Supergirl - The Adventures Of Supergirl - Advance Preview: “Changes Abound”

When last season ended Supergirl left viewers hanging with several mysteries, but the biggest mystery of all was whether we were ever going to be allowed to find out what would happen next. With the series in limbo fans nervously waited for word on the fate of this powerful little show that fought for, and rightfully earned, its place in the lexicon of television superheroes. The expectation was always hopeful, that Supergirl would fly again, but in television, nothing is ever guaranteed until it is written in stone. When it was announced that Supergirl had been renewed, but on the CW, fans were overjoyed because it was obvious from the very beginning that this is where the show belonged. But, as soon as the initial excitement passed questions turned to what the show would be like in its new home. After seeing the first episode of the new season I can say that some things have changed, but most of those changes are for the better. The new home means this show is finally being given the freedom to reach its full potential.

With the move to a new network came the need to relocate the production of the series to Canada which required sets to be rebuilt. This upheaval gave the series an opportunity to make some set upgrades and they went for it. Cat Co still basically looks the same as does Kara’s apartment, but the DEO is drastically different. And by different I mean it’s a whole new setup from top to bottom. Don’t worry, though, the show doesn’t expect fans to just forget what we watched last season, and the change is addressed and explained. Alex’s apartment finally gets a mention but is not seen in this episode. The mention of it makes me think that we’ll be seeing it sooner than later. I don’t know about other fans, but I for one can’t wait to get a glimpse at the place Alex calls home.

There are new faces in National City in the way of Clark Kent aka Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) and newly relocated Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath). Both characters play major roles in this episode and are expertly introduced and crafted to play big roles throughout this season. While I was worried about Clark taking a bit of the spotlight away from Kara it was an unwarranted fear because the story is still all about Kara. Yet the show did find a way to create a well thought-out story for him that has the potential to cause some interesting conflict. Dispute Clark having many ties to National City he has never stuck around for long and the reasoning behind that is explained. With the arrival of Clark also comes a ton of Metropolis references including Lois checking up on her superhero boyfriend.

Someone I didn’t expect to like was Lena Luthor, yet McGrath portrays her in a way that is impossible to not sympathize with the character despite her ultimate intentions still being unknown. She is someone who comes across as trying to right the wrongs of her brother. Lex's history with Superman is only one of many references to the movie franchise storyline. While the episode doesn’t sway the focus from Kara the episode itself does have a lot of Superman mythology references. You don’t have to have watched the movies to get the references, but for those who have also followed the franchise, there are several little easter eggs peppered throughout the episode. I have a feeling Lena will be a character that fans will really enjoy and I would absolutely not object to a future where McGrath could obtain a series regular spot. She fits in perfectly with this cast. Lena is a Luthor, so who knows whether she will be a friend or foe, but it does appear that they are setting her up to play a big part in Kara's story this season.

While a lot is still the same this is a new network and it’s obvious they are hoping to pull in new viewers, so this episode is very exposition heavy. Stuff that doesn’t necessarily need an explanation gets one, but I think most people expected this to happen as the CW tries to launch Supergirl on their network. Hopefully with this episode out of the way and the reinvention of the series set into motion the excessive exposition will end here. This is the only part of the episode that I can really fault. It’ll be great for new fans, but established fans may find it a tad frustrating.

This is the same show we all watched and loved last season. Kara and Alex still have an amazing sisterly bond. J’onn is still overly protective over the Danvers sisters. Cat is still an amazing mentor for Kara and pushes her to be the best she can be, including forcing Kara to make a definitive decision about what path she wants her career to take. On that note, this episode actually backtracks a bit and fills in a tiny blank from the final moments of the season finale, so there is no time jump between seasons. This short span of time will make one particular scene seem extremely sudden and unexpected, you’ll know the one I’m referencing when you see it. Some people will love it and some won’t, but I’m certain I won’t be the only one surprised by it. I feel like this is something that the change in networks dictated which is why the show had to rapidly come up with a way to undo something they did while they were on CBS. It should be interesting to see how this affects things moving forward.

Overall this is an amazing start to the new season. A very exposition-heavy episode, but the action sequences are on point. The choice to merge Superman's story with Supergirl's pays off in some major ways with several awesome team-ups between the cousins both in and out of costume. Surprisingly the graphics are really good as well. This move seems to be exceptionally good for the show giving it more room to evolve the way it was always meant to. Supergirl has nowhere to go but up now that all the CBS restrictions have been removed. The first season of this show was amazing, but this season is poised to be extraordinary.

This explosive season premiere was expertly written by Jessica Queller and beautifully directed by Glen Winter.

Tune into the CW on Monday, October 10th at 8/7C to watch Supergirl fly home to her new network. After the episode airs be sure to come to SpoilerTV for weekly reviews by Zandarl. I'll be bringing you previews this season whenever the opportunity is provided by the CW. Prepare yourselves for what promises to be a standout season.

Here are a few quotes to tide you over until then:
“Maybe a mild-mannered reporter should make some inquiries while he’s here in National City.”
“Some steel under that Kansas wheat.”
“I know why you and Superman aren’t the best of friends.”
“I thought this is what you wanted.”
“I don’t need a Star Wars reference right now, Winn, I need a plan!”

Bonus quote:
"Up, up..." "...and away!"

Hit the comments with your hopes for this episode. What are you hoping to see change on the new network? What do you hope will remain the same? Do you like the idea of the Superman mythology being more deeply incorporated into the show? Are you excited to see the new sets? Are you as excited to potentially see Alex's apartment as I am? What do you hope will happen in Season Two?

About the Author - Aimee Hicks

Aimee works for a newspaper in North Carolina and has a BA in Broadcasting and Cinema. She has been a TV lover since before she really understood what TV was and has a passion for analyzing performances and theorizing what may happen on her favorite shows. Her interest in television covers just about every genre, but her first love is the sci-fi/fantasy genre. For the 2016/2017 season she will be reviewing Chesapeake Shores, Dark Matter, Frequency, Gilmore Girls, Jessica Jones, Lucifer, and Orphan Black. She will also be handling the Best Scene Polls for Supergirl and previewing several new and returning shows. She also oversees the popular SpoilerTV feature, Performers of the Month (#POTM) which highlights the most outstanding actor and actress from each month. You can email her at aimee@spoilertv.com.

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