Supergirl’s second episode makes plenty of improvements over the pilot.
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
Well, anyone complaining that they didn’t say “Superman” enough in the pilot should certainly have nothing to complain about this time. Supergirl’s second episode is a marked improvement on the first, offering up interesting motivations for familiar characters, some spectacular effects, and surprisingly powerful emotions.
“Stronger Together” is somewhat of a logistics episode; it addresses lots of lingering questions that come with the modern age of superheroes. Why does a goofy secret identity still work? How do superheroes pay rent? Why don’t super-strong heroes ever really learn to fight? What happens after a superhero lands a plane in the middle of a river and leaves it there? This episode handles all of that deftly, putting those (admittedly inconsequential) issues to rest with a few swift lines of dialogue and a training montage or two.
We want to hear it.
It’s Melissa Benoist that once again anchors this show, as she should, and her immeasurable charm wins you over in an instant — rescuing a cat that turns out to be a snake from a tree comes to mind. Supergirl’s arc in this episode is one of confidence building. I appreciated this show’s willingness to paint Kara as inexperienced and untrained; too often we see heroes instantly understanding the finer details of what comes with being a costumed adventurer. But here, she botches a rescue in a big way at the top of the show and causes an oil spill (if Aquaman exists in this universe, I’m sure he wasn’t thrilled). The remainder of the episode is almost an inverse of the pilot, wherein Supergirl has to prove to herself that she can be a hero instead of having to prove it to everyone else.
Getting to see Kara come face-to-face with the A.I. of her dead mother was a pretty emotional moment – particularly after squaring off with her evil aunt – and it was nice to see that Supergirl is retaining this aspect of the Super-mythology that has been so integral throughout every incarnation. Where the show manages to squeeze some tears out of you, though, is not from the joyful reunion, but rather from Kara’s first, instinctive request from her digitizes mom: a hug. A hug that, crushingly, cannot happen. That Kara has the burden of remembering Krypton and all of her friends and family – something Superman doesn’t have — is a trait that this episode glosses over, but I expect it will play a key role in episodes to come.
We want to hear it.
There’s a lot of great character building in “Stronger Together” not only for Kara but also James and Cat. Supergirl’s take on Jimmy Olsen is particularly strong, giving him the drive to try and make a name for himself without having to rely on Superman. It makes his move to National City sensible (and maybe his instance at being called “James” too), but it also sheds light on the character quite a great deal. Much like Kara, he doesn’t feel as though he can possibly live up to the expectations set upon him by the Man of Steel. Making them kindred spirits makes a lot of sense – and makes for an interesting potential romance, as glimpsed ever so slightly in this episode.
We want to hear it.
As for Cat, despite her cold demeanor, she makes a lot of great points when explaining to Kara exactly why she’s taken an interest in Supergirl (aside from being a paper-seller). That she sees herself in the hero could be seen as ego-driven, but it seems more obvious that Cat respects Supergirl’s willingness to claw her way to the top in a superhero world dominated by her better-known – male – cousin. Getting to hear Cat’s own career history – starting as Perry White’s assistant – is not only a great treat for Superman fans but also a revealing tidbit about why Cat is the way she is.
Speaking of which, there’s a lot of great stuff in this episode for the comic fans. Not only are there many Superman name drops, there’s also mention of Lois Lane and Clark Kent, a Fortress of Solitude reference, the introduction of Kryptonite, our first glimpse at Maxwell Lord, and a pretty strong tease at Hank Henshaw’s potential villainous future. It’s very cool to see Supergirl dropping easter eggs so liberally, particularly after all of the obviously unsubstantiated online hoopla about how the show was skirting around such things.
We want to hear it.
General Astra and her band of Fort Rozz escapees are still the weak link, though the hammy scene-chewing is thankfully kept to a minimum here. While the dramatic implications of Kara facing off with a family member is strong, Astra’s motivations for taking control of National City, specifically, is very unclear. On top of that, her lines are so stereotypically villainous that it’s hard not to see past the farce of it all. Laura Benanti doesn’t quite manage to make Astra anything more than a typical sci-fi villain that could be interchangeable with any other show, but the writing certainly doesn’t help her.
We want to hear it.
It’s not only the bad guys, though. A majority of the stuff involving the DEO (the awesome opening training sequence excluded) is painstakingly boring. It’s tactical mumbo-jumbo that we’ve seen a thousand times over, stuff that is bland and by-the-numbers compared to the excitement of Supergirl’s best moments. While I’m invested in Kara and Alex’s relationship, having the DEO as the centerpiece of Kara’s superhero career is troubling.
“Stronger Together” is a great episode that gives us less of the stuff we didn’t love about the pilot and plenty more of the stuff we did. The show’s takes on Kara, Cat, and James are inventive and appealing, while the action remains fun and there are easter eggs aplenty. Also: was that Perd Hapley as the TV anchor?!
