‘Supergirl’ Showrunner Talks the Show’s Impact

Movies and television shows aren’t just entertainment. They can have a bigger meaning and a larger impact and that cultural importance is something that Supergirl showrunner Robert Rovner takes into consideration with each story the show tells.

Rovner recently spoke with Rotten Tomatoes ahead of the season three premiere of Supergirl on Monday and one of the things he addressed was how the stories on the show attempt to reflect things going on in the real world.

“One of the things I think we were able to do this season was to tell stories that really spoke to issues that were going on in the real world, and to see how this very strong woman could navigate that and allow us to discuss issues that were topical, and to tell stories about inclusion, and acceptance, and about LGBTQ rights, and all of the stuff we’ve been able to tell,” Rovner explained.

Telling stories with strong women and inclusion have been part of the show from the beginning. Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) works for female media titan and CEO Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) while Hank Henshaw (David Harewood) turns out to be the alien J’onn J’onzz and is accepted by Kara as well as the rest of the Supergirl team despite being a distinctively not human looking alien. In season two those themes expanded, most notably with alien rights ad amnesty as an undercurrent and Kara’s sister, Alex (Chyler Leigh) coming out as gay. For Rovner, having those stories on Supergirl allows the show to be a “source of strength”.

“We do focus on letting Supergirl be a voice of strength and optimism and hope, to tell stories that are reflective of what’s going on and to be a source of strength and be there for people who are dealing with all of the stuff that we’re dealing with,” he said. “I think too it shows that it’s not always her super powers that save the day. It’s her voice and all of her strength that can inspire people that they don’t have to be a superhero to make a difference, that they can use their own strength to persevere.”

But it’s not just a message of perseverance. Rovner hopes that the stories told by Supergirl challenges people and encourages them to be and do better. It’s almost a way of Supergirl making the world a better place, one viewer at a time.

“Hopefully the stories that we’re telling challenge people, and help embolden them to be the best that they can be, to persevere under the most trying of circumstances.”

Supergirl season three premieres Monday, October 9th, at 8/7c, on The CW.