Giorgio A. Tsoukalos is his name but you probably know him by merely a single word: “Aliens”. That’s right, he’s the big-haired guy on The History Channel who's turned into an all conquering Internet meme. He’s the guy that really really wants everything to be explained by extraterrestrial life. When a concept like alien life means that much, you start seeing it as explanation in hope just as much as reason. You want to believe that alien life (like the truth) really is out there. Yet if aliens actually did show up on this 3rd rock from the un, it’s highly unlikely that everyone would feel the same way. The anti-alien viewpoint makes itself known this week in Supergirl when the show’s (less scary) equivalent of Donald Trump rolls into town for a rally.
Strange Visitor from Another Planet – When the anti-alien Senator Crane holds a rally in National City, a new monster crashes the party for whom Hank/J’onn has a very personal connection with. Meanwhile, Cat Grant’s long estrange son, Adam, is back in town thanks to Kara’s helping hand but the reunion is far from smooth.
In continuing form last episode’s deeper look into the character this week, we have something that could almost be considered a Martian Manhunter episode. Hank/J’onn takes center stage as the remnants of his Martian war come back to haunt him on Earth. This is the biggest material David Harewood has had to work with all season, and it’s not just his red eyes that shine because of it. We get some really good insights into his character back story, witnessing the death of his family and the genocide his Green Martian people at the hands of the more savage White Martians. By TV standards, the Mars CG sequences are impressive in their detail and colourful visual style. Director Glen Winter utilises them well in quick bursts in depiction of J’onn’s thoughts rather than a single lengthy cut away sequence that would feel far too out of place from the rest of the episode. The focus is on J’onn being forced to revisit not just the events but the emotions of his former life. It’s so good to see Supergirl taking this deeper approach with the character. We know we will not be joining Zack Synder’s cinematic Justice League (being substituted out for Cyborg) or any DC film in the near future so it’s good to see him getting his moments on the small screen. Sadly though, there is a big red problem with his story, and that is Senator Crane herself. After the White Martian’s big entrance, she quickly becomes its human disguise, but both as herself or an undercover alien, as the guest starring Tawny Cypress (Heroes) delivers a very flat character. She feels generic as an angry politician, generally uninspiring as a concealed threat and painfully predictable in her concluding policy U-turn. There is a nice feeling of this episode echoing an expected part of Superman’s story in the upcoming Batman Vs Superman with its anti-alien movement but it could have been done better.
The more personal and romantic aspects of the show are completely on point this week after getting in the way last episode. Firstly and thankfully, the episode does not dwell on the Winn/Kara fall out. Instead of an hour long Winn-moping session, it gets established that Winn is still avoiding her before ditching the subject altogether and bringing in the fresh face of Blake Jenner as Adam and a new potential love interest. This a very personal casting choice for the show, not only have Blake and Melissa Benoist been a previous on screen couple in Glee (that’s right, it’s a Glee-union) but as of last March, they are real life husband and wife. That level of connection brings serious expectations of chemistry which the pair leap in a single bound. They feel completely natural and effortless together on screen with Jenner’s calm confidence and Benoist’s quirky charms making a great combination. Adam as a character also continues the show’s good trend of introducing romantic interest characters with enough of their own story to avoid feeling like just someone’s other half. Lucy Lane had her military background and relationship with her father, and Adam is plenty going on in his own life as he attempts re-connection with his estranged mother. As we’ve seen all season, any story that gives Cat Grant and Calista Flockhart a significant role will by brilliant and this is no exception. The events really serve to compound the Kara/Cat relationship as we see Cat coming to understand Kara, and despite flaws in execution, she genuinely has her best interests at heart. In fact, the final scenes really reinforce that via a surprisingly comedic approach as Cat seems immediately approving of Adam dating Kara. There’s a terrific subtext to Cat shouting from inside her office that Kara is free from work on their proposed date night. It’s as if she’s implying, “Say yes, or you really will be fired”. Future scenes of this trio together could be extremely fun.
The ending bombshell is expected though still delivered well as the Danvers sisters view Bizzaro Supergirl in action (next week’s episode is called “Bizzaro”) as a mirror image of Kara. It really sets things up well for next time. As for this week’s strange visitor, it’s a very good episode that could have been great with more work on its villain character.