I’m going to be honest with you, I go into every episode hoping it will be the one that makes me like Mon-El. I go in with a positive attitude, a clean slate, and give him the benefit of the doubt. So when Mon-El woke up in Kara’s bed, I thought to myself, “Wow, it must have been so nice for Kara to finally not have to hold back or worry about hurting the person she’s with.” (This was later confirmed by her mentioning she’s broken a nose or four during an over-eager make-out session.)
And Kara’s happiness is very important to me. So I was ready to try to get on board with this relationship. But then Kara comes home, having saved half the city before Mon-El even woke up, and he calls her a “gentleman” for bringing him coffee. But okay, fine, I’ll brush that off as a cultural difference. But then he took my clean slate and shattered it when Kara asked him to keep the fact that they were dating quiet for now and he IMMEDIATELY told the entire DEO as soon as he walked into the building.
And he thinks he’s soooo cute, but he directly went against her one request, and it makes my BLOOD BOIL. J’onn sends them to HR, who will hopefully tell him to cut it out.
Winn gets a ping about a Cadmus shipment moving out (they had been dark since Lillian Luthor escaped) and Supergirl and J’onn fly out to check it out. Instead of finding weapons, though, they find Jeremiah Danvers.
Back at the DEO, Jeremiah gives them a quick recap of what he’s been up to while kidnapped by an evil organization. The lump of bread dough in the corner rises up and says it seems a little fishy that they found and rescued him relatively easily, despite being unable to locate him for years, and Jeremiah agrees that they shouldn’t let their guard down.
Jeremiah says Cadmus has a nuclear fusion bomb they made from Kara’s heat vision and are going to blow up National City and blame aliens, so he sends Winn off to trace heat signatures and all that.
Alex and Kara have no interest in wondering why Jeremiah appeared now after all this time, and why no one seems to be trying to get him back, especially when Eliza comes to the DEO and their family is all together again.
BOTTLE THIS MOMENT
Mon-El ruins the moment by pointing out to Kara that when she was kidnapped, it didn’t seem like they were harnessing her heat vision as much as trying to drain her powers so they could get her blood, so are we sure we buy her father’s story? Kara tells him to calm down and just come to family dinner and get to know the man who raised her. She’s sure this will change his mind about Jeremiah.
That night at dinner, Maggie comes and Alex nervously kisses her on the cheek and introduces her to Jeremiah as her girlfriend.
Alex is so nervous and proud and excited and somehow Chyler gets that all across in an instant BUT HOW
Jeremiah is surprised, and says a very dad-like thing about how men wouldn’t be good enough so obviously she upgraded to a woman, and Maggie takes it in stride and gives him a bottle of tequila. Jeremiah calls her family and heads off to make margaritas and Alex breathes and adorable sigh of relief.
While making drinks for everyone, Jeremiah tells Eliza to look at their girls, and how happy and loved they seem. He’s so happy that they’re happy.
In these moments, I almost forget all the bad stuff.
Eliza takes this time to remind him that a lifetime has passed since he left, and while she’s not about to give up on him, or even them, they can’t just pick up where they left off. But she’s willing to start the getting-to-know-you process all over again, if he is.
J’onn shows up and joins the Danvers family and their plus ones gather in toasting to coming home. Mon-El ruins the nice moment by expressing concern with J’onn welcoming Jeremiah back to the DEO, and when Kara tries to get Mon-El to say something nice, all he does is question Papa Danvers’ loyalty but in a “nice” tone. Alex. is. Furious.
My name is Alexandra Danvers. You insulted my father. Prepare to die.
Kara pulls Mon-El aside and says enough is enough – this is twice just today he directly disrespected her very simple requests. He tries to apologize but it’s too little too late, and she’s starting to wonder if this can work after all. Either way, he should probably go for now.
Jeremiah walks him out and tells Mon-El that he knows who he is and that Kara wouldn’t like The Truth. Fueled by not only genuine suspicion but now extra motivation to get rid of him, Mon-El recruits Winn to help prove the prodigal father might not be the good news he seems to be.
So when Winn spots Jeremiah doing shady things on a computer, he grabs Mon-El and they tell Kara, who is not pleased that they went behind her back.
Kara, not one to sneak around (and sure there’s a reasonable explanation for this), faces the problem head on and asks Jeremiah what he was doing. He says he was looking at case files, and Alex gets a worried look on her face when she asks him why.
Hey remember when we were all drinking margaritas? Can we get back to that?
Jeremiah says that he wanted to read up on what his girls were doing while he was gone, because he hates how much he missed. This is good enough to Alex to both continue trusting Jeremiah and being mad at Kara for going along with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb being suspicious of her dad.
Kara tries to explain her thinking but Alex is so mad. She says it’s okay to be a little suspicious of Jeremiah after all this time, but Alex won’t hear it. She says, “He’s my father.” and Kara snaps back that he’s hers, too. So Alex implores her to act like it.
THIS IS NOT A FACE YOU MAKE AT KARA. THIS IS A MON-EL FACE. *panic*
Mon-El goes to Winn for advice about how not to be terrible and Winn says what we’ve been shouting at our TVs for weeks: Kara doesn’t need to be saved. She doesn’t need a strong, handsome savior. She needs a partner. And only she knows what that looks like. So Winn rockets himself right out of the yellow zone and into the green zone of likability and says: Just. Ask. Kara. And ffs, LISTEN to her. And, despite the fact that this is exactly what Kara herself has been saying over and over again, when Winn says it, it finally seems to sink in.
Winn gets an alert about the Cadmus bomb and the team swoops in, Alex with her dad in her ear and Supergirl ready to break down the door.
I don’t think it’s healthy how attractive I find this.
But when they get inside, there’s nothing there. J’onn realizes it might be a trap and turns to see Jeremiah hopping away like a slimy bullfrog and realizes he can’t read his old friend’s mind. And then we learn the truth: Jeremiah is a cyborg now. He steals some files and fights his way out of the DEO, begging for understanding all the while.
Later, when J’onn wakes up in the med bay, J’onn tells Alex about her father’s cyborg arm, and Alex is furious with Cadmus. She’s ready for revenge.
“So we will walk through the fire and let it…burn.”
For now though, they have to find Jeremiah. Luckily Winn put a tracker on Jeremiah, so they follow him right to the middle of the woods where he’s meeting Cyborg Hank Henshaw and Lillian Luthor. So as soon as he hands over the files he stole, his daughters appear, ready to fight.
Sisters who fight together stay together, RIGHT?!
The girls want to take Jeremiah with them, but Cadmus had planned on them coming, and there’s a runaway train Supergirl has to save. While she does that, Alex tracks her father down and begs him to look at her, to look her in the eye and tell her that he’s evil now.
As a daddy’s girl myself, this is VERY upsetting.
She tearfully asks for an explanation, and he swears this is all for her. She chokes through a sob, asking how, on this or any planet, betraying her and everyone she loves could possibly be FOR her? She wants to take him into the DEO, but he says she’d have to shoot him first, knowing she never could. He tells her that she was the best part of him and runs away, and poor sweet Alex Danvers falls to her knees and cries.
Kara is worried. She’s worried about her sister, worried about what Jeremiah’s whole deal is, worried about what Cadmus is doing, worried that everything is going to change. J’onn says that probably it will, but that they’ll be stronger for it, admittedly not the most helpful/comforting advice Papa J’onn has ever given.
Back at her apartment, Alex is drinking alone again for the first time (that we’ve seen her) since she officially started up with Maggie. Speak of the angel, Maggie is at the door and wants to know how her dad’s first day back went.
“You don’t look as happy to see my flannel shirt as I thought you’d be.”
Alex answers by finishing her drink and Maggie stops her from pouring another. She makes her girlfriend look her in the eye, and says that she’s here for her, and asks again. What happened? And Alex just breaks down. She starts to cry and Maggie holds her close.
“Come stop your crying, it’ll be alright…I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don’t you cry.”
Across town, Kara is curled up on her couch, wallowing in her own sadness. Mon-El comes over and asks what he can do to help, and she asks him to just hold her. And I thought this was an interesting difference. Maggie saw her girlfriend hurting, and instinctively pulled her closer. Mon-El had to ask. But I guess at least this time he listened?
Kara’s phone goes off and Winn tells her that they figured out what files Jeremiah stole: It was the alien registry. So Kara runs off to work.
So here’s the thing about this whole situation: I have a theory. This relationship feels forced and strange and they’re not leaning into the things that, on paper, could make sense. So I think what they’re doing is making us think Kara thinks she’s happy with Mon-El to try to double-down on the emotional impact when she finds out who he really is or whatever. Which, granted, I don’t think they’re doing a good job of thus far, BUT gives me a little hope because maybe that means they’ll cut it out soon? “I’ll train you but I can’t date you because I don’t trust you”? Maybe? I don’t know, I still feel like Kara is fighting against this narrative and I’d be so happy if I believed she was genuinely happy in this relationship but I just don’t.
The A-tag is Jeremiah hoping his deal with Lillian is still on, and Lillian saying soon Earth will be “free.” Which is interesting, that this storyline seems to be coming to a head, since there are still eight episodes left in the season. I know a lot of you have been disappointed in a lot of things going on lately, and frankly I have been too, but I haven’t given up on this show, not even close. I’ve loved this show since I first saw the pilot at a preview event before it even aired. I loved season one with all my heart, long before Alex was confirmed queer. It was a bright light in the darkness, a constant source of joy in an ever-changing world of terrible. So Supergirl put a window in my dark room of sadness, then Sanvers came along and knocked down half a wall to create a bay window. But then Mon-El came and put up curtains. At first they were just cute curtains – I could have done without them, but they were cheerful, so I was fine with it. But he keeps trying to put up blackout curtains to block out the power of the yellow sun. It’s exhausting and surprising and I would like him to please stop.
The end of this episode was a step in the right direction. Again, not ideal, and I still don’t think they’re a good match, but if he’s genuinely willing to work on it, and will legitimately listen to and respect Kara even when he disagrees with her, maybe, just maybe, he won’t continue to be the worst.
In the meantime, more Alex/Maggie screentime, please and thank you. Also where’s James? Why has no one mentioned him? Why haven’t we even heard what Guardian is up to? Please don’t tell me they set up ANOTHER storyline for him just to drop it cold turkey?
The good news is, it looks like next week Alex is going to channel all of her daddy issues into kicking the crap out of anyone and everyone, which I’m sure will be cathartic for all of us.
I purposely write Mon-El has awful and not listening or respecting Kara. I assume they are writing him toxic on purpose so hopefully this will all lead somewhere. I am hoping once the truth comes out, Kara will dump his ass and not take him back. I see some people online wanting him to be endgame. I can’t see him being on the show after this season. It doesn’t make sense, he isn’t needed and he is an awful character.
I hope we have some Danvers sister scenes next episode. Also I love Maggie but we still need more of her. I hope they are able to sign her on for next season.
I meant I hope they are purposely writing Mon-El….. They have to know he is awful and in each episode they make sure he is doing something bad. I just hate reading comments online of people loving him. I hate thinking about girls watching this and thinking they should have a guy like this.
I mean, they MUST, right? The things they have other characters saying – especially Mxy, but in this episode also Winn and even Alex a little – makes me feel like they KNOW? It’s all very confusing.
The entirety of their relationship has just been Kara shouting “listen to me when I speak” apparently into the void,then Winn suggests the same thing one time and suddenly Mon-El decides to give that a go?
Cannot decide if this is a commentary on the value of women’s voices and who is allowed to be a credible witness to their experiences, or if it’s just on-brand behaviour for a consistent dink.
Probably the second one, but just how brilliantly the women on the show have written the story and the varying relationships between women from mentor to adversary to lover, i really wouldn’t be surprised if it was both. Like extremely sharp of you to notice that.
There really should be an edit button here, I am terrible at giving complements online and i should stop, that last line seems kind of condescending, it wasn’t i swear.
Sanvers definitely needs more screentime but still there are such beautiful details in this little screentime they have. Like this moment when Maggie lifted Alex’s head so she could look her in the eyes. I live for those perfect small gestures and hidden meanings.
OH GOD LIFTING HER CHIN IT WAS SO GOOD
true but they have also missed so many opportunities to add in small gestures like when Alex brought Maggie to the bar to introduce her as “girlfriend” they could have walked in holding hands.
I agree that they really missed an opportunity in that scene at the bar. I could maybe understand not wanting them to walk up to the group holding hands, but it was weird that they just kind of bumped each other instead of some kind of embrace or something after telling the group they are dating. I think in other instances, like the Valentines dance scene, the camera is so focused up on their faces that we don’t get to see that they actually are holding hands or touching each other. You can tell that they must be touching from the way their bodies move, but it shouldn’t be so different for Alex and Maggie than the very obvious touching we saw with Kara and Mon-el in this last episode.
You know how it is after you’ve watched enough tv, that you can pretty much figure out where a relationship is going onscreen, this episode is probably the episode where i found Mon-El to be kind of tolerable because you can kind of see the direction they are taking the relationship between him and Kara, setting up the lie about who he is to probably be the straw that breaks their doomed from the start relationship(or at least so i hope).
Also, not going to lie but strangely enough characters who do what Mon-El did with questioning the return of Jeremiah when everyone was so excited and happy, is something i relate to a lot and is probably the easiest way to endear a character to me, or second easiest. Easiest would be for the character to be played by Katie McGrath
“Easiest would be for the character to be played by Katie McGrath” hahahahaha hard same.
She’ll be back next week!
And there’s an interesting youtube video in which Merlin producer and writer Julian Murphy and Katie McGrath discuss whether the lesbian undertones many have noticed about the relationship between Morgana and Morgause (which is a little unnecessary – not to say icky – because they are supposed to be half-sisters) stem from his writing or are entirely Katie’s fault.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP6tyNgYfqo
(The video contains a few Merlin-Spoilers)
Now I haven’t really watched Merlin. But I know that it was one of Katie McGrath’s first roles. And I HAVE watched a few other things she was in. Even the music video to Hozier’s “From Eden”. Seems like the lady, no matter the role, can’t help but be lesbian cat-nip.
(Which, by the way, doesn’t make her any less of an actress. She’s phenomenal!) :)
I also hope they didn’t just bring her in because she makes for great villains. I love the ambiguity surrounding Lena. Makes her maybe the most intriguing character on Supergirl right now.
Sorry… I’ll shut up about Katie/Lena now, until she actually shows up.
I had a feeling that they were going to make this Karamel an abusive relationship storyline but after this episode, I guess I was wrong. They’re trying to fix Mon-El to be with Kara and I really don’t like that. And what really pissed me off was that he got it all while James only got some awkward kisses. Man… He deserved more! She deserved more! I’m really dissapointed. I mean Mon-El didin’t appreciate Kara’s efforts to save the city! He only complaint about waking up alone in her bed! Come on!!
Totally hear what you’re saying with Mon-El. I like to see Kara getting some nice things, even if not perfect, but each episode there is a cringe-worthy moment. Except, they are such epitomes of what we cringe at when we compare male and female behavior in real life and on screen, that I keep wondering if it’s all a set-up for a big fall. Like maybe to teach all the little fans our there ultimately that this isn’t all right?
I don’t have much hope in that last point, but I keep holding out hope for the season overall and where they’ll go with it, while raging that Mon-El would only listen after a dude repeated what Kara has been very consistent about. I’m infected with Rage.
Meanwhile, Alex can take her daddy issues out on Cadmus and help us all feel better.
More Maggie.
More James? I mean, he’s totally annoyed me this season, with his big cry-baby man ego, but just dropping him as a character when he was an important original on this show (*sob* Cat…also I miss Lucy) isn’t right. Beyond the character impacts, it’s uncomfortable from a representation perspective. For me. Maybe he’s just become busy running CatCo (as he should be, for Pete’s sake), but at least mention that!
There is an episode this season where Kara has to team up with Maggie to save Alex so more Maggie is definitely on the way.
As I wrote in my comment I think with the move from LA to Vancouver and from CBS to the CW, the show lost it’s balance between CatCo and DEO. I thought at the beginning of this season (and even before) when Tyler Hoeclin was with the cast at Comic-Con and in promo pictures that he/Superman would be a bigger presence but he didn’t last that long. I think TPTB thought they would introduce Superman and he’d be a hit and maybe the CW would throw a spin off show at them for him and James would fade from Supergirl and go be Superman’s right hand man and I’d be okay with that because the Supergirl cast was getting a bit crowded this season with introducing Maggie and Mon-El and sometimes Snapper but that hasn’t happened. I never liked James and I think Snapper can fill that editor role from Cat that Kara needs and hopefully they find a place for Superman and do go with the spin off and send James off to there.
As much as I don’t like it when Mon-El isn’t respecting Kara’s wishes, (and not respecting her wish to keep their relationship secret for now was truly awful,) he really was the only one thinking straight when Jeremiah came back. Even though he is their dad, both Kara and Alex should’ve used their heads and not their hearts and been more careful already from the behinning. They are working for a government agency handling very sensitive information and trusting someone that has been locked away by the enemy for like 15 years is plainly stupid, no matter how close to you that person is/was. But most weird (or bad writing) was that J’Onn was just trusting him from the start. I think pretty much every viewer saw this betrayal from Jeremiah coming from a mile away, so it felt wrong that more characters wasn’t more suspicious.
I got why Alex and Kara trusted him immediately (all they know how to do is lead with their hearts) but I agree that it was weird for J’onn. I think him saving Kara and Mon-El from Cadmus the first time around might have lulled him into a false sense of security.
While J’Onn was successful resquing Kara and Mon-El from Cadmus, they hadn’t been locked up for 15 years so J’onn was way too trusting from the start. I get what you’re saying about how Kara and especially Alex only knowing how to think with their hearts, but it’s a bad (and potentially dangerous) habit to have considering their line of work.
– I really hope that they don’t redeem Mon-El, because that message there is REALLY terrible. Ladies, if you just stick with it long enough, and forgive him enough, he’ll change to be the man you want.
– Mon-El proclaiming that they were dating wasn’t just ignoring Kara, but also a boast and a way to mark his territory. ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH…
– I hate how they used the idiot ball on everyone in order to make Mon-El the “reasonable” hero here. Women are too emotional, and they need a man to logically look at this.
Also, the constant thing that I hear from the Karamel shippers is “They’re so cute together.” And? And? AND? Is that all you’ve got?
Right? They literally cannot give a reason why they make sense or as good as a couple. That in itself is super telling.
Before I start, can I just ask the producers, writers, brainstormers and whatnots of Supergirl to BACK THE GODDAMN TRUCK FOR A SECOND?!?! Back up and explain to me why Kara and Mon-El get an irrefutable, undeniable and indisputable morning after scene to make is glaringly and obviously clear that they slept together in the previous episode but Alex and Maggie were denied the same privilege? Someone explain this #$%^&*@ (insert curse word of choice) double standard to me because it’s 2017 and why the hell is this still happening?!! I feel like every time we take one amazing step forward (Alex’s coming out story line), we are then pushed a dozen steps back (bypassing Maggie’s traumatic coming out; when did Maggie and Eliza become so chummy??; Maggie and Alex’s important relationship milestones happening off camera). It’s so exhausting to continually see this happening over and over again on shows. They want to partake in representation? Then do it properly or don’t do it at all because half-assing it is insulting.
As for the rest of the episode:
– What Alex said to Kara about not being part of the family – I think this was like the “straw that broke the camel’s back” moment for Kara and Alex. I mean back in season 1, these two would have been on Kara’s couch talking it out, hugging and crying, apologizing and forgiving and promising to be sisters forever. Instead, we get Alex drowning her sorrows at her kitchen island and Kara burrowed into her couch. Season 2 has forgotten Supergirl’s “Stronger Together” motto; has forgotten that the show was supposed to be about family and support. At the rate this is going, I’m not even going to hope for some kind of consoling scene between Alex and Kara in the next episode where they actually talk things out.
– Chyler Leigh should be banned from doing emotional scenes. I do not understand how she can make those expressions, convey so much with one look, and good grief when she cries those heart-wrenching, broken, “it was ripped from her throat” sobs, it destroys me. I could literally feel and hear my heart break watching her fall apart in Maggie’s arms, not to mention when she confronted Jeremiah in the forest. That look of betrayal, the way she managed to show her entire world shattering through her eyes and facial expressions…yeah, those should come with a warning.
– I’m starting to think that Maggie lives in Alex’s building. I mean this is like what, the third time she’s sauntered into Alex’s apartment sans jacket and I didn’t see any keys, phone or wallet in her jeans’ pockets. No sane and reasonable person leaves their house without these three things. Also, doesn’t she ride a bike? She lacks a helmet, unless it’s invisible or she has Hermione’s magical expanding pouch.
– I miss Cat. I really, really, really miss Cat. I know the actress didn’t want to commute or move to wherever their filming or something but god, her character was such an integral part of the show for me. In her absence, they decided to fill the gaping hole with stupid stuff like Guardian and Mon-El. *Siiiiiiigh.*
Note to the writer of this recap – kudos to you for that Buffy and Phil Collins’ Tarzan soundtrack references. If You’ll Be In My Heart was actually playing in the background during that scene I think I would have legitimately died from heartbreak.
Oh, I forgot to add: why do Kara and Alex leave their doors unlocked? I mean not only do they live in the city but they live in a city that seems to be constantly under attack. I know that one’s a solar powered alien that’s bulletproof and the other’s a highly trained DEO with wicked ninja skills but seriously? C’mon! It seems so OOC for them to leave their doors unlocked. Or maybe I’m projecting? I’ve never not locked a front door in my entire life. The mere thought makes me want to break out into a cold sweat and go cross-eyed from crippling anxiety. I mean there’s a reason why I chose to live in an apartment building where you need a key fob for the main entrance and two different keys just to get from the main entrance to the main elevator hallway to my wing of the building.
It makes sense for Kara to have her door open, its who she is as a person, as for Alex…I genuinely thought Maggie had used a set of keys to open the door, turns out i was wrong. At least her getting a set of keys to Alex’s apartment wasn’t done off screen like a surprisingly large part of their relationship
The way Alex was like “yeah” when Maggie knocked made me wonder if Alex had gotten up to buzz her in and sat back down? And therefore left the door unlocked? And maybe Maggie snuck in with the pizza last time?? It’s unclear.
I don’t know about Kara’s door but Alex’s door doesn’t have a lock on it. Look at that scene again or any scene coming through Alex’s door, she has the lock that you turn on the door but there is no actual lock on the door frame (i don’t know what that’s called). I noticed it when Maggie opened the door to Maggie when she brought the pizza and beer and I said no wonder Alex opens the door with her gun.
Lol, omg you’re totally right! Alex’s door totally lacks a deadbolt! There’s the knob but when she opens the door for Maggie in 2×08, there’s nothing on the side of the door! *laughs* Oh man what a goof up on the set designers’ part! Either that or Alex really needs to talk to her landlord about the procedure of installing proper door locks.
I was thinking about the morning after scene too, yes it sucks that Karamel and Sanvers aren’t equal especially since Sanvers has the longer relationship, it’s 2017 and this is the CW now not CBS (which I thought would give them a little more freedom regarding Sanvers intimacy) but this is my reasoning, since day 1 Mon-El has been this playboy and we’ve seen him with random girls in the bar and with Eve in the copy room etc. so when he and Kara slept together it’s kind of a given we’d see that side of him but Maggie “has never been comfortable getting intimate with someone” so for Sanvers it’s a little more private time.
This episode was rough for me because I feel like everyone was out of character to some degree in order to serve Mon-El’s growth. I think it’s a weird choice to anchor an episode in Mon-El instead of Kara generally but also wildly inappropriate in this episode given the subject being Kara and Alex’s long lost father returning.
Mon-El’s questioning of Jeremiah was appropriate, but he went about it in the least sympathetic way possible so I guess that’s on brand for him.
J’onn, Kara and Alex all acted like… well, morons. And I just don’t think they would. Especially J’onn but also Kara and Alex who have heard and experienced things leading them previously to the conclusion that Something Is Up with Jeremiah and Cadmus. J’onn wouldn’t just give someone back their clearance like that come on.
Eliza finally said what I want long-suffering wifes of returned dudes on tv to say: dude, 10 years is a long time I don’t think we can just pick it back up. This annoyed me so much on Homeland where Brody had the GALL to be offended she’d dated someone. YOU AREN’T EVEN MARRIED BECAUSE YOU WERE LEGALLY DECLARED DEAD SO DEATH DID YOU PART! Ugh, still not over it clearly. If his absence were a child that child would almost have graduated elementary school just sayin’.
Anyway, the performances make this show feel better than it is, but even Chris Wood couldn’t save Mon-El’s awkward ove-certainty being so dang abrupt.
Also, Mon-El being sulky she wasn’t in bed with him (I mean, we all get it but like be nice dude she brought you flowers and is being impossibly cute ohmygod) and his outing of Kara in the DEO was horrible – the show seems to find this charming? His questioning of Jeremiah is what most of these characters would normally be doing but the show is treating his doing it as a betrayal? I don’t know, those beats didn’t work for me and I am starting to wonder if the writers understand what is charming and what isn’t about Mon-El. (let’s put Alex and Maggie in the DEO outing situation – not so charming now is it, show?)
Dear writers: the jokes you are making Mon-El a vehicle for aren’t as funny as you think they are. Do better.
Loved that train sequence, though.
This week I decided just to wait til this morning to find videos the good scenes on tumblr and that seems to be the way to go moving forward. There is still no cohesive, overarching plot outside the ships and I know longer feel like sitting through twenty minutes of Karamel for the sake of five minutes of Sanvers.
Still gonna read these excellent recaps, though. Have to know if we get any more crazy-good Sanvers or Supercorp episodes and also keeping tabs on Space Dad.
Are we not commenting on the fact that the hetero couple gets a gratuitous, clothes-strewn-everywhere, waking-up-half-naked morning-after scene and the queer couple got . . . a lovely morning after scene but definitely not *that*?
Also I’m starting to wonder if you’re making a BtVS reference in a caption every week just so that I’ll comment on it.
Yes, we have to talk about these double standards. I’m so tired of lesbian relationships portrayed on TV with characters looking like ‘close friends’. It’s exhausting.
Agreed. I have heard showrunners say that it’s often the network executives that tells them to dial the same-sex affections down. For example, one of the Pretty Little Liars writers said that they were asked to tone down a makeout scene between Emily and Paige, but allowed more explicit straight makeout-scenes to go through without any altering at all, and Ryan Murphy (as much as I dislike that guy) mentioned similar things happening on Glee. But what showrunners can do, if they’re not allowed to write the same-sex scenes too explicit, is to tone down the explicitness of the straight scenes.
haha this one came naturally but I did think of you when I was typing it!! knew you’d appreciate it :)
Thanks again for another amazing recap. Actually, I think that for the last weeks, your recaps became much more amusing than the show itself.
And if Supergirl wants to maintain some sort of coherence they will eventually (and I truly hope this doesn’t take long) discard this Mon-El character, because there’s no other way you keep this oppressive dynamic where he NEVER listens to Kara just to apologize to her in the end playing the cool guy. To all the girls in abusive relationships out there, please stay away from SG right now.
That being said, may I say I found extremely disturbing that ‘no men is good enough for you’ line from Jeremiah? It sounded to me like those straight guys telling you women dating women don’t count as an actual relationship. I know that’s not exactly what he said, but I just really didn’t like the way he phrased it.
And please, bring that season one James back, bring Cat Grant back, and most important, bring Supergirl back!!! And more Maggie screentime, for Rao’s sake!
Last but not least, I’m starting to call this the ‘Alex Danvers Rules the World’ show, it makes it easier for me.
Totally with you on the No man is good enough line. Glad someone else also thinks it’s got nothing to do with men why someone would date women.
Let’s just remember what Alex herself said when she came out to Kara: “this isn’t because I haven’t found the right guy”. What happened to the writes from 2×06 to now?
I was particularly icked out by him saying “it would have to be someone like you.” I’m still not sure what that was supposed to mean. A queer woman? For one thing, it kind of denies Alex’s own identity by making it about the person she’s dating instead of her own attractions, but moreover saying “someone like you” is usually something someone’s would say as an insult, isn’t it? When he said it the first thought I had (even though it obviously wasn’t at all what he meant) was that it was a reference to her being POC. It was just weird.
I’m not giving up the show, but damn, it’s a struggle to watch sometimes.
I did not enjoy that they had to DUMB DOWN all their characters in order to make Mon-El the sensible one and the hero. Alex, I understand- she’s seeing her dad through the eyes of a 14 year old who hopes desperately he’s a good guy still. But everyone else? COME ON. You know who would have made more sense to question Jeremiah’s motives besides Mr “I’ve only been on earth for 2 months and still don’t understand basic human emotions?” Maggie or Winn. Maggie, the detective who will try and make sure Alex doesn’t get hurt. Winn, who works at the DEO and his entire job is about security. EITHER of them would have made more sense. And don’t get me started on giving a guy who has been a captive of the enemy for 14 years the full run of a top secret government organization the DAY AFTER he was rescued. Did everyone get hit with the stupid stick???
The minute Mon-El told everyone in the DEO he and Kara were dating I lost it. I can’t believe that once again, they hit the reset button on his character and he had to be taught AGAIN how to be a good partner and person. ENOUGH. And then the only person he listens to is the straight white guy, Winn? I just can’t even.
I hope the show gets back on track soon, because right now even the small amount of Sanvers we get is not saving it.
I told my girlfriend this week… “I’m literally bored. I’m actually bored during what used to be my favorite show.” And used to be was like 2 months ago, How can things go bad so quickly.
I really had to analyze my feelings with this episode. The “Super” universe has always been my favorite, I grew up with the Christopher Reeve led movies then Lois and Clark became a favorite of mine, I was a fan of Smallville early on but then they changed so much of the lore of Superman that I gave up on it toward the end and I haven’t seen any of the current movies (they just seemed too dark and not the campy I like). But when Supergirl came on the screens I was like YES, this is my wheelhouse.
Season 1 was great, it was Kara by day and Supergirl by night she split her time fairly evenly between CatCo and the DEO and that was great. Season 2 I feel they lost a bit of that balance probably by the loss of Cat Grant and that everyone works or hangs out at the DEO. And even though she’s a reporter now, the action is her as Supergirl not as a reporter, I would say they should drop the CatCo side of things but they need that kind of alternative side of her at times.
Now Mon-El, I had been giving him the benefit of the doubt since the beginning but he has now reached Brandon Foster levels of stupidity when it comes to this relationship with Kara. However, he was right about Jeremiah but no one would believe him because he Brandon Fostered the telling the whole DEO about him and Kara situation. I hope he too finds his right footing because I am rooting for him to be the man Kara needs him to be and he’s better than James.
*Side note* Not to get into personal business but with Melissa and Blake divorcing does anyone think that Melissa and Chris might be getting cozy off camera too and the writer/producers saw this and thought it would be a good idea to pair them up on screen? But not all off screen chemistry translates on screen. Just remember Melissa and Blake as Marley and Ryder on Glee.
A few points on the episode itself. 1-I really wish Eliza would have chimed in with her suspicions about Jeremiah because it didn’t seem like she trusted him all that much either. 2-Why didn’t J’onn try to read Jeremiah’s mind early on, it should just be his security measure for everyone especially what they went through recently with the white martians invading the DEO. 3-Again after the White Martian attack at the DEO I am very surprised that Winn didn’t have so many security measures in place that he wouldn’t get alerted to someone fiddling with the system.
Speaking of Winn, I am very suspicious of his girl. I don’t know what they are trying to do there but when he is with her to me he seems very out of character. It almost seems like he’s under an Amortentia love spell.
Maggie and Alex, there seems to be something missing there that we the audience have missed out on. Like if Maggie and Eliza met when Maggie got shot it was before Maggie returned Alex’s feelings so how’d they go from that to a “hey sweetie”? The end scene with Maggie coming in broke my heart. I really wish we could’ve gotten more of that. I like seeing cop Maggie and Agent Danvers but I do want to see more girlfriends Sanvers, I won’t be greedy and ask for things I know we won’t get but just a hand hold, a wake up in bed (clothed even) or my favorite thing them talking in bed at night. If anyone watches the Good Fight, Maya and Amy have had all these moments and it was gratuitously sexy, it was just couple moments.
I agree with almost all of your arguments and sentiments (aside from the whole Melissa divorce thing because I had no clue that was happening).
Eliza seemed more than hesitant and conflicted when it came to Jeremiah. Could have been just because having her husband returned to her after so many years she couldn’t see herself simply continuing with their marriage where they left off… but it would’ve been nice to have her be a voice of support for Kara in her and Mon-El’s suspicions. It also would have made for interesting juxtaposing family-dynamics; Eliza siding with Kara and Alex being more of a daddy’s girl, blinded by her adoration and idolization of Jeremiah and her joy of having him back, standing by him no matter what (…well until the betrayal that is).
About the mind reading: I can’t imagine J’onn not having a peak into Jeremiah’s mind beforehand. I just thought Jeremiah accounted for that during the family dinner etc., hiding his objective behind his genuine reflections and emotions what his family were concerned. And then just shut J’onn out or concealed his thoughts during the data-heist at the DEO.
And a big YES on the CatCo/DEO issue. They handled that balance so well in season one. Although I heard that episode 2×18 is entitled “Ace Reporter” and will have Kara focused on her work at CatCo. The main topic of the episode will be “journalistic inegrity”. And it might also feature Lena and Kara’s “super-duper-non-romantic-relationship” a bit more heavily.
1) I love that “Brandon Foster levels of stupidity” is a metric
2) I agree with you about Lyra — when Mon-El saw her come over to him in the bar, I thought he was about to say something about her type of alien and the love spell they cast, but then he didn’t. (Which doesn’t mean they’re not notorious for seducing human men and eating them alive, Mon-El isn’t instinctively helpful.)
3) I agree that I wish we had seen more of Alex and Maggie hanging out as girlfriends, especially around Eliza (since to your point they’ve definitely had interactions since last we saw Eliza) but alas.
“Brandon Foster levels of stupidity” is my new favorite thing of all time. Thank you for this!
Re Lyra, this episode convinced me that she’s there mostly to be a sympathetic alien to be put at risk. Now that Cadmus has a super-weapon and the alien registry, they’re going to kill all the aliens, and Jeremiah has pretty obviously agreed to help them on condition that their Final Solution spares Kara. So I think Lyra is there, and we’re getting to know her slowly in sympathetic ways, to be a victim or potential victim (though I hope they won’t actually kill her).
It’s just that she’s being presented through such a male gaze–she’s a male fantasy girlfriend, who doesn’t want anything but sex and good times, and who makes Winn look more impressive on the manly scale–that it feels weird.
(Lyra may also be there to emphasize that Winn has moved on from his crush on Kara to emphasize that Mon-El is the main love interest now; there were a lot of people who insisted on shipping him with Kara last season, and that conversation often became creepy given how clearly Kara didn’t want Winn and racist in its attacks on James, who was the canon love interest then.)
I have stopped watching this show now because they are using Maggie only as the girlfriend of Alex. Just because these two got together, Maggie becomes bland?
Contrary to others, I was glad James was not present. I hated his cry baby-egoistical-i am a hero-praise me story-lines. If only they stop forcing Mon-El on Kara. He was cute at the start, but when he repeatedly ignores Kara’s requests/commands and thinks she needs to be saved by him even if she is more than capable herself is turning tiresome.
Where is Lena? Where is Cat?
Thanks for the recap on this episode! Hope to get a recap on the next! This show from its start was my favorite and it became my very best when the whole stuff of Alex Maggie relationship started. I really hope to see more of the Alex Maggie love story!
When Supergirl made the move from CBS to the CW, I was excited about its pairing with em>Jane The Virgin. Every Monday night, I’d get to watch two back-to-back hours of female driven TV with feminist sensibilities. But since the move, Alex’s sexuality notwithstanding, the focus of Supergirl seems to be to build their audience with folks already watching their other superhero shows (read: men), instead of sticking with what made the show great in the first place.
So now I watch one hour of female driven TV with feminist sensibilities…and Supergirl.
(Ironically, this week’s episode of Jane the Virgin dealt with the issue of implicit gender bias…I hope the writers of Supergirl tuned in.)
PS: Entertainment Weekly has a really interesting interview with Chyler Leigh. It gives some real insight into how Sanvers came to be.
Thank you for this interview. She is an amazing person.
Thanks for the interview link! She sounds like such a down to earth and genuine individual. Her involvement with Floriana’s casting process was so cute. I am a little bummed that she won’t be singing in the musical crossover though. But then maybe it was because it would have been OOC for Alex as a character? Idk..
I don’t watch Legends of Tomorrow (which has a female lead), but I saw s2e6 and boy was it macho and there wasn’t a lot of air time for the women. iZOMBiE (which has a female lead) has the blessing/curse of for some reason not being counted as one of the CW DC superhero shows (Vertigo is part of DC comics), but it doesn’t embrace anything feminist (it’s not anti-feminist either), that I can think of. I half-expect Liv to eat a ‘feminist’ brain and temporarily become an offensive parody of feminism for male viewers to chuckle at. Supergirl is feminist but they keep trying to get Legends/Flash/Arrow fans to like it and vice versa, when it’s more of a social commentary show than a superhero show. The Vampire Diaries has gone about two seasons without their female lead, although that was a good call, for the sake of other characters’ development. Supernatural has only recently stopped killing off all the female characters. CW doesn’t seem to know what to do with female characters in general.
Yes! I love Supergirl, but watching it next to Jane the Virgin really brings out how much it’s lost its feminism (which was never as smart as Jane’s to begin with).
Why are the “Thumbs Up” buttons gone on comments?
They’ve changed the thumbs up-system a bit. But they’re supposed to show up if you’re logged in.
Also I just noticed my Batwoman icon is gone! D:
I think Mon-El will last only this season. Someone wrote that Mon-el’s story is clasical greek tragedy. Mon-el and Kara are dating now, but she will learn that he is the prince of Daxam and they will break up. And in season finale the Cadmus will do something big and Mon-el will sacrifice himself to stop them and become a true superhero.
take it baaack
This theory seems highly plausible!
Hello! So, I haven’t seen this discussed yet, and I guess I will be that person.
I am sorry Valerie Anne. I don’t think Alex was imploring Kara to “Act like it”. She was mad and she was clearly drawing the lines there. Either you are my family or you are not. She says as much. And to an adopted child, the meaning is pretty clear I think. Prove yourself.
Is that something typically asked of someone who is your genetic family?
Even if it is, the weight of this statement on someone adopted would be so different. It’d be they who know what it feels like to lose everything, then be accepted into a family, and then rejected at the first instance of a difference of opinion or point of contention.
In conjunction with how Alex has dealt with Kara this season, it would be very hard for Kara to think Alex actually loves her.
From the second episode, when Alex sort of implies that Kara is the reason she lost Jeremiah (where the showrunners and EPs planning this then?) to her stating to Maggie in episode 9 that the reason she was so worried about Kara was because she has always wanted to be the perfect sister (the focus is on her and her obligation), to the Martian Chronicles episode where she decides to forgo Kara’s birthday for a concert with her girlfriend to the White Martian who reads her mind says she doesn’t want to feel guilty about spending time with Maggie and not with Kara to her saying at the end that she wouldn’t abandon Kara (once again, no focus on the joy of companionship; it is still about obligation, although I agree this time Kara starts with the issue of abandonment), to the valentine’s day episode when she is too angsty about the valentine’s day outburst of Maggie to worry even a little bit about the fact that there is this crazy powerful guy out to harm her sister and her city. Alex has shown clearly that Kara is more of an obligation to her. There is no love of being together there. No joy in mutual companionship or hanging out. She doesn’t miss Kara and instead thinks Kara would be perfect with Mon El. That Kara would think of picking up and leaving as she did in episode 2 makes perfect sense in this context.
How do you come back from this?
I don’t know if the show would actually deal with this, make Alex lose Kara’s trust (I don’t think Alex can lose her love) and then work to regain it, or if they would just deal with an apology.
If Alex gets a free pass for this (as Kara has been giving Mon El), then it is as much a problematic message as anything else that this show has given. It’s basically saying that anybody can act roughshod over her and she will forgive you; all you need is an apology. And Kara is the ideal that young girls (and older folks and men and women and androgynes) should aspire to.
There is this idea in India that Westerners (mainly Brits and US folks with some Europeans included) don’t think much of friendship and other relationships. All they care about is their love interests (and may be their children). I have always thought that this is a misconception.
I have to say this though: between your shows, your movies, your f/f books and your messaging, your culture does a damn fine job of reinforcing this misconception.
By the way, if that is the case, if your romantic partner is the first and best thing with you and the others fall a distant second, that is okay.
It’s not how it is in India (at least, not for men; women, unfortunately is quite another story); but well, people like and believe in different things. And, that is okay. As long as we all agree in civil rights and not murdering people for difference of opinions. :)
“There is this idea in India that Westerners (mainly Brits and US folks with some Europeans included) don’t think much of friendship and other relationships. All they care about is their love interests (and may be their children). I have always thought that this is a misconception.”
If their source of information behind that idea is watching American or European television or movies, then it’s not so strange that they believe that, because it’s pretty common that people in fictional works thinks their partner takes priority over a friend, even if the friend is in serious need of support. It seems to be the norm in fiction, and friends rarely call them out on that. And while I’m sure that it’s true in real life for some people, I’ve never been able to identify with that. I, and pretty much all my friends, would alter plans with a boy- or girlfriend if a friend is feeling down or needs us in some way without even thinking about it.
Yes, that is what I meant. We cannot all come to US to get perceptions about how the culture there is. Or to Britain. So, we get this idea from fiction that it is romance over everything else. It was not a criticism of your culture, and I didn’t mean any offense. I am sorry if I did offend.
Indian shows make you feel that a woman’s job and responsibility is only towards her husband’s family. Unfortunately, for many women, this is also the reality. But, that is hardly fun for the women. And yet, we do have our friendships too; at least, in urban areas. and sisterhoods. Rarely if ever seen on shows or movies.
And movies mostly centre around men too. So, our media is pretty far behind in showing real world stuff.
I have to disagree with your beginning statement. First I don’t know if Kara was ever legally adopted into the Danvers family, yes her and Alex are sister this and sister that but she calls Eliza Eliza and Jeremiah Jeremiah not Mom and Dad even though they raised her. Still when she goes to see her Dad in the Fortress or with her hologram mom she made it clear they will be her parents.
2nd as an outsider Kara has a different perspective whereas Alex was walking around with rose colored glasses on “my fathers back and that’s all that matters”.
Alex’s “act like it” wasn’t a dig at Kara’s adoption status but just about her picking side of the team.
Okay. It seemed to me that Alex was rejecting Kara. From that end scene where Kara is crying her heart out, I think Kara felt that too.
I really appreciate your pointing out that Alex’s comment is a barbed reference to Kara being adopted, or at least would feel like that in the context of their relationship. I felt that strongly in the scene (it was a low blow), and it felt odd that the recapper didn’t acknowledge it.
The focus on Kara & Alex’s friendship as sisters was one of the best things about the show in its first season, and one of the things I most identified with and enjoyed. I’ve missed that emphasis this season, where, as you show, they have been running the relationship into the ground.
I’m just hoping that they realize this is a problem and that the current rift between Alex & Kara is a major plot point that the writers will make a point of them recovering from. Sometimes the best way media can show and honor the importance of a relationship (especially a familial or friendship one) is to have it subject to pressure and experience conflict and then heal (following some of the same beats often used to tell romantic stories). But I’m nervous that they aren’t focused enough on Kara & Alex’s relationship.
Hey! I don’t think it was intentional on Valerie Anne’s part. People tend to look at shows with the prisms of their own experience and besides, if you tend to love someone (be it a mere character on a TV show), you tend to not see the sometimes not-so nice things they do. Or, see it in a different light and more ready to forgive it given the circumstances. And, circumstances were indeed very trying on Alex. Not to mention the viewer, when you consider how Mon El storyline is being treated.
I tend to identify very strongly with Alex and so, just like I am on myself, I am also supercritical of her than I’d be of anyone else. And I love Kara. So, I am sensitive when she is hurt. :)
OH and, the US culture on adoptive relationships seem a bit different.
In India, adoptive relationships form a big part of our cultural narrative; and it needn’t be legal for it to be valid or emotionally strong. It’s mostly brother-sister narratives (you have to just tie a rakhee on that stranger, or that guy in the colony, for him to think that he should be ready to lose arm and limb to protect you and vice-versa; I am not kidding there are stories in history about this between emperors and queens), but since I have learnt to just ignore the gender, in my mind, it also applies to sisters. :) I think we do have strong female relationships in both urban rural areas that the fictional medium tends to sadly ignore.
And we have had a lot of movies focusing on adoption, with conflict including just the same line that Alex threw at Kara thrown at the adopted person.
The difference between here (and how a lot of the fandom is viewing it) and how it’s shown in this show is that this particular thing is strongly condemned. You know who is in the wrong instantly, no matter the circumstances and the pressure on the person doing this thing.
In canon and fandom though, the matter is not entirely consistent.
Look, for example, at the Red Kryptonite episode where Kara says much the same thing to Alex. All our sympathy was for Alex and Kara really broke down at the end and apologised. And she was under red K.
In the second episode of this season, when Kara said that she is considering moving to Metropolis to be with Clark, again all our sympathy was with Alex (even though she implied in return that she has sacrificed a lot for Kara including her father’s life). And, Kara apologised clearly and unconditionally for making Alex feel that she is less than Clark to her. And even before the apology, she says to Winn that she had been wrong.
Alex on the other hand has been ignoring Kara pretty much consistently this season once she got together with Maggie. And she has been implying that Kara wanting to spend time with her means something is wrong with Kara (as in Kara has issues and all of that is on her mind, Kara is confused about Mon El, or worse as the White Martian who read her mind said, making her feel guilty about wanting to be happy–I mean, is her happiness only in being with Maggie?). And, both the show and a lot of the fandom cut Alex a lot of slack on this. I can understand teens behaving like this; teens tend to be self-centred. However, not an adult woman. At least, not without the show at least throwing some shade on it, which they haven’t done.
Whether it’s intentional on the part of writers or not, I don’t think the difficulties in their relationship is all from just this episode. And… I definitely don’t think it’s all on Kara and Mon El (I agree with you that the show was wrong in portraying his tendency to disregard her as okay by ultimately making him correct about Jeremiah). As in, I think it is as much how they have treated Alex as a whole as in how they have treated Kara-Mon El.
And for what it is worth, while I thoroughly disapprove of the Mon El romance, and the time devoted to it, I don’t think Kara has been particularly out of character except for that. She is still the idealistic woman who would risk even her life to protect other people, with a chip on her shoulder about lying and well, idealism and friendships (even in the little bit of time she had to portray that, she has been shown to care deeply about her friends and about J’onn and especially, about Alex). Alex, on the other hand had some bit of time with J’onn, but otherwise it has been mostly her storyline with Maggie and Jeremiah. She doesn’t seem much conflicted about any of them. However, she seems to consider supporting Kara an obligation, being part of the perfect sister…something her parents made her do… and well, in my opinion, that is not really love.
Oh! And my thoughts is just how I see the show. Not a criticism of how others see the show.
Also, if Alex really feels Kara is an obligation, that is okay. You cannot change how you feel and you cannot force yourself to love someone. And if folks are okay with that, that is okay too.
And now, I will stop.
Oh… and I have this theory (informed by opinions I have heard on tumblr too) that Kara is going for Mon El as the only person who shows any interest in her and in spending time with her because well, the rest of her group, her sister, her friends are all abandoning her in favour of better pursuits. Nobody seems to want to spend time with her. So, why not hang out with the one guy who actually seems to want to be with her?
At the end of this episode, after Alex rejected Kara again to commiserate with Eliza, waking up with Mon El must have seemed like a balm to her.
And Winn seems to be the only guy who cares enough to ask Mon El to treat her better.
So, now I am beginning to believe that Mon El will not last. Well, let us see where they go with this.
And for Sanvers… really, since this is the Supergirl show, I think the best (and in my opinion better writing) story would be for them to have Maggie and Kara actually work together consistently as Supergirl and cop without the involvement of Alex. Give Maggie a place that is independent of Alex in Supergirl. It seems a natural enough storyline to me.
And I am one of the possibly few who thinks that this storyline and romance would have been so much better served if Maggie had connected with Kara first, had started off as her friend and then, had Alex come into the picture (mainly to protect Kara) and then interact with her.
No real life is not like that. But then, real life is not a show about Supergirl.
Otherwise Maggie has every chance of being reduced to be the gay sister’s love interest.
And Valerie Ann, I think your reviews/recaps are great! (I don’t always agree, but I guess that is okay).
It’s more than okay! I’m only one person with a lot of feelings; I learn so much reading everyone else’s views and opinions and takes on the episodes. Thank you for sharing yours!
All I have to say about this episode is
– that last Sanvers scene was beautiful
– the overall episode was a great set-up for some future Alex and Kara sisterly bonding scenes (which Chyler Leigh promised in her facebook Q&A will be coming up)
– urgh, Mon-El. You were right but it is how you chose to behave while being right that I have an issue with.
And last but definitely not least:
– Oh look, Lena will be back next week!!!
Funny how we simultaneously want Mon-El to quickly become at least half the respectable man Kal-El is, and also want Mon to be a deplorable villain that shatters Kara’s heart in a million pieces and teaches her to never settle for less than what she deserves.
Valerie Anne, you are a far better person than me. I’m only just getting to watch the ep due to RL issues, and I’m currently 3m51s in, and I have exclaimed loudly, seven times, ‘f*ck off you f*cking arsewipe”.
And, yes, my cat is looking at me strangely….
Is the actor, who I wasn’t overly fond of at the beginning, but warmed up to a little during ‘Supergirl Lives’, given the instruction to play Monorail as a dick?The character is played as smug, arrogant, ungrateful and deplorable. He is not ‘cute’, nor is he charming or romantic.
If the producers want a Superman/boy spin off, send him, to the far outreaches of space ideally, or just anywhere away from this show, and let Kara, Alex, Maggie, J’onn, Winn, Lena, Vasquez, James, and M’gann(*sigh* M’gann…. what a character she could have been…) actually be given some screentime in the show named Supergirl.
OK, I’m 18m11s in now, and his ‘apology’ for disregarding Kara wishes, time and again, is ‘my bad, let’s just move on’?????????
Seriously show???????
What a great example for all the young girls watching this.
I’m starting to doubt I’ll make it through this ep at all…
OMG. ‘Be good to her’???????
And it could only be a straight white man who he listens to????
Again, negative points to the production team for having the hero’s ‘boyfriend’ need to be told to actually treat OUR HERO with respect.
And I realise I’m now pretty much live blogging the ep, but I find I can’t stop…..
‘You are not listening’????? Seriously writers???? You have the king of not listening say that????
Please tell me you were aiming for irony……
OK, I get Alex is upset and feeling betrayed, but can I just remind the writers,
“Either I come back with her, or I don’t come back at all.”
Do not drive a rift between the beating heart of the show.
Don’t stop!
Also, I get that Alex is overwhelmed and emotional, and her long lost hero has returned, but she is an extremely intelligent, brilliant DEO agent. Don’t destroy her character just ‘cos you’re trying to create conflict….
Also in more shallow thoughts, Chyler…. *swoon*
Still going!
‘Don’t try so hard’?? Really?? I don’t think you wanted to phrase it like that…
I’m sure you were actually going for ‘don’t be an ass. Don’t disregard everything she says. Don’t disrespect her and make her less.’
I admit it, I’m a sucker for action scenes.
However, when they make the characters look dumb, you’re not doing your job right.
How did Alex miss the cyborg arm? I’m assuming there’s going to be a good reason for it later in the script???
I’m not holding my breath however…
Also giving Monorail smug, ‘I told you so, your sister is an imbecile’ glances with Kara, is not a good directing choice.
Also, just generally, f*ck off Monorail, you f*cking arsewipe.
Oh, the train scene was awesome! That you for remembering Kara is a superhero!
Also, who doesn’t love a night chase through some Vancouver forest!
And now Chyler is going to start breaking my heart, and I’m going to remember why I won’t ever be able to give this show up.
And run Lillian stunt double!
And yay for some Kara hair porn! And phew, that her luscious locks didn’t get caught under the train…..
And suddenly without Monorail, we have the best (non-Sanvers) scene for a ridiculously long time.
Question: Are they deliberating setting up a rift between Alex & Kara?
‘Cos why the hell didn’t Kara swoop in for a Danvers sisters hug????
Is the plan to force Kara into Monorail’s toxic arms because she’s lost her hero???
‘It’ll make us stronger’?? Like ‘Stronger together’? Like you even remember what that means?
You’re saying one thing and doing something else entirely, writers.
Gaslighting much?
And finally, Floriana turns up on screen for her requisite 2 seconds of screen time.
And, in more shallow thoughts, can she please wear jeans and flannel all the time??
And in less than 1 minute screen time, Sanvers again show themselves to be a mature, respectful, beautiful love story.
We are so fortunate to have 2 actresses of such calibre, with such amazing chemistry, and such natural and obviously genuine affection for each other.
meanwhile…..
Kara, isolated and alone again. Having to ask the person who proclaims himself her boyfriend, to give her the comfort she so desperately needs, because he’s incapable of doing something that isn’t to get gain for himself.
I’m harping back again(I know, I’m sorry), but they are really making Monorail into a borderline sociopathic narcissist, whose every action is driven to laying claim to a brilliant, powerful, genuinely good person.
And therein ends the episode.
Gods, I miss the flawed, frustrating, genius, uplifting, character driven show of the first season.
And gods, i detest Monorail and all that the character has done to the show.
But while Chyler, Floriana and Melissa are still there, I’ll never be able to quit. I’m weak, I know.
And in yay for me news, I get to meet Chyler in 2 months, and Floriana in 3!
This show has really lost its heart since switching to th CW. I’m not a Chyler Leigh fan, so Alex coming out added nothing for me. I miss Cat. I guess I’ll watch until the end of the season, but I doubt I’ll be back for S3.
So I recently realized that, since Daxam was known to have had alien slaves it is undoubtable the royal family had them. Judging by the way the slave owning aliens treated Mon-el, I think it’s safe to say he is really the prince of Daxam. If this is proven to be true that means the Supergirl writers broke up Kara’s relationship with a black man so that she can date a slave owner.
So no, I’m not giving him the benefit of the doubt or rooting for him to be better. Kara has been unrecognizable for the majority of this season thanks to him. I had issues with James after 1×16 but he is still infinitely better than Prince Fratboy.
“If this is proven to be true that means the Supergirl writers broke up Kara’s relationship with a black man so that she can date a slave owner.”
Nicely put. We really can’t stop pointing out all the ways abruptly & poorly ending Kara & James’s relationship to pair her up with Mon-El plays into larger racist narratives.
I don’t mind a storyline about a character learning to be a better partner by asking what their partner needs; it’s a realistic flaw than applies to a lot of relationships.
But I do mind undermining the idea that Mon-El shouldn’t ignore Kara’s stated wishes (which is true and a good plot) by having him be right about mistrusting Jeremiah. I do mind making the rest of the cast act like idiots in order to support this plot and him as a character.
And I do mind the way Kara feels like she’s been crowded out of her own story. It fits a pattern, in which stories about powerful women (did anyone see Jenna Coleman’s series Victoria) suddenly become about their male love interests coping with being overshadowed by powerful ladies, and the women’s own interior lives slide right off the screen.
And the lack of screen time for Kara & Alex’s sister relationship is becoming a problem. A rift opening between them isn’t a bad thing if it gets resolved in time, but I still felt like we needed a final scene between the two of them. Even if they can’t reconcile yet, we should have seen them try to talk about that and say it explicitly before we moved into the parallel sisters-comforted-by-their-love-interests scenes.
I’m starting to lose patience with the show. The by now blatantly obvious disparity between hetero – and homosexual couples on this show is horrendous! When Alex and Maggie supposedly had sex for the first time I wasn’t even sure whether that actually happened or I just wanted it to be true, because all we saw was both of them, fully dressed, in Alex’ apartment having morning coffee. Very open to interpretation. One of my mate’s told me I was overreacting, that this was a kids show and you can’t show two people falling on to a bed or waking up next to each other. I thought that was a bit much, but couldn’t remember if we ever saw more on this show so I let it go.
But then this episode happened, with Mon El waking up in Kara’s bed, half naked. Then even talking about the sexy times they had. What’s with the double standard Supergirl team!?!?!?!? We don’t need this crap. We get enough of it in our real lifes!