Supergirl Speculation

[MarkHB]

I'd like to see them do Bizarro Supergirl at some point, tbh.  And "Kara meets Lobo," even if it's not a fight between the two, could be an entertaining episode.

[FurryFury]

I like that the character doesn't have as much of canon, TBH. Maybe the writers will actually create some new villains and new romances instead of the stupid "because comics" excuse I'm sick to death of on Arrow/The Flash.

[Kromm]

I like that the character doesn't have as much of canon, TBH. Maybe the writers will actually create some new villains and new romances instead of the stupid "because comics" excuse I'm sick to death of on Arrow/The Flash.

When a character has existed for almost 60 years there's bound to be plenty of existing material to mine from. Even tossing aside the Superman villains, there must be tons of minor villains that no doubt appeared in her books dozens of times, but never got reflected outside of them.  If we expect that 90% of those villains outright suck and are unsalvagable, over so many years they still should be able to dig up a few who didn't.

 

And then because her villains for this series will primarily be space-based/alien-come-to-earth you've also got every cosmic character DC created--outside of the ones strongly locked into other franchises.  

 

Will they invent totally new villains on top of that?  I suppose so.  

[FurryFury]

When a character has existed for almost 60 years there's bound to be plenty of existing material to mine from. Even tossing aside the Superman villains, there must be tons of minor villains that no doubt appeared in her books dozens of times, but never got reflected outside of them.  If we expect that 90% of those villains outright suck and are unsalvagable, over so many years they still should be able to dig up a few who didn't.

 

And then because her villains for this series will primarily be space-based/alien-come-to-earth you've also got every cosmic character DC created--outside of the ones strongly locked into other franchises.  

 

Will they invent totally new villains on top of that?  I suppose so.  

Well, it's one thing taking a minor villain and reworking him in a major one and another taking an already major character and stubbornly using him even if he doesn't exactly work that well simply because he has a major presence in the comics. I think the former is a form of creation. 

[MarkHB]

Official Premiere Date is October 26, 2015 8:30 Pm ET.  As was done with Scorpion last fall, the show will follow a new ep of The Big Bang Theory and assume its 8 Pm timeslot the following week 11/2.

[Trini]

So even if this show doesn't crossover with Flash or Arrow, can we expect that other DC heroes might show up? I mean, Arrow did introduce The Flash and Atom, and The Flash, Firestorm.

 

I hoping for Power Girl, Wonder Girl, and maybe even Green Lantern, since this show has a bigger budget.

[Kromm]

So even if this show doesn't crossover with Flash or Arrow, can we expect that other DC heroes might show up? I mean, Arrow did introduce The Flash and Atom, and The Flash, Firestorm.

 

I hoping for Power Girl, Wonder Girl, and maybe even Green Lantern, since this show has a bigger budget.

Seems to me the Supergirl idea works best in a bit of a bubble.  True it's core already admits/depends on a greater DCU being out there, but CBS seems to be a bit gung-ho on not connecting it that tightly to the other two live action continuities (the movie U and the Arrowverse/Flashverse U--I'm kind of deliberately disregarding older stuff, even the recent Constantine though).

 

It's all a bit of a mess, other than seen through the filter of a multiverse. I mean I even thought about the idea that they could have gone with Supergirl being in the future of the other shows (thus allowing time for Superman to exist in the middle)... except both shows are too glaringly contemporary in setting for that to be realistic.  

 

If the movieverse wasn't so nihilistic, it could be the future of that... except it is.  People in the movieverse shouldn't be able to get over the hate and fear they rightly should have for THEIR cockamamie version of Superman (and how they feel about their Batman?  While I know Batfleck is going to be a totally new one, he's not going to be very light and fluffy either).  So clearly Supergirl is in it's own bubble.

 

IMPLYING other heroes are out there is fine in this scenario.  But SHOWING them crosses a line maybe.  By simply implying only... it seems to me that the entire classic comic universe is available for reference to the show.  The moment you start actually showing people, you have to pick, choose, debate which media properties get which characters, and risk confusing people with conflicting "seen" versions (a problem not as bad if all you do is imply, because then the reference is the default comic book portraits--likely the pre-52 ones as well--people are so used to).

 

They WILL have to do that pick and choose game with many of the villains, its true, but avoiding it with heroes avoids a much bigger potential mess.

[Trini]

IMPLYING other heroes are out there is fine in this scenario.  But SHOWING them crosses a line maybe.  By simply implying only... it seems to me that the entire classic comic universe is available for reference to the show. ...

---

Seems to me the Supergirl idea works best in a bit of a bubble.  True it's core already admits/depends on a greater DCU being out there, but CBS seems to be a bit gung-ho on not connecting it that tightly to the other two live action continuities

 

I'm cool with implying only.

I still think they may want to add other superhero characters to flesh out Supergirl's "universe". DC is on a bit of a roll already, and if the show is a hit, I can see TPTB expanding that "bubble" (even if it doesn't directly connect to the Arrow/Flash universe). 

Edited June 14, 2015 by Trini

[legaleagle53]

I would prefer to wait until at least the second season to start doing crossovers (or at least wait until as late in the first season as possible).  Let the show stand or fail on its own merits first before using the rest of the DC Universe as a crutch.

[Kromm]

Convo moved a  bit from the Media thread, where people are saying stuff like...

Maxwell Lord created the Justice League International (kind of a B-Team Justice League though Batman, Black Canary and Martain Manhunter were still involved), and was sort of the Big Money Corporate backing the team.  Only during the prelude to the Infinite Crisis crossover event, it was revealed he had mind-control powers and had managed to get into Superman's mind making him go on a rampage (partly to prove a point about how dangerous Superman could be, especially if he fell under the influence of a malevolent being...).  Wonder Woman went to stop Superman but found the only way she could do so was to kill Lord and break his mind-control link, which she did so by snapping his neck.   Unfortunately for her, the Brother Eye surveillance network was recording the incident and broadcast it for the world to see.  Superman and Batman especially weren't cool with it (because of their No Kill policy), and the Justice League basically broke up over it.

 

It kinda seems to me they' may end up doing this arc but only with Kara instead of Clark. And without the Justice League, I suppose.

I sense a fake out coming. A big ass huge one.  

 

We've got not one, not two but now THREE characters who we know in the comics turn out to be mega-baddies.  Certainly there's no way they're all going to be that predictable here.

 

We're being toyed with (pun intended).  One of them, two of them, maybe all three have different fates than we expect.

 

It helps to know the following about Max Lord: The way he was shown in the comics was NOT as totally unreasonable. His point of view was not totally unreasonable. The problem is that in the movies, Lex Luthor seems to be covering some of the same territory (at least it seems so), as is Batman (even if the purpose of that shitty Superman v Batman movie is to move the dial on that, and I bet Hank Henshaw at times is going to fill that role too (his organization certainly does). Now it's not clear where the show intersects with the movies (IF at all), or the other DC TV shows (slightly but not really yet, seems to be the consensus), but even still they don't want to use the same "trick" over and over in different versions.

So maybe Lord has a different role here than "concerned about the power of someone like a God"--one of his big character notes in Infinite Crisis and Checkmate stories. That seems too duplicative of other stories DC is currently doing elsewhere though (and even the Checkmate part of it is more being covered by lets says... Suicide Squad).

I think they're just gonna roll with the "amoral businessman" part of Lord, which risks them losing that aspect that he was a reasonable character with a point. But maybe he's the carrot they hang out in front to distract people from either Hank and/or Wynn turning bad. Maybe he's like the Season 1 big bad while one of the others gets drawn out for another season.

[Kromm]

Getting back to Lord, I keep wondering about the Mind Control powers aspect.

On the face of it I thought it seemed unlikely they'd use it for this version, since it was such a late in the game thing for the character and used for a story they probably won't go near.

But the more I think about it the more I think they COULD use it. But not in the obvious way to get rid of the Super (which was the ultimate point in the IC storyline), but rather just to try and make Supergirl his pawn. Because face it... the show is going to have trouble finding ways to continue to find people stronger than her to fight, so they'll have to explore ways to make her her own weakness (like mind control).

[Qoass]

Well, speaking of crossovers, the more I see of Benoist, the more I'm convinced she and Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons were separated at birth.  Stick Sheldon in his Flash costume and arrange a meet-cute stat!

[MarkHB]

Given that the premiere episode will be preceded by TBBT, I would not be a bit surprised if it were to contain some Supergirl-related content.

[MarkHB]

Behind the scenes on Day 1 (yesterday. 7/23).  Minor spoilers regarding some things that might happen in the episode; I also noticed Hank and Alex in their MiB garb :)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKtqNsc65j8

[Kromm]

I hope they've got good locations that won't be hell to shoot in late July/August.

 

It really is weird they waited this late, but I suppose they had the luxury knowing the show won't need these episodes till 6-7 weeks later than the rest of the fall season (November 2, since the pilot airs October 26). 

I like that they've adjusted Melissa's hair and makeup in some subtle ways since the pilot.  She looked good in that, but looks even better now.  The fit on the outfit maybe looks a hair better too.

As for the MiB sportwear line?  Not flattering at all to poor Chyler.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Kromm

[BkWurm1]

I have a sudden and slightly random wish list request. If they ever have Perry White guest star, how awesome would it be if they could get Harrison Ford to do the role?

He is still married to Calista isn't he?

[Kromm]

I have a sudden and slightly random wish list request. If they ever have Perry White guest star, how awesome would it be if they could get Harrison Ford to do the role?

He is still married to Calista isn't he?

He is.

That's not a casting I ever would have thought of. Which is actually something that maybe makes it a good idea (that it's a little surprising).

 

==============

 

And here's what appears to be a new promo (again still using the same ol' footage):

 

http://youtu.be/x_We2pfZhzw

 

It's hilarious people bitched so much about "Fight Song", when honestly?  This music is FAR more chick-flicky.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Kromm

[BkWurm1]

He is.

That's not a casting I ever would have thought of. Which is actually something that maybe makes it a good idea (that it's a little surprising).

I'm being less original than you might think. On Smallville they brought in the husband of Annette O'Toole (Martha Kent) to play Perry. It could be fun to continue the tradition. The more I think about it, the more perfect I think he'd be...though chances that he'd do it are slim unless they made it too fun to resist working with CF.

It's fun to dream.

[Trini]

It's hilarious people bitched so much about "Fight Song", when honestly?  This music is FAR more chick-flicky.

 

My impression (with no real facts to back it up) is that Someone had a Talk with the marketing people and helped them see that "girly" "chick flick" "rom-com" are not The Worst Things Ever to associate with this show, and that people who like those things are actually their target demo.

 

---------

And honestly, Lois & Clark lasted 4 seasons as an overt romantic comedy; Supergirl --which looks more action oriented-- should be fine.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Trini

[MarkHB]

I still think that pulling "Fight Song" off of the first look had more to do with finance and legal than it did with the "girly" aspect. Yes, big corporations have procedures, but even given that it wouldn't be the first time that Marketing has gone with "it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

[Kromm]

I still think that pulling "Fight Song" off of the first look had more to do with finance and legal than it did with the "girly" aspect. Yes, big corporations have procedures, but even given that it wouldn't be the first time that Marketing has gone with "it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

Aside from having trouble believing that either WB or CBS would make that kind of mistake, the progression of events really is what seemed to define the situation. The yanking of the song came right after the First Look got pilloried, not only on social media, but also in the press, for exactly what we were talking about.  Then... zap... the song gets yanked, but even more importantly, the mysterious leak of the whole show happen in quick succession, and because the episode was actually good... the bad momentum the show was getting in it's coverage reverses itself (because even if the show WAS good, the last thing it could have survived was 6 months of grumbling and complaints--which would have probably led to a premiere with nobody watching). So in a way the show has the Fight Song fracas to thank for now being marked as red hot and the big anticipated property for the new season.  It led to the leak, the leak led to glowing reviews super-early compared to when they normally would have occurred, which led to a great showing at Comic-Con, etc. If not a totally deliberate marketing plan, it was a really clever recovery to a bad case of net bitching and moaning almost derailing a show before it even had a chance.

[MarkHB]

I don't know who else has seen it, but Mehcad Brooks has done something cool with his Instagram.... (scroll down past the first row of cast pics)

[Kromm]

I don't know who else has seen it, but Mehcad Brooks has done something cool with his Instagram.... (scroll down past the first row of cast pics)

That picture of him with John Stamos?

 

Kidding!

 

I suspect you mean the segmented Supergirl poster? 

 

Although he has a very odd mix of stuff pinned there.  He's adventurous with his Instagramming and has quite a few interesting Supergirl themed things there. Him and a cute little girl in a Super-shirt. A picture of some random brunette in a Supergirl cape on the Walk of Fame.  This bit of sassy cray-cray. Pictures of Melissa doing what I'm sure is going to become a standard part of her job: posing with little girls in Supersuits.

[MarkHB]

Yes, the segmented poster is what I meant; it's certainly more ambitious than anything I've ever tried on I-gram.  And speaking of Melissa meeting with little girls in Supersuits....

[Kromm]

At some point that arm in the air thing is gonna start bugging her.  

 

I hope she at least realizes she should be alternating arms!

BTW: What kind of Girl Scout troupe only has four members?  I mean this was still a nice thing to do, but I suspect this was more in the nature of a favor for someone who worked on set, or some bigwig, rather than a formal event.

[MarkHB]

This (from Chyler Leigh's Instagram) has her leading with her left arm.  It's also insane.   Apparently CBS has put down a huge outdoor advertising buy in LA for this show.

[Michelle Bacon]

Those Girl Scouts are members of “The Supergirls", a team of six-year old Girl Scout Daisies from Oklahoma who invented a battery-powered page turner that they presented at the 2015 White House Science Fair earlier this year.

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/supergirls-conquer-obama-white-house-science-fair-n328661

 

http://blog.girlscouts.org/2015/03/girl-scouts-represent-future-of-stem-at.html

 

They're pretty adorable.

[MarkHB]

CBS has released the official description for the Pilot, with cast list!

 

Notable: the Danvers are indeed listed as Jeremiah and Eliza, and they each have the title of Doctor.

 

“Pilot” – After 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be, on the series premiere of SUPERGIRL, Monday, Oct. 26 (8:30-9:30 PM, ET/PT), on the CBS Television Network. The series moves to its regular time period (8:00-9:00 PM) on Monday, Nov. 2.

 

Series synopsis from the same article:

SUPERGIRL is an action-adventure drama based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El, Superman’s (Kal-El) cousin who, after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Twelve-year-old Kara escaped the doomed planet Krypton with her parents’ help at the same time as the infant Kal-El. Protected and raised on Earth by her foster family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learned to conceal the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin in order to keep her identity a secret. Years later, at 24, Kara lives in National City assisting media mogul and fierce taskmaster Cat Grant. She works alongside her friend and IT technician Winn Schott and famous photographer James Olsen, who Grant just hired away from the Daily Planet to serve as her new art director. However, Kara’s days of keeping her talents a secret are over when Hank Henshaw, head of a super-secret agency where her sister also works, enlists her to help them protect the citizens of National City from sinister threats. Though Kara will need to find a way to manage her newfound empowerment with her very human relationships, her heart soars as she takes to the skies as Supergirl to fight crime.

[BkWurm1]

after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Twelve-year-old Kara escaped the doomed planet Krypton with her parents’ help at the same time as the infant Kal-El. Protected and raised on Earth by her foster family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learned to conceal the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin in order to keep her identity a secret. Years later, at 24

 

They need to add in a line that explains the time gap or else explain why Superman is only 12. 

[Kromm]

They need to add in a line that explains the time gap or else explain why Superman is only 12. 

Huh?  Why do you think he's 12?

 

When you watch the show, they explain why she doesn't get to Earth until he's older, while not aging herself, if that's what you mean.

[BkWurm1]

Huh?  Why do you think he's 12?

 

When you watch the show, they explain why she doesn't get to Earth until he's older, while not aging herself, if that's what you mean.

I don't think he's 12 but if I didn't know better that is what the synopsis seems to imply.

 

The synopsis says "Twelve-year-old Kara escaped the doomed planet Krypton with her parents’ help at the same time as the infant Kal-El."and "after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth"  and "Years later, at 24, Kara lives in National City"   

 

So they say in the blurb that at 12 Kara and the infant Kal-El both left Krypton at the same time and that she's lived on earth for 12 years and is now 24.  Without explaining what happened so that she ended up still being 12 when Kal-El was grown, then logically, Superman would only be 12.  13 tops. 

 

I know the story but it's not common knowledge so yeah, the timeline in the synopsis is a bit confusing. 

[VCRTracking]

Cuuuuuuuuuuuute.

 

[BkWurm1]

Girl's got biceps!

[Trini]

Since Kara left at age 12, I wonder if we'll get any flashbacks to her childhood on Krypton? (Besides in the pilot.) I don't expect a lot, but this show has the opportunity to explore Krypton culture, etc. that hasn't been touched on by other Superman shows.

[The Crazed Spruce]

Since Kara left at age 12, I wonder if we'll get any flashbacks to her childhood on Krypton? (Besides in the pilot.) I don't expect a lot, but this show has the opportunity to explore Krypton culture, etc. that hasn't been touched on by other Superman shows.

It's a Berlanti joint. I'd say that's a given. :)

[MarkHB]

Well, we know they've cast girls as Young Alex and Kara, so I'm confident that we'll see flashbacks to her childhood on Earth. Whether they try to develop Krypton is another question, and I have no idea as to the answer.

[BkWurm1]

Of course given the problem of little girls growing up, they aren't going to be able to do too many flashbacks on Krypton with Kara past this season. They could sometime down the road always recast a young Kara but otherwise maybe they'd use the young girls and get insight to her life growing up on earth.

I doubt it though. I don't think that's actions enough for them.

[Kromm]

Of course given the problem of little girls growing up, they aren't going to be able to do too many flashbacks on Krypton with Kara past this season. They could sometime down the road always recast a young Kara but otherwise maybe they'd use the young girls and get insight to her life growing up on earth.

I doubt it though. I don't think that's actions enough for them.

What they'd be smart to do is shoot scenes ahead with that girl that plays lil' Kara. Sure it will be an investment that may never see a return if the show is canceled, but if they risk it they can shoot a few dozen extra scenes with the girl and "bank" them (using some standard references they think may help them going forward). 

[MarkHB]

Let me just put this here.  It's from Malina Weissman's Instagram (young Kara), and could be considered a bit of a spoiler.

[MarkHB]

Back in the "out-of-the-box pairings" category, I certainly think this would qualify.

[lion10]

So when do you guys think we'll see Power Girl in the series, season one or two?  And what would you guys think of the series exploring alternate universes like a Supergirl-centered "Injustice" or "Red Son (Daughter)"?

[Kromm]

So when do you guys think we'll see Power Girl in the series, season one or two?  And what would you guys think of the series exploring alternate universes like a Supergirl-centered "Injustice" or "Red Son (Daughter)"?

I think the show going the alt-universe route is very unlikely, and that's the only way we'd see Power Girl OR any of those others. If they pull alt-universes out of the bag it would be to link the show to The Flash--although I suppose it's possible they could have Power Girl show up on The Flash independently, since The Flash is now the one with the "52 worlds" premise and she could be on one of those. Whether or not PG would be played by Melissa Benoist is an interesting question. I mean the conventional image of Power Girl is an older Supergirl with huge gazongas. Whereas Benoist (and in fact this version of Supergirl) is already an adult and not likely to er... develop that way any further.

[lion10]

I still think that pulling "Fight Song" off of the first look had more to do with finance and legal than it did with the "girly" aspect. Yes, big corporations have procedures, but even given that it wouldn't be the first time that Marketing has gone with "it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

 

I'm okay with this because I hate "Fight Song" with the white hot passion of a 1000 burning suns.  The song is so vague to the point of meaninglessness.  What is she talking about?  Is she recovering from a breakup, an abusive ex, the death of a loved one, finally making it big after people told her she couldn't do it?  

 

I saw someone mention about the many villains that are possible in Kara's life, maybe the showrunners intend to have Kara's life crumble around her only for her to rebuild it later in the season?  It is pretty weird to have three villains all right there, though both the Flash and Arrow have the heroes have deep personal connections to the more prominent rogues.

[MarkHB]

I'm okay with this because I hate "Fight Song" with the white hot passion of a 1000 burning suns. The song is so vague to the point of meaninglessness. What is she talking about? Is she recovering from a breakup, an abusive ex, the death of a loved one, finally making it big after people told her she couldn't do it?

It's actually the last of those. The hint is probably "Two long years of missing home", but you're right to some extent about the vagueness.

[Dobian]

Well I'm totally watching the premier, the promos look cool.

[lion10]

I'm already hyped for the inevitable Kryptonian v Kryptonian fight in the season finale tbh.

[Kromm]

I'm already hyped for the inevitable Kryptonian v Kryptonian fight in the season finale tbh.

I'm thinking the way they've laid this out, we'll get one sooner. They're only counting on an initial 13 episode order, but I bet would love to expand to 22 if the numbers hold. So they're likely to set a K-v.-K fight in the first 13.  Maybe even sooner than the mid-season break (the 13th ep I mean), because if it's a bid to get their numbers up, they'll want to hook the bait early.

It wouldn't be her

evil auntie

though. We're sure to have lackeys to go through first.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Kromm

[Kromm]

Ah, this is recent.  A crapload of ep2-3 photos... (scroll down on linked page and look for the thing with the arrows/sliders)

 

http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/624987-supergirl-photos-from-episodes-2-and-3#/slide/1

[CabotCove]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9NYNBYSbLk

 

1x02 promos. Seems like a hell lot happening in one episode. 

Cant wait to see a really new episode, next week. Glad the show finally! premiered.

Edited October 27, 2015 by WildcardC

[Kromm]

I've poo-pooed up till now the "Hank Henshaw is Martian Manhunter" theories that have been going around since we first saw his glowing red eyes (because really a killer cyborg like Cyborg Superman could also have glowing red eyes), but the more I think about it the more I've come around on the idea.

 

Why?

 

Because it actually makes a damn big amount of sense.

 

1.) The DCTU switches up character identities from the classics all of the time.

2.) Okay, those eyes. They make sense for both characters but that's exactly it. They make sense for BOTH.

3.) He's black. Why does this matter? It matters because even though Martian Manhunter's human face was white for so many years (he's a shapechanger, for those who don't know), they rather prominently changed him to black in the DC Animated Universe (due in no small part to the actor doing his voice) and I believe have stuck with that since in other mediums.

4.) It makes a large kind of inverted sense to have a plot where an alien wound up running the government's anti-alien defense squad.  Think about it. It could be played as either MM putting himself into that spot deliberately and hiding it from even his bosses, OR with them knowing.