After spending the last week binging Supergirl Season 2, my head is swimming with thoughts and emotions about the second year of this show. The short review is: It’s fantastic. If you like Arrow or The Flash, you can’t go wrong watching Supergirl. If you like engaging characters, dynamics, and good romances with pretty people, you can’t go wrong watching Supergirl. If you liked Wonder Woman and want to see more optimistic superheroines, you can’t go wrong watching Supergirl.
The longer review should begin with this: Supergirl is the story of Kara Danvers, a Kryptonian and cousin to Superman, who uses her powers to help people. She also works alongside her adoptive sister Alex at the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO), receiving backup through the federally funded, if off the grid, organization. When not beating up baddies in a cape, Kara is a reporter for CatCo Magazine. Unlike her cousin, the reporting gig is new to her and a major plot point of the season.
Now normally, I am not a fan of the Super-family, and I’ve fallen off watching the other CW super-shows as they began to feel too same-old, same-old to me. I bring these things up, because I adored this season. Excepting a few painfully convoluted episodes, the writing, directing, and acting are on point, take chances, and delivers some truly memorable episodes. Even before I realized Kevin Smith had a hand in it, I was citing “Supergirl Lives” as a perfect hour of television; succeeding on the superhero, sci-fi, and personal drama fronts is a tough act to follow. “Mr. & Mrs. Mxyzptlk” is so cheesy, goofy, and pure fun that it deserves a mention. And while it’s a plot spread across episodes, season 2 of Supergirl has one of the best handled coming out stories and LGBTQ relationships I’ve ever seen on television.
Which takes me to what makes this show so fascinating; it’s not about the threat of the week, but about the characters and their relationships. Supergirl has a huge ensemble cast even after losing a few characters to the network jump, and all of them have a story to tell. Two major themes stand out in the season for me. The first being about careers, callings, and what fulfills someone. The other being love. While a lot of romance isn’t unexpected on a CW show, I can’t think of another that delivered so many pairings, so much chemistry, and so much variety as this season of Supergirl.
Changing hands from CBS to the CW is the best thing that could have happened to this show. Supergirl aligns beautifully with the other DC superhero shows on the network, and the visual effects leap tall buildings in a single bound compared to the previous season. Every power in the super-lineup looks amazing, the aliens are believable through a mix of practical and visual effects, and the set pieces have never looked better.
Now the question fans of the Maid of Might are asking. “Why should I pick up the Blu-ray set?” In this day and age of digital releases and streaming services, it’s a fair question. The show is gorgeous in 1080p, with crisp visual effects and loads of pretty people to support it. And then there are the special features. I’m disappointed that there is only one commentary, between Executive Producer Andrew Kreisberg and Director Kevin Smith on “Supergirl Lives.” It’s a meaty, banter-filled hour that left me craving more of these commentaries. I want to hear from other directors, writers, the actors, the effects artists – there’s so much to this show that could be discussed.
What the Blu-ray set does deliver are two lengthy behind-the-scene featurettes, one centered around a specific episode and the other about the large cast of aliens on the show. An adorable set of “Did You Know?” short clips with the cast, and the Supergirl 2016 Comic-Con panel talking about the show’s second season before it began to air are also included. It’s a solid, informative, and downright funny set of special features that diehard fans should check out.
If my gushing hasn’t said it already, Supergirl Season 2 blew away all of my expectations for the show and is well worth picking up.
4.5 Aerodynamic Capes out of 5
