Supergirl Round Table: Did Superman Overshadow His Cousin?
Stacy Glanzman
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Supergirl AND Superman saved the day on Supergirl Season 2 Episode 1 and gave our round table plenty to discuss!
Join Jim Garner, Steven Ford, Jay Ruymann, and Yana Grebenyuk as they discuss the Man of Steel, the network switch, and the Kryptonite debate.
Did you have concerns about the show's move to the CW, and if so, did the premiere help to quell those fears?
Jim: I had ZERO concerns about the show being on The CW. I had A LOT more concerns last year about it being on CBS (especially with Arrow, Flash, and DC's Legends of Tomorrow on The CW). However, if I had been concerned, the opening scene showing Flash as "ally" would have assuaged them.
Steve: My only concern was budget issues. I felt the show moving to The CW and with a smaller budget, the effects wouldn't be as up to par with Supergirl Season 1. However, the premiere put those fears to rest as I was pleasantly surprised!
Jay: My main concern was, and is, the lack of Calista Flockhart. Cat Grant is an important part of what makes this series so good, and crucial to Kara's role as both Kara Danvers and Supergirl. Her being demoted to recurring because of the production location is the series' biggest loss.
Also, I know everyone is hyped for the crossovers, but at what point does it become too much? There's a 4-way crossover, and then The Flash/Supergirl musical crossover. These should be saved for rare occasions; the overuse of it will make the shows bland. Why would the hero be so worried that they can't take their big bad alone? They can just call one of the other 13 superheroes that they regularly visit.
Yana: Supergirl was always meant to be on The CW, it just made sense especially when it comes to the many crossovers that they have planned. The premiere proved that the show can do well on this network with no real changes made. But Cat Grant not being there as often is definitely an issue for me. She makes the show that much better and I can't imagine her not being there, helping both Supergirl and Kara.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you trust Lena?
Jim: Currently, I'm giving her a 3, She's a Luthor after all. Also, what is with DC's obsession with "LL"? Lana Lang, Lois Lane, Lena Luthor, and Lex Luthor... Hey DC there are 25 other letters you can use for names.
Steve: 2, and that's being generous! I mean, she is a Luthor after all.
Jay: I don't think I can place that on a scale. I'm not as familiar with the comics as some, so I don't exactly know what Lex could've done, especially what they'll twist it to be in the series. Lena is sketchy, though. Kara should keep an eye on her.
Yana: I don't know what to think yet but if we're not supposed to trust her, I'm fine with that. I would like to see more of her but it doesn't have to be in a good capacity, I could see Lena as a great villain.
Where do you fall on the Kryptonite debate? Would you have kept it or destroyed it?
Jim: I understand them keeping it. I did find it interesting that Alex's and J'onn's talk didn't bring up the Kryptonite sword that Alex used to kill Kara's aunt last season.
Steve: I understand wanting to hold onto it. It is the only known way of defeating Kryptonians and has proven to be a useful tool in Supergirl Season 1, especially against Astra(may she rest in peace). It seems foolish to discard such a weapon with all of these powerful beings popping up left and right, and especially the possibility for a good one turn bad. You can't leave something like that to chance.
At the same time, I understand Clark's disapproval. He is here to help but there are obvious trust issues between the people of Earth and his kind, and rightfully so.
Jay: I'm with Steve. Kryptonians are virtually indestructible, so having this in a worst case scenario (say if Clark and Kara got brainwashed, because they may be physically impervious, but they aren't mentally) these weapons could save the world, and Kara and Clark would both want them to be used if that happened.
Yana: If Kara gets it, why doesn't Clark? They aren't going to use it against him, but he has to understand that he can protect himself against the rest of the world. The DEO might want that same policy. They aren't saying he is dangerous, but you never know what or who might happen that can pose a threat.
What did you think of Superman? How much of him do you want to see this season?
Jim: I loved every minute of his time with Kara. When the two of them both tipped their glasses to x-ray Lena's office I giggled pretty damn hard.
Steve: I was slightly worried they decided to bring him into this show after just the first season. Mostly because I was worried about the Man of Steel overshadowing the title character. This episode was done in such a way that the writers didn't allow that to happen and I applaud them for it. They were able to maintain the concept that this is still Kara's story, not Clark's.
I thought Superman was great! I enjoyed the light hearted moments with his cousin and wasn't dreadfully serious all the time like another version of the character that we know. This portrayal and the actor himself are growing on me after just one episode and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him.
Jay: I'm on the other side of the debate. I was very critical of this decision when it was announced, and I stand by that. Clark's presence overshadows Kara, just because he's so well known.
Everybody on this show has a past with him, and he's always going to be seen as the better hero in this world because he's been around much, much longer, so even having him in National City takes focus away from Kara. Hell, look what happened with Clark and Cat, and that wasn't even when he was dressed as Superman.
Yana: I agree with Jay. There wasn't a huge focus on him, but yet there was. They had every female (and Winn) who wasn't related to Clark swooning over him. It was unnecessary yet it was still written in to show the way he affected others. I think Kara could have led the premiere just fine without Clark, and I worry waht will happen when he leaves.
They based this move to this new network on the fact that Superman will appear and the promotion for him was off the charts. What will happen when he leaves and fans who were promised Superman want to see more of him? I feel like they could have held back on his introduction, it was too soon and came at a time when Supergirl needed to stand on her own with this network change.
What are your thoughts on the James/Kara development?
Jim: From the writers (new writers that is) point of view, I can understand wanting to slow them down. Shunting them back into the "friends zone" is one way to do that. On the other hand, fans of the show were really excited when they were going to get together, so I'm a little disappointed that they decided to shunt them back into the friends zone.
Steve: I'm surprised they're slowing them down a bit with the way things ended in the Season 1 finale. I for one was never a huge fan of the Jimmy/Kara pairing. I always thought her chemistry was better with Winn, and I would much prefer to see their relationship grow further this season. With the show now focusing more on Kara and her team-up with Clark, it will be a nice distraction from the Jimmy situation, and a welcome one.
Jay: Slowing them down seems so sudden and forced. This could've happened in a few episodes, after they tried something. I don't really see the chemistry between James and Kara either, Steve, so I just want to see all of these characters come together as a family and team.
Yana: I'm not sure if this was the network change that made the writers think they needed to start that slow build up all over again or what, but that was a shitty transition. Kara was interested in James for so long and we were told to get invested in this couple, only for them to pull back and have Kara say that she only sees him as a friend. I wasn't overly invested in any of Kara's love interests, but I could have been sold on her and James.
If the writers wrote this change because they want to have Kara as the leading lady who doesn't need romance at this point in time, that's great. But if this is all just them wasting our time until James and Kara get together at the end of the season or something, I'll pass.
What was your favorite scene from the Season 2 premiere?
Jim: I loved the nods to the 1978 Superman movie. First you had Kat Grant screaming "Miss Teschmacher!" (Lex Luthor did it several times in the movie) and then, the very observant would have caught Wynn asking Superman about the Earthquake in California and his x-ray vision before Kara cut him off. I have no idea what they are going to do with Miss Teschmacher, but I'm strapped in and ready to find out!
Steve: When Kara bragged to the bystanders that she used to change Superman's diapers. Pure gold! I also enjoyed all of the references to the Christopher Reeve films.
Jay: I love Cat Grant. I have to say the face that she made from her office to Kara when Kara arrived to CatCo with Clark. I died.
Yana: Kara deciding that she wants to be a reporter and Cat showing her that she knew this would be her path all along. That relationship is very key on this show and I would hate to see that bond go away. Kara needs someone like Cat in her life to push her to do great things outside of the Supergirl persona.
Check out the photos from Supergirl Season 2 Episode 2 below!
Stacy Glanzman was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in March, 2019.
