For some reason, translating a female superhero onto a big or small screen seems to be a task that is especially daunting for even the mightiest of network executives. What works for heroes such as the Flash and Arrow, is oftentimes perceived to be impossible for any super-powered person who happens to be wearing a skirt.
And that’s exactly what you’re going to see in this first look at Supergirl, in a short film that has just been released as a first look into the upcoming CBS series:
It’s not a bird. It’s not a plane. It’s not a man. It’s Supergirl. In the new drama from the world of DC Comics, Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, embraces her superhuman abilities and becomes the hero she was always meant to be. This Fall on CBS.
I’m not going to lie: That is a terrible, terrible cut of what to expect in Supergirl. The cliches are all there: The attractive best friend that Supergirl is completely unaware of, the horrible Mills and Boone romance music, Supergirl being undervalued because she’s a gurl and on and on we go around this rabbit hole. Make no mistake, this is going to be one show that is going to need to be faster than a speeding trope, more powerful than a cliche and able to jump tall moments of duh in a single leap. It’s essentially the Black Widow sketch from SNL, scene for scene:
And yet, there’s plenty there that I do like about the series, once I look past those flaws. Michelle Benoist looks like an absolute delight as Supergirl, switching from her secret identity to the girl of steel almost effortlessly. The sets look fantastic, the special effects aren’t bad for a series that needs to match a $250 million film and the costume looks fantastic in action. Despite that horrendous trailer above, I want to give the show a chance when it debuts later this year.
Last Updated: May 14, 2015
Gavin Mannion
May 14, 2015 at 08:56
Holy cow the official trailer and beginning of that skit are identical.. that’s amazing.
Super Girl looks fine but it doesn’t appeal to me.. far too much drama and emotion. Not my thing
Geoffrey Tim
May 14, 2015 at 08:57
It’s super-pygmalion!
That’s My Fair Lady, for some of you.
And She’s All That, for others.
And about a billion movies and shows since.
Nick de Bruyne
May 14, 2015 at 14:08
The rain in Spain falls mainly on your FACE LIKE THIS BUS BITCH.
RinceTriss
May 14, 2015 at 08:58
This has ruined my day. It’s like it was put together for an audience in the 80s. Man horrific.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 14, 2015 at 09:48
You’ve just managed to out-melodrama the trailer 😛
RinceTriss
May 14, 2015 at 10:01
Impossibru! When I first saw it I thought they were taking the piss. Honestly.
Kervyn Cloete
May 14, 2015 at 09:02
Still interested in the show, but I’ll be damned if that trailer didn’t try it’s hardest to change that.
Ir0nseraph
May 14, 2015 at 09:17
At least , unlike smallville we don’t have to wait 10 seasons to see her fly.
Admiral Chief
May 14, 2015 at 09:37
XD
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 14, 2015 at 09:45
That looks better than I thought it would, it was actually pretty cool.
RinceTriss
May 14, 2015 at 10:02
WOWZA. Was it the ‘set phasers to full cliché’ that got you hook, line and sinker?
Kervyn Cloete
May 14, 2015 at 10:15
I actually don’t think it was bad either. There are some parts that made me cringe (the Taylow Swift music beat in particular), but Melissa Benoist is effortlessly charming (and the main reason I will watch this), the suit looks great, the chemistry looks decent, and there’s a definite polish to the show.
It may not be to your tastes, but for it’s genre, it looks decent.
RinceTriss
May 14, 2015 at 10:33
The trailer is terrible, I can’t say it looks good I am afraid. I will give it a shot, hell I watched 6 seasons of Smallville so of course I will. But that doesn’t stop the trailer from being horrific.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 14, 2015 at 10:15
Ag shame. It’s okay bro, let it out.
Oh no, it looks light & fun. I HATE IT! I see little difference between this and The Flash when that first revealed. I’m honestly finding the amount of disapproval it’s getting quite funny, and saddening, because I’d thought we’d learnt from that one to wait until watching before judging so harshly.
10 points to the first person to mention how it has to be like Daredevil. Bonus points for trying to convince me that Supergirl is one of your favourite characters and that she’s been ruined – trying, because I won’t believe you.
Kervyn Cloete
May 14, 2015 at 10:17
Exactly that. And now that I’ve agreed with Trevor I need to take a chemical bath coz I feel icky.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 14, 2015 at 10:19
lol. WHAT IS THIS NEW, UNFAMILIAR FEELING?
RinceTriss
May 14, 2015 at 10:32
Nope. I’ve watched plenty of trailers for things like Flash and even Smallville and never thought ‘wtf are they doing making it another Legally Blond’. This trailer is terrible and makes me not want to watch the show. I will give it a try though. I was commenting on the trailer as I have not seen the show, and the trailer is bad, and should feel bad.
Andre116
May 14, 2015 at 13:29
Needs to be more gritty.
Can I have my 10 points now?
Seriously though, it was a bit too on the emotional side for me. I’d prefer some kickass characters. This show looks like the main arch through all the seasons will be the love triangle. I hope now…but that is the impression I got from the trailer.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 14, 2015 at 13:52
Oh I get it, it does look more… girly… for want of a better phrase, but I expected something like that since it was first announced. I also wanted it to be different in tone to Arrow & Flash because it needs to stand on its own and not be seen as a clone of one of those shows. She did look like she can kick ass too though.
The whole love triangle thing – well I never liked that silly kind of thing, but I don’t see it being any different to what we see on Flash or Arrow and their romantic dramas. The main arc looks more about really becoming a superhero and being taken seriously as one to me.
Andre116
May 14, 2015 at 13:56
I have to admit, that I don’t even watch Arrow or Flash either. Neither seemed to hold my attention span. I think all three can be categorized as YA. Something I don’t care much about.
The Sten
May 14, 2015 at 10:46
Is this an actual trailer or a summary of the pilot? Whats left to reveal in the show then?
Nick de Bruyne
May 14, 2015 at 13:58
Up, up and Aweh.
Nick de Bruyne
May 14, 2015 at 14:03
Ok so I think it looks like it has some potential despite showing off a lot of problems really quick, but I think this has to be looked at as what it is, in that I think it’s going to be targeted more towards a female market, to give them a superhero they can relate to a lot more than maybe going for a super realistic or ultra mindblowing action experience.
I guess that’s fair enough if that’s what they’re going to go for, and it looks like it is. We have SO much good stuff out there right now that I really don’t mind if something isn’t catered directly to me. That said… let’s just hope they don’t go full on Gossip Girl with a cape. I mean who wants to watch a show that’s just seasons and seasons of discussing feelings, having emotions and relationship trouble with some visual effects in between. Oh wait that was Smallville? Oh yeah, nevermind!
Not too mad on the costume though, feels like it sort of doesn’t fit in with everything else.
Captain JJ Browman
May 14, 2015 at 16:03
I think this is made for the teen-young adult market. It just has all the Vampire Diaries stuff in there, but with Supergirl