Supergirl, Season 1, Episode 16: Falling
Right, Supergirl. The season finished a long time ago, and I have half-written reviews for all the episodes, but I kept off finishing them because, oh, I dunno. Too lazy or some shit. May is the month of superhero episode reviews, though, and I'm going to finish at least this season's worth of episodes. I am not sure if I'll be continuing on if Supergirl gets a second season, because damn this show is exhausting to watch sometimes. This episode is one of those.
It's no fault of the concept of the episode, really. There comes a time in every self-respecting superhero's career when they are driven into evil rage due to a convenient plot phlebotium device, be it an alien rage-enhancing symbiote, alien rock of a certain radiation, the death of a sidekick, a particular supervillain's power or simply tripping on some drugs. It's no shame, really. It's just, that... well, Kara isn't so much evil in this episode so much as she acts like a bitch. It's like how Spider-Man 3 tries to portray Peter Parker as being more angry and evil thanks to the symbiote, but he just ends up being a douche with different hair.
This episode of Supergirl has her act like a bitch to resident bitch-rival Siobahn (who ends up being a surprisingly entertaining character, something that I don't normally associate with anything related to the CatCo part of the show), and letting that random Khund alien run away free because reasons, and throwing random temper tantrums and saying hurtful things that drives Alex to tears. Also throws Cat Grant off of her building, but honestly did anyone expect Supergirl not to save her? I mean, can't have her reputation too tarnished, after all. All you get is having the little girl throw away her Supergirl cosplay cape. Which is honestly just eyeball-roll inducing.
Also when she goes evil she flies around in a costume similar to the one that Astra's group wears. Where... did she get that?
Also Cat (rather justifiably, considering Supergirl chucked her off a building) labels Supergirl as Public Enemy #1, which would probably have more gravitas if we weren't just fresh of a Bizarro episode. Also the reconciliation at the end honestly just feels dumb.
Also I thought it was dumb for the DEO team to go after Supergirl and not at least bring their many, many Kryptonite-laced weapons that they usually have in handy to keep Supergirl in check during training sessions. Nah, let's have chaos happen all over, and it takes Supergirl threatening Alex to cause J'onn J'onzz to transform and tackle Supergirl in easily the best moment of the show. Anytime the Martian Manhunter does anything is just great! I'm not sure why he surrenders at the end, though maybe he feels he would do more damage if he ran? Eh.
Also Maxwell Lord is in here for plot reasons, because he's the one that made the red kryptonite. It's just dumb having him show up, go through the DEO's ridiculous revolving door prison, helping out and waltzing off. It would be fun if he was actually entertaining, but he's not.
Oh, and there's the ever-annoying love plot. I remembered Winn and Siobahn being funny as Kara accidentally 'discovers' their relationship, and thankfully Winn doesn't seem to be pining for Kara anymore -- that would be annoying. James was randomly angsting for no good reason, though, and Kara being super-forward thanks to the red kryptonite just adds to his wangst. Fuck off already, James Olsen. You are uninteresting.
Despite my sour tone, this is still somewhat enjoyable. The J'onn bit was definitely great, Siobahn's small role was fun and as childish as the execution of evil angry Supergirl was, it's helped a bit due to part of her tantrum involving saying some of the frustrations that she's been taking in without complaint all throughout the season. Alex's reactions seem a bit over the top, but it's still a nice way to show the disaster caused when a nice person like Kara acts without restraint... except, y'know, the stakes are never all that high because it all ends up just like a tantrum.
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