The first look trailer for the new Supergirl TV series has just been released and has somewhat surprised me. Because I’m actually pretty excited now.
According to the show’s synopsis, “Supergirl is an action-adventure drama based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), Superman’s (Kal-El) cousin who, after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Twelve-year-old Kara escaped the doomed planet Krypton with her parents’ help at the same time as the infant Kal-El. Protected and raised on Earth by her foster family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex (Chyler Leigh), and learned to conceal the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin in order to keep her identity a secret. Years later at 24, Kara lives in National City assisting media mogul and fierce taskmaster Cat Grant (Golden Globe Award winner Calista Flockhart), who just hired the Daily Planet’s former photographer, James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), as her new art director. However, Kara’s days of keeping her talents a secret are over when Hank Henshaw (David Harewood), head of a super-secret agency where her sister also works, enlists her to help them protect the citizens of National City from sinister threats. Though Kara will need to find a way to manage her newfound empowerment with her very human relationships, her heart soars as she takes to the skies as Supergirl to fight crime.”
Now, Supergirl isn’t a character I’m hugely familiar with and I’m not even a massive fan of her cousin. But with this extended trailer I’m already pretty hooked on the ideas that look to be explored. With the show being picked up by CBS, a sort of sister company of the CW, and worked on by members of the same team behind Arrow and The Flash, there’s not only potential for crossover down the line but it looks like we’ll be getting more of the human side of superhuman. Starting with Arrow and since expanding into shows such as The Flash, Gotham and Constantine, the DC TV universe, though not faultless, has strived to find the human heart behind the masks and looks set to continue the trend with Supergirl. Interestingly, the trailer makes several mentions to the famous cousin and though it may seems somewhat unlikely given Henry Cavill’s presence in the cinematic DC Universe and the way in which they seem fairly determined to keep the TV and movie universes separate, its exciting to think we could get an appearance down the line. Either way, Supergirl seems to have a lot to offer and it’s great to see a female led DC show hit the screens. Hopefully we’ll get to see more soon.
Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments:
