Supergirl - Season Four

[Snaploud]

This is one of my favorite Supergirl episodes (along with Midvale). It was interesting seeing the professor gradually become more extreme in his views.

It's funny how this episode and the suited-up Supergirl storyline are the result of Melissa Benoist's unavailability at the start of the season. Creative constraints can sometimes lead to very good episodes and interesting choices.

A lot of my favorite SF/F episodes were the result of heavy constraints on the production crew. We used to refer to "bottle episodes" as in the those episodes where the writers/producers were forced to keep everybody in one room to save money for more expensive episodes. It forced the writers to rely on dialogue rather than action to bring excitement.

 

[thribs]

The episode sort of reminded me of Bruce’s short backstory about why he hated Superman in Batman Vs. Superman

I believe that was intentional.

 

[Nerys Myk]

With that chin, Witwer should be the next Superman.

 

[Christopher]

With that chin, Witwer should be the next Superman.

Well, the episode was called "Man of Steel." Although it took me a while to get it (Ohhh, his dad was a steelworker!).

But you know who I felt Witwer reminded me of in this one? Believe it or not, Rod Serling. Something about the way he looked and the rhythm of his speeches struck me as rather Serlingesque. If Jordan Peele weren't hosting his own upcoming Twilight Zone revival, Witwer might've been a good choice to do it.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Lets admit that 30th century superscience is better than 21st stone knives and bear claws....

Brainy will loving accept Nia as trans, but he's not going to accept the limitations of 21st century medical science...

Brianiac is going to feel compelled to make Nia a 30th century transwoman, because from his perspective her surgery looks like a home made job done in a kitchen by monkeys on red bull.

I think Nia is going to get furious with her blue boyfriend, as her baffeled Doctor asks the young lady how she got pregnant.

Alternavely....

The surgical nanites in Brainiac's blood and semen, identify Nia' s reassignment as "injuries" and repairs those injuries.

Yeah, how about no. That’s horrific and insulting, not to mention disgustingly transphobic.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Maybe it’s just being close to Halloween and having just watched Dracula, I was thinking a few times Sam Witwer could play a young Bela Lugosi.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Maybe it’s just being close to Halloween and having just watched Dracula, I was thinking a few times Sam Witwer could play a young Bela Lugosi.

I can see it.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Yeah, how about no. That’s horrific and insulting, not to mention disgustingly transphobic.

So you don't like the Twilight Zone episodes were helpful technology accidentally kills the scientist who invents it?

 

[Awesome Possum]

So you don't like the Twilight Zone episodes were helpful technology accidentally kills the scientist who invents it?

No, I don’t like transphobic garbage disguised as jokes.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Brainiac's arc at the moment is that he is well meaning but keeps doing too much or too little because he does not understand the culture, so of course he going to muck up when he takes a 21st century girlfriend, and then she has to calmly explain to him that he is an idiot who has to apologize to her.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Brainiac's arc at the moment is that he is well meaning but keeps doing too much or too little because he does not understand the culture, so of course he going to muck up when he takes a 21st century girlfriend, and then she has to calmly explain to him that he is an idiot who has to apologize to her.

It would be extremely shitty of the show to play off transphobia as a comedic misunderstanding. Especially after introducing a transgender superhero, a first for television. You wouldn't expect to see racism done the same way. This is traumatic for people, you joking about it as if it's such a casual thing and then doubling down on it is mocking all of that.

 

[thribs]

Superhero? But she doesn’t have any powers.

 

[Spot261]

Lets admit that 30th century superscience is better than 21st stone knives and bear claws....

Brainy will loving accept Nia as trans, but he's not going to accept the limitations of 21st century medical science...

Brianiac is going to feel compelled to make Nia a 30th century transwoman, because from his perspective her surgery looks like a home made job done in a kitchen by monkeys on red bull.

I think Nia is going to get furious with her blue boyfriend, as her baffeled Doctor asks the young lady how she got pregnant.

Alternavely....

The surgical nanites in Brainiac's blood and semen, identify Nia' s reassignment as "injuries" and repairs those injuries.

Nothing disturbing there then? Perhaps it could be done as a comedic musical scene with "Saw" esque special effects and screams?

 

[Guy Gardener]

It would be extremely shitty of the show to play off transphobia as a comedic misunderstanding. Especially after introducing a transgender superhero, a first for television. You wouldn't expect to see racism done the same way. This is traumatic for people, you joking about it as if it's such a casual thing and then doubling down on it is mocking all of that.

You can't count on American TV to keep it classy.

Have you seen The Neighbours?

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Cedric the Entertainer is resistant about a new white family moving into his neighbourhood.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Superhero? But she doesn’t have any powers.

Most of the articles about her have mentioned that she becomes a hero at some point. IIRC she’s calling herself Dreamer.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Nia has the same surname as the Legionnaire Dream Girl.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nura_Nal

They are related.

If they are directly related, that means that Nia fathered a child before reassignment, or that in the close future Brianiac will use 31st century super science to allow Nia to mother a child.

Or you know adoption, or Nia is the great great great grand aunt.

If Brainiac and Nia stay together, and their child is the ancestor of Nura Nal, brainic was always friends with his great great grandchild in the future.

 

[dahj]

Lets admit that 30th century superscience is better than 21st stone knives and bear claws....

Brainy will loving accept Nia as trans, but he's not going to accept the limitations of 21st century medical science...

Brianiac is going to feel compelled to make Nia a 30th century transwoman, because from his perspective her surgery looks like a home made job done in a kitchen by monkeys on red bull.

I think Nia is going to get furious with her blue boyfriend, as her baffeled Doctor asks the young lady how she got pregnant.

Alternavely....

The surgical nanites in Brainiac's blood and semen, identify Nia' s reassignment as "injuries" and repairs those injuries.

 

[Guy Gardener]

So, given the opportunity, you'd be fine with getting reassignment surgery back in 1930 after it was first perfected?

 

[dahj]

So

I'm sorry, did that gif give you the impression I was interested in more of your shit?

I need to rethink my gif game in that case...

 

[dahj]

So uh, where is Clone Supergirl right now. Is she also effected by this Kryptonite?

^ A very good question, and one I wonder whether the writers thought of?

I'm sure they did, but the episode already ends in two cliffhangers, Agent Liberty announcing an attack on the DEO and Supergirl being stuck in a suit. Adding a third one that's unrelated to anything happening in the episode would have been pushing it, and it can easily be addressed later.