actor made the rounds on the entertainment news gauntlet and fielded a ton of questions about the possibility of returning to his superhero roots. In a bit cut from this wide-ranging interview with Buzzfeed, Welling neither confirmed nor denied his interest in guesting on Supergirl.

Tom Welling on the odds he'd ever play Superman on #Supergirl (didn't make the final piece) buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselma… https://t.co/BMh4uQQTEP

—
Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) January 27, 2016

No one’s asked, huh? What are the odds Berlanti, Kreisberg, and Adler will put him on the spot? (Poppin’ a squat on conventional wisdom, like it or not?). And what would he say if actually asked? That’s the $64,000 question, I suppose. So let’s unpack it.

In the past, the Berlanti-verse has not shied away from making referential nods to the television history of its universe of heroes. Kara’s adoptive parents are a former Superman (Dean Cain) and a former Supergirl (Helen Slater), after all. More than that, though, the showrunners have had no qualms about “mixing” their current continuities with those of legacy DC shows. Just look at The Flash.

In addition to casting original TV Flash John Wesley Shipp as Barry’s dad Henry, which is a nod in the vein of Dean Cain as Jerimiah Danvers on Supergirl, The Flash also brought back both Amanda Pays and Mark Hamill from the original 1990 cast. But get this, they aren’t playing new characters, but reprising their original roles of Tina McGee and the Trickster, respectively!

If you were a fan of Smallville, you have access to 200-plus episodes of backstory. If you’re not familiar with Smallville, you still recognize Welling as Clark Kent and bring that prior knowledge with you. Whether or not the specific story details of Smallville the series is canon is irrelevant. The major beats are all the same: Kal-El’s ship lands in Smallville, Kansas where he is raised by Jonathan and Martha (WHY DID I SAY THAT NAME?!!), and grows up to be the world’s greatest superhero. None of that is contradicted if Welling shows up in National City for an ep or two.

During many of our show recaps, we love to point out all of the similarities between Flash, Supergirl, and Smallville. Part of that is because the current crop of CW’s DC shows share a lot of the same creatives behind the scenes (director Glen Winter, for example, comes to mind). Supergirl moving production to Vancouver means a lot of the Smallville crew will be working on its cousin’s show, anyway. Plus, nods to Smallville also permeate the universe’s other shows. To wit, I feel like Olicity owes a lot to the Chlollie that came before and using “Curtis Knox” as a Vandal Savage alias has probably been the biggest Smallville Easter Egg in all of the Berlanti-verse. And honestly, I’ve been wanting Welling in the universe just so he can share a scene with Brandon Routh as the Atom.

I’m also cognizant that the folks in Berlanti-World might want to put their own stamp on the Superman character — and honestly, there’s a high probability that Welling wouldn’t want the role anyway. (Though, the fact that he’d only have to do it for a couple episodes — instead of ten seasons — could be a point in his favor).

If either is true, and we won’t be getting Welling on Supergirl, it’ll be disappointing… to this fan at least. After all, Smallville promised us that we’d see a full blown Welling Superman by 2018, after all.

(It also goes without saying that I’m gonna need Erica Durance’s Lois and Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex to join Welling in the Berlanti-verse).

Originally published at Bitch Flicks

At 8 years old, I would wake up early every Saturday morning to tune in and watch Superboy. Over the years, I’ve been a faithful viewer of the original George Reeves Superman series, Lois & Clark, the Bruce Timm animated series, the live action films, and of course the comics. I’m a comic book guy through and through. For me, Superman isn’t just a superhero. He is THE superhero. I’m very protective of the Man of Steel’s mythos and legacy. Suffice it to say, I had my concerns when the CBS series Supergirl was announced.

Somehow when I wasn’t paying attention, my reaction evolved from, “The pilot was cute, I guess I’ll tune in,” to “Jesus Christ is it Monday night yet? I need my Maiden of Might!!!!”

There’s a number of reasons why the series works and works well. For starters, the cast. Actress Melissa Benoist embodies the essence of the eponymous heroine much like Christopher Reeve and Lynda Carter respectively encapsulated Superman and Wonder Woman. In addition, the series is a fresh take on Supergirl and her alter ego Kara Danvers. In previous incarnations, Kara was often depicted as headstrong, impulsive, reckless, and angsty, often as a foil for her older and more mature cousin, Clark. For that matter, the same can be said for Conner Kent, aka Superboy.

Whereas Clark’s meek and bumbling demeanor was often a facade to conceal his identity, for this Kara, it is who she is and her powers don’t change that fact. Case in point, the girl can’t keep her secret identity to save her life as the series illustrates numerous times. Kara is an ingenue with a huge heart. She often finds herself in over her head whether battling Fort Rozz escapees or navigating through minefields often known as life.

Even with her powers, Kara is the underdog who has to evolve to overcome insurmountable odds, thus making her relatable to viewers.

With the series being entitled Supergirl, it shouldn’t be a surprise that feminism is a prevalent theme. What is a pleasant surprise is how well the series tackles it. Sadly in 2016, positive portrayals of powerful women outside of Shondaland continue to be rare.

This is especially the case for speculative fiction. Too often, female characters are developed by undercutting other female characters. Not the case with this series. Whether it’s Kara, Lucy, or Alex, all of the heroines and villainesses are different but formidable in their own right.

If there is a breakout MVP for the series, the title easily goes to Kara’s snarky boss and unlikely mentor, Cat Grant, played flawlessly by Ally McBeal herself. Calista Flockhart effortlessly steals virtually every scene she’s in with her performances. The sharp-tongued heart-of-gold mentor archetypes are typically reserved for male characters, thus making this iteration of Grant and her relationship with Kara rare for television and all the more amazing.

As the Flash crossover, “World’s Finest” illustrates, this is a series that knows how to have fun and be creative.

New fans and Kryptonian OGs like myself are on the edge of our seats wondering what surprises are in store: the introduction of Martian Manhunter, the Cadmus tease, or hints that Alex Danvers might one day evolve into this universe’s Alex Luthor. 

It is my hope that Vasquez’s role is beefed up next season and other marginalized DC alums are introduced be they Alysia Yeoh and/or Natasha Irons.

If I have one complaint to register about Supergirl it would be this is one of those times I wish I was a father. I wish I had a young daughter to watch the show with. Just as I tuned in religiously every Saturday as a kid to watch Superboy, it would be cool to pass along a family tradition to the next generation. Supergirl is a heroine that young girls can watch and look up to. Just as importantly, she is a heroine young boys can watch and learn from. One thing is for certain, season 2 can’t get here fast enough.

Is it Monday night yet?

It’s happening. After non-stop begging for the last year and a half, the producers of The CW’s block of superhero shows have relented and are giving us a musical crossover between Supergirl and The Flash (with potential guest appearances by Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow cast members). You’re welcome, world.

It all started with this tweet by TV Guide from the Television Critics Association press tour:

Of course, I was tagged on these tweets — because you guys know me so well! And the rest of my day was shot. So long, productivity, I’m going down a YouTube rabbit hole of my favorite singers from the DC CWverse!

Not to be outdone, Berlanti also announced the casting of Sharon Leal as Miss Martian! Hopefully, she makes her debut in time for the musical episode! I mean, she was in Dreamgirls for goodness sake!

At the very least, they need to bring Laura Benanti back as Kara’s mother Alura to sing about Barry’s ice cream.

Now all they have to do is announce Leslie Odom, Jr. as Lex Luthor (or anyone from Hamilton as anyone from the DC Universe) and I will definitely have to look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!

On the heels of the home video release of the first DC Super Hero Girls original movie, Hero of the Year, here is our conversation with the writer of the DCSHG middle grade novels, Lisa Yee, from the lobby of the Grand Hyatt hotel during San Diego Comic-Con 2016!

Keith and Lisa talk about the genesis of the DC Super Hero Girls multimedia behemoth and how it was designed to bring new audiences to the superhero fold. They also debunk the false assumption that girls don’t play with action figures by playing with Lisa’s Supergirl figure in the middle of the interview! Lisa also explains how loss informs her latest Supergirl novel and why things that are labeled “feminine” should not be considered inferior.

Stay tuned for even more conversations from San Diego Comic Con 2016!

Watch this space every Friday for new episodes of “Hard N.O.C. Life” and go to our YouTube channel to subscribe! You can also download the audio podcast on iTunes or Soundcloud!