This October, Supergirl will fly onto screens as the latest comic book character to earn a television series. Produced by Greg Berlanti, same great brain that brought viewers the Flash and Arrow, Supergirl follows Kara Zor-El as she embraces her destiny as Earth’s protector.
We’d be lying if we said we didn’t have high expectations for this CBS series, and not only because of Berlanti’s involvement. With Superman tied up in DC’s Cinematic Universe, all representation for the Man of Steel’s world will likely fall on Supergirl’s red-clad shoulders. So as the iconic character prepares for liftoff this fall, we run through the elements that could really make this series soar.
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SUPERvillains
With powers in the same stratosphere as Superman himself, Supergirl can handle most Earthly threats with little ease. That’s why this series needs to go beyond the norm, and throw as many crazy, comic book villains at Supergirl as it can. With respect to CBS’ television budget, viewers will get bored rather quickly if Supergirl just tackles bank robbers, failing planes, and romantic subplots. The series needs a rogues gallery to match Supergirl’s power and grandeur, who can help make the series feel like a comic book come to life. The confirmed appearances of Reactron and Livewire gives Supergirl’s competition a promising start, but we hope that it’s just the front of a very long line of colorful DC super villains.
Inspiration
If we’re to follow modern takes on the Superman mythos, that “S” on Supergirl’s chest literally means “hope.” In Supergirl, we want Kara to embrace her potential as an inspiring and hopeful figure. We’re not saying she has to be a naive optimist, but more of a motivator to those around her. Through her confidence, and inner strength, Supergirl should push her peers to meet their peak potential. While saving her fellow man and women, Supergirl should always take a moment, somehow, to leave a lasting impression that pushes others to be better citizens of the world. That ability is a Kryptonian’s real superpower, and the bedrock of what makes the Superman mythos so compelling. And seeing as how the Man of Steel is pretty busy pouting and snapping necks in Hollywood, it’s up to Kara to be that beacon of light.
Krypton
The Supergirl mythology is rich with a detailed and compelling history of her home planet, Krypton. As the last several decades have shown, Krypton is a hotbed of fascinating concepts, locales, and storytelling potential.Supergirl will surely busy itself with the everyday duties of life in Metropolis, but we hope it can take a step back and recognize the grander universe surrounding Supergirl’s self-contained world. Krypton could bring some fun world-building elements to the show, making it as much of a science fiction series as a comic book one.
An Engaging Daily Planet Crew
If we’re being honest, we know that CBS is going to stuff plenty of its patented drama in our comic book antics. It’s just how the network operates. And since Supergirl’s pedestrian activities will take up a bulk of the series, they better be compelling. As Arrow and The Flash turned its civilian supporting cast into equally compelling characters, Supergirl needs to make the Daily Planet crew stand on its own two feet. Jimmy Olson, Cat Grant, and the rest of the crew need to be unique and engaging characters, who can make Supergirl’s scenes without capes and tights feel like a necessity, and not just filler.
Moderate Helpings of Superman
We know that Big Blue won’t actually appear on Supergirl, but the show’s producers have said that Superman will carry a large presence over the show. We just hope that presence isn’t too big. If Supergirl makes it a priority to thrown in winks and nods to the Man of Steel, then viewers will bosses over those Easter eggs and forget about the actual story in front of them. Essentially, Superman would hijack his cousin’s series. While small doses of Superman will help broaden Supergirl’s mythology, and make it feel more like a breathing comic book, the creators would do well to remember that Supergirl needs to succeed by her own merits, and not nepotism.
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What do you want to see on Supergirl? Let us know in the comments!
Supergirl premieres October 26 at 8:30 p.m. on CBS.
