By: Ananya Nrusimha
It would be easy to get tired of superheroes, what with the plethora of movies and TV shows based off of comic book icons flooding our theaters and channels today. But Supergirl manages to keep otherwise tired archetypes fresh and engaging, drawing the reader into a show that’s equal parts action and heart.
Supergirl’s main character doesn’t possess the omnipotence or confidence her more famous cousin is so well known for. She does, however, share his strong moral compass and sense of justice, which spurs her to start thwarting crimes in her native National City after a decade of living as a normal human.
Unfortunately, her superheroic track record isn’t exactly flawless; the jet she saves in the first episode takes months to extract from the ocean, and most of her fights result in tremendous collateral damage. Where Superman was welcomed with open arms, Supergirl is distrusted and in some instances derided by the people of her city. Her struggle to become more effective and be seen as a legitimate hero in the eyes of National City is one of the show’s driving forces, made all the more believable by Melissa Benoist’s strong performance as the titular hero.
Benoist is bolstered by a strong supporting cast, including Mehcad Brooks as “Superman’s Pal” and photojournalist James Olsen and Chyler Leigh as Supergirl’s adoptive sister Alex Danvers. Supergirl’s real strength, however, lies in how different it is from other shows and movies of its ilk. Its protagonist isn’t self-assured or overly confident like most of her counterparts; she’s still figuring out superheroics as she goes along. Her stumbles not just in crime fighting but also in the workplace (as assistant to the successful but ruthless media mogul Cat Grant) and in finding her place in the universe; unlike her cousin, Supergirl was a preteen when she left Krypton and has to reconcile the world she lives in with the one she lost.
It is her struggle that makes Supergirl all the more believable, which is only supported further by Benoist’s amazing performance and the conflicts both James Olsen (who must prove himself in a new city and workplace) and Alex Danvers must face.
Right now, Supergirl is following in Arrow’s and Flash’s footsteps and taking a general but accurate approach in adapting comics canon. The current iteration of Supergirl as awkward, endearing assistant Kara Danvers is an amalgamation of at least two different comic book Supergirls with a side of Clark Kent’s bumbling charm. Villains thus far have been lifted from Superman comics canon or the Christopher Reeve Superman movies; the latter remain interesting and engaging despite the poor reception the movie they hail from, Superman II. Later in the series, more high-profile characters such as Red Tornado and Lucy Lane are slated appear. The series should please both comic book fans and casual watchers with its treatment of the source material. It could, however, explore storylines within the larger DC universe through crossovers or delve into some of the stranger aspects of Supergirl canon from the 1990s, such as the extradimensional fire angel that gave the 1990s incarnation her powers.
