Supergirl Supergirl General Discussion Thread - Part 3

[Dark Raven]

Why? They actually passed on the show back then.

The show does have a LOT of goodwill going for it and now CW have the benefit of hindsight. Even if it doesn't do numbers to survive on CBS (there's no reason why it can't, I'm just speculating to make my argument) it has enough to gather ratings at CW which has a readymade viewership through Berlanti's other shows and a type of vibe that would feel at home on CW.

Truth be told, I don't really know why they passed in the first place.

They hadn't started on the Flash yet and weren't sure how a female superhero show would do, according to them. Now that they already have the Flash out, where the CW audience can see the less darker type of show than Arrow, and they can also see what Supergirl is like as well and how it has performed, then they could easily take it up if CBS axed it.

The CW even expressed regret at passing up Supergirl and said that sometimes you do end up losing a good series. So I think they would jump at the chance to pick it up, should it be cancelled by CBS.

 

[ZIPBAGS]

posted in another thread. But, fits here....

Originally Posted by Mikelus
Not only that, but he hasn't shown Kara the FOS yet, they're making him a terrible cousin. Kara is his only Kryptonian family left and he can't share his Kryptonian heritage with.
This to me is a head scratcher. Why is Kara learning about Superman from Jimmy, her sister and the DEO? Has he not seen or talk to her since she has arrived?

Also, like someone else said. Yes...in a movie you don't have time always to introduce other heroes. But, in TV shows you do...you can even just mention them. This happened before in "Lois & Clark". In the 3 seasons the show was on. You never saw another hero. That is what I enjoy about the Arrow-Flash verse. You see other heroes. Except, to stupid rule (although they deny it) that you can't use the big 3.

Also, the Superman is off planet has been used before. In the "Supergirl" movie. Superman was away in another galaxy when Kara arrived and for the rest of the movie. It just doesn't make sense in this show.

Someone did post the Candian version of next week's trailer and we see a familiar blurred hero.

 

[Zarex]

The "Birds of Prey" TV series handled the "Where's Batman?" problem by having Bruce either dead or close to that state due to his last confrontation with the Joker. "Supergirl" could have taken care of the "Where's Superman?" issue by sending him on an extended mission to the farthest reaches of space. Or they have put a greater age difference between the two Kryptonian heroes, like DC did when they introduced a young adult Power Girl to an Earth 2 with a fifty-something Kal. In that circumstance Kara was seen as his eventual replacement rather than a lesser copy.

 

[Kelly]

I don't see her as a lesser copy, I see her as an equal in strength, and learning. I think they have done a good job in putting that aspect across. I also think that Superman will be mentioned less and less as the season goes on.

 

[Zarex]

I don't see her as a lesser copy, I see her as an equal in strength, and learning. I think they have done a good job in putting that aspect across. I also think that Superman will be mentioned less and less as the season goes on.

I don't see Kara as lesser either, but I think the relationship (or lack thereof) with her cousin has been poorly handled. I admit it is nitpicking on a show I've enjoyed, but I would be very happy if we never hear of that other guy again.

 

[The Shape]

I don't see Kara as lesser either, but I think the relationship (or lack thereof) with her cousin has been poorly handled. I admit it is nitpicking on a show I've enjoyed, but I would be very happy if we never hear of that other guy again.

I have no problem with them mentioning "Superman" once in awhile. What gets annoying is the fact that they try so hard to NOT say his name.

"My cousin"
"Your cousin"
"My friend in blue"
"The big guy"
"The alien"
"Him"
etc.

 

[Kelly]

I don't see Kara as lesser either, but I think the relationship (or lack thereof) with her cousin has been poorly handled. I admit it is nitpicking on a show I've enjoyed, but I would be very happy if we never hear of that other guy again.

Can't disagree with that....

 

[Kelly]

I have no problem with them mentioning "Superman" once in awhile. What gets annoying is the fact that they try so hard to NOT say his name.

"My cousin"
"Your cousin"
"My friend in blue"
"The big guy"
"The alien"
"Him"
etc.

The thing is, why would she call him Superman, she has known him as her cousin....and does not have a relationship with him as Superman, only as a family member.

Cat is not going to say his name and give her competitors that benefit.

James knows him as a friend, therefore nicknames would not be uncommon to use...

However, I would rather they not mention him at all which I think will happen less and less as the season goes on.

 

[famicommander]

Truth be told, I don't really know why they passed in the first place.

CW passed on Supergirl because they didn't know what a hit Flash was going to be. Flash hadn't premiered yet and they were already developing iZombie and Legends of Tomorrow.

CW usually only carries ten scripted dramas at a time; if they had ordered Supergirl to series then a full half of their scripted lineup would have been DC Comics (Arrow, Flash, iZombie, Legends, and Supergirl) and they had no clue Flash would be so much bigger than its parent show, Arrow.

 

[DigificWriter]

Legends of Tomorrow wasn't actually under consideration yet when SG discussion and development started.

 

[Robert_Anthony]

BREAKING...New character added to Supergirl. Actress Emma Caulfield to play Cameron Chase.

SOURCE.

 

[famicommander]

BREAKING...New character added to Supergirl. Actress Emma Caulfield to play Cameron Chase.

SOURCE.

Anya from Buffy!

That's amazing news. I just got done watching Buffy and Angel.

 

[superboy13]

BREAKING...New character added to Supergirl. Actress Emma Caulfield to play Cameron Chase.

SOURCE.

Anya!

A couple of years ago she completely flipped out on me on Twitter. She wrote something like "Some people are stuck in the past" and I replied "What do you mean, Anya?". She obviously didn't get the joke and told me, very condescendingly, that that wasn't her name. Other people pointed out the irony of it to her and she later apologized.

 

[Dark Raven]

Oh no. Anya was annoying. But then everyone became annoying in Buffy, so I'm sure she'll act differently. Everyone had a set Whedon-seque way of acting.

 

[Mikelus]

The CW even expressed regret at passing up Supergirl and said that sometimes you do end up losing a good series. So I think they would jump at the chance to pick it up, should it be cancelled by CBS.

It could be more complicated than that:

While “Supergirl” would seem to be a fit with CW’s “The Flash” and “Arrow,” the show is seen as too expensive for the younger-skewing network, and would be more profitable for CBS Corp.’s overall portfolio, if it lands at CBS, where it currently has a good chance to go to series.

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/pilot-buzz-supergirl-cbs-1201481623/

Supergirl would get a huge budget cut with the CW, the show would suffer too much from it. If CBS cancels Supergirl, I think it would be it, if Constantine being cheaper could not find a second home... time will tell.

 

[Snow Queen]

BREAKING...New character added to Supergirl. Actress Emma Caulfield to play Cameron Chase.

SOURCE.

Yesssss t:

 

[aNarcHy2day]

As opposed to Constantine, Supergirl is a Berlanti show and therefore has a much greater chance of getting a second home at CW.

I'll add two important things though-
1- I don't think Supergirl will get cancelled at CBS, at least until Season 2. Unless of course there is a Arrow Season 3 level downturn from here on.
2- The budget factor is a crucial issue. Apparently it takes a lot of money to produce Supergirl, money which CW doesn't have to spare. So, in case it ends up there, quality will suffer.

 

[5red]

I don't see Kara as lesser either, but I think the relationship (or lack thereof) with her cousin has been poorly handled. I admit it is nitpicking on a show I've enjoyed, but I would be very happy if we never hear of that other guy again.

A bit extreme, but I agree with the sentiment. I hope they get all the "your cousin" stuff out of their system in episode three, then we can forget it and move on.

Kara, for me, is a superior character. Superman in comics has been portrayed in many different ways, but to the general public he's always this square-jawed infallible superhero who can do no wrong. Superman doesn't screw up, or doubt himself -- he's a product of a simpler time, of swashbuckling heroes who always win the day, and he's never been able to shake off that image in the popular conciousness. The public expect Superman to be a certain way.

Kara isn't hobbled by such prejudices. The writers can show her crying, and doubting herself, and making mistakes, and learning -- the audience won't complain "that's not Supergirl" because they don't really know who Supergirl is to begin with.

It occurred to me a while back that Supergirl is kind of like what Superman would have been, if he'd been invented at Marvel in the 1960s, instead of at DC in the 1930s. Supergirl is a Sixties hero in every way; she's closer to Spider-Man than Superman, in that she's allowed to self-doubt and mess up -- something that the Golden Age heroes never could. And although different writers have tried to re-invent Superman, the general public will always see him as that square-jawed Forties hero... the ultimate boy scout.


R5

 

[Nathan]

 

[Boy Scout]

A bit extreme, but I agree with the sentiment. I hope they get all the "your cousin" stuff out of their system in episode three, then we can forget it and move on.

Kara, for me, is a superior character. Superman in comics has been portrayed in many different ways, but to the general public he's always this square-jawed infallible superhero who can do no wrong. Superman doesn't screw up, or doubt himself -- he's a product of a simpler time, of swashbuckling heroes who always win the day, and he's never been able to shake off that image in the popular conciousness. The public expect Superman to be a certain way.

Kara isn't hobbled by such prejudices. The writers can show her crying, and doubting herself, and making mistakes, and learning -- the audience won't complain "that's not Supergirl" because they don't really know who Supergirl is to begin with.

It occurred to me a while back that Supergirl is kind of like what Superman would have been, if he'd been invented at Marvel in the 1960s, instead of at DC in the 1930s. Supergirl is a Sixties hero in every way; she's closer to Spider-Man than Superman, in that she's allowed to self-doubt and mess up -- something that the Golden Age heroes never could. And although different writers have tried to re-invent Superman, the general public will always see him as that square-jawed Forties hero... the ultimate boy scout.


R5

No offense, but I don't think you understand Superman at all.

 

[Boy Scout]

That is amazing.

 

[5red]

No offense, but I don't think you understand Superman at all.

Well, I was talking about how the general public perceive Superman, not how comicbook fans see him. For the general public, like your grandma or the guy who delivers your mail, the Chris Reeve Superman is the dominant Superman, perhaps with a little Dean Cain thrown in too. Ask 100 random strangers to describe Superman, and its the Reeve version that 90%+ of them will give you, not MoS.

But if you think differently, then please make your case.


R5

 

[Robert_Anthony]

AWESOME PIC!

 

[Loki882]

What tends to make Supergirl more interesting to me personally is that in many ways she fits the "immigrant" idea better than Superman does imo. Yes, Superman is from another planet, but he arrived on Earth as an infant. He was raised pretty much his entire life on Earth, by a human couple who taught him human values. He's been around humans all that time, and he has very few direct memories of Krypton (he gets a lot of that info second-hand via the FOS, other survivors, etc). And he fully considers himself to be a citizen of Earth.

Kara, on the other hand, was much older when she left Krypton. She knew her birth parents, she remembers a lot more about it, and she has more ingrained ties to it. So for her, the adjustment is even harder to make than with Clark.

 

[Boy Scout]

Well, I was talking about how the general public perceive Superman, not how comicbook fans see him.

Do your thoughts not line up with the general public's (alleged) perception of the character? You described Kara as a superior character and went on to describe why Superman could be considered inferior to her. Are those not your own thoughts?