Supergirl is becoming Supertrain

When SUPERGIRL premiered I gave it a good review. Well done pilot, likable star, nifty action, and the tone was fun. The debut numbers were terrific (for 2015… if a show premiered with those numbers in 1975 it would be yanked from the schedule that week). Since Oct. 26th the ratings have been steadily tumbling. I was curious as to why so went back and screened the subsequent episodes.

I get it now. The scripts are all made of Kryptonite.

Within three weeks the SUPERGIRL series has become seriously stupid.

Clearly, the staff is flailing around searching for what this show is, and it doesn’t take X-Ray Vision to see they haven’t found it. To me, if feels like they’re letting research dictate the direction, trying to satisfy every target demographic.

Since superhero shows traditionally attract men, they’re going out of their way to get women into the tent. It’s not an action show; it’s really about women getting the chance to be empowered. She’s a role model for feminism. SUPERGIRL is important.

Okay, well that didn’t seem to work. SUPERGIRL has not replaced Sheryl Sandberg. So in order to attract women, they hit hard on emotional stories. Working through family relationships. In the sappiest possible way. The Thanksgiving episode was like every bad Lifetime Movie where Meredith Baxter died from the disease of the week.

But to play it safe, women always like romantic comedy. Give them that. Supergirl likes Jimmy Olsen but he likes someone else and the sweet guy in the office (who is probably gay) likes her but she can’t see it. And she goes out on bad dates. Oh, poor Supergirl.

Upscale Millennials must be served if CBS ever hopes to get Lexus on board. So Supergirl works in a slick upscale corporation with sets probably rejected from Nancy Meyer movies. Hmmmm. That might not be enough. What they need is a horrible boss. Yes, Millennials loved those horrible boss movies. Give Supergirl one of those. So they created the Calista Flockhart character who is such a cliché she struggles to be one-dimensional.

But wait. The show still needs male viewers. So throw in monsters, mutants, and miscellaneous rejects from WALKING DEAD with super powers so Supergirl can beat the crap of them. And of course, there needs to be a made-up covert government organization in a secret location that looks like rejected BLACK LIST sets so we can check the conspiracy box. Conveniently, this secret compound just happens to be in the city where Supergirl resides. What are the odds? Oh, and throw her sister in there as an operative because, well… what the hell do you do with the sister?

Stunt casting is a must. Helen Slater (the original Supergirl) and Dean Cain (Superman from LOIS & CLARK) are Supergirl’s parents. What amazing gets! And Superman himself makes cameo appearances. In one episode he saved Supergirl. Touching but it also eliminates a lot of suspense because at any time Superman can just fly in and save her. But I’m sure research said you must include the Man of Steel. Especially on CBS. They had Superman appear on I LOVE LUCY you’ll recall.

Supergirl also has to stay up with the times. And today that means there is a faction that is anti-Supergirl. All she does is avert disasters, save lives, and stop crime but citizens are ready to get out the pitchforks and torches. Don’t they have a Ben Carson rally to attend? Leave Supergirl alone.  It's bad enough she can't get dates. 

By trying to be all things to all people the show has managed to please no one. Pick a direction. Or maybe go in an alternate one. What seems interesting to me is SUPERGIRL as a metaphor for how hard it is for women to have it all. The conflict of Kara trying to maintain a career, having a personal life, and saving the world is an interesting one. As it is now she goes from office responsibilities to vanquishing transformers to checking in at C.I.Alien HQ to baking pies with relative ease. You’d think not all bank robberies would occur during lunch breaks.

I hope they can figure it out. Like I said, I liked the pilot. And it’s not like superhero series don’t work. I’m surprised NBC doesn’t make Carson Daly wear a cape. But more attention must be paid to the scripts than the effects. CGI can’t create good drama. Nor can focus groups.