S01.E16: Falling

[Tarasme]

I'm starting to get whiplash from the Big Cannon! points. Can we slow down a little? I'm aware that Berlanti likes to roll through recognizable comic icons quick but doggone, we've had Red Tornado, Bizarro, MartainManhunter, White Martians, Non, Black Mercy, Braniac 8,

Silver Banshee

, etc etc.

 

I would have liked to save Red K for a lengthier stay next season. I was hoping that the production team was trying to get some of the more established players in the cannon out of the way then balance output with new characters so that recognizable villains/arcs would be an event. But so far, it's not lookin' that way.

 

Also, though I don't ship James and Kara, I do HATE when plot arc teases the opportunity to begin a relationship/ give a main character the sweet love she so desperately wants then BAMMO! immediately swipes that chance away through some crazy circumstance (i.e. character gets hit by bus, shot, drafted into army and sent on tour,etc.).

Edited March 15, 2016 by Tarasme

[catrox14]

I could also fanwank that Hank was somehow affected by Kara hitting him when she was dosed with RedK. Like maybe it did something to him. 

 

Aside from that, I hope maybe he has some other longer term plan and needed to be in the box for ....reasons to be named later

[ACW]

 When the DEO showed up to try and stop Kara I could swear their guns were flashing green, but in that context kryptonite bullets would kill her. Then I remembered the pilot. Did they use up their supply of kryptonite knock out darts and the replacements are still on back order?

 

Yeah, I saw green gun-flashes, too.  I was wondering if maybe Kara's Astra-cosplay included one of those nifty anti-Kryptonite shields.  I'm guessing it was just an FX (or prop) screw-up.

 

Speaking of Kryptonite:  If Maxwell Lord, of all people, didn't know about Kryptonite until recently, then Superman must hardly ever have encountered it.  Which is very unusual for a "Superman" universe.

[xaxat]

I thought this was a very strong episode. I liked how it played with viewer expectations (Kara is loosening up. . . oh wait, there's something wrong with her. Hank has a new friend! Oh, wait. She'll never trust him.) One thing that kind of annoys me though, is how the writers routinely reset the relationships between Kara and Cat and the status of Max Lord.

 

I'm not in favor of a James/Kara relationship. Because I don't think it will ever be as compelling as Kara/Alex or even Kara/Cat for that matter.

 

Red Kara was smokin' hot. Sexiest looking evil "double" since Goatee Spock.

[MDL]

 

Red Kara was smokin' hot.

 

I agree. Was it all "attitude and acting" on MB's part, or was her makeup different as well?

[BaggythePanther]

I did not like the equating of Kara wearing fun clothes and standing up for herself with her being cruel. It's like frumpy + meek = good and sexy + confident = bad. Not a good message to send to young girls watching this show. I liked Kara standing up for herself to Kat and Siobahn. I understand that being a wallflower is part of Kara's disguise, but it was nice to see until she turned into Hyde.

I found it interesting that Kara never wore a cliché sexy wardrobe. I kept expecting her 'bad girl' outfits to have low necklines and short skirts but the outfits were still sexy without going there. So on the one hand I'm glad they didn't do any slut shaming (evil=short skirts) but as you pointed out evil=dressing confidently isn't really a great message either.

Also noticed that no one called Kara a bitch. I was waiting for at least Siobhan to say it, but she never did.

Edited March 15, 2016 by BaggythePanther

[AD35]

Hmm, Red!Kara = Rage!Barry from the first Arrow/Flash crossover.

 

In the rage-a-holic sweepstakes, I'd give the win to Kara.  Barry merely swiped a burger from his boss, Kara threw her boss off a balcony.  I bet Melissa had a blast acting out all the dark impulses Kara had buried within her.

[Lady Calypso]

I really did like this episode a lot. If had been a 10pm show instead, I think Supergirl would have done a lot more damage. It seemed like, as Kara put it, the RedK just brought all her bad thoughts to the forefront, so it just removed her inhibitions and allowed her to do and say stuff that she has kept down. I also liked how James and Alex both told Kara that there was truth behind her words, because they can't come from nowhere. I was actually fine with Kara getting Siobhan fired. She was badass in those moments, and Siobhan was planning to go against Cat. It's not like Kara got her fired for no reason. It's sneaky and cruel, sure, but something that I'd imagine myself doing (but never actually going through with it). 

 

Also, Cat getting thrown off the roof was fine. Cat has been a very vile woman, as much as I enjoy her, and she needed a moment of weakness and to be scared. But then she accepted that Supergirl was just not herself right now, did what she had to do, and is still on her side. 

 

James is just...James. I get what he was getting at, but KARA doesn't know that. James lied to her about that, so him getting pissy is kind of understandable, but for Kara? She's going to be understandably hurt. 

 

Goddamnit, Max Lord! Are you a good guy, or a bad guy? Because he didn't have to do anything and didn't have to go to the DEO. I don't know whether he just really wants to get into Alex's pants, if he's pro-Supergirl, or what, but the show is not making him a morally grey character. Just a character that flip flops between good and evil. Yet, still can't help but enjoy Peter Facinelli's performance. 

 

Thank goodness I wasn't the only one confused by Hank/J'onn wanting to get captured. Again, on one level, I get it. He doesn't want to leave Alex or Kara, and he might think sticking around to help out is a good idea. It establishes trust and he enjoys it there. But doing it to protect the sisters? What? That makes no sense. They were never in danger. Again, it could have worked if not for that line. 

 

I still really like Winn as a future DEO agent. He helps more than James does, at least. James is pretty useless at the moment, and has done nothing to make me think that he would be a good member of Kara's team outside of being a prospective love interest. Hell, Max Lord does more to help Kara than James does. And whoever said that Winn and Max seem like the smartest people on the show, I agree. If those two turned out evil and teamed up, Kara as Supergirl would have her hands full with them. 

[Kendra]

 

I'm not in favor of a James/Kara relationship. Because I don't think it will ever be as compelling as Kara/Alex or even Kara/Cat for that matter.

 

For me, the best relationships on the show are Kara/Alex, Kara/Cat, and Alex/Hank. The show is at its best when it focuses on those specific relationships. 

 

I absolutely loved this episode! A huge step up from the last two imo. Melissa did a tremendous job. The scene where Kara wakes up and realizes all that she had said and done...such a heartbreaking moment. I really felt how terribly sorry Kara was and how disgraceful she felt. I've been a Melissa fan since her Glee days, and I have NEVER seen her give a performance as spectacular as that scene. She must have pulled from something really painful in her real life, because her sadness was incredibly believable. 

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

Supergirl Rebrands As The Mean Streak
Exposure to Red Kryptonite turns Kara into a super-grouch.

[VCRTracking]

A lot of reviews are saying "Falling" is the best episode so far. TV.com has a great review. I liked this assessment of James:

 

At that point in the story, all James knew of Kara's activities was that she was wearing tighter clothing and she was doing her job rather than bumbling around frazzled. She pulled James out onto the dance floor and told him what she wanted in no uncertain terms. And James backed away. You could rationalize it as James feeling like Kara wasn't being herself, but let's call it what it really was: Jimmy was put off by a strong woman. To him, a Kryptonian is honest but not brazen, forthright but not forward, empowered but not emasculating. And Kara being ready to give him what he wanted with such sexual confidence turned him right the heck off. His fantasy of being chosen by someone so divine was dashed in the ruins of his other fantasy of overpowering the powerful. It's not fun if you don't get to will the drawers off the most powerful woman in National City.

 

[Trini]

I agree. Was it all "attitude and acting" on MB's part, or was her makeup different as well?

They definitely changed her makeup. More eyeliner, at least.

 

In the rage-a-holic sweepstakes, I'd give the win to Kara.  Barry merely swiped a burger from his boss, Kara threw her boss off a balcony.  I bet Melissa had a blast acting out all the dark impulses Kara had buried within her.

But, but he also tried to beat down Eddie and Green Arrow!

 

... Goddamnit, Max Lord! Are you a good guy, or a bad guy? Because he didn't have to do anything and didn't have to go to the DEO. I don't know whether he just really wants to get into Alex's pants, if he's pro-Supergirl, or what, but the show is not making him a morally grey character. Just a character that flip flops between good and evil. Yet, still can't help but enjoy Peter Facinelli's performance. ...

I haven't seen much of Facinelli in other roles, but I'm loving him here! If they could just tighten up the writing for the character, I love to have him stay as long as possible. I fear he may only be here for one season.

 

I really hope they revisit Cat knowing Supergirl's identity. At some point -- if we're not already there -- it will make more sense for her to part of the inner circle than not.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Trini

[ketose]

The Red Kryptonite plot just seemed like an excuse to put off a possible Kara / James pairing longer and kind of a waste timewise. It would have been better next season after the public really trusted Supergirl.

 

RedK Kara really showed how much she represses herself all the time. If she gave in to her impulses, she could really hurt people. That was what worked for me when Kara was crying in the DEO. She has dark thoughts. She even has dark thoughts about the fact that she has to keep from expressing some of her dark thoughts. She scared her friends when she lost control because there was so much potential for disaster from Kara. I think that's the lasting impact rather than the RedK itself.

[xaxat]

 

At that point in the story, all James knew of Kara's activities was that she was wearing tighter clothing and she was doing her job rather than bumbling around frazzled. She pulled James out onto the dance floor and told him what she wanted in no uncertain terms. And James backed away. You could rationalize it as James feeling like Kara wasn't being herself, but let's call it what it really was: Jimmy was put off by a strong woman. To him, a Kryptonian is honest but not brazen, forthright but not forward, empowered but not emasculating. And Kara being ready to give him what he wanted with such sexual confidence turned him right the heck off. His fantasy of being chosen by someone so divine was dashed in the ruins of his other fantasy of overpowering the powerful. It's not fun if you don't get to will the drawers off the most powerful woman in National City.

 

I'm not a fan of James, but I think that characterization is unfair. This is a man who had a longstanding relationship with Lucy Lane, a woman who is arguably more accomplished than he is. (Does he get that Pulitzer without knowing Superman?) So I don't think he is afraid of assertive women.

 

I saw the scene being one where a friend shows up at a gathering sloppy drunk. First thing, you wonder about their behavior. Then you want to get them somewhere safe. Taking advantage of someone you believe may have compromised judgement ends up being sleazy, immoral and perhaps criminal. 

Edited March 16, 2016 by xaxat

[AudienceofOne]

And... I'm done. The acting (and the acting is great) can't compensate for the sloppy plotting and boring, derivative stories. I've said it before but Melissa Benoist is really great and deserves a better vehicle. And Ally McBeal (that's her name, isn't it?) really brings Cat to life. But I can't sit through another episode that came out of a writer's room brain dump of "things that happen to Kryptonians". You build up your hero in the first season of a show and then challenge them with their inadequacies later. Otherwise the emotional resonance of that is lost.

 

This is only episode 16 and, oh, Supergirl's apologising for her behaviour again. For what, like, the fourth time or something? (not an accurate count). Lucky National City. You really hit the jackpot of superheroes.

[kwnyc]

Well Cat Grant's used to bad boys at least...she's married to Han Solo! ;-)

[Jordan27]

Melissa was outstanding, but not much else. 

 

MM reveal was surprising, but made no sense.  That is par for this show.

 

Wynn in the closet, no, no, no.   Added nothing to the show.

 

Jimmy, no romantic chemistry with Kara.

 

Throwing Cat off building was cool, but why did they have to save her.  She continues to be annoying.

 

This show could use a reboot.  Keep Kara and redo the rest of the show.  The writing is so below the other super hero shows of Arrow and Flash.

[Argenta]

Goddamnit, Max Lord! Are you a good guy, or a bad guy? Because he didn't have to do anything and didn't have to go to the DEO. I don't know whether he just really wants to get into Alex's pants...

 

I hope he succeeds *claps hand over mouth* Sorry, but I can't help it. I think he's hot and has great not-quite-enemy chemistry with Alex. 

 

 

She pulled James out onto the dance floor and told him what she wanted in no uncertain terms. And James backed away. You could rationalize it as James feeling like Kara wasn't being herself, but let's call it what it really was: Jimmy was put off by a strong woman. To him, a Kryptonian is honest but not brazen, forthright but not forward, empowered but not emasculating. And Kara being ready to give him what he wanted with such sexual confidence turned him right the heck off. His fantasy of being chosen by someone so divine was dashed in the ruins of his other fantasy of overpowering the powerful. It's not fun if you don't get to will the drawers off the most powerful woman in National City.

 

I also find that unfair. Kara was acting completely out of character and Jimmy was understandably unnerved by it. Plus, he only just broke up with his longtime girlfriend. And whoever wrote that seemed to have missed the part where Kara physically hurts Jimmy by using her super-strength to yank him back when he tries to leave the dance floor. That's just wrong and bordering on assault. Again - completely OOC for Kara. 

[twoods]

I hope he succeeds *claps hand over mouth* Sorry, but I can't help it. I think he's hot and has great not-quite-enemy chemistry with Alex.

I also find that unfair. Kara was acting completely out of character and Jimmy was understandably unnerved by it. Plus, he only just broke up with his longtime girlfriend. And whoever wrote that seemed to have missed the part where Kara physically hurts Jimmy by using her super-strength to yank him back when he tries to leave the dance floor. That's just wrong and bordering on assault. Again - completely OOC for Kara.

I agree on both accounts. I find Alex and Max hot, even though he is shady. I love Hank and Alex too, but sense more of a father/daughter bond. When he got captured I got misty.

James drew back because Kara was not being herself. If she hit on him without being such a forceful and mean person, he would have gone for it. I'm one of the few who like James and Kara and am mad they threw another obstacle between them.

Looking forward to Supergirl trying to get everyone back on her side. The writing is not nearly as good as the Flash (Arrow sucks this season) but I still love the acting and character interactions so am still loving it.

Edited March 16, 2016 by twoods

[catrox14]

A lot of reviews are saying "Falling" is the best episode so far. TV.com has a great review. I liked this assessment of James:

 

Sorry but that assessment of James is BS.  He was concerned about Kara's well being because she was SO very different than she's ever been. It's got nothing to do with his masculinity being threatened by Kara or that he can't handle a strong woman.  He knew something wasn't right with her.  And as others have noted, he would have been taking advantage of her whilst she was in an altered state.

Edited March 16, 2016 by catrox14

[pete]

Superbitchygirl was almost interesting for once.   Bring back the red Kryptonite.

[AudienceofOne]

Sorry but that assessment of James is BS.  He was concerned about Kara's well being because she was SO very different than she's ever been. It's got nothing to do with his masculinity being threatened by Kara or that he can't handle a strong woman.  He knew something wasn't right with her.  And as others have noted, he would have been taking advantage of her whilst she was in an altered state.

 

They've tried to add a note at the bottom dismissing that criticism but, I'm sorry, it's BS (their note, not your criticism). If your normally-reserved friend shows up to a club acting completely wasted and asks for sex, anyone decent would say no. And he broke up with Lucy ten seconds ago and is still confused about it and sorting out his own feelings about her and Kara.

 

Their argument boils down to "he didn't like Kara when she wasn't behaving like Kara". Um, that's a good thing. It means he likes her for who she is.

*I still hated this episode though

[Lantern7]

Wynn in the closet, no, no, no.   Added nothing to the show.

Forgot about that. You think Kara could actually pour bleach on her eyes to get rid of that image?

[legaleagle53]

Forgot about that. You think Kara could actually pour bleach on her eyes to get rid of that image?

 

Even a Kryptonian cannot unsee what has been seen.

[Chicago Redshirt]

Unless both Siobhan and Wynn have superspeed, not much was actually seen. They both emerged from the closet fully dressed. 

[FurryFury]

Yeah, Max's characterization flip-flops like whoa. I still for some reason like him and Max/Alex (but I can see some potential with Hank too). It's weird that Supergirl's sister has more interesting romantic prospects than the heroine herself.

[StarBrand]

I actually like Max Lord. The only thing about him is, it's hard to get a read on him...is he a bad, or good guy. If he's the bad guy, what's motivating him?

[slowpoked]

Good job on the writers/costume people making Kara look like Astra when she was in that black suit. My hubby thought that that was actually Astra standing in the apartment and she's back from the dead.

 

Kudos to MB for carrying this episode, best one so far, despite some silly little things here and there. The one where Alex admits that there was some truth to what Kara has said and that their relationship needs work was heartbreaking.

 

I also thought SuperGirl finally revealed herself to Cat when she said "My life has only gotten better since I became Supergirl..." or something like that. I mean, wouldn't Cat's first thought be "Well, who were you before then???" 

 

I wish they would just do away with Kara/James, because it just doesn't work. Mehcad looks too old for MB, and MB looks too young for Mehcad, The romance feels forced. It doesn't even feel unrequited. They would be better off having a brother/sister type relationship. The actors themselves just don't make it a good pairing, and there's nothing wrong with them individually. Just don't push something that doesn't work. I dunno how old Mehcad is IRL but when the camera gets close-up shots of him, he just looks really old.

Edited March 16, 2016 by slowpoked

[Actionmage]

Looking forward to Supergirl trying to get everyone back on her side.

 

For the umpteenth time this season. I'll be watching, hoping for a good, meaty story, but really TPTB? Kara has gone through public trashing almost to Oliver Queen levels.

 

The young girl literally trashing homemade versions of her hero's suit within a day or two of said hero helping her out of a mean girl moment was laughable. That good act bought nothing from that child? ( Her being ridiculed for being a Supergirl fan would hurt more after Kara went bad, and seeing Laura teary as we swooped past her being ridiculed again and taking off her cape to stare at it would be better, imo. As opposed to the perfectly folded cape being carefully dropped into the trashcan. But that's me.)

 

I was surprised that no one else ( beside Argenta) mentioned that Kara was hurting James; grabbing his hand, keeping him from leaving and I think one other smallish moment. I was surprised that TPTB allowed Kara to be shown that way. I'm glad, in that it shows that anyone can be a bully/abusive. ( Kara is regretful, but I have faith that she will work and earn trust back, as well as actively work with those she hurt most so that she won't hurt them again.)

 

I'm in the camp that believes Cat knows Kara's double life and now fully understands why Perry treats Superman the way he does ( use him to drive sales, but to keep folks safe, don't look behind the Wizard's curtain.) I don't see Cat being worse to Kara, but maybe by the end of the season suggesting that Kara be a reporter or something that ties her less to having to be a Cat's beck-and-call. That way, Kara's still working for the company and has to do work to get a paycheck, but her work time is a bit more flexible. 

 

I wish Max were shown to be charmingly evil. There is nothing wrong with that. People are drawn to charismatic folks who are problematic to like. It happens. Embrace his villainy and Alex becomes a richer character for interacting with him. (I don't ship them, but the actors have a spark around each other.)

Edited March 16, 2016 by Actionmage

[Kendra]

I wish they would just do away with Kara/James, because it just doesn't work. Mehcad looks too old for MB, and MB looks too young for Mehcad, The romance feels forced. It doesn't even feel unrequited. They would be better off having a brother/sister type relationship. The actors themselves just don't make it a good pairing, and there's nothing wrong with them individually. Just don't push something that doesn't work. I dunno how old Mehcad is IRL but when the camera gets close-up shots of him, he just looks really old.

Mehcad is 35. Melissa is 27. So he's older but the age difference isn't too far apart.

My problem isn't that he looks older, it's that he SEEMS so much older than Kara. When I watch, I feel like James is 15-20 years older than Kara.

as for Cat knowing, I think she has to at this point! She's a smart woman. She had to have recognized that supergirl acting strange happened at the same time her assistant was also not acting like herself. I'm hoping all will be revealed in the finale.

[slowpoked]

as for Cat knowing, I think she has to at this point! She's a smart woman. She had to have recognized that supergirl acting strange happened at the same time her assistant was also not acting like herself. I'm hoping all will be revealed in the finale.

Could that maybe why Cat seemed so soft-spoken and easily forgiving at the end? I would think she would fight back and berate her more when SG came to apologize.

 

Here's what I don't get - so the RK puts forth all the bad and dark thoughts of a person to the forefront, and not necessarily taking over that person's body so much so that the person still knows and is aware of the way he's acting but just can't stop it. So when Kara was getting ready to kill Alex, did she really have a dark, deep-seated desire  to kill her sister, which she has suppressed all these years, or as that just seeing Alex as a soldier like everyone else were that she needs to kill?

[legaleagle53]

Chicago Redshirt, on 15 Mar 2016 - 10:29 PM, said:

Unless both Siobhan and Wynn have superspeed, not much was actually seen. They both emerged from the closet fully dressed. 

 

All it takes is a quick unzip of the fly for a blow job  (and now just try erasing THAT mental image from your mind!).

I also thought Supergirl finally revealed herself to Cat when she said "My life has only gotten better since I became Supergirl..." or something like that. I mean, wouldn't Cat's first thought be "Well, who were you before then???" 

 

And the answer to that would be:  "Exactly who I was before:  An alien who came to this planet when she was 12 years old and who kept her powers hidden for 12 more years until she was forced to go public with them."

[Chicago Redshirt]

I actually like Max Lord. The only thing about him is, it's hard to get a read on him...is he a bad, or good guy. If he's the bad guy, what's motivating him?

Whether he's bad or good depends on the plot. But I think they've laid out (mostly) what is motivating him fairly well.

 

He is a genius who relies on himself and not the government because as a child he experienced the death of his parents because of the government failing to do something. 

 

He can see the danger that aliens bring and thinks he is in a singular place to deal with the alien threat. You can't trust the government to do it -- they are too slow and stupid and corrupt. They don't even realize that while Supergirl is doing good for now, she could just as easily flip.

 

One thing I think might be interesting is if whoever gets brought in to replace J'onn decides to work out a deal where Max consults with the DEO. I would suppose a plot where Max actually becomes a DEO head is a bit of a longshot, given his characterization (and his recent arrest by them).

[Argenta]

All it takes is a quick unzip of the fly for a blow job  (and now just try erasing THAT mental image from your mind!).

Ugh. Can't. Thanks for searing that image onto my retinas :p

I'm pleased to see that other posters think Alex and Max have a spark. I absolutely love David Harewood in this show, but I can't see Hank and Alex as a potential pair at all; I get a distinct substitute dad vibe with him and both sisters.

[maczero]

Thank goodness I wasn't the only one confused by Hank/J'onn wanting to get captured. Again, on one level, I get it. He doesn't want to leave Alex or Kara, and he might think sticking around to help out is a good idea. It establishes trust and he enjoys it there. But doing it to protect the sisters? What? That makes no sense. They were never in danger. Again, it could have worked if not for that line. 

 

Yep.  I totally agree that the "staying close to protect the girls" line was dumb.  His sacrifice would've made so much more sense if it was his way of coming out of the closet.  In fact, the show had the perfect set up for him to do that when Kara laid into him about hiding who he was.  Still I give them props for allowing J'onn to actually lay the smackdown on Kara.  I was under the impression that he couldn't stand up to the weakest Kryptonian.

[miracole]

Here's what I don't get - so the RK puts forth all the bad and dark thoughts of a person to the forefront, and not necessarily taking over that person's body so much so that the person still knows and is aware of the way he's acting but just can't stop it. So when Kara was getting ready to kill Alex, did she really have a dark, deep-seated desire to kill her sister, which she has suppressed all these years, or as that just seeing Alex as a soldier like everyone else were that she needs to kill?

I have a sister and many a day I have literally wanted to kill her and the only thing that stopped me (other than love) was the fact that I wasn't crazy. On the red K Kara essentially was crazy and like you said she couldn't stop herself. She didn't have those filters telling her it was wrong. She was just acting on the moment and not thinking of any consequences.

If James had been into Kara the way she was acting in the club I would have thought something was wrong with him. She wasn't being confident she was being rude, overly agressive, and abusive.

I also rolled my eyes at the little girl who gave up on Kara so quickly after just personally witnessing Kara being awesome. It wasn't framed like she didn't want to get teased again but rather that she no longer believed in her.

Edited March 16, 2016 by miracole

[Actionmage]

It wasn't framed like she didn't want to get teased again but rather that she no longer believed in her.

 

 

Everyone listening and watching believes her[ Cat Grant] instantly, because they are fickle as hell.

 

 

This is what has me a little concerned moving forward.  How wishy-washy is National City going to be? They currently have reason to be scared of Kara. I get that; I would be too. Yet something tells me she'll only have "public support" when the script demands it. Not a nice mix of reactions, but extremes. ( I watch Berlanti's other DC shows, so I knew what was possible.)  I hope that the writers can add some nuance to National City's citizens going forward.  Not everyone would  follow Max or Cat, so seeing the spectrum would be nice.

[statsgirl]

I never thought when MB was in Glee that she would be doing this caliber of work. Well done, David Rappaport (casting director) and the show's EPs for hiring her to be Kara/Supergirl.

 

It was an interesting exercise and I bet MB especially had a ball playing Bad Supergirl.  I'm interested in all those dark impulses and thoughts and I hope they don't drop it.  Up to now, Kara has just been too good and too perfect.

 

Speaking of which, James got a reality check on his Supergirl infatuation. Not only did he realize she has feet of clay, he got a look at just what a relationship with an all-powerful alien would be like.  When he wanted to walk away from her on the dance floor, she wouldn't let him and the grabbing of  his arm hurt.  Dating Kara wouldn't be the perfect relationship he'd been imagining because she would always be smart, stronger, faster and more powerful than any woman he could imagine. 

 

J'onn not running away made zero sense so I assume it was for some plotty plot point.  The smart thing would have been to fly away and then walk in as Hank because how is he going to protect Alex and Kara when he's locked up?

 

About time someone threw Cat off a building.

Yeah.  Callista Flockhart is knocking it out of the park but I'm getting tired of Bitchy, Narcissistic Cat.    I prefer who she is in the scenes with James than with Kara lately.

[AudienceofOne]

I'm interested in all those dark impulses and thoughts and I hope they don't drop it.  Up to now, Kara has just been too good and too perfect.

 

 

Because she's supposed to be. This isn't Arrow - the study of a deeply-flawed and traumatised man repeating his previous mistakes while trying to atone for them.

 

And it isn't Flash - the study of a normal, humble guy struggling with sudden superpowers.

 

It's supposed to be the story of an alien ideal attempting to both stand apart from us and integrate with us at the same time. And that is why this show is failing. Because it doesn't understand who Supergirl was. The extra time she spent on Krypton should have made her more Kryptonian than Clark and Kryptonians were calm, rational, scientific pacifists.

 

Basically, they're bogged down in all the tropes they've used on the other shows and are trying to repeat them here without consideration that her story is different.  And that's why they keep misstepping. Oliver Queen and Barry Allen might fuck up 20 times a season. But they're not Godlike Aliens.

Edited March 17, 2016 by AudienceofOne

[Richness]

Maybe it's my hate of the latter seasons of Glee, but I'm just not enjoying this show. The stupid flows too strong most of the time, but that may just be because of how overpowered Supergirl is, even with the Fort villains. The contrivances they have to do to make the fights interesting gets to be too much, just like on the Flash, but that show remains entertaining to me.

 

So when this show opened with that horrid "View" segment, which felt like torture for everyone involved, I was prepared to slip into hate watch mode. But once the Red K kicked in, I really liked this episode. The red K. turned Kara into someone that I didn't despise, at least not at first. Good job to MB for the acting, as I didn't think she had it in her.

 

I was looking forward to the series based on the previews, but ended up being disappointed with what we got. However, I'm determined to tough it out for the season. If future episodes are this good, then it might be more of a pleasure than a chore. Unfortunately, I doubt they will be since the lack of red K. means we go back to the Kara that I dislike.

I guess there's the Flash crossover to look forward to, though I fear this show might ruin the Flash for me, as I suspect Barry can only help this show.

[Chicago Redshirt]

It's supposed to be the story of an alien ideal attempting to both stand apart from us and integrate with us at the same time. And that is why this show is failing. Because it doesn't understand who Supergirl was. The extra time she spent on Krypton should have made her more Kryptonian than Clark and Kryptonians were calm, rational, scientific pacifists.

 

First of all, I think that Supergirl is mostly telling the story of an alien ideal "attempting to both stand apart from us and integrate with us at the same time." It may not be telling that story well, but that's what it's trying to do. That's why Kara spends as much time as she does doing Cat's bidding, and that's why she is working through her relationships with Alex and Jimmy and Winn. That's even why we have scenes like the one in which she intervened with the mean girls in this episode, or when she got angry at the guy who almost hit a bunch of kids.

 

They have chosen to tell the story of a Supergirl who is inexperienced at being an ideal. She has made numerous mistakes in fighting and otherwise. For instance, can you envision a conventional version of an experienced Superman condoning for even a second a human being getting locked up indefinitely with no access to counsel or any other due process?

 

Also, I think you are looking at Krypton through red-sun tinted glasses. There are very many versions of Krypton, of course. But in the main one(s), the Kryptonians ignored the scientific evidence that Jor-El brought to their attention about the imminent destruction of their planet. I don't think anything about them was any more pacificist than we are -- they after all had a military.

[statsgirl]

Kryptonians may be god-like but there are plenty of Greek, Roman and Norse stories about how petty and stupid gods can be.

 

Just look at Non, Astra and even Alura and the other rulers of Krypton who let the planet be destroyed.  Look at the prisoners in Fort Rozz from Krypton.

 

I find perfect boring (e.g. the old Superman TV show) and I get tired of fight scenes. At this point, between the TV shows and the movies, all the fights seem to look the same.  I'm interested in a Hero's Journey but in order to get that, the Hero has to start at a place where she/he is imperfect, flawed and often doubting of herself (but please not as much as Barry Allen doubts himself.  It seems like every episode he has to have multiple pep talks.). 

 

Otherwise, it just becomes a show about who hits the hardest wins and CBS already has enough of those.

[pennben]

Okay, this is not one of the first shows that I watch off my DVR when there is a list waiting for me, but it probably should be. I just watched this episode and this show so much fun, it makes me giggle and it has lots of heart.  For someone as cynical as me, it's pretty unusual to have a show that I just watch for fun.  And I like it!  That's my incredibly insightful commentary on the episode:)!

 

And the acting:  Benoist, Flockhart, Leigh, Harewood, and Benanti have just been fantastic here. 

 

More please.

Edited March 20, 2016 by pennben

[Zuleikha]

I'm pleased to see that other posters think Alex and Max have a spark. I absolutely love David Harewood in this show, but I can't see Hank and Alex as a potential pair at all; I get a distinct substitute dad vibe with him and both sisters.

 

I am often polyshipperous, and this show is no exception. I think both Alex/Max and Alex/J'onn have great chemistry. I know Alex/Max can't work long term, but I hope the show walking back the degree of his villainy is going to give us at least short term Alex/Max. 

 

I wasn't surprised about J'onn turning himself in. He visibly shifted from Hank to his true form, so it was runaway or surrender, and I think they've shown us enough about what he's lost to explain why he wouldn't want to run away again.

 

I felt for Siobhan, even as I think she deserved to be fired. But I think she was right to want the scoop published and to want to use it to get into a better position than at Catco. I like Cat Grant a lot as a character, but she is a horrible boss. Siobhan deserved better. 

[Password]

I'll throw a spanner into the works and I say I didn't enjoy the episode.

The red kryptonite worked in a way that brought out every negative, arrogant, thoughtless word Kara could've said or actioned. It seemed really unfair that people treated her differently because she had no control over thoughts she would normally control. A person's mind can be a dark place but it's up to the individual to handle their thoughts and not act on every whim. Otherwise many more people today would be murderers or thieves etc. So it irritates me that Kara had no power over this situation that took all her darkest thoughts and allowed them to manifested but she's still being blamed for it. I understand why people would be weary, but for any other individual they might well have done worse with no control.

On a different note, Kara's more confident side actually really reminded me of Cat. I thought MB was channeling Cat with her attitude and dress sense (which I liked a lot). And I really thought Kara had her aunt's suit on until I saw the 'S'. Super weird that she'd go for that look.

[statsgirl]

I think people (Alex, Cat, James etc) were shocked that Kara had those dark thoughts at all. I guess they had been thinking she was all sweetness and light and her dark side threw them for a loop.

 

 

I wasn't surprised about J'onn turning himself in. He visibly shifted from Hank to his true form, so it was runaway or surrender, and I think they've shown us enough about what he's lost to explain why he wouldn't want to run away again.

 

I felt for Siobhan, even as I think she deserved to be fired. But I think she was right to want the scoop published and to want to use it to get into a better position than at Catco. I like Cat Grant a lot as a character, but she is a horrible boss. Siobhan deserved better. 

Where I think Siobhan went wrong was to think that just because she had a plan, the world would instantly fall into place for her.  That Cat would run with the scoop and if not, that Perry would be so grateful to get it he would give her a job.  It was selfish (which she admits she is) and child-like. And naive to think that Cat, who had invested so much in making the Story of Supergirl, would be willing to tear her down now.  As Cat said in Manhunter, very millenial.

 

J'onn could have flown away after he defeated Supergirl and then returned as Hank.  Shifting to Hank in front of everyone was a conscious decision to out himself. I still can't figure out why.

[KirkB]

Everyone there already saw Hank change into a flying green alien. He had already outed himself. Flying away after beating Kara would just get everyone up in arms. By turning himself in he was trying to show he wasn't a threat.

[statsgirl]

If I were Hank, I'd take the chance.  Most people would have been looking at Supergirl and even if someone was looking at him, eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.

 

If his time with the DEO should have taught him anything, it's that turning himself in is going to prove nothing to people who don't want to believe.

[CabotCove]

Melissa Benoist killed it in this episode, more so than usual.

 

Supergirl deserves a renewal on this episode alone.

[John Potts]

I liked the portrayal of Red K in this episode - it didn't make Kara evil, just unrestrained Id. Nothing she actually did you couldn't imagine Kara wanting to do but holding herself back - getting even with the bitch at work, sexually aggressive, even pushing her boss off the balcony (hell, who hasn't wanted to do that!). And sad to think that the scene ripping off (or "Homaging", if you will) Superman III will probably go over the heads of most watchers because they weren't born when that movie came out. Don't feel old, everyone!

Does anyone else think Max Lord actually had a point about Supergirl (OK, I think it was originally a Lex Luthor point, but Max is a Lex clone - metaphorically at any rate, I'm sure Lex clones have turned up in Superman) - why are firemen calling for Supergirl to help out for a mundane fire? It does seem as if the presence of superheroes seems to be infantilising the entire populace of National City. And damn, don't I sound now like an Objectivist and will be advocating building walls to keep out "unproductives" from our society!

 

Quote

Actionmage The young girl literally trashing homemade versions of her hero's suit within a day or two of said hero helping her out of a mean girl moment was laughable

Apparently, they really ARE all Sheeple in National City!

 

Quote

 

Chicago Redshirt Unless both Siobhan and Wynn have superspeed, not much was actually seen. They both emerged from the closet fully dressed.

legaleagle53 All it takes is a quick unzip of the fly for a blow job

 

 

Given the power dynamics of that relationship, I'd imagine him going down on her would be more likely. And I definitely wouldn't want to be an X-Ray spy on that possibility!