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The trailer for the Supergirl series has landed today, and it has got everyone in a little bit of a frenzy.
Watch at the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cMcKqrNTus
From first viewing, I think it looks awesome, but it has been the cause of many a debate in my office today. I mean, I do think it’s slightly ridiculous she is in a silly little cheer leading skirt – it’s not exactly empowering, though it is wonderfully camp. I’m not sure how aerodynamic it would be and surely it would flap up in the wind. Why exactly are our female superheroes always half-naked when our men are fully dressed? I personally want half-naked men. Anyway…
Rather than following on the current trend of comic book, superhero outings going dark and twisted such as Marvel’s televisions series Daredevil and DC’s latest Batman v Superman, Supergirl seems to be taking a much more light-hearted, bubble-gum approach to its protagonist’s story.
Is it the superhero Devil Wears Prada? Sex in the City–Supergirl style? It certainly seems that way. Is that a bad thing though? I say – hell no! But this has certainly split opinions right down the middle.
I personally love the chick-flick-Devil-Wears-Prada take on the story and I am itching to watch it after seeing this trailer, which is so long it’s almost the pilot itself. Supergirl is definitely targeting itself at a more female-centric (gay geek audience), and it definitely has a Smallville or even Lois and Clarke feel (Dean Cain in those tights definitely did it for 10-year-old me in the 90’s. Cain also appears in the series as Kara/Supergirl’s adopted father.) Us girls and gays are a massive audience though so why shouldn’t they cash in on that?
Funnily enough, director Glen Winter worked on Smallville, as well as one of DC’s other television series Arrow. Writer, Greg Berlanti, has also worked on Arrow and DC’s, The Flash. So it really does look like Supergirl is going to be very similar to both of these. Which have had a controversial reception from comic book fans who seem to like their heroes darker.
There have been rumours that Supergirl is set in the same DC universe as both Arrow and The Flash and that there may be some crossovers – I think that very so exciting. (So Buffy and Angel.) Arrow and The Flash are both more light-hearted and ‘comic book’ than the universe the DC films are currently running with, and I actually think it’s going to make for some great telly.
One thing that really excites me is that other head writer, Ali Adler, wrote for, The New Normal, which I loved – for those that haven’t seen it, it was a much under-appreciated US television comedy series about a gay couple and their surrogate and their plan to have a baby – sadly wasn’t renewed for a second season. I think Adler coming on board is fantastic, and I am all for Supergirl going down a comic tongue-in-cheek route, not taking itself too seriously. She creates great multi-dimensional comic character, and I think it is apparent from the trailer that this is going to be the case for Supergirl. I know the trailers get to pull out the best bits, but I genuinely laughed-out-loud several times.
Taking the helm as Kara Zor-El /Kara Danvers/Supergirl – the 24-year old Kryptonian living in National City who must embrace her powers after previously hiding them is: Melissa Benoist, an American actress and singer known for her portrayal of Marley Rose on season four and the start of season five on the Fox musical comedy-drama television series Glee.
Benoist has expressed her excitement over portraying the character, and being able to “[tell] a story about a human being really realising their potential and their strength.”
In the trailer we also see a Superman favourite in James “Jimmy” Olsen (played by dashingly handsome ‘eye-candy’ Mehcad Brooks) a former Daily Planet photographer living and working in National City for Cat Grant as her new art director. He would also appear from the trailer to be the potential love interest for Kara.
The character/actor I am most excited about, and who steals the trailer for me, is Calista Flockhart as the aforementioned Cat Grant, the founder of media conglomerate CatCo. who Kara works for as her poor, suffering assistant – the ‘Andy’ to Cat’s ‘Miranda Priestley’ – if you will. It definitely is The-Devil-Wears-Prada superhero style unashamedly so… And, I love it!
Flockhart is a joy to behold in the trailer, and she is certainly slinking around in very Prada’esque shoes. It is also a welcome return for Flockhart to our television screens – and the blonde bob, ‘Girl, yeah!’. *Snaps all round*… So jealous she gets to go to bed with Harrison Ford every night – yes, I still would! Wouldn’t you?
The set up of the television series is that twenty-four-year-old Kara Zor-El – who was taken in by the Danvers family when she was twelve after being sent away from Krypton – must learn to embrace her powers after previously hiding them. The Danvers teach her to be careful with her powers, until she has to reveal them during an unexpected disaster (she does some truly awesome plane crash aversion) setting her on her journey of heroism.
This all sounds and looks pretty good to me!
People have complained *yawn* that this series seems to get straight into the story straight away without delving too much into the back story – haven’t we seen enough of that though? Smallville did ‘backstory for about six series – but I am sure they can patch this all up later on with some clever flashbacks. I for one am glad we just get straight into the action.
In the original comic book story Kara Zor-El is the last survivor of Argo City, which survived the explosion of the planet Krypton and drifted through space. When the inhabitants of the colony are slain by Green Kryptonite, which was released by meteorites striking the lead barrier, Kara is sent to Earth by her father Zor-El to be raised by her cousin Kal-El (Superman). Fearing that she might not be recognized by Superman, Kara’s parents provide a costume based on the Man of Steel’s own.
Um… wait a minute! It appears as if DC have no intention of including Superman in this series – perhaps this is as he is busy in another DC universe facing off against Batman. In the trailer we even see Jimmy bestow Kal El’s famous cape upon her. So no Superman, but who cares? This Supergirl seems more than capable of holding her own – and I think Superman is so dull anyway! Give me Batman or Spiderman with their tortured humanity any day!
Of course there are people complaining online that it is getting confusing with there being not only two or three but five separate DC universes running: with Man of Steel, Ben Affleck as Batman, Suicide Squad, Arrow, Constantine, Gotham, The Flash, and Atom, to name but a few… I can see their point, but I don’t think this is something your average Joe/Jolene will be too worried about. Also multi-universes are a very common occurrence in the comic world, so I’m sure we will all cope! Just deal with it… And, enjoy it for what it is!
I really cannot wait for this series. I know Supergirl has never been a particularly successful outlet for DC, but maybe this can turn it around. Yes she isn’t the feminist be-all-and-end-all and my colleague was very much of the opinion, ‘She travels light-years to be an assistant?’ – may I point out Clark Kent is hardly President – but what is wrong with that? It sets up a really great premise for a series. It is relatable. The gays and the girls will love it! I saw ‘Jem and the Holograms’ get a backlash from the gays the other day, but this has received nothing but praise! It’s obviously doing something right.
Oh, I forgot to tell you and I am super excited but it also has one of my favourite characters from Grey’s Anatomy – that stupid Shonda Rhimes – killed off Lexi Grey aka Chyler Leigh as Kara’s foster sister. She is amazing!
We have yet to have an airdate in the UK so look out, though I’m sure it will be all over social media!
P.S…
I must say that I was not very official with my Supergirl knowledge – so here is some more comic book trivia on Supergirl if you wish to swat up (which I may, or may not have stolen from Wikipedia)…
Supergirl was introduced in 1959, a number of different characters have assumed the Supergirl mantle over the decades, with the most popular and enduring version of the character being Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, who shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. Supergirl plays a supporting role in various DC Comics publications, including Action Comics, Superman, and several comic book series unrelated to Superman. In 1969, Supergirl’s adventures became the lead feature in Adventure Comics, and she later starred in an eponymous comic book series which debuted in 1972 and ran until 1974, followed by a second monthly comic book series titled The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, which ran from 1982 to 1984.
Due to changing editorial policy at DC, Supergirl was initially killed off in the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths. DC Comics subsequently rebooted the continuity of the DC Comics Universe, re-establishing Superman’s character as the sole survivor of Krypton’s destruction. Following the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths, several different characters written as having no familial relationship to Superman have assumed the role of Supergirl, including Matrix, Linda Danvers, and Cir-El. Following the cancellation of the third Supergirl comic book series, starring the Linda Danvers version of the character, a modern version of Kara Zor-El was reintroduced into the DC Comics continuity in issue #8 of the Superman/Batman comic book series titled The Supergirl from Krypton (2004). The modern Kara Zor-El stars as Supergirl in an eponymous comic book series, in addition to playing a supporting role in various other DC Comics publications.
