Spoilers Supergirl - Season 1

[davejames]

With the ratings drop, do you think Supergirl will be a one season wonder at best?

Nah, even with less than stellar ratings it's still a well made show with a lot of positive buzz around it that CBS put a lot of money and promotion into (and it'll likely still be doing better than some of their other long-running shows), so I suspect in the end they'll give it at least one more chance. Although probably with a bit of retooling and on a different night.

I definitely don't see it lasting as long as something like Arrow though, unfortunately.

 

[shapeshifter]

Supergirl is dumb.

She figured out that Reactron's Kryptonite was car-doors... AND THEN SHE FORGOT!

yeah, annoying plot contrivance. After the fight, his weapon isn't working, and he slowly flies away. if only Supergirl could fly! His weapon is broken, just follow him and end it? Nope, let him get away, recharge, and fight again later. Yeah...

Stupergirl! I pretty much checked out of this episode here.

Best scene though was her instant messaging with Superman.. that just put a wide smile on my face because it was just plain cool.

Oh yeah, where Superman tells her he could never defeat Reactron. I guess he could never find any car doors laying around.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Loved hearing "Girls Just Want To have Fun" and I hope to see more of Kara's personal life explored.

Oh yeah and they used stock footage for Supergirl flying. ...I think.

May as well reuse that stuff I suppose. It's just that I don't think I've seen a show do that in a while. Does The Flash do it with the running shots?

Can we get some writers from Gotham up in here, please?

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z_Qqnq8pI8[/yt]

I thought it was stock footage, too, though I wasn't entirely sure, if I remembered that shot from an earlier episode or from one of the infinitely repeated trailers, or both.

Did I hear that right? When Maxwell was inspecting his R&D team's work, did he mention the name Queen there in between asking for blue stripes?

 

[Kelthaz]

This show isn't working for me. I can't quite put my finger on what's bothering me about it, but watching these episodes feels like a chore. Hopefully it's just a slow start and the quality will start improving soon.

 

[Christopher]

I think maybe people who don't actually *have* crazy-ass borderline-supervillain people in their life might want to chill out a little on trying to judge whether or not the characterization is right.

It's not a question of whether it's "right" in the sense that women like that actually exist; it's a question of whether it's a good idea to portray all female characters in the show in a way that serves them poorly.It's not about factual accuracy, it's about representation and creative judgment. There are all types of people in the world, but writers choose which kinds of people they choose to focus on, and those choices are not neutral.

 

[USS Triumphant]

I think maybe people who don't actually *have* crazy-ass borderline-supervillain people in their life might want to chill out a little on trying to judge whether or not the characterization is right.

It's not a question of whether it's "right" in the sense that women like that actually exist; it's a question of whether it's a good idea to portray all female characters in the show in a way that serves them poorly.It's not about factual accuracy, it's about representation and creative judgment. There are all types of people in the world, but writers choose which kinds of people they choose to focus on, and those choices are not neutral.

Perhaps I'm parsing this wrong, but it certainly sounds as though you're suggesting that even insane and depraved supervillains have to be portrayed as positive role models if they're female and on TV...

 

[Guy Gardener]

She said "I'm trying to find myself" or "I want to find out who Supergirl is" at least 4 times last week.

You're 26 with the powers of a god Kara.

The only question that should really be viable to you at this point is "Shall I be Queen or President for life after I take over the Earth?"

You fricking child.

Suck it up.

Rule or serve.

Those are you choices.

Deal with it.

 

[Christopher]

Perhaps I'm parsing this wrong, but it certainly sounds as though you're suggesting that even insane and depraved supervillains have to be portrayed as positive role models if they're female and on TV...

Obviously not. It's got nothing to do with singling out specific individuals, it's about the entire pattern. There are large-scale, enduring problems of gender representation throughout the media, problems that have been around for decades. It's getting better in a lot of places in recent years, including comics and many of the shows and (to a lesser extent) films based on them; but the point of the article is that Gotham embodies all the worst gendered tropes and feels like a throwback to a less enlightened period in the genre.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Why are people unsure about this? Of course it's reused footage.

Perhaps because I didn't do a side-by-side frame-by-frame comparison?

Neither did I. I just have good eyesight and a decent memory, which both screamed "stock footage" when they saw it.

So, would you like a cookie?

It's not like I didn't acknowledge they could have easily been the same shot, you know. Ditto for Commander Richard.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

And this was my problem - some of you are too busy defending Girl Power or whatever (unnecessarily and ridiculously, when it's to me) to notice that the other stuff I was complaining about earlier was just as badly written as that.

Thank you for that observation. This series is not a political platform for a small, hyper-politicized number of viewers who only see the world through agenda.

As I noted about episode three, Supergirl was a bit defensive in her interview with Cat; by now, one would assume James has told her more about the her cousin's superhero act not coming easy during his early days. Yes, this is an early stage in her career, but the pleading for identity will need to be settled soon.

This is not election year screaming from the rafters.
The true message of this series is that instead of framing life through often self-handcuffing identity politics, a character trying to find their footing must understand that it is not a weakness on the road to growing up by asking for--or acknowledging that one needs help.

Again, Superman's appearance should not be fuel for more of her "I can do it myself" speech, but an acceptance that she has more to learn, and not act like an egocentric brat snapping at those who support her. An easy reply to her is that if she had all of the answers--if she used her abilities as well as her cousin, then she would not need James, her sister and the DEO to advise her.

In a way, Kara's immature, egocentric behavior (actually, the script), along with the "Girl Power" element some viewers try to inject into this (and every) series discussion, does not fit the episode two message to James--that they're "Stronger Together."

Somehow, that rational message is rejected by certain fans who want her to make stump speeches on how she's just as experienced and deserving of equal praise as Superman. Never-mind how growing and earning your way though this world is not only correct, but natural.

The appeal of the character will come through her not pouting through the season, but gaining strength by acknowledging her weaknesses, so said weaknesses can be overcome.

I have no problem at all with well-written romantic plots or coming of age stories, but soooo much of what we saw last night was forced, shoe-horned, and just otherwise horribly handled. The first two episodes set up these two guys (James and Winn) as Kara's buds - and now all of a sudden there's not just one of them interested in her but boom - instant love triangle. Feh.

From the start, chemistry between Kara and James was established, with Winn being the begging placeholder.
Whether or not Kara and James end up together (and it would be a loss for the character development if it did not, considering how they seem so natural, with the actors delivering it in equally believable measure), is another matter.

This new Lane wrinkle is there for conflict, but I would prefer Lane be a temporary distraction, or someone who turns into an antagonist trying to "get" James by going after Kara and/or Supergirl.

Well I'm officially worried now after the ratings declined again. It's still holding steady in viewers but it's obviously the demo that matters most, and that doesn't seem like it's nearly as high as it should be for a show this expensive. And I suspect it still hasn't even fully settled yet.

With the ratings drop, do you think Supergirl will be a one season wonder at best?

TV Grim Reaper said on twitter it's still out of his grasp at this point.

Hm. Well, by month's end, i'm sure a certain truth about viewership will be apparent. I hope it finds some good footing.

 

[USS Triumphant]

but the point of the article is that Gotham embodies all the worst gendered tropes and feels like a throwback to a less enlightened period in the genre.

So, what you're saying is, they've nailed it. This IS GOTHAM we're talking about, and not just Gotham, but Gotham before Batman showed up to clean house at all. The whole city probably SHOULD feel like it belongs in a less enlightened period. I mean, just look at Arkham - not exactly supposed to be a shining example of contemporary mental health or attitudes toward the mentally impaired, now, is it?

(Not to mention the fact that as a style choice, the series seems to go out of its way to not nail down which time period it's supposed to be in.)

 

[Christopher]

So, what you're saying is, they've nailed it. This IS GOTHAM we're talking about, and not just Gotham, but Gotham before Batman showed up to clean house at all. The whole city probably SHOULD feel like it belongs in a less enlightened period. I mean, just look at Arkham - not exactly supposed to be a shining example of contemporary mental health or attitudes toward the mentally impaired, now, is it?

Please stop telling me what I'm saying. What I am saying is light years away from what you're apparently hearing. You're distorting my points beyond all recognition, and I can't tell whether you're being deliberately obtuse or just missing the point to a staggering degree. We're not even having the same conversation.

 

[Gojira]

She said "I'm trying to find myself" or "I want to find out who Supergirl is" at least 4 times last week.

You're 26 with the powers of a god Kara.

The only question that should really be viable to you at this point is "Shall I be Queen or President for life after I take over the Earth?"

You fricking child.

Suck it up.

Rule or serve.

Those are you choices.

Deal with it.

I like this Supergirl as a hero in training. In the comics and all movies it assumes once you become a superhero you automatically know how to act, what to do, how to use your powers etc. In real life things would be different. You think by lifting an oil tanker out of the water by its bow will solve the problem until the laws of physics take over and the ship brakes up because the extra weight on the back of the hull. So I am glad they are looking at it from this angle.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Triumphant's original point was something to the effect that Barbara being a psycho who reminds him of him mom is an example of Gotham writing female characters better than Supergirl does. That has yet to make any sense to me.

There's room in the female character spectrum for young women who struggle with relationship and workplace problems, identity issues, etc., as well as psycho vixens. And it makes a lot more sense to use the former approach for a character like Supergirl than the latter...not only because she's a major superhero who's headlining her own show, but because the showrunners are probably looking to bring in a family demographic that includes young female viewers, rather than to simply cater to male fantasies.

I really don't see a female character on Gotham who could serve as a model for how Supergirl should be written. Leslie would be the most morally upstanding, but not only is she a more mature woman than Kara's supposed to be, but she's a supporting character who serves as the romantic interest of a male lead, not a lead character herself.

 

[USS Triumphant]

Please stop telling me what I'm saying.

Yeah, okay - I overused that phrase. Mea culpa. Rest assured, I wasn't actually trying to say what I thought you meant. I was being a smart-ass.

Triumphant's original point was something to the effect that Barbara being a psycho who reminds him of him mom is an example of Gotham writing female characters better than Supergirl does. That has yet to make any sense to me.

That's probably because they were two separate but related points. The first was that I thought the writers on Gotham might handle characterization on Supergirl better. The second was to rebut others here using Barbara as a supposed example of why Gotham's writers aren't good at characterization. At no point did I imply that there is a specific character on Gotham that would make a good model to base Kara on. As a matter of fact, just cloning another character like that, rather than having a well fleshed out idea of who she is would be BAD writing.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Well, okay, not necessarily them... but *someone* who knows how to write female characters. Which the Gotham writers seem to do well.

This implies that the writers of Gotham are doing something with female characters worth emulating on Supergirl. What, exactly?

 

[Guy Gardener]

How easy is it to write bad female characters by accident?

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

How easy is it to write bad female characters by accident?

What do find most troublesome about the writing behind this TV Supergirl?

 

[Guy Gardener]

No sir, I was questioning the criticism.

Actually Mixer was questioning the criticism first, and then I was answering his question with a question.

We have onion like impudence?

 

[Trekker4747]

Seriously, how is this show the best depiction/use of Superman since, maybe, Lois and Clark and we've barely even seen him? The text-conversation between him Kara was the most "human" depiction of Clark we've seen in any of his movies this century and, hell, maybe even including the Donner/1980s films.

Anyway, really enjoying the series but still not really digging this take on Cat Grant.