Supergirl 2.02: The Last Children of Krypton
Robert Rovner and Caitlin Parrish
Glen Winter
After promising to stick around for a while, it
was extremely frustrating to hear Clark announce his return to Metropolis in
this episode. Nevertheless, Superman's inclusion in this hour helped make “The
Last Children of Krypton” one of Supergirl's
finest hours yet.
It definitely feels like the CW is setting up
Tyler Hoechlin for his very own Superman
spinoff, and there's no doubt that would be a pretty clever decision. The guy
just exudes charisma and likability, and watching him bounce off Kara was a true
delight. Amidst all the action, the show still managed to be pretty insightful
while exploring the complicated dynamic between Kara, Clark and even Alex. I
was especially intrigued by the fact that the writers let Alex basically
badmouth Clark for leaving Kara; it's a complex dynamic, and the show wisely
doesn't take sides while exploring it.
But let's discuss all that action. It's true
that Supergirl moved from a big
budget network (CBS) to a lower-rated one (The CW) this season, but judging by
the blockbuster set pieces, you could never tell! The various fight scenes were
packed with powerful intensity and some terrific camerawork. The editing in
particular did a magnificent job of bringing it all together (check out the
seamlessness of the dual four-way fight in the episode's climax). This was
seriously more enjoyable than Batman v
Superman's CGI-infused mess.
And then there's Cat Grant's departure. It's
not secret that Calista Flockhart decided to leave Supergirl after the production move to Vancouver, but it was still
mightily heartbreaking to bid the character goodbye. On the bright side, we got
what was probably the most emotionally-charged scene the show's ever done.
Everything about the chemistry between Melissa and Calista is utterly perfect,
and I genuinely found myself getting teary eyed as the two lovingly embraced
after everything they'd been through. Here's hoping Cat returns soon rather
than later, because the show is all the better when she's around.
Also promising is Cat's replacement in the form of Cougar Town's Ian Gomez. This man was utterly astounding on ABC's underrated comedic gem, so I have high hopes he'll be equally hysterical here. His whole tough-boss shtick might be a bit cliche, but I have faith in Gomez's comedic abilities, not to mention Melissa Benoist, who can pull so much off without uttering a word. Fingers crossed!
- The action sequences are still top-notch
- The character work for Kara, Clark, and Alex is very well done
- Cat’s departure will be keenly felt, even with a capable replacement in the wings