The first images of Whiplash** actress Melissa Benoist as Supergirl showed up in March and we now have an extended taste of what the show itself will look like. Take a look...
As the superhero genre slowly expands its reach on the small screen alongside its grip on blockbuster cinema, more and more American networks are getting in on the act led by ABC (with Marvel’s shows) and the CW (DC). CBS, a channel not normally known for catering to the comic-book demographic has flown on to the bandwagon with this take on a character not seen on screens since 1984.
The show’s story follows Kara Zor-El, born on Krypton as Kal-El’s cousin and, like him, saved from its destruction. After arriving on Earth, she was taken in by the Danvers family, who taught her to be careful with her powers. Now, though, she’s decided to put them to good use...
Calista Flockhart is aboard as Cat Grant, Kara’s media mogul boss, with Mehcad Brooks as Jimmy Olsen, David Harewood as Hank Henshaw and Chyler Leigh as Alexandra Danvers, Kara’s confident foster sister. And two superhero veterans are also aboard, with Helen Slater, the Supergirl from the movie and former TV Superman Dean Cain taking guest spots on the pilot.
Tonally, the show is going for the blend of whimsical lifestyle drama and comic-book action – some have already been comparing it to the Saturday Night Live Black Widow spoof trailer – but it does seem to carry some of the flavour of The Flash, which has been able to walk a line between humour and heroics.
The show will premiere in the States in the autumn and, assuming it survives in the cutthroat world of American telly ratings, it will likely hop over here soon enough.