MARTY KEARNEY FAREWELL

RECOMMENDED // MARTY KEARNEY

FAREWELL GIRL OF STEEL

THE CWS SUPERGIRL IS

ending with its current 6th Season. I for one am ready to see Kara Danvers and the Super friends leave our screens, that said I have had a soft spot for the show I have loved it at times but mostly I have been disappointed and I feel I have an opportunity to vent my feelings and frustrations to our readers on what could have been this generations Buffy the Vampire slayer.

First of let me take you back to the early 80s When I lived for the Supergirl movie with Helen Slater and Faye Dunaway, Saturday nights consisted of my father taking me to the local video shop (remember those?) and my choices where either Secret of the sword, the He Man and She Ra feature Length film. Rainbow Brite , some obscure Olivia Newtown John VHS with her physical music video (I know Super gay pun intended) or Supergirl, I would re watch the latter over and over I would say all the catchphrases from the movie such as “ LEAVE THIS PLACE AND DO NO HARM” the movie was panned and a box office failure its not even a cult

classic but I loved it watched it when it came on tv, and when it was released on DVD and thought oh I can see why people thought this was shit but still I still enjoyed it. From then the Character of Supergirl as turned up in animation movies and tv series and Lara Vandervoort played her in Season 7 of Smallville and as great as she was it still didn’t feel like it was the girl of steel as no costume was ever worn. I would often wish that a new Supergirl movie would be made casting the likes of Blake Lively and Diana Argon in my head and then one day as I was casually on IMBD I saw on the news feed a Supergirl show was in the works. And would air on CBS, I didn’t want to get to excited as these falls through but month by month it looked like the show was actually going to happen when it got a straight to series order. At this time, I was going grieving the loss of a partner so news like this as silly as it may sound did give me some happiness and it was for me something to look forward to and something to get excited about. Soon casting announcements where made, Mellissa Benoist from Glee was cast in the title role to be honest back then I thought not a great choice, I read some were Claire Holt who played Rebecka Mikaelson from the originals was in the run in who I thought would have been great but now I cant imagine any one else playing the role Mellissa was perfect. The next announcement was Ally McBeal herself Calista Flockhart cast as Cat Grant I thought wow they mean business hiring a big name like that. Next to be cast and I truly believe the angel of my recently late partner had something to do with this piece of casting news ,as my favourite character Lexi Grey from my all time favourite show in the world Greys Anatomy Chyler Leigh was going to play Alex Danvers Supergirl’s adopted sister I was on a natural high for days after this announcement. Other dream casting where added to the cast such as Helen Slater and Dean Cain who played Superman in the 90s. The pilot was in production and all I had to do now was wait. A few months later the first

image of Melisa in full costume was released my first reaction

was WHAT, why is she wearing black legging under her skirt, I didn’t love it. MAY 2015 and a 6-minute trailer was released and wow I was blown away. It was like an actual movie no expense was spared and on film the costume looked fantastic. I watched that trailer every day until the pilot episode aired in October 2015, almost a year had passed when news first broke I thought this is going to be massive! the next

big thing! this is going to be like Buffy all over again, Boy was I wrong.

Over the next few episodes I thought ok the show is finding its feet, and later in the season it did have some great episodes, it was written well the effects where great epically for a tv show it was what it was, all the while I was hoping for better villains. Towards the end of the first

season the ratings started to decline, and the show was on the bubble. Would Supergirl only get to fly for one season? Alas the CW picked it up for season 2 where it would join other Arrowverse shows such as The Flash and Arrow. Unfortunately, Calista Flockhart who stole every scene would not return as production was relocated from LS Angeles to Vancouver. Season 2 Introduced Tyler Hochlin as Superman and they were very careful not to have him outshine Supergirl. Chyler Leighs character Alex came out as Lesbian, the first LGBTWQ+ character to be represented in an Arrowverse series the character Lena Luthor sister of Lex was introduced. Playing her was fellow Irish actress Katie McGrath. Desperate Housewife Susan Mayer aka Terri Hatcher who played Lois Lane in the 90s superman series played the main villain for the seasons second half but by now you could tell this is a CW show, production and the writing went down hill and as each season went on it got worse. In season 3 there was one fight scene between Supergirl and Reign

The season main Villain played by Odeete Annable who in my opinion as the acting talent of a wooden spoon, that fight Scene would be the last time we see any decent effects on Supergirl ever! it is as if the used all the budget for future seasons on that one sequence and you can tell its great. The more the show went on I got more frustrated at how bad it became somehow the writing ,production even the acting began to really suck but all hope wasn’t gone Season four introduced the first

ever Trans Superhero Dreamer played by Nicole Maines who became a fan favourite and I hope to see her in more TV in the future she’s a grade above most CW actress. the show had so much potential to be great with so many characters and mythology that the writers could

have used as material. I know if I was a writer for the show id have had Granny Goodness and the Female furies as villains and cast big. Bring Back Jenna Dewan as Lucy Lane as an insane Super Woman and have her kill Jimmy Olson for his exit story line. They could have use the omegaheadron as a storyline as it was hinted at in season one. They could have made Faye Dunaway an offer and bring her back as Selina god knows she could do with work .The list is endless but it will never come to pass as the show is over and it is time In conclusion I was largely disappointed in Supergirl that said I am a fan of most of the cast I think the did the best of what they where given and you can tell on screen they are ready to move on after 6 years. I have no doubt they will be out of work for long.

Even after the show Supergirl is still my favourite Superhero and as cheesy as it sounds, she is a beacon of hope, inspiration and kindness. At least fans of Supergirl won’t have to wait years to see her on our screens again Sasha Callie will portray a version of the Last Daughter of Krypton in the upcoming movie The Flash.